Conversations on the Psalms

From 18 conversations of St. Basil the Great, dedicated to the interpretation of the psalms, 13 are recognized as authentic: 1, 7, 14, 28, 29, 32, 33, 44, 45, 48, 59, 61, 114. It is generally accepted that the conversations on psalms 7 and 14 were written by St. Basil before taking the episcopate (370), and the rest - until 372. The purpose of the conversations on the psalms is moral edification. At the beginning of the conversation on Psalm 1, Saint Basil clearly characterizes the spiritual meaning of the Psalter and its place among other books of the Old Testament: “The prophets teach one thing, the everyday writers teach another; in one the Law instructs, and in the other it is offered in the form of an admonition; The book of psalms contains in itself what is useful from all books. She prophesies about the future, brings events to memory, gives laws for life, offers rules for activity. In short, it is a common treasury of good teachings and carefully seeks out what is beneficial to everyone. She heals the old wounds of the soul, and gives quick healing to the recently wounded, and restores the painful, and supports the undamaged; in general, as much as possible, it destroys the passions that dominate souls in human life under different forms. And at the same time, it produces in a person some kind of quiet pleasure and pleasure, which makes the mind chaste.” Definition of St. Basil of this Old Testament book remains classic in the entire history of patristic writing. The main thing in the essay under consideration is its complete focus on issues of the spiritual and moral life of a Christian. Here, in particular, one encounters the doctrine of “two paths” (in the “Conversation on the first part of the 1st Psalm”), it shows the deep connection of the moral theology of St. Basil with ancient church tradition. In the work under consideration there is also praise of poverty (“Conversation at the end of the 14th Psalm”), characteristic especially of ancient monasticism. The homily on Psalm 59 is autobiographical in nature. The main topics of conversations on the psalms: about the knowledge of God, about man, about angels, about the relationship of faith and knowledge, eschatology, anthropology, the doctrine of virtues, issues of Christian morality, about patience, issues of social justice. The conversations are characterized by an allegorical method of interpretation and a special instructive tone of the author’s address to the listeners. Discourse on the first part of the 1st Psalm “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful” (2 Tim. 3:16), for this reason it was written by the Holy Spirit, so that in it, as in a common physician of souls, all of us, humans, could find a cure - each for his own ailment. For it is said: “Healing will satisfy great sins” (Eccl. 10:4). But the Prophets teach differently, the writers of everyday life teach differently; in one the law instructs, and in the other - what is proposed in the form of an admonition; The book of psalms contains in itself what is useful from all books. She prophesies about the future, brings events to memory, gives laws for life, offers rules for activity. In short, she is the general treasury of good teachings and carefully seeks out what is beneficial to everyone. She heals the old wounds of the soul, and gives quick healing to the recently wounded, and restores the painful, and supports the undamaged; in general, as much as possible, it destroys the passions that dominate souls in human life under different forms. And at the same time, it produces in a person some kind of quiet pleasure and pleasure, which makes the mind chaste. The Holy Spirit knew that it is difficult to lead the human race to virtue and that, due to our inclination towards pleasure, we do not care about the right path. So what does He do? The pleasantness of sweet singing is mixed with the teachings, so that along with what is sweet and euphonious to the ear, we inconspicuously receive what is useful in the word. Likewise, wise doctors, when giving bitter medicine to those who have an aversion to it to drink, often coat the cup with honey. It is for this reason that these harmonious hymns of psalms were invented for us, so that children of old age, or those who have not matured in morals at all, apparently only sing them, but in reality teach their souls. Hardly any of the common people, especially the careless ones, will go from here, comfortably keeping in mind the apostolic and prophetic commandment, and verses from the psalms are sung in houses and proclaimed in marketplaces. And if someone, like an animal, becomes enraged with anger, as soon as his ear is delighted by the psalm, he will go away, immediately taming the ferocity of the soul within himself with sweet singing. Psalm is the silence of souls, the dispenser of peace; he calms rebellious and agitated thoughts; it softens the irritability of the soul and disciplines intemperance. The psalm is a mediator of friendship, unity between distant people, reconciliation of those at war. For who can still consider as an enemy the one with whom he raised one voice to God? Therefore, psalmody provides us with one of the greatest benefits - love - by inventing corporate singing instead of a knot to unity and bringing people into one consonant face. Psalm is a refuge from demons, entry under the protection of Angels, a weapon in night insurance, peace from daytime labors, safety for babies, decoration in blooming age, comfort for the elderly, the most decent decoration for wives. The psalm inhabits the deserts, makes the marketplaces healthy. For newcomers these are the beginnings of learning, for those who are successful - an increase in knowledge, for those who are perfect - confirmation; this is the voice of the Church. He makes the festivities bright, he produces “sadness like God” (2 Cor. 7:10). For the psalm even compels tears from a stony heart. Psalm is the occupation of Angels, heavenly cohabitation, spiritual incense. This is a wise invention of the Teacher, who arranged for us to sing and learn useful things together. Because of this, the lessons are better imprinted on souls. For what is learned under compulsion does not remain in us for long, but what is accepted with pleasure and pleasantness takes root more firmly in our souls. What can't you learn from the psalms? Do you not learn from here the greatness of courage, the severity of justice, the honesty of chastity, the perfection of prudence, the form of repentance, the measure of patience and every kind of blessing that you cannot name? Here there is perfect theology, the prediction of the coming of Christ in the flesh, the threat of judgment, the hope of resurrection, the fear of punishment, the promises of glory, the revelation of the Sacraments. Everything, as if in a great and general treasury, is collected in the book of psalms, which from among many musical instruments the Prophet adapted into the so-called psalter, giving those, as it seems to me, to understand that the voices in it are uttered by grace, given from above - from the Spirit, because in this one of the musical instruments the source of sounds is located above. In the zither and timpani, the brass sounds below under the bow, and the psalter has a source of harmonic modes at the top, so that we too should take care to seek the Heavenly One and not be carried away by the pleasantness of singing into carnal passions. Moreover, the prophetic word, as I think, is profound and wise, by the very design of this instrument showed us that people with a beautiful and well-disposed soul can comfortably ascend to the Heavenly One. After this, let us consider the beginning of the psalms. (1) “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” House builders, when erecting huge buildings in height, also set the foundations in proportion to the height. And shipbuilders, preparing the ship for lifting large loads, strengthen the underwater part, taking into account the weight of the loaded goods. And at the birth of animals, the heart, which is naturally formed first of all, receives from nature a structure suitable for the future animal, which is why bodily tissue is formed around the heart in proportion to its own principles, and hence the differences in the size of animals. But what the foundation in a house, the underwater part in a ship, and the heart in the body of an animal mean, it seems to me that this short preface has the same force in relation to the whole composition of the psalms. Since the psalmist, with the continuation of the word, intends to exhort many things that are difficult and filled with countless deeds and efforts, he first points out to the ascetics of piety a blessed end, so that we, in the hope of the blessings prepared for us, will blithely endure the sorrows of this life. Likewise, for travelers walking along a rough and impassable path, their work is made easier by the comfortable shelter they expect, and the desire to acquire goods makes merchants bravely set out to sea, and for farmers the hope of fertility makes their labor unnoticeable. Therefore, the general Mentor in life, the Great Teacher, the Spirit of Truth, wisely and skilfully offered rewards in advance, so that we, stretching our gaze beyond those works that are at hand, would hasten with the thought of enjoying eternal blessings. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” So, there is a true good, which in its proper and original sense should be called blessed; and this is God. Why does Paul, intending to mention Christ, say: “According to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1 Tim. 1:11); “waiting for the blessed hope and the revelation of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). For truly blessed is this Source Good, to which everything is turned, to which everything desires, this unchangeable Nature, this sovereign Dignity, this serene Life, this carefree State, in which there is no change, which is not touched by vicissitudes, this ever-flowing Source, this inexhaustible Grace, this inexhaustible Treasure. But ignorant people and lovers of peace, not knowing the nature of good itself, often call blessed that which has no value: wealth, health, a brilliant life - everything that by its nature is not good, because it not only conveniently changes into the opposite, but also cannot make its owners good. For whom has wealth made just or health chaste? On the contrary, each of these gifts often contributes to sin to those who abuse them. Therefore, blessed is he who has acquired something worthy of a greater price, who has become a partaker of the inalienable blessings. But how do we know this about him? This is the one “who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” And before I say what it means not to go to the council of the wicked, I intend to solve for you the question that is presented here. Ask: why does the Prophet take one husband and call him blessed? Did he really exclude wives from the number of blessed ones? No, there is one virtue for husband and wife, just as the work of both is equal, and therefore the reward for both is the same. Listen to what is said in the book of Genesis: “And God created man, in the image of God created him: husband and wife created he them” (Gen. 1:27). But those who have the same nature have the same actions, and those whose deeds are equal, for them the reward is the same. So, why did the psalmist, having mentioned the husband, remain silent about the wife? Because, given the unity of nature, he considered it sufficient to designate the whole to indicate what is predominant in the genus. Therefore, “blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” Look how precise the words are and how many thoughts each utterance is filled with. He did not say: “He who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,” but: “He who does not walk.” Whoever is still alive cannot be called blessed, due to the unknown end of his life, but whoever has fulfilled the duties assigned to him and concluded his life with a blameless end, he can safely be called blessed. Why are “blessed... those who walk in the law of the Lord” (Ps. 119:1)? Here Scripture calls those who have not walked, but still walk in the law, blessed. This is because those who do good for the very deed are worthy of praise, and those who avoid evil deserve praise not when they avoid sin once or twice, but when they are able to forever avoid the temptation of evil. But the connection between concepts reveals another difficulty. Why does the psalmist call the one who does not succeed in virtue, but who has not committed sin, blessed? In this case, the horse, the ox, and the stone could be called blessed. For what inanimate creature stood “in the path of sinners”? Or what dumb thing sat “on the seats of the destroyers”? But be patient a little and you will find a cure. The prophet adds: “But his will is in the law of the Lord” (Ps. 1:2). Teaching in the law of God belongs only to a rational being. And we will also say that the beginning of the assimilation of good is moving away from evil. For it is said: “Turn away from evil and do good” (Ps. 36:27). So, wisely and skilfully leading us to virtue, the psalmist made the departure from sin the beginning of good deeds. And if he suddenly demanded perfection from you, then perhaps you would be slow to get down to business. Now he accustoms you to things that are more accessible, so that you can take on other things more boldly. And I would say that the exercise of virtue is likened to a ladder, that very ladder that blessed Jacob once saw, one part of which was close to the earth and touched it, and the other extended even above Heaven itself. Therefore, those entering a virtuous life must first establish their feet on the first steps and from them continually ascend higher and higher, until finally, through gradual progress, they ascend to the height possible for human nature. Therefore, just as the initial ascent up the ladder is removal from the earth, so in life according to God, removal from evil is the beginning of prosperity. In general, any inaction is much easier than any action. For example, “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal” (Ex. 20:13–15); each of these commandments requires only inaction and immobility. “Love your sincere person as yourself” (Matthew 19:19); “Sell what you have and give to the poor” (Matthew 19:21); “If anyone understands you by strength in one race, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41) - these are already actions befitting ascetics, and a courageous soul is required to perform them. Therefore, marvel at the wisdom of the one who, through something easier and more accessible, leads us to perfection. The psalmist offered us three conditions that require compliance: do not walk “in the counsel of the wicked,” do not stand “in the path of sinners,” and do not sit “on the seats of the destroyers.” Following the natural course of affairs, he introduced this order into what he said. For first we begin to think over the intention, then we reinforce it, and after that we become established in what we have thought out. Therefore, initially we should call the purity of our thoughts blessed, because the root of bodily actions is the consultations of the heart. Thus, fornication first ignites in the soul of the sensualist, and then produces bodily corruption. Therefore, the Lord says that there is something inside a person that defiles him (see: Matt. 15:18). Since sin against God is called in the proper sense wickedness, we will never allow ourselves to doubt about God due to unbelief. For it means to go “to the counsel of the wicked” if you say in your heart: “Is there a God who rules everything? Is there a God in Heaven who controls everything separately? Is there a court? Is there a reward for everyone according to his deeds? Why do the righteous live in poverty and the sinners grow rich? Some are weak, while others enjoy health? Some are dishonest and others are glorious? Isn't the world moving spontaneously? And is it not an unreasonable chance that distributes the lot of life to everyone without any order? - If you thought so, then you went “to the advice of the wicked.” Therefore, blessed is he who has not given himself room for doubt about God, who has not fallen into cowardice at the sight of the present, but waits for what he expects, who has not entertained a distrustful thought about the Creator of us. Blessed is the one who did not stand “in the path of sinners.” Life is called a path because each of those born hastens to the end. Just as those sitting on a ship without any effort are carried by the wind towards the pier, and although they themselves do not feel it, the running of the ship brings them closer to the goal, so we, with the passing time of our life, as if by some continuous and incessant movement in the imperceptible flow of life, are each carried away to our limit. For example, you are sleeping, and time is running away from you. You are awake, and your thought is busy, but at the same time your life is wasted, although it runs away from our feelings. All of us, humans, are running along some kind of field, and each of us is in a hurry to reach our goal, so we are all on a journey. And in this way you can form an idea about this path. You are a traveler in this life, you pass by everything, everything remains behind you: you see a plant or grass, or water, or something else worthy of your sight along the way, you admire it for a short time and move on. Again you encounter stones, abysses, cliffs, rocks, stumps, and sometimes animals, reptiles, thorns or something else unpleasant, grieved for a short time and then left. Such is life, it has neither constant pleasures nor long-lasting sorrows. This path is not yours, but the present is not yours either. Travelers have this custom: as soon as the first one takes a step, immediately the other one lifts his foot behind him, and after that the next one. Look, isn’t life like this? Today you have cultivated the land, and tomorrow another will cultivate it, and after him another. Do you see these fields and magnificent buildings? How many times has each of them changed its name since its existence! It was called the property of so-and-so, then renamed by the name of another, passed to a new owner, and now it has become known as the property of an even new one. And so, isn’t our life a path that first one or the other enters and along which everyone follows one after the other? Therefore, “blessed is he who... there are not a hundred sinners on the path.” What does “not a hundred” mean? A person, being in the first age, is still neither vicious nor virtuous, because this age is not capable of either state. But when the mind in us has matured, then what is written comes true: “But the commandment came, because sin lived, but I died” (Rom. 7:9-10). For evil thoughts arise, born in our souls from carnal passions. Indeed, the commandment has come, that is, the knowledge of good has been acquired, and if it does not overcome the evil thought, but allows the mind to be enslaved to the passions, then sin has come to life, and the mind has died, having become dead through the fall. Therefore, blessed is he who has not become stubborn “in the path of sinners,” but with a good mind has entered into a pious life. There are two paths, one opposite to the other - the wide and spacious path and the narrow and sorrowful path. Two are also guidebooks, and each of them tries to appeal to himself. On the smooth and sloping path, the guide is deceptive - it is a crafty demon, and through pleasures he draws those who follow him into destruction; and on the path that is not smooth and steep, a good Angel is a guide, and through the many difficulties of virtue, he leads those who follow him to a blissful end. While each of us is a baby and chases what delights him in the present, until then he does not care at all about the future. But having already become a husband, when his concepts have been perfected, he seems to see that life is divided before him and leads either to virtue or to vice; and often turning his spiritual eye to them, he discerns what is characteristic of virtue and vice. The life of sinners shows in itself all the pleasures of the present age. The life of the righteous reveals only the blessings of the future century. The path of those being saved promises as much future blessings as it represents as many labors in the present. But a voluptuous and intemperate life offers not the expected later, but the real pleasure. Therefore, every soul becomes whirled and cannot stand among its thoughts. When he brings the eternal to his mind, he chooses virtue, but when he turns his attention to the present, he prefers pleasure. Here he sees coolness for the flesh, and there its enslavement, here drunkenness, and there fasting, here unbridled laughter, and there copious tears, here dancing, and there prayer, here flutes, and there sighing, here fornication, and there virginity. Since true good is comprehensible to reason only through faith (for it is distant from us - neither the eye has seen it nor the ear has heard of it), and the sweetness of sin is at our fingertips, and pleasure is poured in through every sense, then blessed is he who is not carried away into destruction by the lures of pleasure, but patiently awaits the hope of salvation and, when choosing one path or another, does not enter the path leading to evil. “And you will not sit on the seats of the destroyers.” Is he talking about those seats on which we rest our bodies? And what does wood have to do with sin, so that the seat that was previously occupied by a sinner should run around as if it were something harmful? Or should we think that by seat we mean a motionless and constant inertia in the approval of sin? We must beware of this, because zealous indifference to sin produces in our souls some incorrigible habit. For an old spiritual passion or a time-established thought of sin is difficult to heal or becomes completely incurable when habits, as most often happen, turn into nature. Therefore, we should desire that we not even touch evil. And the other way is to immediately run away from temptation, like a blow inflicted by an archer, according to what is written by Solomon about an evil wife: “But jump back, do not hesitate... direct your eye lower towards her” (Proverbs 9:18). And now I know those who in their youth crawled into carnal passions and until their gray hairs, out of habit of evil, remain in sins. Just as pigs, wallowing in the mud, continually become more and more covered in mud, so these people, through voluptuousness, cover themselves with new shame every day. So, it is a blessed thing to not think of evil. If, caught by the enemy, you have taken into your soul the advice of wickedness, do not continue in sin. And if you have been subjected to this, do not establish yourself in evil. Therefore, do not sit “on the seats of the destroyers.” If you understand what kind of seat Scripture means, namely, that it refers to a long stay in evil, then examine who it calls destroyers. About the pestilence, people knowledgeable in this matter say that if it touches one person or livestock, it spreads through communication to all those approaching. Such is the nature of this disease that everyone from each other is filled with the same weakness. Such are the works of iniquity. For, by transmitting the disease to each other, everyone suffers from the disease together and perishes together. Have you ever seen how fornicators sit in the marketplace, ridicule the chaste, tell their shameful deeds, their activities worthy of darkness, and list the cases of their dishonor as exploits or other valor? These are destroyers who try to pass on their own vice to everyone and strive to make many similar to themselves in order to avoid reproach when the vices become common. A fire touching a combustible substance cannot help but engulf the entire substance, especially if a strong wind blows and carries the flame from one place to another. Likewise, sin, having touched one person, cannot but spread to all those approaching, when evil spirits fan it. Thus, the spirit of fornication is not limited to dishonoring one, but immediately comrades join in: feasts, drunkenness, shameful stories and an indecent woman who drinks together, smiles at one, seduces another and inflames everyone to the same sin. Is this infection really small, is this spread of evil unimportant? But he who imitates a covetous man or a man who through some other vice has achieved significant power in society, becomes a ruler of nations or a military leader and then indulges in the most shameful passions - can he who imitates him not accept destruction into his soul, having turned the vice of the one he imitates into his own? A brilliant position in the world shows along with it the life of the people placed in plain sight. Warriors most often imitate military leaders; those living in cities take examples from their commanders; and in general, when many consider the vice of one person worthy of emulation, then it is fair and decent to say that from him some kind of destruction of souls spreads in life. For sin in the person of the eminent attracts many who are tempted to imitate the same thing. And since one borrows damage from another, it is said about such people that they destroy souls. So, do not sit “on the seats of the destroyers,” do not participate in the meeting of people who damage morality and are destructive, do not remain in the company of advisers for evil! But my word still lingers on one preface, meanwhile I notice that its abundance has exceeded the proper measure so that it would be difficult for you to remember if more had been said, and it is difficult for me to continue serving the word, because due to congenital weakness I lack a voice. But although what we talked about was unsaid, although, having shown that evil should be avoided, I remained silent about how to improve through good deeds, however, having offered the present to favorable attention, I promise, with God’s help, to fill in what is missing, unless complete silence is imposed on me. May the Lord grant us a reward for what we have said, and you the fruit of what you have heard, according to the grace of His Christ, for to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1) “A psalm to David, which was sung to the Lord about the words of Husha, the son of Jemen.” The inscription of the seventh psalm apparently contradicts somewhat what is narrated in the books of Kings, where it is written about David, for there it is told about Hushai, the first friend of David (see: 2 Sam. 15:32), and about the son of Arahi, and here is Hushai, the son of Jamenite. But just as this Hushai is not the son of Jemenite, so among those mentioned there is no other Hushai, the son of Jemenite. Is it not because he was called the son of Jemen that he showed great courage and valiant feat when, under the guise of a friend, he came to Absalom and ruined the council of Ahithophel, who offered an opinion befitting a man who was very resourceful and knowledgeable in military matters? For the son of Jemen means son of the right hand. When Ahithophel advised not to delay the matter at all, but to immediately attack his father, who was not yet ready for battle, Hushai did not allow Ahithophel’s advice to be accepted, “for the Lord would bring,” as it is said, “the Lord all evil against Absalom” (2 Kings 17:14). But on the contrary, in order to give David time to gather his forces, he decided to assure them of the benefits of delay and slowdown, which pleased Absalom, who said: “The advice of Hushai the Arachiite is good, better than the advice of Ahithophel” (2 Sam. 17:14). Meanwhile, through the priests Zadok and Abiathar, he let David know about Absalom’s orders and demanded that David not stay overnight in the desert of Araboth, but hasten the transition. Since through this good advice he became the right hand of David, he received a name from his valiant deed and therefore was called the son of Jemen, that is, the son of the right hand. And in Scripture there is a custom of naming the wicked more often after sin than after their father, and naming good sons according to the virtue that distinguishes them... Thus, the Apostle Paul calls the devil the son of destruction: “Unless... the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction” (2 Thess. 2:3). And in the Gospel, the Lord called Judas the son of destruction, saying: “No one... perishes except the son of destruction” (John 17:12). He called those educated in the knowledge of God children of wisdom, saying: “And wisdom was justified from her children” (Matthew 11:19). And he also says: “If... there will be a son of peace” (Luke 10:6). Therefore, it is not surprising if even now the carnal parent of David’s first friend is kept silent; He is called the son of the right hand, having received this name suitable for him by his deed. (2) “Lord my God, in You I trust, save me.” You will think that the words are simple, that you can literally say to anyone: “Lord my God, in You I trust, save me.” But in reality, maybe not so. Whoever hopes in a person or is saturated with something else of everyday life, for example, power or money, or anything else that is revered by people as brilliant, cannot say: “Lord my God, in You I trust.” For there is a commandment not to trust in princes, and it is said: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man” (Jer. 17:5). One should not give Divine honor to anything other than God, nor should one hope for anything other than God, the Lord of all. It is said: “The Lord is my strength and my song” (Ps. 117:14). Why does the Prophet pray to first be saved from those persecuting him, and then to be delivered? The punctuation mark will make the speech clear: “save me from all those who persecute me, and deliver me”: (3) “lest a lion snatch away my soul.” What is the difference between salvation and deliverance? The fact that the weak actually need salvation, and those held in captivity need deliverance. Therefore, whoever has weakness within himself, but also finds faith in himself, is guided by his own faith to salvation, for it is said: “Your faith will save you” (Luke 7:50), and also: “Because you believed, so will you” (Matthew 8:13). And whoever demands deliverance expects others to provide the proper price for him. Therefore, the one who is threatened with death, knowing that there is one Savior and one Redeemer, says: “In You I trust, save me” from weakness “and deliver me” from captivity. I think that about the courageous ascetics of God, who throughout their entire lives fought with invisible enemies, when they escape all their persecutions, being at the end of their lives, the prince of this age inquires in order to keep them with him if there are wounds on them received during the struggle, or any stains and imprints of sin. And if they are found unwounded and unsullied, then as invincible, as free, they will be laid to rest by Christ. Therefore, the Prophet prays for the future and present life. Here he says: “Save me from... those who persecute,” and there, during the test: “Deliver me, lest a lion snatch away my soul.” And you can learn this from the Lord Himself, Who, before suffering, says: “The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he will have nothing” (John 14:30). But He, who committed no sin, said: “Have nothing”; for a person it is enough if he dares to say: “The prince of this world is coming and in me he has not much and little importance.” It is dangerous that this does not happen to us, when we have neither one who delivers nor one who saves. Two concepts are also given two concepts: “save me from” the multitude of “those who persecute me, and deliver me, but not when I am kidnapped, I am not the one who delivers.” (4) “O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is iniquity in my hand,” (5) “If I repay those who repay me with evil, then I will fall away from my lean enemies”: (6) “Let the enemy marry my soul, and let him suffer.” Scripture usually uses the word “retribution”, not only in the generally accepted sense, when good or evil has already been committed, but also about something intended, as in the following place: “Reward Your servant” (Ps. 119:17), instead of saying “give,” it says “reward.” “Give” means to initiate charity, “to give” means to repay an equal for the good done to oneself, and “retribution” is some kind of second beginning and the return of good or evil done to someone. But I think that when Scripture, instead of a request, expresses a kind of punishment and demands retribution, then it represents a meaning similar to the following: what duty of care for children by nature necessarily lies on parents, this is what I am discussing. The father, by natural love for his children, is obliged to provide for their lives. For it is said: parents must “earn property for their children” (cf. 2 Cor. 12:14) in order to provide them with the means to support life in addition to life. In a similar way, “giving” or “retribution” is often used in Scripture about initial actions. And now, it seems, the Prophet says with confidence: “I have not repaid evil to those who repay me,” I have not repaid like for like. “If I have done this...if I have rewarded those who repay me with evil, then I will fall away from my lean enemies.” The “lean” ones fell away from the enemies, those who lost the grace given from the fullness of Christ. “May the enemy marry my soul, and may he overwhelm and trample my belly into the ground.” The soul of the righteous, having renounced participation in the body, has a life “hidden with Christ in God” (cf. Col. 3:3), so that it can say with the Apostle: “I live as no one, but Christ lives in me.” And again: “As I now live in the flesh, I live by faith” (Gal. 2:20). The soul of a sinner, living according to the flesh, mired in bodily pleasures, wallows in carnal passions, as in mud. The enemy, trampling it, tries to desecrate it even more and, so to speak, bury it, stepping on the fallen one and trampling him into the ground with his feet, that is, the life of the crawler - into the body. “And he will place my glory in the dust.” Saints who have residence in heaven and treasure up blessings for themselves in eternal treasuries - and glory in heaven; and about people who are dusty and who live according to the flesh, it is said that their glory “dwells in dust.” He who is famous for his earthly wealth, who seeks short-term honor from people, who places his hope in bodily advantages, has glory, but it does not ascend to heaven, but remains in the dust. (7) “Rise up, O Lord, by Thy wrath; exalt Thy enemies to the ends.” The Prophet is already praying for the fulfillment of the mystery of the Resurrection in the consumption of their sin or for that ascension to the cross, which was to take place when the anger of the enemies rose to the extreme limit. Or the words: “exalt yourself in the ends of Your enemy,” contain a meaning similar to the following: no matter what height anger reaches, spreading immeasurably and limitlessly, You, by the multitude of Your power, can, like a good Doctor, first fence off the limits, stop the disease, spreading and penetrating everywhere, and stop its continuous spread with Your admonishing blows. “And arise, O Lord my God, according to the commandment which thou hast commanded.” These words can also be attributed to the mystery of the Resurrection, meaning that the Prophet prays to the Judge to rise and take revenge for every sin and to put into effect the commandments prescribed to us, and we can also understand by them the then state of the Prophet, who prays to God to rise and take revenge for the commandment that He gave. God gave the commandment: “Honor your father and mother” (Ex. 20:12), and the son of David transgressed it. Why, in order to correct him and to admonish many, he prays to God not to endure long, but to rise in anger, rising up, to avenge His commandment. He says: avenge not for me, but for the neglect of the commandment that You yourself gave. (8) “And a host of people will bypass Thee.” It is known that through the admonition of one unrighteous man many are converted. Therefore, punish his crime, so that the great “host of people will bypass Thee.” “And regarding this, look up to the heights.” For the multitude surrounding You, which You have acquired through grace-filled condescension and economy, return to the height of that glory, “which You had before the world was not” (John 17:5). (9) “The Lord judges people.” In many places of Scripture the word about judgment is sown as very necessary and very suggestive in teaching piety to those who believe in God through Jesus Christ. Since the word is offered in different ways, it appears somewhat united to those who do not make a precise distinction in meaning. For it is said: “He who believes in Him will not be condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already” (John 3:18). But if the word “unbeliever” is equivalent to the word “wicked,” then how is it said that “the wicked will not rise for judgment” (Ps. 1:5)? And one more thing: if believers through faith became sons of God, and therefore are themselves worthy to be called gods, then how is it that “God is in the assembly of gods, and in the midst the gods will judge” (Ps. 81:1)? But it seems that the word "judge" is taken in Scripture sometimes to mean "to test," and sometimes to mean "to condemn." So in the meaning of “test”, in the words: “judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my kindness”, for here the Prophet adds: “tempt me, O Lord, and try me” (Ps. 25: 1-2), and in the meaning of “condemn”, in the words: “if we had judged ourselves,” “we would not have been condemned” (cf.: 1 Cor. 11:31). This means: if we tested ourselves, we would not be condemned. It is again said that the Lord “has judgment against all flesh” (cf.: Jer. 25:31), that is, when examining life, the Lord subjects Himself to judgment of everyone and contrasts His commandments with the actions of sinners, in His justification citing evidence that He did everything that was required of Him for the salvation of those judged, so that sinners, having become convinced of how much they are guilty of sins, and having accepted God’s judgment, not without consent endured the punishment imposed on them. But the word “judge” also has a different meaning, in which the Lord says: “The Queen of South will rise in judgment and condemn this generation” (cf. Matt. 12:42). About those who turn away from the Divine teaching, do not care about the purity of morals and completely rejected the admonishing teachings of wisdom, the Lord says that in comparison and comparison with their contemporaries, who showed excellent zeal for good, they will suffer the heaviest condemnation for what they did not fulfill. But I think that not everyone clothed in this earthly body will be judged equally by the Righteous Judge, because the very different external circumstances encountered by each of us will mean that the judgment of each will be different. Either what makes our sins more serious or makes it easier is something that does not depend on us or flows around us not of our will. Imagine that fornication will be judged. But one fell into this sin, having been brought up in vicious morals from childhood, for he was born into the world by dissolute parents, and grew up in the habits of evil, drunkenness, games and shameful conversations; and the other had many incentives for a perfect life - education, teachers, hearing the word of God, soul-saving reading, parental instructions, conversations that formed in honesty and chastity, moderation in food - and then he was involved in a sin similar to the first and must give an account in his life: is it not by justice that the latter, in comparison with the first, will deserve the heaviest punishment? The first will be guilty of one thing: that he was unable to take advantage of the saving inclinations planted in thought; The latter will, in addition to this, be accused of having betrayed himself through intemperance and short-term negligence, despite many assistances to salvation. In the same way, whoever from the very beginning was brought up in piety, avoided all vicissitudes in the teachings about God, was instructed in the law of God, condemning sin and instilling in it the opposite, if he falls into idolatry, he will not have the same excuse as someone who received an upbringing from parents who did not know the law, from pagans who were taught idolatry from childhood. “The Lord judges people” - he judges the Jew differently and the Scythian differently. For “the Jew rests on the law, boasts in God, the best judges” (cf. Rom. 2:17-18). He was declared in the law and, in addition to the concepts common to all, was convinced and admonished by the writings of the Prophets and the law, and if he turns out to have fallen into lawlessness, then this will be imputed to him as a much graver sin. Scythians are a nomadic people; they were brought up in brutal and inhuman customs, accustomed to robberies and mutual violence, indomitably given in to anger, easily irritated by mutual insults, accustomed to resolving every dispute with weapons, accustomed to ending quarrels with bloodshed; and if they show each other any kindness and condescension, then with their services they will prepare the most severe punishment for us. “Judge me, Lord, according to my righteousness and according to my kindness towards me.” These words apparently contain some boasting and are close to the prayer of the Pharisee who exalted himself. But whoever examines them in time will find that the Prophet is far from such a disposition. “Judge me, Lord,” he says, “according to my righteousness.” This means: the concept of righteousness is vast, and the limits of perfect righteousness are difficult to achieve. For there is an angelic righteousness that surpasses human: if there is any power higher than the Angels, then it has a superiority of righteousness corresponding to its greatness; and the righteousness of God himself is beyond all reason, ineffable and incomprehensible to all created nature. “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness,” that is, according to the righteousness that is accessible to people and possible for those living in the flesh; “and because of my kindness towards me”: this especially confirms that the disposition of the speaker is very far from Pharisee arrogance. For by his kindness he calls, as it were, simplicity and inexperience in what is useful to know; according to what is said in Proverbs: “He who is kind has faith in every word” (Proverbs 14:15). Since we humans in many cases sin carelessly due to inexperience, the Prophet prays and asks God to grant him forgiveness out of kindness. And from this it is clear that what was said shows more humility than the arrogance of the one who said it. “Judge me, Lord,” he says, “according to my righteousness,” and judge me “according to the kindness” that is in me. Compare my righteous deeds with human weakness and then judge me. Delve into the simplicity of my morals, delve into the fact that I am slow and undiscerning in worldly affairs, and then judge me for my sins. (10) “Let the malice of sinners end.” The one who brings this prayer is clearly a student of the Gospel commandments; he prays “for those who create misfortune” (cf. Matt. 5:44), asking to put a limit and end to the malice of sinners, just as if someone, praying for those suffering physically, said: may the illness of those suffering end. So that sin, like a consuming fire in the members, spreading further and further, does not take up more space, the Prophet prays to God to stop the further spread of sin and put a limit to it. He prays because he loves his enemies, wants to “do good to those who hate” him and therefore prays “for those who do evil” (cf. Matt. 5:44). “Rectify the righteous.” The righteous is called upright, and the heart that prospers in goodness is right. What does this prayer mean here for the Prophet? He prays for the correction of someone who is already in the right, for no one will say that there is anything obstinate, indirect, or perverse in a righteous person. But perhaps a petition is also necessary for the righteous, so that his deliberate rightness and incorruptibility of will will be corrected under the guidance of God, so that even through weakness he will never deviate from the rule of truth, and so that the enemy of truth will not be able to corrupt him with perverse teachings. “Search hearts and bellies, O God, in righteousness.” Since Scripture in many places uses the word “heart” in the sense of the ruler of the soul, and the word “womb” in the sense of its lustful power, then here the meaning of the words is the same, namely: judge me, O God, in the teachings that I have about piety, and in passionate movements, for You “test the hearts and the wombs.” Torture in its proper sense is an interrogation by a judge of a subject, accompanied by all kinds of torture, so that those who conceal what is being extorted from them out of pain will necessarily bring out what was hidden. And in the infallible tests of the Judge, just as our thoughts are tested, so are our deeds tested. Therefore, no one pre-empts the Righteous Judge and do not judge ahead of time, “until the Lord comes, He will bring the secret darkness into light and reveal the counsels of the heart” (1 Cor. 4:5). In testing hearts and bellies, God demonstrates His justice. Abraham's heart was tested to see whether he loved God with all his soul and with all his heart, when he was commanded to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, so that it would be revealed that he did not love his son more than God. Jacob was also tested when he suffered the intrigues of his brother, so that in the face of such sins as Esau his unflagging brotherly love would shine forth. So their hearts were tested; and Joseph’s wombs were tested when, with a lustful mistress madly inflamed towards him, he preferred the honesty of chastity to vile voluptuousness. He was tested so that the spectators of God's judgment would recognize how righteously honor was given to him when, amid great temptations, his purity shone through. (11) “My help comes from God.” Actually, in war, during the invasion of enemies, those who are attacked by enemies seek help, therefore, here, too, he who senses his invisible enemies and sees the danger ahead of him from the enemies who have taken up arms against him says: my help is not in wealth, not in bodily benefits, not in strength, not in my strength, not in human kinship, but “my help is from God.” And what kind of help the Lord sends to those who fear Him, we see this from another psalm, which says: “The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and will deliver them” (Ps. 33:8), and from another place: “The angel who delivers me” (Gen. 48:16). “He who saves the right in heart.” He is right in heart whose reason does not allow either excess or deficiency in virtue, but keeps to the middle. He who strays from courage into lack is seduced into timidity, and he who prostrates himself into excess turns into insolence. Therefore, Scripture calls “obstinate” (see: Proverbs 16:28) people who, through excesses or shortcomings, stand out from the middle. Just as a line becomes crooked when the straight direction is refracted now into a convex, now into a concave, so the heart becomes obstinate when it is either elevated by arrogance or humiliated by sorrows and oppression. Therefore, Ecclesiastes says that “what is corrupt cannot be reformed” (Eccl. 1:15). (12) “God is a judge, righteous, and strong, and slow to anger, and do not bring wrath on every day.” It seems that the Prophet says this, meaning those who are sometimes embarrassed by what has happened, as if to calm these people from embarrassment, so that they do not lose faith in Providence, which takes care of everything, seeing the son’s rebellion against his father and the successful evil plan of Absalom unavenged. Why, correcting what was unreasonable in their conclusions, he testified to them: “God is a righteous judge, and strong, and long-suffering, and do not bring wrath on every day.” Everything that happens happens for a reason. On the contrary, God measures everyone according to the standards by which he previously measured his actions in life. Since I committed some sin, I get what I deserve. So, “do not speak unrighteousness against God” (Ps. 74:6), for God is “a righteous judge.” Do not think so lowly of God as to consider Him as having no power to take revenge, for He is “mighty.” What is the reason why execution is not quickly imposed on those who sin? The one that He is “long-suffering and does not bring wrath every day.” (13) “If you do not turn, He will cleanse His weapons.” This is threatening speech, rousing those who are slow in repentance to conversion. He threatens not directly with wounds, blows and death, but with the cleansing of weapons and, as it were, preparation for revenge. Just as those who clean their weapons thereby reveal their readiness for war, so Scripture, wanting to express God’s intention to punish, says that He “cleanses His weapons.” “Your bow is bent and prepared, and” (14) “and in it are prepared the vessels of death.” It is not the bowstring that strains God's bow, but the punishing power, which is sometimes tense and sometimes weakened. Therefore, the word threatens the sinner with the fact that the punishment awaiting him is ready if he continues in sin, because mortal vessels are prepared in the bow, and mortal vessels are the forces that consume the enemies of God. “I made my arrows burnable.” Just as fire was made for combustible matter, created not for diamond, which does not melt in fire, but for wood that ignites, so the arrows of God were made for combustible souls, in which much material material and suitable for destruction is collected. Therefore, those who already have the arrows of the devil pre-kindled within them also receive the arrows of God upon themselves. That is why it is said: “His arrows” have already been “made to burn.” They burn the soul: carnal love, covetousness, inflamed anger, sorrows that scorch and consume the soul, fear alien to the fear of God. And whoever is not wounded by the arrows of the enemy and is clothed in the whole armor of God, even the deadly arrows will not touch him. (15) “Behold, through unrighteousness, sickness was conceived and iniquity was born.” This saying seems to have a mixed order. For those who give birth first conceive, then get sick, and finally give birth, but here first are the illnesses of birth, then conception, then birth. But regarding conception in the heart, this saying is very expressive. For the unreasonable aspirations of the lustful, mad and frantic desires are called diseases of birth, because they are born in the soul with speed and difficulty. And whoever, as a result of such aspiration, has not achieved victory over vicious thoughts, has “conceived a disease”; and whoever inflamed heart damage with vicious deeds, “gives birth to iniquity.” Apparently, David says this, ashamed of the fact that he is the father of a lawless son. He is not my son, says the Prophet, but he became the son of his father, to whom he adopted himself through sin. For, according to John, “he who commits sin” is born of the devil (cf. 1 John 3:8). So, behold, the devil “begot” him in unrighteousness and “conceived” him, that is, as if he brought him into his very interior, into the womb of his dispositions, and carried him with child, and then “gave birth” to him, brought into being his iniquity, because everyone was preached about his rebellion against his father. (16) “Ditch of graves and fossils and” . In Divine Scripture we find that the ditch is not taken in a very good sense; like a well of water - not in a bad way. For there was a pit where Joseph was thrown by his brothers. And when the Lord strikes, he strikes “from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the captive, even in the den” (cf.: Ex. 12:29). And in the psalms it is said: “I was included with those who go down into the pit” (Ps. 87:5), and in Jeremiah: “I forsaken the source of living waters, and dug up for myself broken treasures that could not contain water” (Jer. 2:13). Yes, and Daniel describes the den of lions, into which Daniel was thrown. And Abraham digs up the treasure, and Isaac’s youths also dig up the treasure. At the treasure, Moses, who left Egypt, calmed down (see: Ex. 2, 15). And from Solomon he receives the commandment to “drink water from your own vessels and from your own wells” (cf. Proverbs 5:15). And the Savior at the treasure talks with the Samaritan woman about the Divine mysteries. And why a ditch is taken in a bad sense, while a well is taken in a good sense, we believe the following reason: the water in ditches is incoming, falling from the sky, and in wells, water veins, covered with earth until the place is dug up, are revealed as soon as the blocks of earth covering them or other substances lying on top that are part of the earth are removed. Thus, something similar to a ditch happens in those souls into which good things have fallen, but transformed and mixed in, when a person drives away the concepts of good that have sunk into him, turning them into evil and contrary to the truth, and deciding not to have any good of his own in himself. And again, in souls there is something similar to wells, when, after removing the thin coverings, light and a source of drinkable water in word and teaching shines. Therefore, everyone needs to prepare a storehouse for themselves in order to fulfill the above-mentioned commandment, which says: “Drink water from your vessels and from your wells of the spring” (Proverbs 5:15). In this case, we too are called the children of those who dug up the treasures - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But we must not dig a ditch, lest we “fall” into a pit, according to what is said in this psalm, and not hear what is written in Jeremiah as a reproach for sinners, where God Himself speaks about them (as we recently quoted these words): “I have forsaken the fountain of living waters, and have dug up for myself broken treasures that cannot contain water” (Jer. 2:13). First Discourse on Psalm 14 "God! who can dwell in Your habitation? who can dwell on Your holy mountain?” (verse 1). Wanting to show us a perfect man who longs to receive bliss, Scripture examines his properties in order, step by step, starting with the most obvious and basic. "God! who can dwell in Your habitation?” – “Stay” means a short stay. This is not a life that is firmly established, but one that passes in the hope of moving to a better place. The saint goes through life here, hastening to move on to another residence. Therefore, David says about himself: “... I am a stranger with You and a stranger, like all my fathers” 1 . After all, Abraham was a wanderer who did not own an inch of land, and when he needed a grave, he bought it at the price of silver 2 . Scripture shows that in the flesh a person lives as a wanderer, and after leaving this life he rests in the villages that belong to him. That is why Abraham spent his life among foreigners, but he tried to acquire land for his grave as his own property, so that it would receive his body. True bliss does not lie in clinging to earthly things as personal property and holding on to what is here as if it were a natural homeland, but in recognizing one’s falling away from what is better and, suffering punishment in this life, living it out like those whom judges for some guilt expelled from their homeland to a foreign land. It is rare that someone is not committed to what is here as something that belongs to him personally, who has realized how short-lived wealth is, who has felt the fragility of bodily strength, who has realized how unreliable the shine of human glory is! - “Who can dwell in Your habitation?” – The dwelling place of God is the flesh given by Him to man as a dwelling place for the soul. Who would treat this flesh as if it were someone else's? Aliens, having hired to work on someone else's land, cultivate the field at the request of the employer. This is how, by agreement, we are entrusted with the care of the flesh, so that, having worked diligently on it, we may return it to the One who gave it, not without fruit. And if the flesh is worthy of God, then it actually becomes the dwelling place of God, since He dwells in the saints. Such is the flesh of the prisoner. [The Psalmist says] therefore: “Lord! who can dwell in Your habitation?” Next is advancement, movement forward to something more perfect: “Who can dwell on Your holy mountain?” An earthly Jew, when he hears about the mountain, refers it to Zion. - “Who can dwell on Your holy mountain?” Whoever lived in the flesh as a stranger will dwell on the Holy Mountain. The mountain means a place above the heavens, shining and bright, the Apostle speaks about it: “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, where is the praise of the Angels and the Church of the firstborn who are written in heaven” 3 . 2. He who remains impartial in his flesh, neglects it as a stranger and is not attached to it as property, having mortified his earthly members (see Col. 3:5) and having achieved sanctification, he is worthy to dwell on the Holy Mountain. Striving for this, the psalmist exclaimed: “I will go to the place of a wondrous dwelling” 4 and “How desirable are Your dwellings, O Lord of hosts!” 5 That love for our neighbors, which is a condition of living on this mountain, and that which comes from the wealth of the unrighteous, instills us there. Make friends for yourself with unrighteous wealth, so that when you become poor, they will receive you into eternal abodes 6. The Lord spoke about this location while praying: Holy Father! Grant that where I am they too may be 7 . It is rare that someone, while in the flesh, remains on the mountain. That is why Scripture, as if perplexed, says: Who can abide?.. Who can dwell?.. Just like: “Who has known the mind of the Lord?” 8 and “Who will tell you that the fire has been kindled?” 9 and “Who will tell you about the eternal place?” 10 and “Who is a faithful and prudent steward?” 11 It is possible that “who?” is a question awaiting an answer from the Holy Lord with whom [the psalmist] is talking. And what does the Divine voice say in response? “He who walks uprightly and does what is right.” 12. If a blameless person is one who is not devoid of any virtue and lives his life without stumbling without any sin, then how does he differ from one who does righteousness? Does not [the psalmist] put the same meaning into both sayings, saying: “He who walks blamelessly and does righteousness?” Or does each statement have its own special meaning? The immaculate is the one who has achieved the complete perfection of virtue in the inner man, and the doer of truth is the one who brings his activity to perfection through bodily efforts. After all, one must not only act correctly, but also act with the right disposition, following what has been said: “Righteously strive for truth” 13 . This means - do your work in accordance with justice 14. For example, a private person applies some kind of treatment that is useful for patients, but does it differently than a doctor, since he does not have the skill associated with this activity. So, the one who walks blamelessly is perfect in mind, and the one who does righteousness is, according to the word of the Apostle, a blameless worker of the Lord 15. 3. Pay attention to careful precision of speech. [The Prophet] did not say “he who walked blamelessly,” but “he who walks blamelessly,” and he did not say “he who did righteousness,” but “he who does righteousness.” It is not any single act that makes a person virtuous; he should try to act virtuously all his life. “He who speaks the truth in his heart does not deceive with his tongue” 16. And here the words “speaking the truth to one another in their hearts” and “doing not deceive with their lips” are related to each other in the same way as being blameless and doing the truth. There Scripture shows us both the one who is perfect in his secret places, and the one who follows the path of right activity; so here too, since words are spoken from the abundance of the heart 17 and as speech flows from the source from the inner disposition, [the psalmist] first mentioned the truth in the heart, and then the truthfulness in the words spoken with the tongue. We will find here two understandings of truth. The first is the comprehension of objects leading to a blissful life, the second is reliable knowledge about something related to [here] life. Truth, a co-worker of salvation, living in the heart of a perfect person, must be conveyed to one’s neighbor with complete truthfulness in everything; If, in the affairs of this life, a virtuous person deviates from the truth in anything, then this is not an obstacle for him in the most important things. Even if we do not know the truth about the size of the earth or the sea, about how many stars move and how much faster one moves than the other, this will in no way prevent us from achieving the bliss promised in the Gospel. Scripture, perhaps, also proclaims that it is appropriate to speak not with everyone, but only with those close to you, about things related to the truth, about the hidden, that is, to reveal not to just anyone, but only to those who participate in the sacraments. If the truth is our Lord 18, then let us each carry this truth imprinted and, as it were, minted in our hearts; talking about it in our hearts, we will not distort the Word of the Gospel when preaching to our neighbors. And there was no deceit in His mouth 19 . In Scripture, deception (dTloj) is often interpreted as hostility to God. “The Lord will destroy,” it is said, “all lying lips 20 (dTlia) and deceit in the heart of evildoers 21.” It is said that everything good is distorted by mixing with bad; for example, wine is distorted when mixed with something worse or when water is added, and gold is distorted when combined with silver or copper. In a similar way, the truth is distorted when blasphemy is mixed with holy words. 4. And he does not harm his neighbor 22. Who exactly Scripture calls neighbor is undoubtedly known to anyone who heard in the Gospel the answer [of Christ] to the questioner: Who is my neighbor? 23. The Lord answered him with a parable about a man walking from Jerusalem to Jericho, and asked the question: Which of these three, do you think, was [this man’s] neighbor? He said: he who showed him mercy 24. By this the Lord taught us to consider every person our neighbor. But this is difficult to do, and great care is required so as not to harm one’s neighbor in any big or small way, not to offend with a word, not to take away anything that belongs to him, not to wish him harm, not to envy the well-being of friends. And for his neighbors he was not [a source of] reproach 25. These words are ambiguous: either the person did not deserve reproach from his neighbors in any way and therefore did not accept reproaches from them, or he himself did not reproach any of his loved ones for their human failures, for injuries to the body or any other bodily defects. Even someone who sins cannot be reproached according to the word of Scripture: Do not rebuke a person who turns from sin 26. Reproach, as is known, has never served the benefit of those who have sinned. In his instructions to his disciple Timothy, the Apostle advises to reprove, exhort, and forbid, 27 but does not suggest reproaching, since these are exactly the opposite actions. The purpose of reproof is to correct the sinner, the purpose of reproach is to disgrace the fallen. To reproach someone for poverty, thinness, lack of learning, or for a physical illness is completely meaningless and uncharacteristic of the virtuous. What befalls us without our choice are unintentional things, and unintentional shortcomings should be pitied and not insulted by the unfortunate. 5. He in whose eyes he who does evil is despised, but who glorifies those who fear the Lord 28. It is common for an exalted mind, unyielding to considerations of human gain, for a man who has ascended to the heights of righteousness, to reward everyone according to their dignity and to impute nothing to those who do evil, even if they were invested with great power, enjoyed wealth and came from a glorious family; He tends to regard such people as nothing, that is, to regard them as nothing, even if they themselves lay claim to greatness. People who fear God, even if they are poor, ignorant, tongue-tied and weak in body, are glorified, exalted, and considered blessed by those who are taught by the Spirit to please them, for it is said: Blessed are all who fear the Lord 29 . It is inherent in the same mentality to impute nothing to a vicious person, even if he has reached the heights of glory, and to give honor to a God-fearing person, be he simple, poor, despised, or unattractive in appearance. He who swears to his neighbor and does not change 30. Why does swearing here appear as the virtue of a perfect husband, while in the Gospel swearing is prohibited? Who can abide and who can dwell? - He who swears to his neighbor and does not change. And there: And I tell you: do not swear at all 31. How to answer this? The Lord has one goal everywhere - both where He anticipates the consequences of sin and where He nips evil at the root. An ancient law, for example, commanded: Thou shalt not commit adultery! 32, and the Lord said: “Do not even wish for it” 33. It says: Do not kill 34 , but He lays down something more perfect: “Do not even be angry” 35 . So it is here: one is content with fulfilling the oath, and the other abolishes the reason for breaking the oath. The fact is that the one who fulfills an oath can accidentally, against his will, break it, but the one who does not swear is not at all in danger of breaking it. The psalmist often calls an oath an unchangeable promise in any matter. I swore to keep Your righteous judgments 36 and the Lord swore and would not repent 37 . The meaning of what has been said is not that he calls God as a witness as a guarantor in a dubious undertaking, but that God, with unchanging and unshakable decisions, confirms the promised mercy to David. So in this case we can say: He who swears to his neighbor means “he who assures his neighbor and does not deceive him” in accordance with the words of the Lord: Let your word be: yes, yes; no, no 38 . In such circumstances, agree to confirm what happened, and if the matter did not take place, then let all people convince you - do not give in and do not assure that it is contrary to the truth. The case did not take place - refuse; it did take place - agree to confirm. Try to display the truth in itself, resorting to assurances alone, without adding anything else. Let the distrustful be punished for his distrust, because it is shameful and stupid to blame oneself as untrustworthy and attribute reliability to oaths. Some sayings have the appearance of an oath, but the essence is not an oath, but simply a tribute to the listeners. Thus, Joseph, in order to win over the Egyptian, swore by the health of the Pharaoh 39. And the Apostle, expressing his love for the Corinthians, said: I swear by your praise which I have in Christ our Lord 40 . The one to whom the gospel [of the Gospel] was entrusted did not neglect the teaching of the Gospel, but he put a simple speech in the form of an oath, expressing that the praise he had in them was dearer to him than anything else. 6. Give to the one who asks from you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. These words call us to sociability and friendliness, to what is in accordance with nature. Man is a social and sociable being. And with community life and mutual coexistence, generosity is necessary to support the needy. Give to the one who asks you. He wants you, out of love in your simplicity, to be open to those who ask, and to judge with your mind the [degree of] their need. From the book of Acts, [by the example of] people who skillfully achieved the goal of piety, we learn how this can be accomplished. All who owned lands or houses, selling them, brought the price of what was sold and laid them at the feet of the Apostles; and everyone was given whatever they needed 42. Many, going beyond what is necessary, beg for the sake of trading or debauchery, therefore the collection of money had to be carried out by those who were entrusted with the care of the poor, so that the funds were distributed skillfully and diligently, in accordance with the needs of everyone. And the sick often need wine, but not everyone is able to determine when it should be given, in what quantity and of what quality. In order to prescribe wine, you need a doctor. Likewise, not everyone can usefully distribute funds to help those in need. Generous charity does not at all benefit those who compose whiny songs to deceive women, who present bodily injuries and wounds as a reason for money-grubbing. What is spent on them will be harmful to them. It is necessary to repel their barking with an insignificant gift; One should show compassion and brotherly love to those who have learned to patiently endure need; about such it is said: I was hungry, and you gave me food 43 and so on, and do not turn away from anyone who wants to borrow from you 44 . The last command is consistent with the previous one. The poor man, when he asks here, asks you for a loan, pointing you to the Rich One, who in heaven will repay your debt for him. He who has mercy on the poor lends to God 45. The guarantee of debt is the Kingdom of Heaven. May we all be worthy of it through the mercy and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Discourse on the end of Psalm 14 and on moneylenders Yesterday I talked with you about the fourteenth psalm, but time did not allow me to reach the end of the speech. Now I appear as a grateful debtor to repay you the remaining debt. And the rest, apparently, does not last long for hearing, and for many of you, perhaps, it is not noticeable, which is why they do not imagine that there is anything left in the psalm. However, knowing that this short saying has great power in everyday affairs, I did not think that it was necessary to leave something useful without research. The Prophet, depicting in words a perfect man who wants to move into an unshakable life, also counts among his virtues not to give “his money for interest” (Ps. 14:5). In many places of Scripture this sin is condemned. Ezekiel believes that among the most important iniquities is taking “interest and excess” (cf. Eze. 22:12). The law clearly prohibits: “Thou shalt not give to thy brother” and thy neighbor “more than interest” (cf. Deut. 23:19). Elsewhere it says: “Interest for interest and flattery for flattery” (Jer. 9:6). What does the psalm say about a city that abounded in many iniquities? “His hundred years of profit and flattery have not failed” (Ps. 54:12). And now the Prophet, as a hallmark of human perfection, accepted the same thing, saying: “You will not give your money for interest.” In fact, it is extremely inhuman when one, having a need for the necessary things, asks for a loan to support life, while another is not content with returning the loan, but figures out how to extract income and enrichment from the misfortunes of the poor. Therefore, the Lord gave us a clear commandment, saying: “And do not turn away anyone who wants to borrow from You” (Matthew 5:42). But the lover of money, seeing that a person struggling with need, asks at his knees (and what humiliations he does not do, what he does not say to him!), does not want to take pity on the one who acts contrary to his dignity, does not think about the unity of nature, does not bow to requests, but stands adamant and inexorable, does not yield to pleas, is not touched by tears, continues to refuse, swears and conjures himself that he has no money at all, that he himself looking for someone to borrow from; and he confirms this lie with an oath, acquiring for himself an unkind purchase with his inhumanity - perjury. And as soon as the one asking for a loan remembers the growth and names the pledges, he will immediately, lowering his eyebrows, smile, sometimes remember his friendship with his father, call him his acquaintance and friend and say: “Let's see if there is any silver saved somewhere. True, I have a friend’s deposit that was deposited with me for growth, but the friend assigned a burdensome increase for it; however, I will certainly reduce something and give it away with less growth.” Resorting to such inventions and seducing and luring the poor man with such speeches, he takes a written obligation from him and, in onerous misery, even depriving him of his freedom, leaves him. For, having taken upon himself such a growth that he is unable to pay, he assumes spontaneous slavery for the rest of his life. Tell me: are you looking for money and profit from the poor? If he could enrich you, then what would he ask at your door? He came for help, but found an enemy; he was looking for medicine, but poison was given to him. It was necessary to alleviate the misery of man, but you increase the need, trying to take away the last thing from the poor. Just as if a doctor, having come to the sick, instead of restoring their health, took away from them even the small remaining strength, so you turn the misfortunes of the poor into an opportunity for your enrichment. And just as farmers pray for rain to multiply their seeds, so you wish people poverty and squalor, so that your money will bring you profit. Or don’t you know that you increase your sins rather than increase your wealth by invented growth? And the person seeking a loan is put in a difficult position: when he looks at his wretchedness, he despairs of being able to pay the debt, and when he looks at his real need, he dares to borrow. Then one remains defeated, submitting to need, and the other parts with him, securing himself with a written obligation and guarantees. The one who took the money at first is bright and cheerful, admires other people’s flowers, allows a change in his life: his table is open, his clothes are valuable, the servants are dressed more magnificently than before; there are flatterers, table friends and thousands of drones in the house. But as the money flows away, and time, by its continuation, increases growth, the nights do not bring him peace, and the day is not bright, and the sun is not pleasant, but on the contrary, life is painful for him, he hates days that rush towards their deadlines, he is afraid of months, because they breed growth. If he sleeps, the lender appears in his dream, this is an evil ghost standing in his head. Whether he is awake, he is both thinking and caring about growth. It is said: “To the creditor and the debtor” who meet “with each other, the Lord will visit both” (cf.: Proverbs 29:13). One, like a dog, runs to the prey, the other, like a ready-made catch, is afraid of the meeting, because poverty takes away his courage. Both count on their fingers - one rejoices at the increase in growth, the other moans about the increase in disasters. “Drink water from your own vessels” (Proverbs 5:15), that is, calculate your means, do not go to other people’s sources, but collect consolation for yourself in life from your own drops. Do you have copper utensils, clothes, a pair of oxen, and all kinds of utensils? Give it back. Agree to give up everything, but not freedom. But I am ashamed, you say, to make this public. Well? Soon another will put it on display, proclaim that it is yours, and begin to sell it at a low price before your eyes. Do not go to other people’s doors, for, indeed, “a stranger is crowded” (Proverbs 23:27). It is better to help your needs with all your efforts than to suddenly become rich in someone else’s property and subsequently lose your entire fortune. If you have something to give, why don’t you satisfy the real need with this means? If you are unable to pay the debt, then you cure one evil with another. Do not trust the lender who is making trenches near you. Do not allow yourself to be sought out and pursued like some prey. Borrowing is the beginning of a lie, a case of ingratitude, perfidy, and perjury. It says one thing about who takes a loan, and another thing about who is asked to owe a debt. “It would be better for me not to meet with you then! I would find a means to free myself from want. Didn't you forcefully put money into my hands? And your gold was mixed with copper, and your coins were cut.” If the one giving you a loan is a friend, be afraid of losing his friendship. If he is an enemy, do not subordinate yourself to a hostile person. You won’t be adorned with someone else’s for a long time, and then you’ll lose your father’s heritage. Now you are poor but free. But if you take out a loan, you won’t become rich, and you’ll lose your freedom. The one who took the loan became the lender's slave, a slave, a mercenary who bears the most difficult service. The dogs, having received a piece, become meek, and the lender becomes irritated as he takes; he doesn't stop barking, but demands even more. If you swear, he doesn’t believe you, he looks out for what you have in your house, finds out what you’re in debt with. If you leave the house, it attracts you and robs you. If you hide in your own home, he stands in front of the house and knocks on doors, shames you in front of your wife, insults you in front of your friends, strangles you in the square. And it’s not fun for you to celebrate the holiday; it makes life itself unbearable for you. But you say: my need is great and there is no other way to get money. What is the benefit of postponing the need for today? Poverty will come to you again, “for the flow of life is good” (Proverbs 24:34), and the same need will appear with a new increase. For a loan does not completely relieve one from a difficult situation, but only postpones it for a short time. Let us endure the burden of poverty now and will not put it off until tomorrow. If you don’t borrow, you will be poor today and in the next days, and if you borrow, you will deplete yourself even more, because poverty increases with growth. Now no one blames you for poverty, because evil is involuntary, and when you undertake to pay the increase, everyone will reproach you for being reckless. So, out of our foolishness, let us not add arbitrary evil to involuntary disasters. It is characteristic of a child’s mind not to cover its needs with what it has, but, trusting itself to unknown hopes, to risk obvious and indisputable harm. Think ahead: how will you pay? Is it from the money you take? But they will not be enough for needs and for payment. And if you calculate growth, then how will your money multiply so much that it will partly satisfy your needs, partly replenish what is occupied, and on top of that will bring growth? But will you repay the debt not from the money you borrow for growth? Can you get money from another source? Let us wait for the fulfillment of these hopes, and not, like fish, rush to the bait. Just as they swallow oud along with their food, so we force ourselves to grow for the sake of money. There is no shame in being poor; why do we bring shame upon ourselves by going into debt? No one heals wounds with wounds, no one heals evil with evil, and poverty cannot be corrected with the price of growth. Are you rich? Don't borrow. Are you poor? Also, don't borrow. If you have enough wealth, then you have no need for debt. And if you have nothing, then you will have nothing with which to pay your debt. Do not give up your life to later repentance, lest you consider happy those days in which you have not yet paid the growth. We poor people differ from the rich in one thing - freedom from worries; enjoying sleep, we laugh at their sleepless nights; not knowing worries and being free, we laugh at the fact that they are always connected and preoccupied. And the debtor is both poor and burdened with worries. He does not sleep at night, and does not sleep during the day, at all times he is thoughtful, appreciating either his own property, then the magnificent houses and fields of the rich, the clothes of those passing by, the household utensils of those who treat him. “If it were mine,” he says, “I would sell it for such and such a price and thereby be freed from the growth payment.” This lies on his heart at night and occupies his thoughts during the day. If you knock on the door, the debtor hides under the bed. Someone quickly ran in - his heart started beating. The dog barked, and he was sweating, languishing in death throes and looking for where to run. When the time comes, he carefully thinks out what to lie, what excuse to invent, and how to get rid of the lender. Imagine not only what you are taking, but also what will be demanded back from you. Why are you entering into an alliance with the prolific beast? They say about hares that they give birth, feed, and conceive children at the same time. And moneylenders lend money at the same time, and are born, and grow up. You haven’t even picked them up yet, and they’re already demanding an increase from you for the current month. And this, again considered a debt, breeds a new evil, from which another new one will be born, and so on ad infinitum. That is why this kind of covetousness is honored with such a name, for it is called growth (from τίκτω I give birth), as I think, because of the prolific nature of this evil. And why would this naming happen differently? Or, perhaps, it is called growth because of the illnesses and sorrows that it usually produces in the souls of those who are in debt. As for a woman giving birth, there is an illness of birth, then the debtor has a coming period. Growing taller is the evil offspring of evil parents. Let such procreation of growth be called a generation of vipers! They say about echidnas that they are born by gnawing their mother’s womb; and growth is born, eating away the debtor's house. Seeds bear fruit and animals come to maturity only with the passage of time, but growth is born today and from this very day begins to give birth. Animals that soon begin to give birth soon stop, and money, having begun to multiply quickly, increases indefinitely more and more. Anything that increases, as soon as it reaches its characteristic value, ceases to increase. But the silver of the covetous always increases as it continues. Animals, when their children become capable of giving birth, cease to give birth themselves, but silver coins from lenders and new ones give birth, and the old ones remain in full force. It’s better for you not to know from the experience of this monstrous beast! You look freely at the sun. Why do you envy yourself in your freedom of life? Not a single fighter avoids the enemy’s blows as much as the debtor of a meeting with a creditor, trying to hide his head behind pillars and walls. “How can I feed myself?” - you say. You have hands, you have a craft, hire yourself, serve; There are many trades in life, many ways. But you don't have the strength? Ask those who have it. But is it a shame to ask? And it’s even more shameful not to pay back what you borrowed. I am not telling you this as a legislator, but I want to show that everything is more bearable for you than a loan. An ant can feed itself, although it does not ask or take a loan, and a bee brings the remains of its food as a gift to kings - but nature has not given them either hands or art. And you, man, an animal inventive in crafts, cannot invent one of all crafts - how will you live? However, we see that it is not those who need the necessary things who get the loan (no one will believe in a loan to them), but the borrowers are people who indulge in reckless expenses and useless pomp, and subservient to women’s whims. The wife says: “I need expensive clothes and gold things, and my sons need decent and elegant clothes, and the servants need colorful and colorful clothes, and abundance is needed for the table.” And the husband, following such orders from his wife, goes to the moneylender; Before he gets borrowed money into his hands, he exchanges many rulers for one, constantly entering into obligations with new lenders, and by the continuity of this evil he avoids being accused of insufficiency. And just as those possessed by water sickness remain in the thought that they are fat, so this man imagines himself to be rich, constantly borrowing and then giving money and paying off the old ones with new debts, so that by the very continuity of evil he gains confidence in receiving again. Then, just as those sick with cholera, constantly throwing out the food they had taken and before the stomach is completely cleansed, filling it with new food, are again subjected to vomiting with excruciating pain and convulsions, so these people, changing one growth to another and before the previous debt is cleared, making a new loan, for a while being magnified by someone else’s property, subsequently mourn their own wealth. How many have been destroyed by other people's goods! How many, seeing themselves rich in a dream, suffered damage! But they say that many have become rich through debt. And I think that there were more who reached the noose. You see those who have become rich, but you do not count those who hang themselves, who, not tolerating the shame of being subjected to debt collection, preferred strangulation and death to a shameful life. I saw the pitiful sight of how those born freely were dragged to auction for sale for the sake of their father's debts. Can't you leave money for your children? At least don’t take away their nobility. Save for them this one asset - freedom, this pledge you received from your parents. No one has ever been blamed for the squalor of a father, but a father's duty leads to prison. Do not leave behind a handwriting that would be like a father’s oath, passing on to children and grandchildren. Listen, rich people, what advice do we give to the poor because of your inhumanity - it is better to endure other disasters with patience than those that result from growth. But if you obeyed the Lord, then what need would there be for these words? What advice does the Lord give? You will give in return, but you do not expect to receive from them (cf. Luke 6:34–35). You say: what kind of loan is this that does not involve the hope of return? Delve into the power of the saying and you will marvel at the philanthropy of the Lawgiver. When you give to the poor for the sake of the Lord, it will be both a gift and a loan - a gift out of hopelessness of getting it back, a loan out of the generosity of the Master, who Himself will pay for it and, having taken a little through the poor, will repay the great for it. For “the poor who have mercy give back to God” (Proverbs 19:17). Don’t you really want the common Lord of all to take upon Himself the responsibility to pay you? And if some rich man in the city promises to pay for others, will you accept his guarantee? But you don’t allow God to pay for the poor? Give back the silver that lies with you in vain, without burdening the poor with increments, and it will be good for both - you, because the silver will be kept safe, and the one who took it from you, because through its use he will benefit from it. And if you seek profit, then be content with what you receive from the Lord. He will pay for the poor and increase. From Him who truly loves mankind, expect love for mankind. If you take from the poor, then this is the height of misanthropy. You make profit from other people's misfortunes, you collect money from tears, you strangle the naked, you beat the hungry. You have no pity, no thought of kinship with the sufferer - and you call the profits received in this way philanthropic? “Woe to those who say bitter is sweet, and sweet is bitter” (cf. Is. 5:20) and to those who call inhumanity love of mankind. This was not the fortune-telling that Sampson offered to the feasting: “from the eater came forth the sweet, and from the strong came forth the sweet” (Judges 14:14), and from the man-hater came philanthropy. They do not “grow from thorns grapes, or from thistles figs,” and from the growth of philanthropy; “Everything” because “an evil tree produces evil fruit” (cf. Matthew 7:16–17). There are some kind of growth collectors - sometimes from a hundred, sometimes from ten (and their very names are scary to hear) - and some monthly collectors who, like demons producing epilepsy, attack the poor in lunar circulations. It is a bad payment for both, both the giver and the recipient! For one it causes damage in money, for another it harms the soul itself. The farmer, having received an ear of grain, does not again look under the root for the seed, but you take the fruits and do not forgive what you receive growth from. You sow without land; Without sowing you reap. It is not known to whom you are collecting. There is one who sheds tears from growth - this is known, but who will take advantage of the wealth acquired through this is doubtful. For it is unknown whether you will leave the use of your wealth to others, collecting for yourself only the evils of unrighteousness. So, “do not turn away anyone who wants to borrow” (cf. Matt. 5:42) “and do not give your money for interest”, so that, having learned from the Old and New Testaments what is useful, with good hope you may go to the Lord and there receive interest for good deeds in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. "A Psalm to David, the Exodus of the Tabernacle". The twenty-eighth psalm has a general inscription, for it says: “a psalm to David.” But it also has something special, for it is added: “the departure of the tabernacle.” What does this mean? Let us examine what the “exodus” is and what the “tabernacle” is, so that we can enter into the intention of the psalm. As for the historical meaning, it seems that the priests and Levites, after they had completed their work, were given the command to remember what they should prepare for service. For the psalm teaches those who enter the tabernacle and those who leave it what they should prepare and what they should have with them when they come next time, namely: to bring “the sons of rams, glory and honor, the glory of His name,” and to know that it is not proper to serve anywhere except “in the courtyard” of the Lord and in the place of the Holy Place. As for our mind, which contemplates the sublime, and with a high understanding befitting of God's Scripture assimilates the law to us, the following appears to us: what is meant here is not a ram, that is, the male sex of sheep, not a tabernacle, that is, a church built from inanimate matter, not an issue from the tabernacle or removal from the church, but this body, which is for us the tabernacle, as the Apostle taught us, saying: “For we who are in this tabernacle 46 groan” (2 Cor. 5:4); and another psalm: “The wound will not come near your village” (Ps. 90:10). And the departure from the tabernacle is a departure from this life, for which Scripture advises us to prepare in order to bring this or that as a gift to the Lord, because the work here serves as a parting word for the future life. And whoever here brings glory and honor to the Lord with good deeds, he will treasure for himself glory and honor in time righteous reward of the Judge. In many lists we find the added words: (1) “Bring to the Lord, sons of God.” For not every gift is acceptable to God, but only from the one who brings it from a pure heart. It is said: “Vows are unclean from the bribe of a harlot” (Proverbs 19:13). And Jeremiah also says: “Eating vows and holy meat will take away evil from You,” or will you be clean through them (cf. Jer. 11:15)? Therefore, the psalm demands that we first of all become sons of God and then begin to bring gifts to God, and not what kind of gifts happened, but what he himself commanded. First say: "Father"! And then ask for what comes next. Test yourself, what your life has been like so far: are you worthy to call the Holy God your father? Only through sanctification can we enter into communion with the Holy One. If you wish to always be the son of the Holy One, then let the Holy One adopt you. Therefore, “offer to the Lord” not everyone, no matter who or whoever comes from, but “the sons of God.” He will demand great gifts, therefore he chooses great bearers. In order not to cast your thoughts down and not to force you to look for the ram, this dumb, four-legged and bleating animal, in the hope of appeasing God with this sacrifice, the psalm says: “Offer to the Lord, sons of God.” It’s not that you need a son, and it’s not that you bring the son himself; but if the son is something great, then it is fitting that what is offered should be great and worthy of both filial favor and fatherly dignity. Therefore he says: “Bring the sons of the rams,” so that those who are offered may themselves change, and from the sons of the rams become the sons of God. Aries is a bossy animal; he leads the sheep to nutritious pastures, to resting places by the waters, and back to the folds and fences. Such are also some of the leaders of the flock of Christ; they lead him to the good-colored and fragrant food of spiritual teaching, by the gift of the Spirit they irrigate him with living water, elevate him, educate him to fruition, show him the way to a place of rest, to a refuge safe from slanderers. Therefore the word wants their sons to be brought to the Lord as sons of God. If the rams are the leaders of others, then their sons will be those who, according to the teaching of the leaders, through care for good deeds, have formed themselves for a virtuous life. “Bring to the Lord, sons of God; bring to the Lord, sons of rams.” Do you understand who the speech is addressed to? Do you understand who they are talking about? It is said: “Bring glory and honor to the Lord.” How can we, earth and ashes, bring glory to the great Lord? How do we bring honor to Him? We bring glory through good deeds, when our deeds are bright before people, and people see our deeds and glorify our Father, Who is in heaven (see: Matt. 5:16). And you can also glorify God by chastity and holiness, to which those who have vowed a godly life are obliged, as Paul exhorts us, saying: “Glorify God in all your bodies” (1 Cor. 6:20). The Lord demands this glory from those who believe in Him and are honored by the gift of sonship, for He says: “The son glorifies the father... and if I am the father, then where is My glory?” (Mal.1:6). And honor is brought to God, according to the word of the Proverb, by those who “honor the Lord with their righteous labors and give Him the firstfruits of their fruits of righteousness” (cf. Proverbs 3:9). Also, everyone who theologizes as prescribed, so as not to fall away from the right understanding of the Father and the Divinity of the Only Begotten and the glory of the Holy Spirit, brings glory and honor to the Lord. The one who can show the laws according to which everything was created, according to which everything is contained, according to which after the local economy everything will be brought to judgment, exalts glory. He who has been able to contemplate everything in detail, in clear and unbroken visions, and after he has contemplated it himself, is able to depict to others the goodness of God and His righteous judgment, he brings glory and honor to the Lord, just as he who lives a life in accordance with such contemplation, because his light shines before people and the Heavenly Father is glorified from him in word, deed, and all kinds of virtues. But the one who is partial to human glory, who respects money, who values ​​carnal pleasures dearly, who marvels at teachings that are alien to piety does not bring glory and honor to the Lord: for just as we bring glory to the Lord with good deeds, so we do the opposite with bad deeds. What does the Lord say to sinners? “For your sake, My name is blasphemed among the nations” (Isa. 52:5). And the Apostle also says: “By transgressing the law of God you are dishonored” (Rom. 2:23). For an insult to the lawgiver is contempt and disregard for the laws. If the house is in bad order, because there is anger and shouting, insults and laughter, luxury and wastefulness, uncleanness and insolence, then dishonor and shame for everything that happens in the house falls on the one who owns it. From this let us understand that just as God is glorified by good deeds, so the enemy is glorified by evil deeds. the image of “the corruptible thing of man, and of birds, and of four-footed creatures, and of the creeping thing” of the earth (cf. Rom. 1:23). Also, he who gives honor and serves the creature instead of the Creator brings glory not to God, but to the creatures. Therefore, whoever says that the creature is something and bows to it, let him know where his lot will be assigned. So, let us be afraid, lest by our sin bringing glory and praise to the devil, we may be subjected to eternal shame with him. And that our sin turns into glory to the one who inspires it in us, understand this from the likeness. Two military leaders enter into battle. When one army wins, its leader gains glory, and when the opposing army wins, all honor belongs to the commander of that other army. Thus, in your good deeds the Lord is glorified, and in your negative deeds, the enemy is glorified. Do not imagine that the enemies are far away, and do not look at the military leaders from afar, but look at yourself, and you will find the perfect fidelity of the likeness. For when the mind fights with passion and with its effort and attentiveness gains the upper hand, then it triumphs in victory over passion and with its success, as if crowning God Himself, and when, having weakened, it succumbs to lust, then, having become a slave and captive of sins, it gives the enemy an opportunity for boasting, exaltation and arrogance. (2) “Worship the Lord in His holy court.” After the required fruits have been produced, worship is needed, worship performed not outside the church, but in the very court of God. The psalm says: do not invent special courts and gatherings. There is only one holy courtyard of God. Previously, this courtyard was a Jewish synagogue, but after the Jews sinned against Christ, “their courtyard is empty” (Ps. 68:26). Therefore, the Lord says: “And there are other sheep that are not of this fold” (John 10:16), and meaning those among the Gentiles who are predestined for salvation, He shows that He has His own courtyard, besides the courtyard of the Jews. Therefore, one must worship God not outside this holy court, but while being inside it, so that, while remaining outside and enjoying the outside, one does not lose the right to be in the court of the Lord. For many outwardly stand in prayer, but are not in the courtyard, because their thoughts rush here and there and their minds are distracted by the vanity of worries. But by the courtyard, in a more elevated sense, one can also understand the heavenly abode. Therefore, those who are here “planted in the house of the Lord” - which is the Church of the Living God - - those there too “will flourish in the courts of our God” (Ps. 91:14). But whoever idolizes the belly, or glory, or silver, or anything else that he prefers to everything else, “does not worship the Lord,” he is not “in the holy court,” even if he seems worthy of visible gatherings. (3) “The Voice of the Lord on the Waters.” In many places you will find the word “voice” used. Therefore, in order to understand what the “voice of the Lord” is, it would not be in vain for us to collect, as far as possible, what the Divine Scripture says about the voice. So in the prophecy to Abraham: “And the voice of the Lord came to him, saying: This will not be your heir” (Gen. 15:4). Also under Moses: “And all the people saw the voice and the lights in vain” (Ex. 20:18). And also in Isaiah: “The voice of one crying: cry” (Is. 40:6). Our voice is either the shaking of the air, or such a modification in the position of the air as the uttering voice wants to convey to it. What is the “voice of the Lord”? Do we mean that there is a shaking in the air, or that the shaking air reaches the ears of the one to whom the voice is spoken? Or does nothing like this happen, but this voice is of a completely different kind, and to those who hear it it represents itself as sovereign in that person to whom God wants to reveal His own voice, so that this idea bears a resemblance to what often happens in a dream? For just as, without shaking the air, as a result of ideas that occur in sleep, we retain in memory certain words and sounds, not through hearing, receiving a voice, because it is imprinted in our very heart, so the voice that comes to the Prophets from God must be something similar to this. "The Voice of the Lord on the Waters". If we look for the sensual meaning, then since the clouds, when they are filled with water, colliding with each other, make a sound and a crackling sound, and here it is said: “The voice of the Lord is on the waters.” But also, if there is a noise from waters cut by any obstacles, and if the sea, disturbed by the wind, is agitated and makes a strong sound, then these inanimate substances have a voice from the Lord, according to the instructions of Scripture, that every creature almost cries out, proclaiming its Creator. And when thunder is heard from the clouds, nothing else should be represented, but that “the God of glory will roar” and that the Lord by His power contains the moist nature. "The Lord is on many waters". From the history of peacemaking we know that there is water above the heavens, also water of the abyss, and also water - the collection of the seas. Who maintains these waters and does not allow them, according to their natural tendency, to fall down? Who, if not the Lord, Who has power over the waters? Or perhaps, in a more mysterious sense it is said: “The voice of the Lord on the waters,” when at the Baptism of Jesus there was a voice from above: “This is my beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17). For then the Lord was “on many waters,” illuminating the waters with Baptism, and the “God of glory” thundered with a loud voice from above. And to those being baptized, the voice left by the Lord is proclaimed, for it is said: “Go and teach all languages, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). So, “the voice of the Lord on the waters.” Thunder is formed when a dry and strong spirit, enclosed in the voids of the cloud, spinning with tension through the cloud voids, seeks a way out. Clouds resisting strong pressure, by the friction of the spirit against them, produce that sharp sound. And when the clouds, like inflated bubbles, are unable to resist the spirit and hold it, then they, being strongly torn apart and allowing the spirit rushing out, produce thunderclaps. This also usually produces lightning. So, the Lord, who exists on the waters and creates great thunderclaps, also produces such an excessive crackling in the tender nature of the air. And to you, and in the church sense, that communication of dogmas, which after Baptism with the thunder of the Gospel is carried out in the souls of people by the already completed Sacrament, can be called thunder. And that the Gospel is thunder, this is proven by the disciples, renamed by the Lord and called the sons of thunder. Therefore, the voice of such thunder is not heard in everyone, but is anyone worthy of being called a wheel, for it is said: “The voice of your thunder is in the wheel” (Ps. 76:19); unless someone stretches forward like a wheel, a small part touches the ground and is completely the same as the wheel about which Ezekiel said: “And I saw, and behold, one stake on the earth holding four living creatures: and the vision of wheels, and the creation of them, like the vision of Tarshish” (Ezek. 1:15-16). So, “The God of glory will roar, the Lord upon many waters.” Waters are holy because rivers flow from their bellies, that is, spiritual teaching that waters the souls of those who listen (see: John 7:38). And one more thing: they receive into themselves the water flowing into the Eternal Belly, which in those who receive it well becomes “a source of water flowing into the eternal Belly” (cf. John 4:14). And on such waters is the Lord. Remember the story of Elijah, “when the heavens were closed for three years and six months” (Luke 4:25), when during clear weather, on the top of Carmel, he heard the voice of many waters, and this was followed by thunder from the clouds and water flowing (see: 1 Kings 18, 42–45). So, “The Lord is on many waters.” (4) “The Voice of the Lord in the Fortress.” Just as there is a voice in a wheel, so the voice of the Lord consists of strength, for whoever “can do all things through Christ who strengthens him” (cf. Phil. 4:13) hears and fulfills the commandments of the Lord. Therefore, the voice of the Lord is not in a weak and weakened soul, but in one that does good with effort and strength. "The Voice of the Lord in Splendor". Splendor is valor that is especially great. Therefore, whoever performs with decency everything that is included in any great deed is called magnificent. When the soul does not servile to the wisdom of the flesh, but in the consciousness of what has been given to it from God, accepts the greatness and dignity appropriate to it, then the “voice of the Lord” is in it. He who has not narrow ideas about God, who has studied the laws of creatures from a high point of view, has been able, at least somewhat, to comprehend the goodness of God's Providence and, moreover, does not spare costs, but is generous when it is necessary to correct the needs of his brothers, he is magnificent. And in such people the “voice of the Lord” dwells. For in the true sense, the magnificent despises everything corporeal, recognizing it as having no value in comparison with the invisible. The one who is magnificent will not be offended by any circumstance, no suffering will outrage him at all, the misdeeds of worthless and despicable people will not set him in motion, the impurity of the flesh will not humiliate him, he is inaccessible to humiliating passions that cannot raise eyes on him because of the height of his thoughts. Some splendor is also attributed to God, for example: “Your splendor will be taken above the heavens” (Ps. 8:2). Therefore, those who have great ideas about God extol His splendor. (5) “The voice of the Lord breaking cedars.” Cedar is sometimes praised in Scripture as a long-lasting tree, not subject to rotting, fragrant, suitable for serving as a covering; and sometimes it is condemned as a barren tree, difficult to bend and therefore used in the likeness of the wicked: “I saw the wicked exalting itself, and standing tall like the cedars of Lebanon” (Ps. 36:35). Cedar is taken in the latter meaning even now. For the voice of the Lord breaks the cedars. Just as this voice appears in a magnificent soul, it is said that it crushes those who are vainly arrogant, exalting themselves with the imaginary advantages of this world - wealth, or fame, or power, or bodily beauty, or strength, or strength. “And the Lord plucks down the cedars of Lebanon.” Whoever, having seized someone else's property, turns it into an object of boasting for himself, is a cedar of Lebanon. Just as cedars, which are tall in themselves, standing on a high mountain become even more visible from its height, so these people, relying on what is perishable in the world, through arrogance and arrogance of mind, become cedars. They are called the cedars of Lebanon because they are proud of someone else’s height and because the earth and everything earthly, like the peak of Lebanon, exalts them and makes them arrogant. But the Lord does not break all cedars, but only the cedars of Lebanon, because Lebanon is a place of idolatry. And the souls “charged to the mind of God” (cf. 2 Cor. 10:5) are called cedars of Lebanon and are condemned to destruction. And there are also cedars of God, which are covered with branches of grapes brought from Egypt, as we see in the psalms: “the mountains covered the shadow of it, and the cedars of God covered its branches” (Ps. 79:11). Since, in addition to other concepts about Christ, we also have the fact that our Lord is called the vine: “I am the vine,” He says, “you (are) born” (cf. John 15:5), that is, all those who were previously barren and fit for burning, having entered under the roof of Christ and, as if clothed in Him, with His grace covered the barrenness of their lives, the essence cedars of God. Therefore, the cedars of God are protected by the fruitful branches entwined around them, and the cedars of Lebanon are crushed by the Lord. (6) “And I will be destroyed like the calf of Lebanon.” Remember that in the book of Exodus it is said about a calf that was poured out for idolatry and which Moses “drained” and gave the people drink (see: Exodus 32:20). In the likeness of this calf, the Lord will destroy all Lebanon and the prevailing custom of idolatry therein. "And the beloved is like a unicorn son." The Only Begotten Son, who gives life to the world, when he offers himself as an “offering and sacrifice to God” for our sins (cf. Eph. 5:2), is then called “the lamb of God and the sheep” (“behold,” they say, “the lamb of God” - John 1:29; and also: “like a sheep led to the slaughter” - Acts 8:32). And when He needs to take revenge and overthrow the dominion that has prevailed over the human race, some bestial and cruel force, then He is called “the son of the unicorn.” For the unicorn, as we know from Job, is an animal that is irresistible in strength and does not submit to people; it is said about him that “do not tie him with a belt and do not sleep in a manger” (cf. Job 39, 10, 9). In the same place of the prophecy much more is said about this animal’s love for freedom and its disobedience to man. It is also remarkable that Scripture uses the likeness of the unicorn in two ways: both in praise and in condemnation. For it is said: “Deliver my soul from weapons... and from the horns of the unicorn my humility” (Ps. 21:21-22). And this is said as a reproach to the battle-loving people who rebelled against Him during His suffering. Elsewhere it is said: “My horn will exalt like a unicorn” (Ps. 91:11). Therefore, it seems that due to the vindictiveness of this animal, it is often taken for likeness in a bad way, and because of the height of the horn and love for freedom, it is used instead of likeness and in a good way. And in general, since in Scripture one can find that the word “horn” is repeatedly used in the meaning of glory, such as: “he will exalt the horn of his people” (Ps. 148:14), and “his horn will exalt in glory” (Ps. 111:9); or, since the word “horn” is often taken to mean strength, as in “my protector and the horn of my salvation” (Ps. 17:3), and Christ is God’s power (see: 1 Cor. 1:24), then He, as having one horn, that is, one strength, the power of the Father, is called a unicorn. (7) “The voice of the Lord cutting off the flame of fire.” The flame of fire was also suppressed in Babylon, as we see from the story of the three youths, when the furnace poured it into forty-nine cubits and burned everyone standing around (see: Dan. 3:47), but the flame, suppressed by the command of God, took into itself the spirit and gave the youths the most pleasant breath and coolness, so that they were in a calm state, as if under a tree shadow. For it is said: “there was a noise like the spirit of dew” (cf. Dan. 3:50). And the suppression of the fiery nature is much more amazing than the division of the Red Sea into parts. But the voice of the Lord interrupts the natural continuity and coherence of fire. Although according to human concepts fire seems uncut and indivisible, yet by the command of God it is cut off and divided. I think that the fire, prepared as punishment for the devil and his angels, is stopped by the voice of the Lord in such a way that of the two powers inherent in fire - namely, the power to burn and the power to illuminate - the terrible and punitive in the fire would be given to those worthy of burning, and the luminous and radiant would be separated for the joy of those who are having fun. Therefore, the “voice of the Lord, cutting off” and dividing the “flame of fire,” is needed so that what is not bright becomes the fire of punishment, and what does not burn remains the light of repose. (8) “The voice of the Lord shaking the desert.” The very shaking of the desert by the Lord turns into a blessing for it, so that it, having changed, from the desert becomes an inhabited land and, having laid aside the shame of childlessness, acquires the praise of many children, “for there are many more empty children than those who have husband” (cf.: Isa. 54: 1), and so that what was hitherto a desert, filled with the waters of the Spirit, turned “into the lake.” water" (Ps. 106:35). “And the Lord will shake the Qaddian desert.” Therefore, the Lord does not shake every desert, but only the desert of Kadesh, that is, sanctification, for Kadesh means “sanctification.” (9) “The voice of the Lord bringing forth the Holy Spirit.” In accordance with the previous one, we must also explain the performance of the “trees” that the voice of the Lord produces. The deer has such a structure that reptiles cannot harm it, but, as natural observers say, the echidna it eats serves as a cleanser for it. And all poisonous animals are taken into the image of evil and nasty forces, as the Lord says: “I give you power to tread on the serpent and the scorpion and all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19), and as the psalm also promises the Prophet: “Tread on the asp and the basilisk” (Ps. 90:13). Therefore, when you hear the name of a deer in Scripture, you must look for images of something better in the word. For “the high mountains are green” (Ps. 103:18) and “the trees desire the springs of water” (Ps. 41:2). But every righteous person also abides in the highest, “pursuing deliberately for the honor of the highest calling” (cf. Phil. 3:14), and resorts to accessible sources, seeking the first principles of theology. The deer, with its breath, removes the poisonous reptiles hiding in the nests, and with the power of this breath forces them to come out of their shelters. Therefore, a saint is called an eagle for his exaltation and, for the most part, separation from the earth, a sheep for his meekness and readiness to share everything he has, a ram for leading others, a dove for his gentleness, and a deer for opposing evil. Therefore, Solomon says: “Let the tree of love and the lot of your graces speak to you” (Proverbs 5:19), and with this he makes us understand that the deer now mentioned are capable of teaching theology. "The voice of the Lord bringing forth the blessing." Therefore, when we see any man of God, perfect and successful in everything, we will strenuously seek benefits in conversations with him! Where there is a deer, all reptile malice is driven away from there, because poisonous reptiles do not tolerate the smell of this animal, they even flee from where there is the smell of deer antlers. "And it will open the oak groves". First, the voice of the Lord “brings forth the tree,” and then “opens oak groves”—places overgrown with trees, covered with thickets of wild and barren plants, where poisonous reptiles are accustomed to flee. Since the deer accomplished by the Lord has already been prepared, the righteous man who is likened to him “opens the oak groves” so that the naked and prepared corrupters of our lives will be betrayed. And just as “every tree that does not produce the fruit of good is cut down” with an ax “and driven into the fire” (cf. Matt. 3:10), then, of necessity, the oak groves are cleansed - those coarsened souls in which, like wild animals, various sinful passions nest, are cleansed by the word, which is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (cf.: Hebrews 4:12). Since many people, burdened with everyday worries, have souls like earth that bears thorns, and it does not allow the soul to be nourished in the fruitfulness of the word, “then the Lord opens the oak groves,” that is, the indecency, obscenity and harm of the worries of this life, so that when a place opens for good and evil, people do not, out of ignorance, have false judgments about things. For many consider good things to be evil when they are difficult, and they pursue bad things as if they were good, because of the pleasure associated with them. And the delusion of people in such matters is indescribable. Therefore, fruitful trees and all cedars belong to the class of good, and they signify something praiseworthy, and to the class of evil, oak groves, which the voice of God opens and reveals, so that those who think to find some useful fruit in them are not deceived. “And in His church everyone speaks glory.” Let them hear the words of the psalm and let those who indulge in many words be ashamed. What does the psalm say? He who is in the church of God does not speak evil and does not proclaim vanity, not anything full of shame, “but in His church everyone speaks glory.” Here the holy Angels stand and write down your words, the Lord Himself is here and observes the disposition of those who enter. Everyone's prayer is open before God; It is open to him who, by disposition, who reasonably asks for heavenly things, who only for show, utters words out of the corners of his lips, but his heart is far from God, who, although he prays, asks for bodily health, carnal wealth, human glory. One should not pray for anything like this, as the psalm teaches, “but in His church everyone speaks glory.” “The heavens will tell the glory of God” (Ps. 18:2). The job of Angels is to praise God. For the entire heavenly army, it is one thing to give glory to the Creator. Every creature, both silent and broadcast, both worldly and earthly, glorifies the Creator. But miserable people, having left their homes and flocked to churches in order to receive some benefit there, do not incline their ears to the words of God, and do not come to the consciousness of their nature. They do not grieve over the fact that they are possessed by sin, they do not grieve, bringing their sins to mind, they do not tremble at judgment, but, stretching out their hands to each other with a smile, they make the house of prayer a place of long conversations, not heeding the psalm, which testifies and says that in the church of God “everyone speaks glory.” And you not only do not speak glory yourself, but you also serve as an obstacle to others, drawing their attention to yourself and drowning out the teaching of the Spirit with your noise. Be careful, instead of receiving a reward for your praise, do not leave here condemned along with those who blaspheme the name of God. You have a psalm, you have a prophecy, the gospel commandments, the apostolic sermons. Let the tongue sing, let the mind seek the meaning of what was said, in order to sing to you with the spirit, and to sing with the mind too. God does not demand glory, but wants you to become worthy of glorification. Therefore, “as a man sows, the same will he also reap” (cf. Gal.6:7). Sow praise so that you may reap crowns and honors and praises in the Kingdom of Heaven. It is not without benefit that I said this, in the form of a digression, to the words: “in His church everyone speaks glory,” because there are people who in the church of God incessantly talk idle talk and go to the church uselessly. And it’s good if there is no benefit, and not harm! (10) “The Lord inhabits the flood.” A flood is an overflow of water that makes all things invisible and cleanses what was previously defiled. Therefore, the Prophet calls the flood the grace of Baptism, so that the soul, washed from sins and cleansed from the old man, would finally become capable of becoming God’s abode in the Spirit. In accordance with this, what was said in the thirty-first psalm, where after the words: “I have known my iniquity, and have not covered my sin... for this every saint will pray to You,” the Prophet added: “even in a flood of many waters will not come close to him” (Ps. 31:5-6), for sins will not come close to him who has received the Baptism of remission of sins by water and the Spirit. Close to this is what we find in the prophecy of Micah: “For there is a Master of mercy.” “He will convert us and show mercy to us, and will drown our iniquities and cast us into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7:19-20). “And the Lord King will sit forever.” God, having established himself in the soul enlightened by the flood, makes it, as it were, His Throne. (11) “The Lord will give strength to His people, the Lord will bless His people with peace.” The Lord will take away “the mighty and mighty” from the sinful people (cf. Is. 3:1), and He will give strength to the people who do the truth. Therefore, “to him who has everything will be given everywhere” (Matthew 25:29). And whoever has acquired the strength to do good deeds becomes worthy of God’s blessing. But peace, as the improvement of the sovereign in a person, seems to me to be the most perfect of blessings, which is why moderation of character is considered one of the signs of a peaceful husband; he who is overcome by passions does not participate in the peace of God, which the Lord gave to His disciples and which, as “which surpasses all understanding, may it guard” the souls of the worthy (cf. Phil. 4:7). It is this peace that the Apostle asks for the Churches, saying: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you” (1 Pet. 1:2). Oh, that we too, having labored well and cast aside “carnal wisdom,” which is “enmity against God” (cf. Rom. 8:7), when the soul comes to a calm and serene state, would be called sons of peace and in the world would partake of God’s blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion now and ever and unto the ages of ages! Amen. (1) “A Psalm of the Song of Renewal for the House of David.” The composition of the body, in a figurative sense, is a psalter and an organ tuned musically for hymns of praise to our God; bodily actions performed for the glory of God, when, under the control of a well-disciplined mind, we do not allow anything discordant in our movements, constitute a psalm, and what is combined with lofty contemplation and theology, that is, a song. Therefore, a psalm is musical speech, when, according to the laws of harmony, the organ is struck rhythmically, and a song is a harmonious voice, expressed harmoniously and taken separately from the sounds of the organ. Since it is written here: “psalm of song,” we think that these words mean action in accordance with contemplation. But according to the inscription, this “psalm of song” contains some kind of speech about “renewing the house.” And it seems that in a material sense this psalm, sung to the sounds of the psalter, points to the famous church erected in the time of Solomon, and in a spiritual sense it means the incarnation of God the Word, and the inscription of the psalm indicates the renewal of His house, built in a new and unusual way. For we find that in this psalm much is announced from the face of the Lord. Or, perhaps, by house it would be appropriate to mean the Church created by Christ, just as Paul writes in his Epistle to Timothy: “Let him know how to live in the house of God, which is the living Church of God” (1 Tim. 3:15). By renewal of the Church we must understand the renewal of the mind accomplished by the Holy Spirit in each of those who replenish the Body of the Church of Christ. And this psalm is divine and musical harmony; it contains words that do not amuse the ear, but subdue and subdue the evil spirits that confuse the souls subject to their attacks. (2) “I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and You have not made my enemies rejoice over me.” How then can He who dwells on high be exalted by those who have received a low land as their inheritance? If God in heaven is high, and you on earth are low, then how can you exalt God? So, what does the Prophet mean by such a promise? Isn’t it clear that those who are able to form great and worthy concepts about Him, who live for the glory of God, exalt God? Therefore, he who rationally hastens to bliss exalts God, and he who follows the opposite path (it is impossible to express to what extent) humiliates God. And we seem to transfer every state that corresponds to our deeds to God Himself. Therefore, when we are careless and slow to act, it is said that God is asleep, considering us unworthy of His waking supervision over us. And how soon, having felt the harm from sleep, we say: “Arise, sleep away, O Lord” (Ps. 43:24), “He who keeps Israel will not sleep, he will fall asleep” (Ps. 120:4). And others, as it were, turn away the eyes of God from themselves, because they do something shameful and unworthy of the eyes of God. Those who repent say: “Your face is in the sky.” you turn away." And besides these, there are also those who are erased from the memory of God and who, as it were, produce oblivion in God. Such people say: “You forget our poverty and our sorrow" (Ps. 43:25). So, “I will exalt Thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and thou hast not made my enemies glad over me.” I will not tolerate anything base or despicable in my life. And where does the power to exalt come from? Therefore I have it because You first “lifted me up.” The Prophet said expressively: “Thou hast lifted me up,” instead of: lifted me up and placed me above those who rise up against me. You lifted him up, like someone else, who lifted his hand to a boy who couldn’t swim and led him to the top of the water. Therefore, whoever, with the help of God, has risen from the fall, promises God reward through good deeds. Or - You lifted up, like another, a weakening fighter, supporting him in the moment of his fall and making his opponent stronger, giving him the opportunity to win, and depriving his opponent of the joy of his fall. But it is not the sorrows that are sent to the saints for testing that bring joy to our invisible enemies; on the contrary, when we fall under the weight of sorrows and our mind becomes bewildered from weariness with numerous disasters, they rejoice, applaud and rejoice. So it was with Job. He lost his property, lost his children, his flesh boiled with pus and worms; but this is no fun for the enemy! If, having yielded to the burden of misfortunes, on the advice of his wife, he had said some blasphemous word, his enemies would have rejoiced at him. When Paul suffered hunger and thirst, nakedness and beatings, worked and wandered (see: 1 Cor. 4:11-12), the enemy did not rejoice, but on the contrary, he was distressed, seeing that he was enduring the feat in such a way and with contempt for the enemy he said: “Who will separate us from the love of God” (Rom. 8:35)? (3) “Lord my God, I cried to You and You healed me.” Blessed is he who knows his inner ulcer, can come to the Doctor and say: “Heal me, Lord, for my bones are crumpled” (Ps. 6:3), and “I said: Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned” (Ps. 40:2). But here the Prophet gives thanks for the healing given to him, for he says: “Lord my God.” God is not the God of everyone, but only of those who, out of love, have become His own; He is “the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 4:5). If there were a God of all, he would not have assigned this to them exclusively. And Jacob also says: “My God will help you” (Gen. 49:25). And Thomas, upon confirmation of his embrace of the Master, says: “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). So, the cry “Lord my God” poured out from the Prophet’s heart and was befitting of his condition. “I called to You, and You healed me.” There was no interval between my cry and Your grace; As soon as I called out, the healing came, for it is said: “Even as I spoke to you, he said: Behold, I have come” (Is. 58:9). Therefore, those who pray to God must say something important so that quick healing can come to us. (4) “Lord, you have raised up my soul from hell.” For such healing, he who descended from exhaustion into hell thanks God, but was raised out of hell by the power of Him who for us overthrew “him who had the power of death” (cf. Heb. 2:14). “You saved me from those who went down into the pit.” Often ditches are called dungeons built to hold prisoners in them, as it is said in the book of Exodus: “From the firstborn of Pharaoh... to the firstborn of the captive, even in the ditch” (Exodus 12:29). Yes, Jeremiah was thrown into a ditch, and Joseph’s brothers, out of hatred, imprisoned him in a ditch that had no water. But every action either brings us down, aggravating us with sin, or raises grief, inspiring us to God. Therefore, You saved me, who had hitherto led a vicious life, and saved me, separating me from those who descended into a dark and cold place. The words “thou hast lifted me up” mean the same thing, that is, kept me from striving downward, so as not to give my enemies the opportunity to rejoice. As in another he said: “Make my nose like greenery, and place me on high” (Ps. 17:34), so here the return upward is called liberation from the ditch and elevation. (5) “Sing to the Lord, His venerable One.” Not everyone sings “to the Lord” who pronounces the words of the psalm with their lips, but everyone who sends up psalmody from a pure heart, everyone who is reverent and keeps the truth before God, all of them can sing to God, faithfully observing the spiritual dimensions. How many came here committing fornication! How many people hide deceit or lies in their hearts! They imagine themselves singing, but they don't actually sing. For the psalm invites the saint to psalmody. “An evil tree cannot produce good fruits” (Matthew 7:18) and a vicious heart cannot bring forth the words of life. Therefore, “make the tree good, and its fruit good” (Matthew 12:33). Cleanse your hearts in order to bear fruit in the Spirit and, having become saints, come to a state of intelligently singing to the Lord. “And confess the memory of His holiness.” He did not say: confess His holiness, but “the memory of His holiness,” that is, give thanks. For here confession is taken instead of thanksgiving. Therefore, give thanks that you have “the remembrance of His holiness,” you who, having previously been plunged into sins and defiled by the impurities of the flesh, have come to forget the holiness of Him who created you. And to seek forgiveness for your sins, confess what you have done wrong. (6) “For wrath is His fury, and life is His will.” At first he reminded menacingly: “wrath is in the wrath” of God, then joyfully: “believe in His will.” Those who are unable to reach the precision of prescriptions seem to be identical with what was said by the Prophet: “like wrath in the wrath” of God, because anger and rage, in their opinion, are the same thing, but in these words there is a very big difference. Fury means a determination to impose a certain punishment on a worthy person, and anger means labor and punishment imposed by the Righteous Judge according to the extent of unrighteousness. But an example will make it clearer what I mean. The doctor, noticing inflammation and swelling in the penis, considered it necessary for the patient to remove the penis. Scripture calls this wrath. The doctor’s judgment about helping the patient is followed by the action itself, which carries out what the doctor has ordered; a sharp instrument is brought, which takes away the member and causes pain to the one from whom it is taken. This is called the wrath of God. Now turn to what has been proposed and you will find the sequence of thoughts. "For His wrath is like His wrath." - Punishment according to the righteous judgment of God. And “life in His will”? So what does the psalm say? God wants everyone to be partakers of His life. Disasters are not brought about by His will, but are brought upon by the dignity of those who have sinned. Therefore, God gives life to everyone according to his own will, but everyone stores up wrath for himself “on the day of wrath and revelation and the righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:5). Scripture usually presents sad things with joyful ones, because pleasure is more pleasant when it is preceded by sorrowful things. For it is said: “I will kill, and I will create life,” - a benefit after punishment. “I will strike, and I will heal” (Deut. 32:39). He Himself causes grief and He Himself restores again; He struck, and His hands healed. The afflicting precedes so that the good deeds may be more lasting for us, for in this case we are more concerned about preserving what has been given. “Weeping may endure for an evening, and joy will come in the morning.” Remember the time of the Lord’s suffering, and you will find the meaning of these words. In the evening there was weeping among the disciples of the Lord when they saw Him hanging on the cross, and in the morning there was joy when after the Resurrection they ran, joyfully proclaiming to each other that they had seen the Lord. Or, perhaps, in general, this age is called evening, in which those who always cry will be comforted when the morning comes. “Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). “Blessed are you who weep now: for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21). Therefore, whoever spends the days of this age, which has already passed away towards its west, in mourning his sins, will rejoice when the true morning comes, for “those who sow with tears” will now “reap with joy” (Ps. 125:5), obviously in the next century. (7) “I have died in my abundance: I will not move forever.” Just as the abundance of what is sold in the market constitutes the abundance of a city, and we call that country abundant, which bears much fruit, so there is a certain abundance in the soul when it is filled with all kinds of deeds. It is necessary for it to first be carefully cultivated, then watered with abundant streams of heavenly waters; then he can bear fruit “for thirty, and for sixty, and for a hundred” (cf. Mark 4:20) and be worthy of the following blessing: “blessed are your barns and your remains” (Deut. 28:5). Therefore, he who feels his strength will confidently say and confirm that he will not be uprooted by the enemy, like a full field that the Lord has blessed. (8) “Lord, by Thy will give strength to my kindness.” Those who worked on the study of the doctrine of virtue said that some virtues are composed of speculation, while others are non-speculative; Thus, prudence is made up of speculations when discussing good and evil, chastity is made up of speculations about what one should choose and what to avoid, justice is made up of speculations about what is assimilated and unassimilated, courage is made up of speculations about what is terrible and what is not terrible. But beauty and strength are non-speculative virtues, following those from speculation, for some of the wise found beauty in the proportionality and harmony of spiritual speculation, and saw strength in the final product of what is put in us by the speculative virtues. However, in order for the soul to have beauty and the power to produce what is due, for this we need God’s grace. Therefore, as he said above that “life is in His will,” so now he gratefully exalts God, saying: “By Your will, give strength to my kindness.” Although I was beautiful by nature, I became weak, because I was killed by sin through the malice of the serpent. Therefore, to my kindness, which I received from You at the first dispensation, You added the strength to fulfill my duty. Every soul is beautiful in which the proportionality of its inherent powers is contemplated, but the true and most desirable beauty, contemplated only by those who have a purified mind, belongs to God and the blessed nature. Whoever carefully looks at the radiance and grace of this beauty, borrows something from it, as if from a dye solution, directing some colored rays onto his own face. Why did Moses, having become a partaker of this Beauty during an interview with God, have a glorified face. Therefore, he who feels his virtue emits this grateful voice: “Lord, by Thy will grant strength to my kindness.” Just as speculative virtues are followed by non-speculative virtues, beauty and strength, so there are non-speculative vices, ugliness and impotence. For what is more unseemly and disgusting than a soul given over to passions? Look at the angry man and the savagery visible in him! Consider the mourner, the humiliation and decline of his soul! And whoever has fallen into sensuality and gluttony, who is beside himself with fear, will anyone agree to look at him? In them, spiritual disposition appears to the very extremities of the body, just as traces of spiritual beauty are visible in the appearance of the holy man. So, we must take care of this beauty, so that the Bridegroom Word, when he meets us, says: “You are all good, my neighbor, and there is no vice in you” (Song. 4:7). “Thou didst turn away Thy face, and was troubled.” While the rays of Your visit, says the Prophet, shone upon me, I spent my life in an unshakable and serene state. But when “you turned away your face,” then the passionate and embarrassed state of the soul was revealed. It is said about God that He turns away His face when He leaves one who is subject to temptation during difficult circumstances, so that the strength of the aspirant may become known. Therefore, if “peace... which surpasses all understanding... guards our hearts” (Phil. 4:7), then we will be able to avoid confusion and unity of passions. So, since the will of God is opposed to disgust, and to beauty, grace and strength - embarrassment, it means that embarrassment is ugliness and powerlessness of the soul due to alienation from God. Let us continually pray that the face of God may shine upon us, so that we may be in a sacred state, meek and not embarrassed by anything, according to our readiness for good! For it is said: “we were prepared and not troubled” (Ps. 119:60). (9) “To You, O Lord, I will cry, and to my God I will pray.” It is often said about crying out to the Lord, because crying out is characteristic only of those who desire great and heavenly things. And whoever asks God for small and earthly things uses a weak and low voice that does not reach the height and does not reach the ears of the Lord. (10) “What good is my blood if I always go down into decay.” Why, he says, did I cry? Why did I pray to You, my Lord and my God? What good is it to me in the well-being of the flesh and the abundance of blood, when it, if it has not yet been damaged, will be given over to the general destruction of the body? But “I mortify my body and enslave it” (1 Cor. 9:27), so that, when the blood in me is vigorous and boiling, my goodness does not serve as a reason for sin. Do not please the flesh with sleep, baths, soft beds, constantly repeating this word: “What good is it in my blood, if I ever descend into corruption.” Why do you worry about something that will soon fade away? Why do you fatten yourself and burden yourself with the flesh? Don’t you know that the more white you make your flesh, the more painful a prison you will prepare for your soul? “Food shall be confessed to You as dust; or He will proclaim Your truth." How can a earthly and carnal man confess to You, God? How can one proclaim the truth who has not devoted his time to learning, whose mind is buried under such a burden of the flesh? Therefore, I dry up my flesh and do not spare the blood, which usually thickens into the flesh, so that I will not have an obstacle to confessing or understanding the truth. (11) “The Lord heard and had mercy on me: the Lord was my help.” After he said what he was crying out to God for, he soon felt God’s help and stirs us up to ask something like this: “Hearing,” he says, “The Lord was merciful to me: The Lord was my helper.” So, let us also pray and cry out with a spiritual voice, asking for great things, and not coveting carnal things (for “those who are in the flesh cannot please God” - Rom. 8:8), so that the Lord will hear us and have mercy on our weakness, and we, taking advantage of God’s help, can say: (12) “Thou hast turned my mourning into joy for me.” Not every soul is given joy from God, but if someone has cried a lot about his sin, with a strong cry and incessant tears, and as if over a dead person he wept over himself, then his crying turns into joy. And that crying can be commendable is proved by the children who sit in the market places and say: “Let you squeak 48, and do not dance; weep, and do not cry” (Luke 7:32). The flute is a musical instrument, with the assistance of our breathing, emitting gentle sounds. Therefore, I think, every holy Prophet in a figurative sense is called a flute, as moved by the Holy By the Spirit, which is why it is said: “Let us squeak, and do not dance,” for the prophetic words exhort us to the measured fulfillment of the holy prophecy, and this is called dancing. But the Prophets weep for us, calling us to weeping, so that we, having come to the consciousness of our sins from the prophetic words, mourn our destruction, humbling our flesh with fatigue and labor. the lamentable garment in which he put on, mourning his sin; the robe of salvation and the robe of joy is placed on him (cf. Ps. 61:10), these bright and wedding garments, adorned with which will not be cast out from the bridal chamber. “Thou hast torn my sackcloth to pieces; thou hast girded me with joy.” Sackcloth promotes repentance, as a symbol of humility, for it is said: “Of old they repented in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21). Since the Apostle is transformed “by revealed face into the same image” “from glory to glory” (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18), he calls the grace given to him from the Lord his glory. (13) “Let my glory sing to You.” The glory of the righteous is the spirit that is in him. Therefore, whoever sings in the spirit, say: “For my glory will sing to You, and I will not be moved.” I will no longer do anything like that, says the Prophet, for which my heart would be tired and wounded by the memory of my sin. “Lord my God, we will confess to You forever,” that is, I will thank You. Since You granted me remission for repentance and elevated me to glory, taking away the shame of sin, then we will confess to You throughout the entire age. For is there such a continuation of time that could produce oblivion in my soul of such good deeds? (1) “The righteous rejoice in the Lord; praise is due to the upright.” A common expression of joy in Scripture, showing some kind of bright and very joyful state of soul in those worthy of complacency! So, “rejoice in the righteousness of the Lord,” not because your household affairs are prosperous, not because you enjoy bodily health, not because your fields abound with all kinds of fruits, but because you have the Lord, who is so beautiful, so good, so wise. Enough is enough for you to rejoice in the Lord. And it seems that whoever admires one of his very beloved ones with joy and joy also rejoices at himself. Therefore, the psalm encourages the righteous to feel their dignity, that they are worthy to be the slaves of such a Master, and to admire their slavery to Him with indescribable joy and with leaping, as if their hearts were bursting with the delight of love for the Good. If, when in your heart, as if a light had fallen, a sudden thought of God occurred and illuminated your soul, so that you loved God and despised the world and everything corporeal, then from this weak and small likeness know the full state of the righteous, who are uniformly and continuously growing in joy in God. This joy visits you from time to time, and rarely, according to God’s will, so that a small taste of it brings you to memory of what you have lost, but in the righteous there is always divine and heavenly joy, because the Spirit undoubtedly dwells in him; The first fruit of the spirit is “love, joy, peace” (cf. Gal. 5:22). So, “rejoice in the righteousness of the Lord.” For the righteous, the Lord is like a container, and those who enter into it must, of all necessity, be content and rejoice. And the righteous becomes a place for the Lord, receiving Him into themselves. And the sinner gives place to the devil within himself, not heeding the one who says: “Give place below to the devil” (Eph. 4:27), and Ecclesiastes: “If the possessive spirit comes upon you, do not leave your place” (Eccl. 10:4). Therefore, abiding in the Lord Himself and contemplating His miracles as much as we can, from contemplation of this we will thus gain joy in our hearts! “Praise is due to the right.” Just as a crooked foot is not suitable for a straight boot, so God’s praise is not fitting for depraved hearts. Therefore, I think that since the word about the Savior is not suitable for the mouths of demons, their power is taken away, “lest they make Him manifest” (Mark 3:12). And Paul forbids the “searching spirit” so that the unclean cannot give approval to the saint (see: Acts 16, 16, 18). Such is the following passage: “But God said to the sinner: What things will you tell of My justifications” (Ps. 49:16)? So, let us strive to avoid every indirect and cunning deed, and let us correct the mind and the judgment seat of the soul within ourselves, as a true rule, so that when we become right, we will be allowed the praise of the Lord. The originator of sin is called the evil serpent, and the sword of God is pointed “at the dragon of the evil serpent” (cf. Is. 27:1), because the snake, when moving from place to place, makes many deviations and twists; why the trace left by a snake on the ground has the wrong direction: its front parts move in one direction, the middle has an indirect movement, and the tail again moves in the opposite direction. Therefore, whoever follows the serpent, his life turns out to be evil, incorrect and full of contradictions. And whoever follows the Lord God “makes right paths” (cf. Is. 40:3) “and the right paths of his feet” (cf. Proverbs 4:26), for “the Lord our God is righteous” (Ps. 91:16) “and he sees righteousness in His face” (Ps. 10:7). If two rules are applied to one another, then their straightness will make them fit tightly to each other, and if a crooked tree is applied to a straight one, then you will find that the crooked one does not converge with the straight one. So, since the praise of God is right, then a right heart is needed so that praise can be allowed and befitting. If “no one can speak of the Lord Jesus except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3), then how can you bring praise when you do not have “the right spirit renewed in your womb” (cf. Ps. 50:12)? (2) “Confess the Lord with the harp, sing to Him with the ten-stringed psalter.” First, one must confess to the Lord with the harp, that is, perform bodily actions harmoniously. Since we sinned with the body when our “slaves” “presented our souls” to sin “in iniquity” (cf. Rom. 6:19), then we confess with the body, using the same instrument to destroy sin. Did you slander? Bless. Have you been greedy? Give it back. Did you get drunk? Fast. Were you proud? Humble yourself. Were you jealous? Comfort. Did you kill? Endure martyrdom or, which is tantamount to martyrdom, exhaust your body during confession. And then, by confession, you are worthy to sing to God “in a psalter with ten strings.” First, one must correct bodily actions so that they are performed in accordance with the word of God, and then ascend to the contemplation of the mental. The psalter, perhaps, is the name of the mind that seeks what is above, because this instrument, by its design, has the power to make sounds at the top. Therefore, bodily actions are confessed to God as if from below, and the mysteries proclaimed by the mind have their cause from above, just as the mind would make sounds through the Spirit. Therefore, whoever has in mind all the commandments and brings them within himself, as it were, into consonance and agreement, he sings to God on the ten-stringed psalter, because ten are the main commandments written during the first legislation. (3) “Sing a new song” to the Lord, that is, serve God not in the oldness of the letter, but in the renewal of the spirit. Whoever accepts the law not sensually, but understands its spiritual meaning, sings a new song, because what decays and grows old in the covenant has passed, but a new and renewed song of the Lord’s teaching has begun for us, which renews our “youth”, “like an eagle” (cf. Ps. 102:5), when we put to death the old man within ourselves and are renewed from day to day. But he who extends “to the foremost” (cf. Phil. 3:13) continually becomes newer in relation to himself. Therefore, whoever constantly becomes newer in relation to himself sings a new song to God, and either something extraordinary or something that has recently come into being is usually called new. Therefore, if you tell the wondrous and all-nature-surpassing image of the Lord’s incarnation, then you will sing a new and extraordinary song; and if you talk about the rebirth and renewal of a world that has grown old under sin, and also proclaim the mysteries of the resurrection, then in this case you sing a new and recently composed song. “Sing well to Him with a shout.” Hear the commandment: “Sing well,” with an undistracted thought, with a sincere disposition. "Sing with an exclamation". Like some good warriors, having won a victory over your enemies, offer songs of praise to the Hero of the victory! “Be of good cheer,” He says, “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Which of the people is able to fight the evil one, if he has not resorted to the shelter of the “Archangel of power” (cf. Joshua 5:14) and if not from there, not with faith in Him, overthrows and strikes our enemy with arrows? So, “sing well with shouting.” An exclamation is some kind of inarticulate sound that warriors make in agreement during a battle, closing their shields over themselves. Therefore sing in harmony, unanimity and unity of love. What should the singers say? (4) “For the word of the Lord is right.” “The right” calls first to praise, because “the Word of the Lord” is “right” and has to be glorified, which “in the beginning was to God, and there was no God” (cf. John 1:1). Therefore, the Father is “right,” the Son is “right,” and the Holy Spirit is “right.” “And all His works are in faith.” What does this mean? His business is the sky, His business is the earth, His business is the sea, the air, everything inanimate, animate, rational, irrational. How is all this “in faith”? What faith is there in the inanimate? What kind of faith do the foolish have? What kind of faith is in stone? What kind of faith is there in a dog? What is inanimate and unreasonable is not in faith. But the present saying did not exclude anything, but embraced everything, saying: “all His works are in faith.” So what does this mean? If, says the psalm, you see the sky and order in it, this is a guide to faith for you, because it points to the Artist. If you consider the order on earth, and through this your faith in God again increases, for, having not known God with carnal eyes, we believed in Him, but with the power of the mind, through the visible, we see the Invisible. Therefore, “all His works are in faith.” If you look at the stone, then it also serves as some indication of the power of the Creator. And you will find the same thing if you examine an ant, or a mosquito, or a bee; The wisdom of the Creator is often visible in the smallest things. For He who stretched out the sky and filled the immeasurable size of the seas, He also made the thinnest sting of a bee empty, like a pipe, so that poison could flow through it. Therefore, “all His works are in faith.” Let nothing lead you to unbelief. Don’t say: this happened by chance, but this happened by itself. In what exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing uncertain, nothing vain, nothing accidental. Don’t say: an evil accident or an evil hour. These are the words of ignorant people. “Are not two birds worth to one Assar, and not one of them will fall” without the will of God (Matthew 10:29)? How many hairs are there on your head? None of them are forgotten. Do you see God's eye how nothing, not even the smallest thing, escapes His supervision? (5) “The Lord loves alms and justice, fulfill the mercies of the Lord.” If the court of God acted on its own and with all severity rewarded us for what the deeds we have done are worth, then what hope would there be? Which people would be saved? Nowadays he “loves alms and justice.” As if he had done “alms” to one who was co-throne and even presiding on the royal throne, He brought everyone to trial. “If you see iniquity, Lord, Lord, who can stand” (Ps. 129:3)? With Him alms are not without judgment, and judgment is not without alms. Before judgment he loves alms, and after alms he comes to judgment. With Him mercy and judgment are linked together, so that mercy alone does not weaken us and judgment alone does not lead us to despair. The Judge wants to have mercy on you and make you a participant in His bounties, but in this case only if he finds that you, after committing sin, became humble, cried a lot about your evil deeds, revealed what you had done in secret without shame, asked the brethren to work with you for your healing. In a word, if he sees that you are worthy of pity, then he unenviably gives his alms. When he sees in you an unrepentant heart, a proud mind that does not believe in the future age, that is not afraid of judgment, then it loves judgment on you. For a skillful and philanthropic physician first tries to soften the tumor with poultices and emollients, but when he sees that the tumor does not fall off, but hardens, then, putting aside the oil and softening medicines, he finally uses sharp instruments. Therefore, he “loves alms” to those who repent, but he also loves judgment on those who are stubborn. Isaiah says something similar to God: “Your mercy” is “on the measure” (see: Isaiah 28:17), because He shows mercy with judgment, measuring according to the dignity of each by measure, number and weight. “Fill the earth with the mercies of the Lord.” Here mercy is separated from judgment, for the earth is full of the Lord’s mercy alone, while judgment is postponed until an indefinite time. Therefore, here is mercy without judgment, because he did not come “to judge the world, but to let the world be saved by him” (cf. John 3:17). And there the judgment is not without mercy, because it is impossible to find a person pure “from defilement even for one day” of his existence (cf. Job 14:4). Therefore, if anyone takes into account that the damage is spreading every day and that the corruptible human race is worthy of a thousand deaths, since it remains in sins, then one will be surprised at the wealth of God’s goodness, forbearance and long-suffering. However, while we are on earth, we need mercy, for those who are in heaven are worthy of blessing, and not of mercy. Or, perhaps, because of the condemnation pronounced on us for sin, we are called earth, to whom it was said from God: “you are earth, and to earth you will return” (Gen. 3:19), and who are full of God’s bounty, for “having mercy on us who are dead” with sins and “sinses”, God “has made us alive in Christ” (cf.: Eph. 2:5). (6) “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth was all their power.” Where are those who humiliate the Spirit? Where are those who separate Him from the creative power? Where are those who cut Him off from unity with the Father and the Son? Let them hear the psalm that says: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth was all their strength.” And by word here we do not mean ordinary speech, consisting of names and verbs, and by spirit - not the breath spreading in the air, but of course the Word, which “in the beginning came to God,” and the Holy Spirit, in the proper sense so called. Therefore, just as the creative Word established heaven, so the Spirit, Who is from God, Who proceeds from the Father (that is, from “His mouth,” so that you would not recognize Him as something external or created, but glorify Him as having His hypostasis from God), brought from Himself all the powers that are in Him. So, all heavenly power is confirmed by the Spirit, that is, through the assistance of the Spirit, it has intensity, strength and certainty in sanctification and in every virtue befitting sacred powers. That is why it is written here: “The Spirit of His mouth,” and in other places, as we find, it is said: “The Word of His mouth” (cf. Is. 11:4), so that we would understand that the Savior and His Holy Spirit are from the Father. Since the Word of the Lord is the Savior and the Spirit of His mouth is the Holy Spirit, both of them contributed to the creation of heaven and the powers of heaven, it is said: “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their power.” For whatever is sanctified is sanctified only by the presence of the Spirit. Therefore, the bringing into being of the Angels was accomplished by the creative Word - the Creator of everything, and sanctification was given to them by the Holy Spirit, for the Angels were not created as infants, who would then, having been perfected through gradual exercise, thus become worthy to receive the Spirit, but holiness was invested in the original composition and, so to speak, solution of their essence. That is why they are inflexible towards sin, being immediately, as if by some composition, covered with sanctification and, by the gift of the Holy Spirit, having constancy in virtue. (7) “Gather up the water of the sea like a skin, and store it in the treasures of the deep.” He did not say: “Gather the waters of the sea,” as in a bottle, but “like a bottle,” so “gather the waters of the sea.” Imagine the property of fur, which either inflates when the skin is pulled inward by the spirit, or contracts when the stretch comes out; so the sea sometimes becomes puffed up and boils when the winds make it furious and lift it up, and sometimes again, when there is no wind, it calms down and subsides. Therefore, the Lord “like a fur” bends and subdues the waters of the sea. But in some lists we find: “gather as if in a bottle the waters of the sea,” and this expression points us to ancient history, when the Red Sea, not divided by anyone, itself became, as it were, enclosed in some kind of bottle, because God’s command did not allow it to overflow. "Lay in the treasures of the deep." It would be more consistent with the general concept to say: “laying treasures in the abysses,” that is, keeping your wealth in secret. But here it is said as if the abysses themselves were some kind of expensive utensils worthy of God’s treasures. So, aren’t the laws of God’s Judgment called abyss, as ineffable and incomprehensible to human understanding, because those laws by which He disposes of every thing are left to God’s knowledge alone? And that God’s Judgment for each thing separately is called an abyss, we see from another psalm, which says: “Your destinies are many abyss” (Ps. 35:7). Therefore, if you want to know why the life of a sinner continues, and the days of the coming of the righteous are shortened, why the unjust prospers and the righteous is oppressed, why a child is kidnapped by death before he has come to full age, why wars, why shipwrecks, earthquakes, droughts, excess rain, why harmful things have been created for people, why one is a slave, another is free, one is rich, another is poor (even there are many differences between sinners, and those who succeed in virtue: one was sold to the owner of an indecent house and involuntarily lives in sin, and the other from an early age was given to a good mistress and brought up in the rules of chastity, for what is the latter blessed, and the first condemned, and what is everyone’s reward from the Judge), when all this comes to your mind, consider that the destinies of God are an abyss and, being contained in divine treasures, not for understandable to everyone. And the believer is given a promise from God: “I will give you hidden and invisible treasures” (cf. Is. 45:3). Therefore, when we are worthy of knowledge face to face, then we will see the “abyss” in the “treasures” of God. Having collected what is said in Scripture about furs, let us more conveniently understand the intention of the Prophet. Those who are renewed day by day and contain new wine from the vineyard of truth are called new wineskins in the Gospel, but those who have not put away the old man are old wineskins and it is unreliable to pour new wine into them; “no one puts new wine into old wineskins” so that the wine is not spilled and those bottles do not completely perish (cf. Mark 2:22), becoming no longer deserving of any mercy after good and new wine is spilled, for new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And new and spiritual wine, boiling with the Holy Spirit, that is, the never-aging understanding of truth, must be poured into the new man, who, “always carrying the deadness” of Jesus “in the body” (cf. 2 Cor. 4:10), can rightly be called a new wineskin. (8) “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all who live in the world move from this unworthiness.” Since “the fear of the Lord is the beginning” of feelings (cf. Proverbs 1:7), fear should admonish those who philosophize with earthly things. And fear, as a preparatory to piety, is allowed out of necessity, but the love that follows perfects those who were formed in the school of fear. Therefore, the psalm prescribes fear to the whole earth. It is said: “Let all who live in the universe move from Him,” that is, every movement performed either mentally or by bodily action, let it happen in them in accordance with God’s will. This is how I understand the words: “let them move from Him,” that is, let neither the eye move without God, nor let the hand move without God, nor let the heart think of anything that is not pleasing to God. And in general let them not be moved by anything else; let nothing but the fear of God set them in motion. (9) “As He spoke, and it was: He commanded, and it was created.” To the two previous expressions: “let the whole earth fear” and “let all who live in the universe move,” I also added two expressions: “That was spoken, and it was: That was commanded, and it was created.” Since man is composed of earthly composition and of the soul that dwells in the body, what is formed from the earth is called earth, and the soul, which is given the destiny to dwell in the body, is called an inhabitant of the universe. In accordance with the word “earth” it is said: “That was said, and it was” - and our education, namely education from the earth, is expressed by the word “became”, and creation in the image of God is depicted by the word “created”, because the word “creature” is often taken in the meaning of change and improvement, as in the words: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17), as well as in the words: “that both may create one new man” (Eph. 2:15). Or maybe the word “became” indicates the first realization of man, and the word “created” indicates the second rebirth by the grace of Christ. But just as much as the commandment of God differs from a simple word, there is just as much difference between creation and bringing into being. (10) “The Lord destroys the councils of tongues, and sweeps away the thoughts of people.” This serves as an explanation of the previous one, that is, how God builds up those who believe in Him by destroying the foolish councils of people that they had about idolatry and all vanity, and sweeping away the councils of princes. But this can also be attributed to the time of suffering, when people intended to crucify the King of glory, and He renewed humanity through the dispensation of the cross. For by the Resurrection the council of the pagans was destroyed - Pilate, the soldiers and everyone who contributed to the crucifixion - and the conferences of the princes - the bishops, scribes and kings of the people - were rejected, because the Resurrection destroyed all their plans. But in each narrative, noticing what God did with the unfaithful pagans, you will find that the words of the Prophet in a material sense are of great importance. For when Jehoram, the son of Ahab, reigned in Israel, then the king of Syria, the son of Ader, armed himself with a great force and a heavy hand, besieged Samaria, so that the inhabitants lacked the necessary things, and “there became the head of an ass for fifty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a measure of the pus of a dove for five shekels of silver” (2 Kings 6:25). And at this time, in order for Elisha’s will to be fulfilled, the councils of Syria were ruined, and, leaving “their canopy” and all their property, the Syrians fled, and in Samaria they produced such an abundance that “a measure of wheat flour” was sold “for one shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel” (cf. 2 Kings 7:16). This is how the Lord knows how to destroy the councils of tongues! And how He sweeps away the advice of princes, we know from the legend of Ahithophel, when David prayed, saying: “Destroy the advice of Ahithophel” (2 Sam. 15:31). Therefore, when you hear that someone threatens you with many things and promises to cause you all kinds of grief, damage or wounds, or death, lift your eyes to the Lord, who “ruins the councils of tongues and sweeps away the thoughts of men.” (11) “The counsel of the Lord endures forever, the thoughts of His heart to generation and generation.” Do you see the teachings of the pagans, this vain philosophy, how subtle and abundant they are in the invention of teachings, in speculative sciences, in moral precepts, in natural science and in other teachings called secret, how all this has dissipated and become useless, but now the truth of the Gospel alone is established? There are many plans in the human heart, but the counsel of the Lord prevails. And in order for God’s advice to constantly and firmly abide in our souls, it is necessary first for human thoughts to be destroyed within us. Anyone who wants to write on wax first angles the wax, and then puts on the images that suit him. Likewise, the heart, on which the words of God would clearly be imprinted, must become pure from contrary thoughts. "The thoughts of His heart to generation and generation." Since there are two chosen peoples and two covenants were given to them, then in what was said: “The thoughts of His heart to generation and generation,” due to the double named generation, one can understand two thoughts - one by which we received the first covenant, and the other, which gave us the new and saving teaching of Christ. (12) “Blessed is the tongue, which is the Lord its God, the people whom He has chosen for His inheritance.” No one pleases the Jewish people, but they please the people who, by superiority, were chosen from all nations, for we are that “tongue” for whom our God is Lord, we are “the people who were chosen as an inheritance for ourselves”: we are a “tongue” because we were gathered from many pagans, we are “people” because we were called instead of a rejected people. And since “the calling is many, the chosen are few” (cf. Matt. 20:16), he pleases not the called, but the chosen; “blessed, even chosen.” What is the reason for gratification? – An expected inheritance of eternal blessings. Or, according to the words of the Apostle, that when “the fulfillment of tongues comes,” then “all Israel will be saved” (cf. Rom. 11:25, 26), does not the fulfillment of tongues please first, and then Israel, which is finally saved? And as it is known that not everyone will be saved, but only “the remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom. 11:5), therefore it is said: “People whom I have chosen as His own inheritance.” (13) “The Lord looked down from heaven and saw all the sons of men.” (14) “From His ready dwelling.” The Lord looks down on those who are in their own rank and on those fulfilling the duties of human nature, but over those who have reached the point of extreme damage, He supervises differently - by condescending to them. For it is said: “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has multiplied... and their sins have been great.” “I will go down and see if it is according to their cry that they come to Me that they will be accomplished” (Gen. 18:20-21). And again: “The Lord came down to see the city and the pillar that He had built for the sons of mankind” (Gen. 11:5). And here it says: “The Lord looked down from heaven and saw all the sons of men.” Do not lose sight of this lofty Spectator, do not lose sight of the One Who Peers from Above into human affairs. Wherever you go, whatever you do, whether in the dark or in the middle of the day, the Eye of God is watching over you. "From His ready dwelling place." The doors are not opened, the curtains are not gathered, God's dwelling is ready for the vision. God sees all the sons of men. No one escapes His sight, neither darkness nor walls hide; there is no obstacle in the eyes of God. He not only sees everyone, but also sees the hearts that He Himself created, without mixing anything bad into them. The Creator of man, God, created him simple in His image, which saves hearts, but later, entangling him with carnal passions, we made him into a heart of many forms and many faces, corrupting his Godlikeness, simplicity and uniformity. Since He is the Creator of hearts, therefore (15) He “understands all our deeds.” And we call words, thoughts, and in general every human movement actions. For with what disposition and with what intention we do something, whether to please people or to fulfill the commandments given to us from God, this alone knows “Keep in mind all our deeds.” Therefore, in every idle word we will give an account (see: Matt. 12:36) and even for a cup of ice water “we will not lose the reward” (cf.: Matt. 10:42), because the Lord “understands all our deeds.” (16) “A king cannot be saved by much strength.” It is not the multitude of military forces, not the walls of cities, not regiments of foot soldiers, not the fortress of horsemen, not the equipment of naval forces that bring salvation to the king, for the Lord “makes kings and puts an end to them” (Dan. 2:21), and “there is no authority unless it is made by God” (cf. Rom. 13:1). Therefore, the king is saved “not by much strength,” but by God’s grace; so in this regard, too, the word is true: “by natural grace is salvation” (Eph. 2:5). Likewise, the farmer acquires the fruits of agriculture not so much by his diligent cultivation, but by the assistance of God, who returns what he has cultivated, for “neither planteth nor watereth, but God giveth the increase” (1 Cor. 3:7). If “the king’s heart is in the hand of God” (Proverbs 21:1), then he is saved not by the force of arms, but by God’s guidance. Not everyone is in the hand of God, but one worthy of the name of king. And some determined that royal power is legal dominion or authority over everyone, not subject to sin. “And the giant will not be saved by the abundance of his strength.” The Prophet calls the one who strengthens natural strength and bodily tension a giant. Therefore, the help of weapons is not enough for a king to save, and a courageous person cannot be sufficient for himself in everything, for all human forces taken together are weak and powerless in comparison with true strength. Therefore, “God has chosen the weak of the world, that the strong may be put to shame” (1 Cor. 1:27), and “out of the mouth of a child and of those who piss, you have made praise... to destroy the enemy and the local” (Ps. 8:3), for the grace of God shone most especially, acting in infants and those of low mind. (17) “A lie is a horse’s salvation, but in the abundance of its strength it will not be saved.” The horse is excluded from the use of the saints, and Israel in the days of prosperity, it seems, never used horse power in wars, and none of the saints recognized it as decent to have horses for their own use. But Pharaoh has a horse, and the arrogant Sennacherib is puffed up with many horses. That is why Pharaoh’s “horse and rider” were “thrown into the sea” (cf. Ex. 15:1), and Sennacherib’s “resurrected” everyone “on horseback” (Ps. 75:7). For the same reason, the law given through Moses, prescribing the law to kings, says: “Let him not multiply horses for himself” (Deut. 17:16). “In the abundance of his strength he will not be saved.” “Whenever I am weak,” says the Apostle, “then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). And a lot of bodily strength serves as an obstacle to the salvation of the spirit. (18) “Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him.” Elsewhere it is said: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous” (Ps. 33:16), and here – “on those who fear Him.” When we look at the Lord and our eyes are directed towards Him, so that we can say: “Behold, like the eyes of a servant in the hand of his masters... so are our eyes towards the Lord our God” (Ps. 122:2), then, as it were, we attract the Eye of the Lord to look at us. "Those who trust in His mercy." The prophet shows the humility of those who serve the Lord and how much they trust in His mercy. He who does not trust in his own valiant merits and does not hope to be justified by works, has the only hope of salvation in the mercy of God. For when he brings to mind the words: “Behold, the Lord and His reward” (cf. Is. 40:10), in order to reward everyone what his deed is worth, and when he counts his evil deeds, then he begins to fear punishment and tremble at threats. And so that grief does not consume him, he looks at God’s mercy and love for mankind and becomes trustworthy. He hopes that God (19) “will deliver his soul from death and feed him into famine.” (20) “Our soul longs for the Lord, for He is our Helper and Protector.” This word encourages patience, so that when any offender attacks us, we are not separated “from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:39), but labor with all our hearts, expecting help from God. (21) “For in Him our hearts rejoice, and in His holy name we trust.” This is in accordance with what was said at the beginning of the psalm: “Rejoice in the righteous in the Lord.” And now - “in Him our hearts will rejoice.” It seems to me that in the same sense the Apostle said: “In all these we overcome for our beloved” (Rom. 8:37). And not only do we overcome, but we also “glory in our tribulations” (Rom. 5:3). For the psalmist said: “Our soul longs for the Lord,” and wanting to show that it is not by force and not from the oppression of sorrows that he discovers patience, but with great joy he accepts bitterness for the name of the Lord, he says: not only do we endure, but also “in Him our heart will rejoice, and in His holy name we trust.” It is enough for us to be called Christians in order to avoid any temptation from our opponents. The name of God is called holy, of course, not because in the very syllables it has some sanctifying power, but because every property of God and every concept of what is primarily seen in God is holy and pure. (22) “O Lord, be Thy mercy upon us, as we trust in Thee.” Do you see how intelligently the Prophet prayed? He set his own disposition as the measure for the bounty of God's mercy. Let this be, he says, “Thy mercy upon us”, what hope we placed in You beforehand. But all our hope is to return to rest, so that when He “transforms” the “body of our humility,” we will understand that this very body has become “conformed to the body of glory” (cf. Phil. 3:21). (1) “To David, change your countenance before Abimelech, and let him go, and go away.” The understanding of this psalm leads us to two cases. According to his inscription, it seems fitting both what happened to David in Nob, the priestly city, and what happened to him at Achish, king of the Philistines. For “change your face” when you talked with Abimelech, the priest, hiding your flight from him and showing that you were in a hurry to fulfill the royal command, when you took both the showbread and the sword of Goliath (see: 1 Samuel 21, 1-9). But also “change your face” when you were surrounded by enemies, because you heard them talking to each other and preparing for revenge. “And the young men of Achish asked him,” it is said, “Is not this David the king of the earth? Is it not for this that the rejoicing women came forth, saying: Overcome Saul with his thousands, and David with his thousands.” And it is also said: And David “feared” at the presence of Achish, and changed his countenance” before their eyes (cf.: 1 Samuel 21:11-13). But why does the inscription name Abimelech, but history gives the name Achishus, king of Gephesus? For this we have the following explanation, which has come down to us from tradition, that Abimelech was the common name of the kings of the Philistines, but that each of them also had his own name. A similar thing can be seen in the Roman state, where the kings are generally called Caesars and Augusti, but also retain their own names. The Egyptians have the same name as Pharaoh. For the Egyptian king under Joseph is called Pharaoh, and the one who four generations later, under Moses, became the king of Egypt is also called Pharaoh; There was also a pharaoh in the time of Solomon, for it is said: “They give water to Pharaoh’s daughter” (1 Kings 3:1); Pharaoh was also the name given to the one who reigned during the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah (see: 2 Kings 23, 29). So also Abimelech was in the days of Abraham and in the days of Isaac, and is now called in the days of David. About Abraham it is said: “And Abimelech spoke, and Ochozaph his leader, and Phichol the commander of his strength, speaking to Abraham” (Gen. 21, 22). The same is true about Isaac: “And while Abimelech, the king of Gerar, was there for a long time, he saw Isaac playing with Rebekah” (Gen. 26:8). So here, in the inscription, Abimelech of the time of David is called by the common royal name, but history conveys his name Achish, which was his own, given to him at birth. It was before him that David changed his face when he was brought in the arms of his household, he beat on the city gates and, as it is said, “his sheep hit the fence,” so Achish said to the household: why did you bring him to me? I have no need for the frantic, “as if” he brought him into the frenzy before me (cf.: 1 Sam. 21, 13, 14). And thus David, released from there, was saved, as it is said, “by coming to the cave of Adollamsk” (cf. 1 Samuel 22:1). Therefore, as having escaped great danger, he sends such thanks to God who freed him and says: (2) “I will bless the Lord at all times.” Having escaped death, he, as it were, lays down for himself the rules of life, tuning his soul to a strict way of activity, so as not to leave a single minute of time without blessing, but to turn to God at the beginning of important and unimportant matters. I will not think, he says, that anything is done through my efforts or happens by chance, but “I will bless the Lord at all times” - not only in times of prosperity, but also in unhappy times of life. This taught Apostle says: “Rejoice always.” "Pray without ceasing." “Give thanks in everything” (1 Thess. 5:16–18). Do you see what David's love was like! Continuous misfortunes did not weaken his patience when he was carried in the arms of his household, beat on the city gates, deprived of his property, but even, of necessity, betrayed to his enemies and almost torn to pieces by them. Despite this, he did not say: how long will the misfortunes continue? He did not become impatient because of continuous afflictions, “knowing that tribulation makes patience workable, and patience is a skill, and a skill is hope” (Rom. 5:3-4). And indeed, sorrows for those who are well prepared are like strengthening food and exercise in struggle, bringing the ascetic closer to fatherly glory, when we “reproach, bless, blaspheme”, “pray”, the weary - we give thanks, the sorrowful - we glory in sorrows (cf.: 1 Cor. 4:12-13). It is a shame for us to bless in happiness, but remain silent in sad and difficult circumstances. On the contrary, then we should be more grateful, knowing that “the Lord loves him and punishes him: and he beats every son whom he receives” (Heb. 12:6). “I will bring His praise into my mouth.” The prophet apparently promises something impossible. How can the praise of God be continually in the mouth of man? When he speaks in ordinary and everyday conversation, there is no praise of God in his mouth. When he sleeps, he remains completely silent. When he eats and drinks, how will his lips utter praise? To this we answer that the inner man has certain spiritual lips and through them he is nourished, receiving the word of life, which is “the bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:58). It is about these lips that the Prophet speaks: “My mouth was opened and the spirit was drawn” (Ps. 119:131). It is these lips that the Lord advises to be widened, so as to abundantly receive the blessings of truth. For it is said: “Expand your mouth, and I will do it” (Ps. 80:11). Therefore, the thought of God, once imprinted and, as it were, confirmed with a seal in the sovereign power of the soul, can be called the praise of God, which “abides” in the soul; and the careful one, according to the admonition of the Apostle, can give everything to the glory of God, so that every action, every word, every mental exercise receives the power of praise, for “whether he eats or drinks” the righteous “does everything for the glory of God” (cf.: 1 Cor. 10:31). Such a person’s heart is awake even during sleep, as it is said in the Song of Songs: “I sleep, but my heart watches” (Song. 5:2), for the dreams of sleep are very often echoes of thoughts that occupied the day. (3) “My soul will glory in the Lord.” The prophet says: no one praises my ingenuity, by which I was saved from danger, for salvation lies not in strength, not in human wisdom, but in the grace of God. For it is said: “Let not the rich man boast in his wealth, the wise man in his wisdom, the mighty man in his strength: but let him boast in this, even if he understands and knows” the Lord his God (cf. Jer. 9:23, 24). See how the Apostle praises his fellow workers in the work of piety. He says: this is our “servant and fellow worker in the Lord” (Col. 4:7). If someone boasts about physical beauty or the fame of his family, then his soul is not boasting about the Lord; on the contrary, each of them is devoted to vanity. The average arts and those who practice them also do not deserve true praise: helmsmen, doctors, priests, builders who create cities or pyramids, or labyrinths, or other expensive, magnificent buildings. Those who boast about this do not put their souls in the Lord. In exchange for any other honor, it is enough for us to be called slaves of such a Master. Will not the servant of kings boast that he has been appointed to this or that office of service? Is it possible that he who is worthy to serve God will invent praise for himself from others, as if to be called “Lord’s” is not enough for him to be fully honored and renowned! So, “my soul will glory in the Lord.” “Let the meek ones hear and be glad.” Since the Prophet says: through one change of face, with the assistance of God, the enemies are deceived and my salvation is accomplished, then “let the meek ones hear” that it is possible for those living in the world to erect victorious signs and for those who did not fight to turn out to be winners; “And let them rejoice,” having been confirmed in meekness by my example, for I received such goodness from God because I had meekness. “Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness” (Ps. 131:1). Meekness is the greatest of the virtues, and therefore is numbered among the beatitudes. For it is said: “Blessed are the meek: for these shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). This land, the heavenly Jerusalem, is not the spoil of those who compete, but is given as an inheritance to the long-suffering and meek. And the words: “let the meek ones hear” mean the same as the words “let Christ’s disciples hear.” Or maybe, David prophetically wishes that the miracle of God’s beneficence revealed to us would reach us too. May those who, after many generations, become disciples of Christ, also hear! For those he called meek, to whom the Lord said: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). Those who have tamed their morals, freed from all passion, in whose souls no rebellion has settled - they are called meek. This is why it is also testified about Moses that he was “more meek than all the people who live on earth” (Numbers 12:3). (4) “Magnify the Lord with me.” The Prophet gathers a decent face for himself to glorify the Lord. Do not join me, neither rebellious, nor confused, nor inflaming the soul with carnal passions, but you, meek ones, you who have acquired firmness and constancy of soul, have shaken off laziness and drowsiness in the performance of your duties - you will “exalt the Lord with me.” The one who exalts the Lord is the one who endures temptations for piety with a great mind, a strong and exalted spirit; and then, who with a great mind and in the deepest speculations considers the greatness of creation, in order to contemplate their Creator in the greatness and beauty of creatures (cf.: Wisdom 13:5). For the more one delves into the laws by which the universe is structured and governed, the more clearly one contemplates the magnificence of the Lord and magnifies the Lord to the best of one’s ability. Since the mind and reflections of one person alone are not at all sufficient to understand the greatness of God, the Prophet accepts all the meek together into the fellowship of this work. Therefore, one must completely abolish oneself from external rebellions, create complete silence in the hidden church of the councils of the heart, and then begin to contemplate the truth. Listen to the one who confesses sin, what he says: “My eye is troubled with rage” (Ps. 6:8). Not only anger, but also desire, timidity, and envy confuse the eye of the soul, and in general all passions confuse and confuse the insight of the soul. And just as it is impossible to receive the correct impression from a visible object with a clouded eye, so it is impossible to begin to know the truth with an indignant heart. Therefore, one must withdraw from all worldly affairs, and not introduce extraneous thoughts into the soul either through sight, hearing, or any other sense. For the wars raised by carnal wisdom fill the interior of the heart with incessant rebellions and irreconcilable discord. (5) “I sought the Lord, and heard me.” The Prophet says: let the meek ones hear this! And in this difficult time, when all the wrath of the wicked was aroused against me and the hands of all armed themselves against me, and I, unprotected by anything, was ready to take upon myself all the blows of the enemies, and at that time I was not confused by thoughts of fear, I did not abandon the thought of God, I did not despair of my salvation, but of “seeking the Lord.” He did not seek only with some simple and temporary hope in the Lord, but “sought,” for the phrase “sought” expresses more than “sought,” just as “testing” expresses more than “torture.” For “the testing trials have disappeared” (Ps. 63:7). Therefore, with the word “demand” the psalm depicted some kind of deep peace and serenity. “And deliver me from all my sorrows.” The whole life of a righteous man is filled with sorrows; this is a narrow and sorrowful path. “Many sorrows for the righteous” (Ps. 33:20). That is why the Apostle says: “In everything there is sorrow” (2 Cor. 4:8), and “for through many tribulations it is fitting for us to enter into the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). God delivers His saints from sorrow, not leaving them without testing, but giving them patience. For if “tribulation makes patience workable, and patience is a skill” (Rom. 5:3-4), then he who avoids tribulation deprives himself of experience. And just as no one receives a crown without having an opponent, so one can become experienced only through tribulation. Therefore, the words: “Deliver me from all my sorrows” do not mean: He did not allow me to grieve, but gave me “with temptation and abundance, so that I was able to bear it” (cf.: 1 Cor. 10:13). (6) “Come to Him, and you will be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed.” Those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death are exhorted to approach the Lord, to draw closer to the rays of His Divinity, so that, through their approach, illuminated by the truth by grace, they may embrace His enlightenment. For just as this sensory light does not shine equally for everyone, but for those who have eyes, are awake and can unhinderedly enjoy the appearance of the sun, so the “Sun of righteousness” (cf. Mal. 4:2), the “Light” of truth, “Who enlightens every man who comes into the world” (John 1:9), does not allow everyone to see His brilliance, but to those who live worthy of the light. For it is said: “light has arisen” not for the sinner, but for the “righteous” (Ps. 96:11). Just as the sun, although it rises, does not rise for bats and other animals that seek food for themselves during the night, so, although the light itself is brilliant and all-illuminating, not everyone partakes of its radiance. Likewise, “everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be exposed” (John 3:20). So, “come to Him, and you will be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed.” Blessed is he who, on the day of the Righteous Judgment of God, when “the Lord comes” in the light of “bringing the secret darkness” and “declaring the counsels of the heart” (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5), daring to enter into this accusatory light, will return unashamed, because his conscience is not defiled by vicious deeds. And those who did evil will rise to reproach and shame, to see in themselves the abomination and imprint of the sins they have committed. And perhaps more terrible than darkness and eternal fire is the shame with which sinners will be immortalized, constantly having before their eyes traces of sin committed in the flesh, like some kind of irreducible paint, forever remaining in the memory of their souls. There are not many who could approach the light of truth and open it and, having discovered the hidden, walk away with an unashamed face. (7) “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard and.” Poverty is not always commendable, but only when it is arbitrarily accepted for evangelical purposes. For many are poor in wealth, but are very covetous in their will. Poverty does not save them, but arbitrariness condemns them. Therefore, blessed is not the one who is poor, but the one who prefers the commandment of Christ to the treasures of the world. The Lord calls such people blessed, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3), - not poor in property, but those who have chosen poverty from the heart. And what is not arbitrary does not make one blessed. Therefore, every virtue, and above all poverty, has free will as its distinguishing feature. So, “this beggar,” says the Prophet, “called.” With a signifying voice, he calls your thoughts to those who are poor in God, hungry, thirsty and enduring nakedness. “This beggar,” he almost points out with his finger, that is, this disciple of Christ. These words can also be attributed to Christ Himself: He, who is “rich” by nature (since everything that the Father has belongs to Him), “for the sake of our poverty, that through His poverty we may become rich” (cf. 2 Cor. 8:9). And almost every work leading to bliss was initiated by the Lord Himself, offering Himself as an example to the disciples. Return to the beatitudes and, having examined each one, you will find that He preceded the teaching with words and deeds. "Blessed are the meek." Where can we learn meekness? “Learn from Me,” says the Lord, “for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Who will teach us the blessings of the world? The Peacemaker Himself, “make peace” and reconcile “both into one new man” (cf. Eph. 2:15), “pacifying with blood of His cross, “whether earthly or heavenly” (cf.: Col. 1:20). He Himself became poor and “made Himself a little servant, so that we may all receive His fulfillment, and grace with grace” (cf. Phil. 2:7; John 1:16). So, if someone, led by the Holy and man-loving Spirit, not dreaming about himself, but destroying himself in order to exalt others, cries out in the spirit, asking for something great, and does not utter anything unworthy and low, expressing the search for earthly and worldly things, then the cry of this one asking will be heard by the Lord. And what is the end of hearing? The one who will be delivered “from all sorrows” not wounded, not exhausted, not enslaved to the wisdom of the flesh. How does a beggar get rid of himself? (8) “The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear Him, and will deliver them.” The Prophet explained who he calls a beggar - precisely the one who fears the Lord. Therefore, the one who fears still stands at the level of a slave, but the one who has been perfected by love has already achieved the dignity of a son. The slave is also called a beggar because he has nothing of his own, but the son is already rich and because he is the heir of his father’s blessings. So, “the Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.” The angel will not depart from all those who believe in the Lord, unless we drive him away ourselves with bad deeds. For just as bees are driven away by smoke and doves are driven away by stench, so the guardian of our life, the Angel, is driven away by lamentable and stinking sin. If you have in your soul deeds worthy of angelic guardianship, and a mind enriched with the speculations of truth dwells in you, then, due to the wealth of unappreciated deeds of virtue, God will necessarily assign guards and guardians to you and protect you with the protection of Angels. Look what the nature of Angels is! One Angel is equal to a whole army and numerous militia. So, in the greatness of your guardian, the Lord gives you a militia, and in the fortress of the Angel, as it were, he protects you from everywhere with his protection. For this means “surroundings”. Just as the city walls, surrounding the city, repel enemy attacks from everywhere, so the Angel serves as a wall in front, protects from behind and leaves nothing uncovered on both sides. Therefore, “thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be on your right hand, but the blow of one of your enemies will not come close to you” (Ps. 90:7), “as His angel commanded you” (Ps. 90:11). (9) “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” We have repeatedly noticed that the spiritual forces are called by the same name as the external members. Since our Lord is the true bread and His Flesh is the true meat, it is necessary that the enjoyment of the joy of bread be produced in us through spiritual eating. Just as the property of honey can be explained not so much by words as by the sense of taste itself to those who have not tasted honey, so the goodness of the heavenly word cannot be clearly conveyed in teaching if, after long-term knowledge of the teachings of the truth, we are not able to comprehend the goodness of the Lord through our own experience. “Taste,” he said, and not “be satisfied,” because “now we understand in part, we see” the truth “through a mirror in divination” (cf.: 1 Cor. 13:12), but the time will come when the present pledge, this tasting of grace, will turn for you into the perfection of pleasure. Just as those who suffer from stomach problems and feel an aversion to food are treated for this disorder by doctors who, with the help of food prepared in a special way, arouse the urge for it, and when the feeling is irritated by these artificial foods, the urge for food increases hour by hour, so in the word of truth the very test, says the Prophet, will incessantly call you to an insatiable lust. Therefore, “taste,” he says, that you may be “blessed,” as “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” “Blessed is the man who trusts in Nan.” He who constantly desires words will place his trust in nothing else but the Lord. (10) “Fear the Lord, all your holy ones, for those who fear Him will have no hardship.” If fear does not control our lives, then it is impossible for sanctification to occur in the body. For it is said: “Nail my fear to Thy fear” (Ps. 119:120). Just as the members of the body of those nailed to nails remain motionless and inactive, so those embraced in the soul by the fear of God avoid any passionate overwhelm by sin. Therefore, “he who is afraid has no deprivation,” that is, he who is restrained by fear from any indecent act is not deprived of the strength for any virtue, but is perfect and does not lack any of the perfections inherent in human nature. Just as one who lacks some necessary member is not perfect in body, but is not perfect in that very thing, which he lacks, so one who does not care about a single commandment through non-fulfillment is no longer perfect due to this lack. But whoever has mastered perfect fear and fears everything out of fear of God will not sin in anything, because he despises nothing, and he will not suffer deprivation, because in any case fear is constantly with him. (11) “Those who are rich are poor and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good.” This word also teaches us contempt for material wealth, showing the fragility of abundance in property. For wealth is not constant and, like a wave driven by the force of the winds, usually flows here and there. And David calls “rich”, perhaps, the Israelites, “whose sonship ... and ministry and promises: their fathers” (cf. Rom. 9: 4–5). They “became poor”, having sinned against the Lord, and those who sought the Lord in their place “will not lose any good.” But what about the Israelis who are “poor and hungry”? Since they killed the living bread, a famine of bread came upon them. Because they plotted against the Source of living water, thirst came to them and the punishment was imposed on them to suffer from thirst. But this famine is not of sensual bread and “not the thirst for water, but the famine of hearing the word of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). And so they are “poor and hungry,” and among the pagans who have learned to seek the Lord “will not be deprived of any good.” The all-perfect good is God Himself, Whom “all who seek Him will not lose.” If someone is ignorant, has a unclear concept of good and evil, then let him not call good the one who finds pleasure in the temporary, which passes with the destruction of the body. For whoever elevates material wealth and carnal advantages to the level of goods, assigns to lowly and undeserving things a name that is venerable and befitting of God alone, and at the same time falls into the grossest contradiction. For either I must say that the Apostles did not receive bodily benefits because they did not seek the Lord, or, if they did seek them, they did not have such benefits, I must blame Scripture itself, which says that “those who seek the Lord” will not be deprived of “a single good.” On the contrary, the saints sought the Lord, and were not left without the understanding of what they sought, and did not lose the blessings prepared for eternal rest. For one can say about them in the proper sense: “every good”, because bodily pleasures contain more painful than pleasant: marriage - childlessness, widowhood - corruption, agriculture - infertility, trade - shipwrecks, wealth - intrigues, luxury - satiety, frequent pleasures - various kinds of illnesses and many types of passions. Paul sought the Lord and was not deprived of “a single good thing”; and yet who can count the bodily sorrows in which he spent his entire life? “Threely hit with clubs, lashed with a single stone, thrice the ship was overthrown” with him, “create night and day in the depths, in the journeys of the multitude... in hunger and thirst, in abundance in fasting, in labor and struggle” and many times in need (cf.: 2 Cor. 11, 25-27). So what? A man who until the last hour was hungry and thirsty, endured nakedness and suffering, was he really not deprived of bodily blessings? Therefore, raise your thoughts to the true good, so that you understand the agreement of Scripture, and do not confuse yourself with the reciprocity of concepts. (12) “Come, children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” This is the voice of a sincerely disposed teacher, calling for teaching with fatherly compassion, because the student is the spiritual child of the teacher. He who receives education in piety from another is, as it were, created by him and brought into composition, just as babies are formed in the womb of the womb. Therefore, Paul also called the entire Church of Galatia, which had fallen away from the first-taught teachings and resembled the premature fruit of a womb, again receiving and by the power of God imagining Christ in the Galatians, children. And as he, with illness and sorrow, carried out the correction of those who wavered, that is why he said that his soul ached, grieving for those who had fallen away. “My children, even though I am sick, until Christ is imagined in you” (Gal. 4:19). So, “come, children, listen to me.” What does our spiritual father want to teach us? “I will teach you the fear of the Lord,” he says. Since he above commanded to fear the Lord and showed the benefits of fear, saying that “there is no hardship for those who fear Him,” he now teaches some lesson about the fear of the Lord. That you need to be healthy, anyone can say this, even an ignoramus, but how one should acquire health, talking about it is the business of a person who knows the art of medicine. Not every fear is good and saving, but there is the fear of the enemy, for which the Prophet prays so that it does not come close to his soul, saying: “From the fear of the enemy, take away my soul” (Ps. 63:2). That fear is the enemy’s, which instills in us the fear of death and which instills in us to fear the advantage of persons. For whoever fears this will be able, during martyrdom, to resist sin even to the point of death and repay the debt to the Lord who died for us and rose again? And also, being brought into fear by demons has in himself the fear of the enemy. And in general, such fear seems to me to be a weakness generated by unbelief, for the believer, who has a strong helper, is not afraid of anyone who is trying to disturb him. But what is saving fear, sanctifying fear, fear that is intentionally, and not out of weakness, settled in the soul? Do you want me to explain to you the properties of this fear? When you are carried away into some sin, imagine in your mind the terrible and unbearable judgment seat of Christ, where the Judge sits on a high and exalted Throne, while all creation stands with trepidation at His glorious appearance, and each of us is brought to the test of what he has done in life; then, to the one who has committed many bad deeds in life, terrible and gloomy angels are assigned, who have a fiery gaze and a fiery breath - due to the cruelty of their will, and faces like the night - due to despondency and hatred of man; then an impassable abyss, deep darkness, dim fire, which in the darkness contains scorching power, but lacks luminosity; then some kind of poisonous and carnivorous worm, devouring with greed, never being satisfied and with its devouring produces unbearable diseases; then the cruelest of all torments - eternal shame and eternal shame. Fear this and, admonished by this fear, as if by some kind of bridle, refrain your soul from evil desires. The father promised to teach us this fear of the Lord, but not to teach everyone, but only those who want to listen to him, those who have not fallen far away, but who flow to him with the desire to be saved, not “strangers from the covenant” (Eph. 2:12), but through the birth of sons in Baptism, those who have become close to the Word. Therefore, he says: “Come,” that is, draw closer to me with good deeds, children who have been worthy to become sons of light through regeneration. “Listen,” you whose hearts are open, “I will teach you the fear of the Lord,” the fear that the word shortly before depicted to you. (13) “Who is a man, even if he loves the days and sees good things”? The prophet asks: does anyone want life - not this common life that the dumb live, but true life, not stopped by death? For now, he says, you are dying, and “your life is hidden with Christ in God: when Christ appears, your life, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:3-4). So, Christ is true life, and our true life is abiding in Christ. Likewise, other days are “good”, and the Prophet points to them in his proclamation: “Who is a man, even if he loves to see good days?” For the days of this age are evil, just as this age, being the measure of the world, about which it is said that “the whole world lies in evil” (1 John 5:19) and with its properties is consistent with the world it measures. And the days themselves are parts of this time, therefore the Apostle says: “The time redeems, for the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16). And Jacob testifies: “The days of my years” are “small and evil” (cf. Gen. 47:9). Therefore now we are not in life, but in death. That is why the Apostle prays, saying: “Who will deliver me from the body of this death” (Rom. 7:24)? But there is another kind of life to which the word calls us. And although our present days are “evil,” there are other days, “good things,” that are not stopped at night. For for them God Himself will be an eternal light, illuminating them with the radiance of His glory. Therefore, when you hear about “good” days, do not think that the promise was telling you about this life, because those days that the sensual heart produces are perishable, and perishable cannot be a fitting gift for the incorruptible. But if the soul is incorruptible, then spiritual gifts must also be incorruptible. And “the image of this world passes away” (1 Cor. 7:31). If the law contains in itself the shadow of future blessings, then imagine some joyful and holy Saturdays from the eternal new moon days, holidays, but imagine them in accordance with the spiritual law! (14) “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from uttering flattery.” If you want to have “good days” and love life, then fulfill the commandments of life. For it is said: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). The first commandment is: “Keep your tongue from evil, and keep your lips from speaking flattery.” For the sin committed by the tongue is in fact very convenient and varied. Are you angry - and the tongue precedes. Whether lust has prevailed over you, the tongue first of all serves you as a translator and carrier, which helps in sin and leads your neighbors into temptation. The tongue is for you a weapon of untruth, if it does not speak from the heart, but to deceive others. But why list in words all the sins committed by the tongue? Our life is filled with the sins of the tongue: obscenity, ridiculous, stupid, obscene speech, gossip, idle speech, false oaths, false testimonies - all this and a much greater number of evils are the work of the tongue. And those who open their mouths to desecrate the glory of God and “speak lies on high” (cf. Ps. 73:8), what other instrument do they commit this wickedness if not the instrument of the tongue! So, since “you will be condemned by your words” (Matthew 12:37), then “restrain your tongue from evil” and “do not make treasures with a lying vain tongue” (cf. Proverbs 21:6). Keep “your lips from uttering flattery,” that is, make sure that the whole instrument given to you to serve the word is free from evil actions. Flattery is a hidden crime against one’s neighbor, committed under the guise of goodness. (15) “Turn away from evil, and do good: seek peace, and marry, and.” Here are the initial tips and introductory lessons of godliness: try to overcome the tongue, abstain from deceitful plans, turn away from evil. For it is not appropriate for someone who is perfect to abstain from evil, but only a beginner should avoid striving for evil. And one must first, as if from a bad path, move away from the habit of a vicious life, and then begin to perform good deeds. Because it is impossible to take up good without stepping back and completely avoiding evil, just as it is impossible to regain health without freeing yourself from illness, or to warm up before the chill has completely passed. All of this is incompatible with the other: so those who want to lead a good life must free themselves from contact with evil. “Seek peace, and marry, and.” The Lord said about this world: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you: not as the world gives” peace, “I give it to you” (John 14:27). Therefore, “seek peace” from the Lord and “get married.” And you will achieve it no other way than “pursuing intentionally, for the honor of a high calling” (cf. Phil. 3:14). For true peace is grief; and as long as we are connected with the flesh, many things are inseparable from us that outrage us. Therefore, “seek peace,” that is, liberation from the rebellions of this world, acquire a serene mind, an undisturbed, undisturbed state of soul, not shaken by passions, not carried away by false teachings, which with their plausibility incline to consent, so that through this you may acquire “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7) and guards your heart. He who seeks peace seeks Christ, because “He is our peace,” who created “both in one new man, creating peace” (cf. Eph. 2:14–15) and “pacified by the blood of His cross,” “whether it be in heaven or on earth” (cf.: Col. 1:20). (16) “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are upon their prayer.” Just as the saints are “the body of Christ and are divided in part” (1 Cor. 12:27) and God placed them in the Church, some as eyes, others as lips, and others instead of hands or feet, so the holy spiritual Powers that reside in heaven, some are called eyes, because they are entrusted with looking over us, and others are called ears, because they receive our prayers. Therefore, now David called the Power that watches over us and the Power that receives prayers eyes and ears. “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are upon their prayer.” For every deed of a righteous man is worthy of the sight of God; and every word of it, since the righteous does not say anything idle, is strong and effective, therefore the psalm assures that the righteous is always before the eyes and is always heard. (17) “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to consume their memory from the earth.” By face, as I think, we mean the open and obvious coming of the Lord to the Judgment. This is why it is said that the eyes of the Lord, as if still watching us from afar, fix on the righteous, and the face itself will appear to destroy on earth every memory of iniquity. But do not imagine the face of God in a bodily form. For in this case it may seem that Scripture says something incongruous, that is, that especially the eyes shine on the righteous and the face is especially turned on the wicked, while neither eyes without a face nor a face without eyes is possible. “A man will not see the face” of the Lord and “he will live” (cf.: Exodus 33:20). But the “little” angels in the church “see the face of our Father” who is in heaven (cf. Matthew 18:10). Therefore, for us now, due to the weakness of the flesh that surrounds us, it is impossible to see the glorious appearance of God, but for the Angels, who do not have any covering similar to our flesh, nothing prevents us from constantly looking at the face of the glory of God. Why, when we become sons of the resurrection, then we too will be awarded knowledge face to face. Then the righteous will be rewarded with the sight of God in joy, and sinners - in Judgment, because all sin will be destroyed by the Righteous Judgment of God. (18) “The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their sorrows.” The cry of the righteous is mental, and in the secretness of the heart it is heard loudly and can reach the very ear of God. For whoever asks for great things and prays for heavenly things calls out and sends up a prayer to God, which is heard. And so, “having cried out, the righteous,” they did not seek something unimportant, earthly, low. Therefore, the Lord heeded their voice and “deliver them from all their sorrows,” not so much freeing them from grief as preparing them to be above everything that happened. (19) “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and He will save those who are humble in spirit.” The Lord draws closer to everyone with His goodness, but we drive ourselves away through sins. For it is said: “Behold, those who separate themselves from You will perish” (Ps. 73:27). Why is it said about Moses that he “approached” God (cf. Ex. 24:2), and if anyone else is like Moses, then through his virtues and good deeds he becomes close to God. In addition, these words contain a prophecy about the coming of the Lord and agree with the previous ones. For it says there: “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,” that is, His appearance at the Judgment will be to the destruction of all wickedness. And here, having said: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,” the Prophet announces the approaching and not far distant coming of the Lord in the flesh. And what is said in the prophecy of Isaiah can convince you of this: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for the sake of My anointing, to bring My messenger good news to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind” (Is. 61:1). Since the Physician was sent for the brokenhearted, it is said: “near” is the “Lord.” I say this to you, you who are humble and have crushed your self-conceit, so that you may rejoice and lead you into long-suffering with the joy of what is expected! Contrition of the heart is the destruction of human thoughts. He who has despised the present, has given himself over to the word of God, and has given up what is sovereign within himself to superhuman and divine thoughts, will have a contrite heart and will make it a sacrifice that cannot be destroyed by the Lord. “God will not despise a contrite and humble heart” (Ps. 50:19). So, “the Lord is near to those who are broken in heart, and will save those who are humble in spirit.” He who is alien to all arrogance and is not proud of anything human is both contrite in heart and humble in spirit. True, he who walks in sin is also humble, because nothing humbles as much as sin. Therefore, we call someone who has been corrupted and lost the sanctity of virginity, humble. Thus, it is said that Amnon rebelled against Tamar and “humbled her” (2 Kings 13:14). Therefore, those who have lost the loftiness and exaltation of the soul, cast down by sin to the earth and, as it were, nailed to the ground, bend like a reptile serpent, and are no longer able to come to a completely upright position, they are humble, but not in spirit, which is why their humility is not commendable. But those who have the grace of the Holy Spirit voluntarily humble themselves before their inferiors, calling with the Apostle “themselves servants” of every person (cf. 2 Cor. 4:5) in Christ, “who have been trampled upon by all until now,” and also saying with him: “as the world has cut off the world” (1 Cor. 4:13). They use humility spiritually and make themselves last of all in order to become first of all in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord also calls these blessed, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). (20) “Many are the sorrows of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver me from them all.” It is said: “In everything there is sorrow, but not cold” (2 Cor. 4:8). Why does the Lord say to His disciples: “You will be in a world of sorrow; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Therefore, if you see the righteous in illness, with damaged members, abandoned by their own, in wounds, in dishonor, in complete poverty and deprivation of the necessary, then remember that “many are the sorrows of the righteous, and I the Lord will deliver from them all.” And he who asserts that sorrow is not fitting for a righteous man is saying nothing more than the same thing as someone who asserts that an opponent is not fitting for a fighter. But will a wrestler who does not achieve the feat have any excuse for receiving crowns? Now in this psalm for the fourth time it is said how the Lord delivers from sorrow if He wants to deliver someone. For the first time: (5) “I sought the Lord, and heard me, and delivered me from all my sorrows.” In the second: (7) “this beggar cried out, and the Lord heard and saved him from all his sorrows.” In the third: (18) “the righteous cried, and the Lord heard them.” In the fourth, finally: “Many are the sorrows of the righteous, and I will deliver the Lord from all of them.” (21) “The Lord guards all their bones, not one of them will be broken.” Should we stop at the bare words and be content with the concept that most likely presents itself to our attention, that is, that these bones, these supports of the flesh, will not be broken among the righteous because of the protection given to them by the Lord? And as long as the righteous man lives, will his bones remain unbroken in this world? Or, even after being released from bodily bonds, there will be no reason to break the bones of the righteous? However, from experience we know that many bones of the righteous were broken, who, for their testimony of Christ, gave themselves over to suffering of all kinds. For the persecutors crushed the legs of some, and repeatedly pierced the hands and heads of others with nails. Meanwhile, who will deny that those who died in martyrdom are the most righteous of all? On the contrary, shouldn’t we understand it this way: it says “man,” but what is meant is the soul and mind of man; so the members of a whole person are called similarly to the bodily parts. This is how Scripture repeatedly names the members of the inner man, for example, when it says: “His eyes are wise over his head” (Eccl. 2:14), that is, the inner man is perspicacious and prudent. And Scripture also calls both spiritual and carnal eyes equally, not only in the saying we cited, but also in the words: “The commandment of the Lord is bright, enlightening the eyes” (Ps. 18:9). What can we say about this saying: “If you have ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 8:8)? It is known that their ears are perfect and capable of hearing the words of God. But what is said to those without such ears? “When you are blind, you will hear, and when you are blind, you will see” (Is. 42:18). And again: “my mouth was opened and the spirit was drawn” (Ps. 119:131). And “thou hast broken the teeth of sinners” (Ps. 3:8). For all this has been said about the abilities that serve to receive mental food and mental words. Similar to these sayings: “my belly hurts me” (Jer. 4:19), and the “foot” of the righteous “will not be stumbled” (cf. Proverbs 3:23). For such expressions refer to the inner man. On the same basis, one can imagine in the inner man some bones by which the connection and harmony between the spiritual forces is maintained. And just as bones, with their hardness, protect the softness of the flesh, so in the Church there are members who, by their hardness, can bear the shortcomings of the weak. And just as bones are connected to each other by fused veins and connections, so the union of love and peace can produce some kind of fusion and union of spiritual bones in the Church of God. About these bones, deprived of their articulation and as if out of composition, the Prophet says: “Our bones were wasted” “in hell” (cf. Ps. 140: 7). And if, when they are overwhelmed by confusion and trembling, he prays, saying: “Heal me, Lord, as my bones are crushed” (cf. Ps. 6:3). But when these bones, preserved by the Lord, maintain their harmony, then not one of them will be broken, but on the contrary, they become worthy to bring glory to God. “All my bones,” says the Prophet, “say: Lord, Lord, who is like You” (Ps. 34:10)? Do you see the nature of the bones, which also have the gift of speech? Perhaps the Church will say the same thing: “all my bones say,” referring this to the Sacrament of the Resurrection. For it is said: “Behold, the Lord says in this bone: Behold, I will bring the spirit of life into you, and will put sinews on you, and will bring flesh upon you... and you will live and know that I am the Lord” (cf. Eze. 37:5-6). These bones, having received life and giving thanks to the Risen One, “say: Lord, Lord, who is like You”? It is not without reason that it is added: (20) “the death of sinners is cruel,” because there is the death of the righteous, but it is not cruel by nature, but good. Those who died with Christ shared the good death, and those who died to sin died a good and saving death. Meanwhile, “the death of sinners is cruel.” For after death they suffer torment, just like the rich man, who “clothed himself in purple and fine linen, rejoicing brightly all his days” (Luke 16:19). “And those who hate the righteous will sin.” They hate the righteous man because they themselves live in sins, and the morals of the righteous man, like the straightforwardness of the rule, convict them when compared with the perfect. And since they live in sins, fearing reproof, they treat the righteous with hatred. And since they hate him, they burden themselves with new sins. But there are many reasons for which a righteous person can be hated. And freedom in reproof, because they hate “at the gates of those who punish, and abhor the word of righteousness” (Am. 5:10), and the desire for primacy and lust for power prompted many to hate the most worthy, and sometimes ignorance also produced the same thing: what is a righteous person and who is righteous? "The death of sinners is cruel". Perhaps the Prophet calls the whole life death, because the Apostle called this flesh death, saying: “Who will deliver me from the body of this death” (Rom. 7:24)? And those who make bad use of this body and turn it into the service of every sin, prepare for themselves a cruel death. (23) “The Lord will redeem the souls of His servant, and all who trust in Him will not sin.” Since those created to serve the Lord were kept in captivity by the enemy, the Lord will deliver their souls with His Honest Blood. Therefore, none of those who trust in Him will be tortured with sins. (1) Psalm to David, in remembrance [of the Sabbath]. 1. The words of the Divinely inspired Holy Scripture will stand near the Throne of the Judge [at the Last Judgment]. I will reprove you and bring your sins before you (Ps. 49:21). Therefore, let us, being sober, listen to what is said in Scripture and actually carry out the Lord’s commandments with zeal, because we know neither the hour nor the day when our Lord will come (Matthew 24:42). (2) Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath; do not punish me with Your wrath. The sixth psalm begins with similar verses and words, and the rest of the content of the sixth psalm turns out to be akin to this. For he said in the sixth Psalm that all his bones were humbled and his soul wasted away in weeping, and further: I will wash my bed every night, I will wet my bed with my tears (Ps. 6:7). Close to this is what we read [in the 37th Psalm]: There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath, there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sin. For my iniquities have exceeded my head (Ps. 37:4) and all the subsequent contents of this psalm, in which one’s own suffering is mourned. This is the word he uses when he says [further]: I suffered and became muddy to the end, walking around lamenting all day. But in the inscription of the sixth psalm [you can see other words]: At the end of the songs about the eighth, a psalm to David, but in this psalm [in the inscription] there is nothing like that, but only says: A psalm to David in remembrance. However, it is clear that this addition to the memory should refer us to the inscription of the sixth psalm, just like the following: To the end in songs about the eighth. For of all other things, [words] attract attention most of all: to remembrance. But since we left out in the sixth psalm what we said regarding the inscription, we will now move on to the recollection of what was said before. As I see it, David confesses the sin he committed in many different psalms, and in fact, he devoted this psalm to memory, so that he could always and everywhere have it on his lips and use it, like some kind of spell, to heal his own soul. So, he sends up a prayer to God, with which he turns away the wrath [of God] that falls on all who have sinned, and propitiates the goodness of God with the sounds of [this, as it were] anticipatory confession. And he says: Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath, [however,] praying to deliver not from the reproach itself, but from that associated with rage. And it is clear that [with the words:] punish me below with Your anger, he does not seek to avoid [the] educational punishment, but asks that it be without anger. It’s as if someone were saying to a doctor who is bringing medical help to heal an illness with the help of cauterization, iron and bitter pills: “Treat me not with fire, not with iron and cutting, but rather with merciful and gentle medicines,” because [obviously, the patient] does not reject the treatment itself, but the hardships associated with the treatment. However, what is often said in Divinely inspired Scripture about the anger and wrath of God does not mean passion, for the Divine is alien to any passion. The word [of Holy Scripture] is usually expressed metaphorically when it speaks of such things as the eyes of God, ears, hands, fingers, feet and other [bodily] members, which are economically spoken of for [human] benefit and for condescension to the infancy of the listeners. So the punishments that are imposed on those who sin according to God’s judgment, being gloomy and painful for those who endure them, are depicted as arising from anger and rage. So the holy apostle teaches, saying: But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of righteous judgment from God, who will reward everyone according to his deeds (Rom. 2:5-6). Thus, if someone calls the punishments for a murderer that follow from the law anger and fury, he will not truly consider the law to be angry and enraged, accepting the punishment prescribed by law for anger. Unclean demons also serve as punishment for the wicked, which are [as it were] the ministering forces of God, and they are also called anger and rage. For this is what is said about the ten plagues that overtook the Egyptians [during the time of Moses], in the following words: He sent upon me the wrath of His wrath, wrath, and wrath, and grief, the message of fierce angels (Ps. 79:49). Thus, they too are called [as if] the right hand of God, since [they themselves] are guided by the worthy through the right and good Powers of God. And therefore David prays for his own reproof, so that it would not happen through evil spirits, so that not through the message of fierce angels he would receive pedagogical admonition, but through saving words and [soul] useful lessons. And besides, he prays that he will not be saved for the day of wrath, revelation and the righteous Judgment of God, but that here, in this life, before his death, he will be freed from his sins. So, his goal is the following: to receive retribution [for sins], for which he suffers, even before his death. And one more thing: he punishes himself, subjecting himself to various punishments through [various] types of confession. 2. (3-4) For Thy arrows struck me, and Thou didst strengthen Thy hand upon me. There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath; there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sin. The great ascetic 50 Job, enduring various temptations, did not remain in the dark about where he got all this from, and therefore said: For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose rage drinks my blood 51 (Job.6:4). David did not receive a mortal wound in the body, like Job, but in the very soul, and therefore he said not like Job: For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, but: For Thy arrows struck me, and Thou hast strengthened Thy hand upon me. Job, remembering the hand of the Lord, says: for the hand of the Lord touched me (Job 19:21). And the devil says to the Lord: but send Your hand and touch everyone he has (Job 1:11), and again: send Your hand and touch his bone and his flesh (Job 2:5). But another is a hand, and another is an arrow that strikes his flesh and bodily 52 [members]. Here, since David was sick in his soul, this means that he was wounded by other arrows, and another hand touched him. And it seems to me that the arrows he is talking about here are reasonable, and most likely these are the words of God, striking and wounding his soul and frightening and punishing his conscience, since such was this man and was rewarded with so many benefits from God, but indulged in shameful deeds. But this does not mean the devil himself and not the lighted arrows of the evil one, which aroused passions and lust and inflamed the lust of [David] for his wife Uriah, about which the apostle writes: For this purpose take on the whole armor of God, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:13-16), but since [David] found himself unarmed, he could not resist the flaming arrows of the evil one, which obviously wound the soul and kindle lust. So Job calls the arrows of the devil, which inflict wounds on his body, since this happened by the permission of God, the arrows of the Lord and says: For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose wrath drinks my blood (Job. 6:4), therefore, obviously, David here speaks of the arrows of the Lord, since, by God’s permission, the enemy armed himself against him in order to teach him [no longer] to say: But I have died in my abundance: I will not move forever (Ps. 29:7). For, being strengthened by God's grace, at some point he thought highly of himself, so that he became self-confident and said: I said in my abundance: I will not move forever (Ps. 29:7), and therefore, obviously, he was betrayed to the tempter, who, having touched his soul, punished him more than Job. Words that remind him of [God's] justice, teaching him about the wrath intended for those who sin, are sharper than arrows, since they strike, wound and torture the conscience. And, so to speak, David, being struck by these sacred and Divine words, blessedly begged him to avoid reproof with rage and punishment with anger: Lord, do not rebuke me with Your wrath, nor punish me with Your wrath. Why is this so? “Because Your arrows [have already] struck in me. For the anger and rage that You have perceived [by me] and the arrows You have shot thoroughly frighten me and punish me thoroughly. And I’m already scared enough and punished enough.” Therefore, he prays not to be tempted by any other anger or rage, because [already] Your arrows struck me or, according to Symmachus 53, “touched me.” 3. And You established Your hand on me. Understand the hand of the Lord that touched him in the same way as in the case of Job. This hand of the Lord shook the entire house of David to its foundations, aroused passion for his sister in the firstborn among his children, inflamed Absalom with anger against his brother (2 Samuel 13), so that he killed Amnon, and then rebelled him against his father himself, and in general, everything that was depicted in the historical narrative means a hand. “Thy hand touched me through [a series of] misfortunes. Therefore, I pray, he says, that I may not be exposed to another [some kind of] wrath and not be punished by [another,] worse [some kind of] anger.” But not only this, but also what is narrated further and about which he teaches, saying the following: There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath, there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sin. [That is, he seems to be] saying: “I chose to be punished not outside my own body, punishing myself with a wound received from the evil one, [and therefore] my flesh, with which I committed a sin, I [also] punished, punishing and punishing myself with various punishments.” He expresses this in other words, saying: I... humbled my soul with fasting (Ps. 35:13), and my flesh was changed for the sake of oil (Ps. 109:24), because I forgot to eat my bread, because of the voice of my groaning my bone clung to my flesh (Ps. 101:5-6), and I washed my bed every night, I wet my bed with my tears ( Ps.6:7). So now he says: There is no healing in my flesh from the face of Your wrath. Instead of “[from the face of] Thy wrath,” Aquila and Symmachus, in agreement [with each other], translate “from the face of Thy indignation.” For it was enough for me, [as it were] he says, both the indignation from the Divine Scripture and the threats through the prophet Nathan. Therefore, “from the presence of Your indignation I myself was so punished that I punished my flesh, [and therefore] there is no peace in my bones from the presence of my sin.” Symmachus conveys “[there is no peace in my bones] from my sins.” (5-7) “For my iniquities have exceeded my head, for a heavy burden is heavy upon me. My wounds have grown stale and rotten because of my madness. Suffered and sloshed to the end. And since all this happened to me, I suffered and suffered until the end, walking around complaining all day.” Indeed, through the fact that he expressed that he suffered and that he punished himself, he condemned not just one sin in himself, but along with it many [other sins], and this [sin], which did not remain hidden in his soul and outside the body, but overcame itself and revealed to everyone what [had happened to him]. In his indictment he was his own judge. [Because] the righteous is his own accuser, in this he is ahead of every [other] human accuser and stops the lips of his enemies, who therefore have nothing to say against him. By these words [of the Holy Scriptures] we are taught not to hide our atrocities and not to conceal sins in our souls, like some kind of blackness or rottenness that corrodes the conscience. After all, the same is the case with febrile diseases; those who have a fever deep within themselves produce an even greater illness, and by making it obvious, they give hope for recovery. The same thing happens with the soul. And David tells something else, teaching about himself regarding what happened to him, saying: For a heavy burden is weighed upon me. For he has burdened his conscience with the crimes he has committed and now cannot bear them within himself because of the nobility and kindness of his soul. For he who is stubborn and hardened by his own cruelty and unrepentant heart, he stores up wrath for himself on the day of wrath (Rom. 2:5), adding sin to sin and multiplying his sins. When a sinner comes to the depths of evil, then he despises (see Proverbs 18:3); the good one, even if he happens to slip one day through the devil’s trick, terribly burdens his own conscience with this, as if he can neither remain silent nor hide his crime. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). When he cannot bear the silence, then, revealing himself, he exclaims: “As a heavy burden weighs upon me, that is, my iniquities.” And again: My wounds have become stale and rotten because of my madness. Madness [the prophet] here calls an insane act arising from unreason. For every sin occurs due to unreason, but virtue is understanding, and everything that is done in accordance with it (understanding) is worthy of praise and has the value of virtue. And what is done according to understanding is the cause of the health of the soul, and what is done out of unreason causes damage and wounds to the soul. Those who do not deviate from sins, who rejoice in them and receive pleasure from them, are likened to pigs wallowing in the mud. The one who once slipped and then pulled himself together again and hated this act as fetid and unclean, abhorred it. And having experienced this, David, already from the [depths of] a sound conscience, confessing, says: My wounds have stole and rotted away from the face of my madness. Since, having risen upward, my iniquities multiplied and became higher than my head, it became a burden on me, and became stinking and rotten, and being healed from this, he suffered and became slushy to the end. And not just for one day, not for a short hour, but all day long, he walked around lamenting, or, according to Symmachus, “wandered sadly,” not being indifferent to what he had done, and not elevating himself [at the same time] to his royal rank; So, being not subject to any judge, but “because of Your fear and Your indignation, I walked all day lamenting.” 4. (8–10) Because my body is filled with reproach, and there is no healing in my flesh. I would become embittered and humbled to death, roaring from the sighing of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before You, and my sighing is not hidden from You. Instead of my side being filled with reproaches, Aquila says: “my sides are filled with dishonor,” and Symmachus: “my side is filled with dishonor.” And therefore, when a shameful and dishonorable act [committed by him] comes to his mind, and in order to strengthen the sensitivity of his soul, he says this: My wounds have become stale and rotten from the face of my madness. And why, having grown stinking, he continues, saying: Because my face is filled with reproaches, or “my sides are filled with dishonor,” symbolizing this shameful act. And when he pulls himself together, he says: there is no healing in my flesh. Since my life is filled with reproaches, therefore, he says, “by coming to repentance for what I have done, I punish and oppress my flesh,” therefore there is no healing in my flesh. So if he could say [he would say]: although our outer man is decaying, yet the inner man is renewed from day to day (2 Cor. 4:16), but first he says: there is no healing in my flesh. and there is no peace in my bones. And then he continues: I was embittered and humbled to death. But this sounds a little different than what he said before: he suffered and suffered to the end. For it is common for wise men not to be arrogant about sins committed through inattention and co-admiration, but to be ashamed of them and blush and be struck by conscience and humble themselves. And David speaks of such things: roaring from the groaning of my heart, or as Aquila quotes: “roaring from the gnashing of my heart.” [He seems to say this:] “For I have not confessed with my mouth in order that it might be manifest to many; but inside my heart, closing my eyes 54, I will show you, the only one who can see, my hidden groaning, crying out within myself. For the benefit in this confession of mine was not from numerous words, since for my confession it was enough both the groaning of my heart and the cries sent from the depths of my soul to You, God. [Lord, all my desire is before You.] But my desire was also good before You, Lord; and it was about my salvation. For before I desired evil, and this desire was not before You, Lord; Now, when I do everything, humbled, and “roar” from the groaning of my heart, and I desire You as a Savior and Physician, then therefore all my desire is before You, and You are not ignorant of the reason for My groaning. For I know that I send up to You a groan worthy of Your love for mankind, since You do not desire the death of the sinner, but his repentance.” 5. “Therefore I say: neither will my sigh be hidden from You. (11-13) My heart is troubled, my strength and the light of my eyes leave me, and she will not be with me. My friends and my sincere ones have come close to me and stasha, and my neighbors are far away from me, stasha, and in need they seek my soul, and they seek evil for me, a vain verb, and I have been taught by the flatterers all day long.” By heading this psalm with the words “in remembrance,” he thereby revives memories of what happened earlier. He teaches about this, describing what happened, and how he, slipping, fell into sinful mistakes, for the sake of which every confession [of sins] is made. I suffered and sloshed... lamenting, walking... humbled... roaring from the sighing of my heart. He fell into all this at some time. My heart is confused, my strength has left me, and the light of my eyes has left me, and that one is not with me. For during [committing] sin [and after that] not a little happened to him [both] a shock to his mind, confusion and darkness from the devil working through sin, and a fall into foolishness. That’s why he said above: My wounds have become stale and rotten because of my madness. His heart was in confusion, so that madness set in, and he fell away from virtue, which was done with understanding, and committed acts of foolishness. Therefore, his strength left him, for he could no longer say: I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13), but he was overcome by passions and weakened. About those who overcome [one could say]: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41), and about those who are overcome: when the flesh is exalted and strengthened, then the soul becomes weak and sick. So, “since I have sinned, my heart is troubled, my strength has left me, and something more serious has happened to me” [the prophet wants to tell us. And further: ] And the light of my eyes (that is, the prophetic Spirit, illuminating the sight of his soul), and that one is not with me,” that is, he left and moved away from him, since wisdom does not enter into an evil-doing soul, but dwells below in a body guilty of sin: the Holy Spirit of punishment will flee from the flattering and will be taken away from foolish thoughts and will be convicted of the unrighteousness that finds (Wis. 1:4-5). So the Holy Spirit departed from him, leaving him alone and with a troubled heart, and his strength weakened. But his former friends, his sincere ones and his neighbors, who were with him at all times, [also] left him - they moved away, that is, they no longer wanted to be with him, and now, apparently, they are mourning the misfortunes of their friend from afar. But who were they if not the good Angels and servants of God, who had previously rejoiced at his previous good deeds and [in general] rejoiced over the salvation of people? If they rejoice over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7), then the Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear Him (Ps. 33:8). And all these friends of David, turning away during his sin, moved away from him, but, however, they did not completely leave him, but stasha away, which he himself teaches about, saying: “My friends and my sincere ones have come close to me and stasha. And my neighbors are farther away from me. So, these turned out to be far from me, but those who produce sin at the same time became closer to me and mocked my soul.” That’s why he continues, saying: “...and I am in need, seeking my soul, and seeking evil for me, a vain verb, and I will follow the flatterers all day long. For these, who from ancient times thirsted for my blood and longed for a long time to see my fall, when, finally, they waited for the opportune moment and saw that my strength had abandoned me, and the light of my eyes had abandoned me, and that my friends and my neighbors were far away from me, they instantly attacked in need, looking for my soul, and like some ill-wishers, in the verb vain, that is, throwing vain thoughts into my soul and [at the same time] insidiously seducing and deceiving, as if catching me with some good bait, they drew me to sin.” Therefore, he continues and says: I will teach flatterers all day long. 6. (14-15) “But I am deaf and do not hear, and I am dumb and do not open my mouth. And as a man he did not hear, and had no reproach in his mouth. Because those who sought my soul overtook it, and having overtaken it, they violated it, and having violated it, they rejoiced at my troubles. Then the verb was vain and they plotted intrigues every day. Moreover, I was abandoned by my friends, having nothing to say, being filled with dishonor, therefore I was deaf and unable to hear, but having previously been a most learned [man], and having been taught by the wisdom I had, I became dumb, not opening my mouth. For I had no word to justify myself, and I had nothing to argue with my enemies, being defeated by them in everything. But as a man he did not hear, and did not have reproof in his mouth. For I myself was rebuked, but I did not reprove [anyone else] and had no objections, being covered with shame. (16-17) For in You, O Lord, have I trusted, You will hear, O Lord my God. Anchor: never let my enemies make me happy, and never let my feet move, but your words are loud against me. And all this fell on me. Therefore, I was deaf and did not hear, and I was deaf and did not open my mouth. And like a man who does not hear, and does not have reproof in his mouth, so I did not say anything to them, as if I had been defeated by them. But through this I did not despair of myself, but gathered myself again, ran away from sin as from death, and healed my ulcer with the medicines of confession. And the scars from the wounds from the face of my madness require worthy healing. Therefore, I trust in You, Lord, for I do not have the boldness [to rely on myself], and I do not place my hope in anyone else before my eyes or [before] You, and I do not attribute the cause of healing to myself. Since I trusted in You, Lord, and hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5), therefore I heard that You are the Author of mercy and do not desire the death of the sinner, but to turn and live for him (Ezek. 18:23, 32). Therefore, I trust in You, Lord, begging Your help to come to me, lest my enemies bring joy to me. For they have not yet completely rejoiced, but they will rejoice if I do not achieve Your mercy. But so that my enemies would not rejoice, those who had already never moved my feet, spoke loudly at me, I ran to You, and I say: let me not be ashamed forever; let my enemies laugh at me (Ps. 24:3). And again I say: To You, O Lord, I will cry, my God, so that you may not be silent from Me, so that you may not be silent from Me, and I will become like those who go down into the pit (Ps. 27:1) [and so on,] what I said in the rest of the various psalms, in which I offer up a prayer to You in order to become worthy of the present help. For even if my feet happen to move at a time when my heart is troubled, my strength leaves me, and the light of my eyes is not with me, but I was not completely destroyed and did not fall into this fall, in which the apostates found themselves. Since at this time, in which my legs happened to move, and my enemies spoke against me, and so that they would not gain the upper hand over me even more, I fled to You, as if to a saving haven, who can heal incurable human passions.” 7. (18–19) For I am ready for wounds, and my illness is before me. For I will proclaim my iniquity, and take care of my sin. At the very beginning he said: Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath, but now: For I am ready for wounds. At first he begged to avoid anger and rage, and now, being ready to suffer wounds as punishment, he says, knowing that the Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6). Therefore, he endures with nobility the blows of misfortunes, following one after another, that happened to him after committing a sin, the story of which is contained in the Book of Kings. And my illness is before me. Many consign their previous sins to oblivion, feeling indifference and contempt for them, not considering that any punishment will follow for them in the future; this one always has before his eyes the Judgment of God, and is convinced that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that everyone may receive according to what he did while living in the body, good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10). And he always put himself up for internal struggle, caring about healing the illness in his own soul and condemning himself in this confession to God. That’s why he says: “My illness will also be taken away before me.” For I will proclaim my iniquity, and take care of my sin. Such words are the witnesses of a soul that believes and is firmly convinced of God’s Judgment. (20-23) But my enemies live, and have become stronger than me, and those who hate me without righteousness have multiplied. Those who repay me evil with a cart of good, slander me, driving away goodness. Do not forsake me, O Lord my God, do not depart from me. Come to my help, O Lord of my salvation. Remembering all his enemies who led him to sin, he asks the Lord not to leave him. Even now he sees enemies standing around him and approaching him, not satisfied with the first attack on him. Therefore, worrying that they might attack him a second time, he, being very awake, says: But my enemies live. For they did not die and did not suddenly stop acting, which is why it is written: Before death, do not desire anyone (Sir.11:28). But they not only live, but have become stronger than me, and have increased in number, hating me without truth. Those who reward me with evil, who have not stopped slandering me even now, even when I follow the good and saving path, envying my salvation. Therefore, I beg and ask: “Do not forsake me, Lord, since I myself could not stand it alone. But you, my God, do not depart from Me, but be my Helper and Protector of my salvation.” (1) “In the end, about those changed 55 by the son of Kore in mind, a song about the beloved.” It seems that this psalm also leads to the improvement of human nature and provides benefit to those who intend to live virtuously for this intended goal. For those who are successful need a teaching about improvement, which this psalm offers, which has the inscription: “to the end, about those who change,” where it is meant about people, because of all rational beings we are the most subject to daily and almost hourly changes and transformations. We are not identical with ourselves either in body or in spiritual disposition. On the contrary, our body constantly flows and dissipates, is in constant movement and transformation, now growing from small to large, now contracting from perfect to insufficient. For a child who goes to school and is capable of understanding the arts and sciences is not the same thing as a newborn baby. And again, undoubtedly, it’s different with the boy - a growing youth who is already able to take on courageous deeds. And a husband differs from a young man in strength and size of body and fullness of mind. And again, having come to maturity and reached a constant age, little by little begins to feel deprivation; his bodily vigor imperceptibly diminishes, his bodily strength weakens, until, bent by old age, he reaches the last loss of strength. So, we are changeable, and therefore the psalm with this word wisely makes an allusion to us, humans. For Angels do not tolerate change. There is neither a child, nor a youth, nor an old man among them, but in whatever state they were created at the beginning, in that they remain, and their composition remains pure and unchangeable. And we change in the body, as has already been said, and also in the soul and in the inner man, changing our thoughts along with the objects that constantly meet us. And we are alone when we are in good spirits, when everything in life is going well for us, while others are in difficult circumstances, when we encounter something contrary to our wishes. We change from anger, taking on some kind of bestial appearance; we also change from lust, becoming bestial through a voluptuous life. “Horses of misogyny have been created,” inflamed with passion for their neighbor’s wife (cf. Jer. 5:8). The treacherous one is likened to a “fox”, like Herod (see: Luke 13:32). And the shameless is called a dog, like Nabal of Carmel 56. Do you see how varied and varied our change is? Marvel at the One who so decently applied this name to us! Therefore, it seems to me, one of the interpreters 57 well and successfully expressed the same idea with a different name, instead of: “about the mutable,” saying: “about the lilies.” He considered it appropriate to apply the rapid withering of flowers to the frailty of human nature. But since the word is placed in the future tense, for it is said: about those who will change, as if this change will happen to us later, then let’s see if it does not point us to the thought of the Resurrection, in which a change will be given to us, and a change into a better and spiritual state? For it is said: “It is sown into corruption and raised into incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:42). Then the entire sensual creation will change along with us. For the heavens “will promise like a robe, and God will knit them like a garment,” and “they will change” (see: Ps. 101:27). Then, according to the word of Isaiah, the sun will become seven times larger than itself, and the moon will be as large as the sun is now (see: Is. 30:26). Since the words of God are not written for everyone, but only for those who have ears according to the inner man, the Prophet wrote: “about those who change,” “as I think, about those who take care of themselves and, through exercise in piety, continually succeed more and more. For this is the most beautiful change that the right hand of the Most High gives us. Blessed David was also aware of such a change in himself when, having tasted the benefits of virtue, he stretched forward. Because what does he say? “And now I have begun: this is the betrayal of the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. 76:11). Therefore, for someone who succeeds in virtue, there is no moment in which he does not change. For it is said: “When the child was born, like a child, he said, like a child, he thought in wisdom, like a child, he thought; and when he was a man, he rejected the child” (1 Cor. 13:11). And again, having become a man, he did not stop his activity, but, “forgetting what is behind, but stretching forward to what is in front,” he flowed, “for the honor of the highest calling” (cf. Phil. 3:13-14). Therefore, this is also a change, when the inner man is renewed from day to day. Since the Prophet wants to tell us about the “Beloved,” Who took upon Himself the economy of the incarnation for us, worthy of such mercy, he says that this song was given by the “Son of Korah.” For this is a song, not a psalm, and therefore was conveyed in one voice and only in harmonious singing, without accompaniment by the sounds of an organ. The “song” is “about the Beloved.” And shall you interpret which Beloved the word means? Or do you know this even before my words, remembering the voice mentioned in the Gospel: “This is My Beloved Son, in Him I am well pleased: Hear him” (Matthew 17:5)? He is loved by the Father as the Only Begotten, loved by all creation as a humane Father and a good Representative. And the beloved and the good are one and the same in their essence. Therefore, some have well defined, calling good what everyone desires. But not everyone can achieve the perfection of love and know the truly Beloved, but only one who has already put off “the old man, which is corrupting in the lusts of deceitful desires” (Eph. 4:22), and has put on “the new man, renewed in understanding after the image of Him who created” (Col. 3:10). He who loves money, is inflamed by perishable bodily beauty, prefers real glory, having expended the power of love for what he should not, becomes blind to the contemplation of the truly Beloved. Therefore it is said: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Mark 12:30). The word “to all” does not allow the division of love into other objects. For as much as you spend love on earthly objects, you will necessarily lack so much as a whole. Therefore, few people are called friends of God, like Moses, about whom it is written that he is a friend of God (see: Ex. 33:11), and like John. For it is said: “The friend of the grooms, standing... rejoices with joy” (John 3:29), that is, whoever has firm and unshakable love for Christ is worthy of His friendship. Therefore, the Lord says to the disciples who have already reached perfection: “I say that you are not servants, but friends, for a servant does not know what his Lord is doing” (cf. John 15:15). So, it is possible for the perfect to know the truly Beloved. And indeed, only saints are friends of God and friends of each other, but everyone who is vicious and ignorant is not a friend, because the benefits of friendship are not compatible with a bad disposition of the heart. For evil is opposed not only to good, but also to itself. But let us begin to interpret the prophetic words. (2) “My heart will burp out the good word.” Others believed that this was said on behalf of the Father about the Word, which was in the beginning with the Father and which, they say, the Father brought out, as it were, from the heart, from the very womb; and from a good heart came the “Good Word.” But it seems to me that these words refer to a prophetic person, because subsequent words do not justify this interpretation about the Father. The Father could not say about His tongue: “My tongue is the reed of a scribe.” (3) “He is more beautiful in kindness than the sons of men.” Because he has superior beauty, not in comparison with people. And further he says: (8) “For this reason of the anointing of Thee, O God, Thy God, with the oil of joy.” He did not say: “Your God anointed” You, but “Anointed You,” from which it is clear that there is another person speaking. Who is this person if not the Prophet, who felt the action of the Holy Spirit on him? He says: “My heart will burp out the good word.” Belching is internal air that rises upward from dissolved bubbles during the digestion of food; and nourished with the living bread that came down from heaven and gives life to the world, filled with every word that comes from the mouth of God, that is, according to the usual allegory in Scripture, the soul, nourished with sacred teachings, gives belching in accordance with food. And since the food was verbal and good, the Prophet regurgitates “the word is good.” “A good man pours out good treasures” from his heart (Matthew 12:35). Let us also seek food in the word to satisfy our souls (for it is said: “the righteous one who eats food” will satisfy “his soul” - Proverbs 13:26), so that in accordance with what has nourished us, we will not pronounce any word, but “a good word.” An evil man, fed with wicked teachings, regurgitates evil words from his heart. Do you not see what the lips regurgitate? heretics? Truly, something disgusting and stinking, revealing how strong and deep the disease of these unfortunates is! For “the evil man wears out the evil treasure” of his heart (cf. Luke 6:45). do that you will regurgitate evil words, for which you will be condemned on the day of Judgment. For it is said: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). “I say my deeds are the King.” And this saying, of course, leads us to the thought of a prophetic person. “I say my deeds are to the King” - this means: I confess before the Judge and by revealing my own deeds I precede the Accuser. For we have accepted the following commandment: “Thou hast spoken thy iniquity before, that thou mayest be justified” (Isa. 43:26). "My tongue is the reed of a scribe." Just as a reed is an instrument of writing, when an experienced hand moves it to outline what is being written, so the tongue of a righteous person, when moved by the Holy Spirit, immersed not in ink, but in the Spirit of the Living God, writes the words of Eternal Life on the hearts of believers. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is a scribe, because he is wise and teaches everyone, and a “quick writer” because the movement of thought is fast. The Spirit of the mind writes in us, “not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the heart of flesh” (2 Cor. 3:3). And according to the breadth of the heart, the Spirit writes on hearts more or less, according to the preliminary purity, writes either clearly or invisibly for everyone. By the speed of what is being written, the entire universe is already filled with the gospel. It seems to me that the words following this should be taken as the beginning of a special speech and not connect them with the previous ones, but should be attached to the subsequent ones. For the words: “red with kindness,” as I think, were spoken to the Lord through the speaker’s address. (3) “Beautiful in kindness more than the sons of men, grace was poured out on Your lips.” Aquila and Symmachus lead us to this idea. The first says: “You are adorned with beauty more than the sons of men”; and Symmachus: “You are more beautiful in beauty than the sons of men.” Therefore, the Prophet calls the Lord “red kindness,” having entered into His Divinity, because he does not sing about the beauty of His flesh. For “we have seen Him, and have no name for form or kindness: but His form is dishonorable, more debased than all the sons of men” (Is. 53:2-3). From this it is clear that the Prophet, contemplating the luminosity of the Lord and embraced by its radiance, spiritually wounded by this kindness, was moved by divine love for mental beauty. And when it appears to the human soul, then everything hitherto loved will turn out to be vile and despicable. Therefore, when Paul saw “the red one in kindness, he imputed all his skill, so that he might gain Christ” (cf. Phil. 3:8). And although those who are alien to the word of truth call the preaching of the Gospel foolishness, destroying it for the simplicity of speech in Scripture, but we, who boast in the cross of Christ, which was revealed by the Spirit, “which was given to us from God ... not in the wisdom of men taught” (1 Cor. 2:12-13), we know that in the teaching about Christ wealth was poured out on us from God grace. Therefore, in a short time, the sermon flowed around almost the entire universe, for abundant and generous grace was poured out on the preachers of the Gospel, whom the Scripture called the “mouths” of Christ. Therefore, the preaching of the Gospel in its utterances, despised by others, contains much that is convincing and attracts to salvation. And every soul is overcome by immutable dogmas, being confirmed by grace in unshakable faith in Christ. Therefore, the Apostle says: “To whom we received grace and apostleship in the obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5). And again: “I have labored more than all of them: not I, but the grace of God which is with me” (1 Cor. 15:10). “Grace was poured out on Thy lips: for this cause God bless Thee forever.” The Gospel says that “I marveled at the words of grace that proceeded from His mouth” (Luke 4:22). Therefore, the psalm, in order to more clearly present the abundance of grace in the words of our Lord, expressively says: “grace was poured out on Your lips.” Due to the inexhaustibility of grace in the word “bless Thee,” it is said, “God forever.” Obviously, this should apply to humanity, since it advances “in wisdom and stature and grace” (Luke 2:52). Regarding humanity alone, we understand that grace was given to Him as a reward for His virtues. Something similar to this is expressed in the words: (8) “Thou hast loved righteousness, and thou hast hated iniquity: therefore for the anointing of Thee, O God, Thy God is more than a partaker of Thy with the oil of joy.” Close to this is what Paul wrote to the Philippians: “He humbled himself, becoming obedient even to the point of death, even death on the cross.” “Even so God has highly exalted Him” (Phil. 2:8–9). From this it is clear that this is said about the Savior as a person. Or, since the Church is the Body of the Lord and the Lord is the Head of the Church, and since the ministers of the heavenly word, according to what was said above, are the “mouth” of Christ (for example, Paul had Christ speaking within himself - see: 2 Cor. 13:3 - and the same is true for everyone like Paul in virtue), so all of us believers, each in ourselves, constitute other members of the body of Christ, then whoever is blessed by the blessing given to the Church will not sin, will refer to the Lord Himself. Therefore, the words: “God bless You” mean: God has filled Your members and Your Body with His blessings forever, that is, to infinity. (4) “Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One,” (5) “Thy beauty and Thy kindness.” We think that this in a figurative sense refers to the living Word of God, so that It is united with the flesh, to the Word, which is “effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, members and brains, and judging by the mind and the thought of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). For the thigh is a symbol of the generative force. It is said: these souls “came forth from the loins” of Jacob (cf. Gen. 46:26). Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ, just as there is life, way, bread, vine, true light and is called by many other names, so there is a sword that cuts off the passionate part of the soul and kills lustful movements. Then, since God the Word had to enter into union with the weakness of the flesh, it is very opportunely added: “Stronger.” For this is the greatest proof of the power that God could be in human nature. The power of the Word of God is not only proven by the creation of heaven, earth, sea, air, the creation of the greatest elements, and everything that we can imagine in the worldly and underworld, but also by the economy of incarnation and condescension towards humiliated and weak humanity. “Thy beauty and Thy kindness.” Beauty is different from kindness. What is called beautiful is something that has reached its full maturity in due time. Thus, wheat is beautiful when it is ripe for harvest. A grape fruit is beautiful when, over the course of a year, having digested the juices within itself, it has reached perfection and become fit for enjoyment. And kindness is harmony in the constitution of the limbs, which produces attractiveness. “Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, with Thy beauty,” that is, in the fulfillment of times, “and with Thy goodness,” that is, with the contemplated and intelligible Deity. For It really is “goodness,” which exceeds all human understanding and all human powers and is contemplated by one mind. His disciples, to whom He privately resolved parables, knew His “kindness.” Peter and the sons of Thunder saw His “kindness” on the mountain, they saw His “kindness”, which was brighter than the light of the sun, and they were honored to see with their own eyes the foreshadowing of His glorious coming. “And Nalyatsy, and have time, and reign.” That is, having begun your care for people through incarnation, make this care strong, continuous and unrelenting. This will pave the way and bring success to the preaching and conquer everyone to Your Kingdom. Let us not be surprised that it is said imperatively: “have time,” according to the custom of Scripture, which always expresses desires in this way. “Thy will be done” instead of “be.” “Thy kingdom come,” instead of “come.” “For the sake of truth, and meekness, and righteousness: and Thy right hand will admirably guide Thee.” Again the word uses a similar turn of phrase as before, as if this, that is, to have time and reign, is accepted by the Lord as a reward for truth and meekness and righteousness. This must be understood this way: since everything among people has been turned into lies, then in order to sow the truth, reign over people over whom sin reigns, for You are the Truth. “For the sake of meekness” - so that by Your example everyone will be led to justice and goodness. That is why the Lord said: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). He presented proof of meekness in His deeds: the one who was reproached remained silent, the one who was struck, he endured. “And Your right hand will guide You wonderfully”; not a pillar of cloud, not a fiery illumination, but Your own right hand will be Your guide. (6) “Thy arrows are more subtle, more powerful.” The sophisticated arrows of the Strong One are well-aimed words that, reaching the hearts of listeners, amaze and wound sensitive souls. For it is said: “The words of the wise are like the skeleton of an ox” (Eccl. 12:11). Therefore, the psalmist, once praying for deliverance from modern insidious people, asks for the “sophisticated arrows of the Strong One” to heal the “tongue of flattery.” But he also asks for “desert coals” (cf. Ps. 119:3, 4), so that for those who, due to the hardening of their hearts, are not touched by the arrows of the word, torment will be prepared for them, which he calls “desert coals.” For those who have deprived themselves of God, the preparation of desert coals is necessary. Now “Your arrows are sharp.” These arrows hurt souls who have accepted faith and are melted by strong love for God. They say like a bride: “I am wounded by love” (Song. 2:5). The inscrutable and ineffable goodness of the Word is the beauty of wisdom and the sign of God in His image. Blessed therefore are the beholders of true kindness. As if attached to her by love and igniting within themselves a heavenly and blissful love, they forget their relatives and friends, forget their home and property, do not even remember the bodily need to eat and drink, but are devoted to one and pure love. By sophisticated arrows you can also understand those sent to sow the Gospel throughout the entire universe; in their sophistication they shone with deeds of truth and imperceptibly penetrated the souls of those taught. These arrows, sent everywhere, prepared the nations for the fact that they fell at the feet of Christ. But it seems to me that with greater consistency of thoughts, speech will be restored through the rearrangement of words, so that the following meaning will come out: “come and prosper, and reign, and Your right hand will guide You wonderfully, and people will fall under You,” because “Your arrows are sharpened into the hearts of the enemy of the Tsars.” Not a single God-fighter, arrogant or proud, falls on his face before God, but those who have accepted the obedience of faith fall. The arrows that fell into the hearts of the former enemies of the Tsars draw them to the desire for truth, draw them to the Lord, so that those who were enemies of God would be reconciled with Him through teaching. (7) “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness, a scepter of Thy kingdom.” (8) “Thou hast loved righteousness, and thou hast hated iniquity: therefore, for the sake of Thy anointing, O God, Thy God is more than Thy partaker with the oil of joy.” Since the Prophet has already spoken a lot, addressing humanity in Christ, he now raises his word to the height of the glory of the Only Begotten. “Thy throne, O God,” he says, “is for ever and ever,” that is, Thy Kingdom is beyond the ages and precedes every thought. And very opportunely, after the conquest of the nations, the Prophet sings of the splendor of the Kingdom of God. "The rod of righteousness, the rod of Thy kingdom." For this reason, the Prophet gave Him His own name, clearly calling Him God: “Thy throne, O God.” The rod of God is a rod of admonition. But admonishing, he leads the Right Courts, and not those who deviate from the truth. Therefore His “rod of the Kingdom” is called “rod of righteousness.” “If His sons forsake My law and do not walk in My destinies... I will visit them with the rod of iniquity” (Ps. 88:31-33). Do you see the Righteous Judgment of God? The rod is not used on everyone, but only on sinners. But this rod is also called a rod of consolation, for it is said: “Thy rod and Thy club, they comfort me” (Ps. 22:4). It is also called the rod of contrition: “I have forsaken with a rod of iron, as I crushed the vessels of the wicked” (Ps. 2:9). But earthy and mortal things are broken for the good of the flock, since they are given over “for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved” (1 Cor. 5:5). “For this reason of Thy anointing, O God, Thy God is more than Thy partaker of the oil of joy.” Since the representative anointing was supposed to indicate that the bishops and kings themselves also served as a prototype, the flesh of the Lord was anointed with the true anointing, the descent on it of the Holy Spirit, which is called the “oil of joy.” The Lord is anointed “more than His partakers,” that is, more than all the people who share with Christ. For they are given some private communication of the Spirit: the Holy Spirit descended on the Son of God, as John says, “abide on Him” (John 1:32). The Spirit is beautifully called “the oil of joy.” For one of the fruits brought back by the Holy Spirit is joy. Since the word about the Savior in the Prophet concerns both the Divine nature and the economy of incarnation, then again, turning his gaze to the humanity of God, he says: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and thou hast hated iniquity,” thereby wanting to say: other people, through labor, deeds, and attentiveness, often achieve a disposition towards good and aversion from evil, but in You there is a natural affinity with good and alienation from lawlessness. But if we want, it is not difficult for us to acquire love for truth and hatred for lawlessness. For for the benefit of the rational soul, God has given all abilities, both the ability to love and the ability to hate, so that, guided by reason, we would love virtue and hate vice. There are times when it is commendable to show hatred. “Have they not hated Thee, O Lord, and in all Thy ways have they hated”? “I hated with perfect hatred” (Ps. 139:21-22). (9) “Myrrh, and stakti, and casia from Your garments, from the weights of elephants, of which you made You glad.” (10) "Daughters of kings in Thy honor." The prophetic word, descending in order and having previously described the affairs of the economy, with the illumination of the Spirit, revealing the hidden to the Prophet, finally reaches suffering. It is said: “myrrh, and stakti, and casia from Your garments.” The Evangelist John teaches us that myrrh is a symbol of burial, saying that Joseph of Arimathea used myrrh and aloe during burial (see: John 19:39–40). And stacti is the finest form of myrrh. When this fragrant substance is squeezed out, what is liquid in it is separated in stacti, and what remains thick is called myrrh. Therefore, the fragrance of Christ smells like myrrh, because of His suffering and like stacti, because He did not remain motionless and inactive for three days and three nights, but descended into hell for the sake of the economy of the Resurrection, in order to fulfill everything that was due to Him. It smells fragrant with cassia, because casia is a very thin and fragrant bark that envelops a tree trunk. And one might think that the prophetic word in the name of Cassia thoughtfully and wisely pointed out to us the suffering on the cross, perceived as a benefit to all creation. Therefore, you see myrrh because of burial, stacti because of the descent into hell (for every drop of it tends downward), and cassia because of the economy accomplished by the flesh on the cross. For this reason the Prophet says: “The daughter of kings will rejoice in Your honor.” But what kind of daughters of kings are these, if not noble, great and royal souls? Having known Christ by His descent to humanity, they “rejoiced” Him “in honor” of Him, in true faith and perfect love, glorifying His Divinity. About these fragrances, that is, about the inflowing word and about the organization of teachings, the Prophet says that they were not scanty on the vestments of Christ, but were spread throughout all the buildings. For by “weights” he means huge houses, and the fact that they were built of ivory, I think, shows the richness of Christ’s love for the world. “The queen appears at Your right hand, adorned with gilded vestments.” The Prophet already speaks of the Church, about which we learn from the Song of Songs (cf.: 6, 8), that “one is the perfect dove” of Christ, which receives into the right hand of Christ those who have become known for their good deeds, distinguishing them from worthless people, as a shepherd distinguishes sheep from goats. So, the queen stands, that is, the soul united with the Bridegroom by the Word, not possessed by sin, but made a partaker of the Kingdom of Christ, stands at the right hand of the Savior in gilded robes, that is, magnificently and sacredly adorning itself with spiritual teachings, woven and overspread. Since dogmas are not of one kind, but are different and diverse, encompassing natural, moral and mysterious teachings, the psalm says that the bride’s robe is speckled. (11) “Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father’s house.” (12) “And the King will desire your kindness: before Him is your Lord, and they will worship Him.” He calls the Church to hear and fulfill what is commanded, and, calling her a daughter, by this name he introduces her into a relationship with himself, as if out of love, assigning her the right to be a child. “Hear, daughters, and see.” The word "see" teaches her to have a mind trained to contemplate. Observe creation and, taking advantage of the visible order in it, ascend in this way to the contemplation of the Creator. Then, humbling her high neck of pride, he says: “Incline your ear.” Do not resort to pagan fictions, but accept the humble word of the gospel teaching. “Incline thine ear” to the instructions taught therein, in order to forget those bad customs and fatherly teachings. Therefore, “forget your people and your father’s house.” For everyone “who commits sin is of the devil” (1 John 3:8). Reject the teachings of demons, forget the sacrifices, the nightly rejoicings, the fables that incite fornication and all uncleanness. For this reason I called you My daughter, so that you would hate your former father, who begat you to destruction. If by oblivion you erase from yourself the stains of evil teachings, then, having regained your own beauty, you will find yourself desired by the Bridegroom and the King. “Behind You is your Lord, and they will worship Him.” With the words: “He is your Lord,” the Prophet shows the need for obedience. All creatures will worship Him. For “in the name” of Jesus Christ “every knee will bow, those in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil. 2:10). (13) “And the daughters of Tirov with gifts: rich people will pray to your face.” It seems that in the Canaanite country idolatry was indulged in with particular zeal. And the main city of Canaanite is Tire. Therefore, the prophetic word, inclining the Church to obedience, says that the “daughters of Tire” will one day come with gifts. “And rich people will bow to your face with gifts.” He did not say: they will worship you “with gifts,” but “to your face.” For it is not the Church that accepts worship, but the head of the Church is Christ, Whom the Scripture calls Person. (14) “All the glory of the Tsar’s daughter is inside: her garments are covered with gold and speckled.” (15) “The maidens will be brought to the King in her wake.” Since she was cleansed from the wickedness of ancient teachings, obeying the instruction, forgetting “her people and her father’s house,” the Holy Spirit describes her qualities. And since he sees her innermost purity, he says: “all the glory of the Tsar’s Daughter,” that is, Christ’s bride, who through sonhood has already become a “daughter” of the King, “inside.” The psalm convinces us to enter into the inner secrets of the glory of the Church, because the beauty of the bride is internal. For whoever adorns himself for the Father, who sees “in secret” (cf. Matt. 6:4), and prays, and does everything not for show to people, but just to be visible to the only God, then has all the glory “inside,” just like “the daughter of the Tsar.” Therefore, the “golden cassocks” with which she is “dressed and adorned” are also “inside”. Do not look for anything in outer gold or in bodily adornment, but imagine a garment worthy to adorn one created in the image of the Creator, as the Apostle says: “Having put off the old man... and putting on the new, being renewed in mind after the image of Him who created” (Col. 3:9-10). And whoever has put on “the womb of kindness, kindness, humility, meekness and long-suffering” (Col. 3:12), he is clothed inwardly, adorned according to the inner man. And Paul advises to “be clothed with the Lord Jesus” (cf. Rom. 13:14), not according to the outward man, but so that our mind is covered with the remembrance of God. And I think that then the fabric of spiritual clothing is made when deeds in accordance with it are added to the edifying word. Just as, by weaving the weft into the warp, they weave clothing for the body, so when the preceding word is followed by deeds in accordance with it, a splendid garment is thus prepared for the soul, which has a completely virtuous life in both word and deed. And cassocks are hung on clothes, and they should also be understood in a spiritual sense, which is why they are called golden. Since the word is broader than the deed, it forms, as it were, some kind of cassocks that are lowered down from the fabric of activity. The bride of the Lord is followed by some souls who have not accepted the seeds of alien teaching, and they will be brought to the King, accompanying the bride. Let those who have taken a vow of virginity to the Lord hear that virgins will be brought to the Tsar, but virgins who are close to the Church follow her, and do not deviate from Church deanery! (16) “The virgins will be brought” “in joy and joy, they will be brought into the church of the Kings.” Not those who, under compulsion, observed virginity, not those who, out of sorrow or need, entered into an honest life, but who “in joy and joy” enjoy such success, “they will be brought to the King, and will be introduced” not to some ordinary place, but “to the church of the Kings.” For these sacred vessels, which have not been defiled by human use, will be brought into the Holy of Holies, and they will be given the right to have access to the sanctuary itself, which will not be trampled upon by unclean feet. And how important it is to be brought “into the church of the Kings,” the Prophet shows when he prays for himself and says: “I have asked one thing of the Lord, this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord and visit His holy church” (Ps. 26:4). (17) “In place of your fathers your sons became: I made you princes throughout all the earth.” Since people and the father’s house were commanded above, now, as a reward for obedience, “instead of the father” he receives sons, and sons adorned with such virtues that they are appointed princes “throughout the whole earth.” Who are these sons of the Tsar? These are the sons of the Gospel who have taken possession of the whole earth. For it is said: “Their message went out into all the earth” (Rom. 10:18). And they will sit “on the double throne, judging the foolish tribe of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). And if by the fathers of the bride one means the patriarchs, then even in this case we are not talking about the Apostles. For instead of the patriarchs, sons were born to her in Christ, doing the deeds of Abraham, who are recognized as equal in honor to the patriarchs, because they performed deeds similar to them, for which the fathers were awarded great honors. The saints are the princes of the whole earth by nature with virtue, since virtue by its very essence gives primacy, as Jacob was given power over Esau. For it is said: “Be a master to your brother” (Gen. 27:29). Therefore, those who have become equal to their fathers and through the asceticism of virtue have acquired superiority over everyone, are the sons of the bride of Christ and are appointed by their mother “princes throughout the whole earth.” Look how great the power of the Queen is - this is the power to ordain princes throughout the entire earth. (18) “I will remember Your name in every generation and generation: for this reason people will confess to You forever and ever.” In conclusion, a speech is offered as if on behalf of the Church itself: I will remember “Your name in every generation and generation.” What kind of commemoration of the Church is this? This is the confession of nations. (1) “At the end, about the sons of Korah, about the secret ones, a psalm.” It seems to me that this psalm contains a prophecy about events at death. Knowing this end, Paul also says: “It is the same end when he gives up the kingdom to God the Father” (1 Cor. 15:24). Or since our deeds lead us to the end and each deed to the end that is characteristic of it, good to bliss, and evil to eternal condemnation (the instructions taught by the Spirit in this psalm lead the obedient to a good end), then for this reason the psalm is inscribed: “to the end,” that is, in relation to the teachings towards the blessed end of human life. "About the sons of Koreov". And this psalm was spoken to the sons of Korah, whom the Holy Spirit does not separate, because they, as it were, unanimously and unanimously, in perfect agreement with each other, uttered prophetic verbs and not one of them prophesied anything special before the others, but all were given an equal prophetic gift due to the equal disposition of one to good with the other. The psalm speaks about the secret, that is, about the ineffable and the hidden in secrecy. Having analyzed the words of the psalm separately, you will learn both the hidden meaning of the words and the fact that not everyone can look into the Divine mysteries, but only one who is capable of becoming such a harmonious organ of promise that instead of the psalter, his soul is set in motion by the action of the Holy Spirit on it. (2) “God is our refuge and strength, our help in the sorrows that have come upon us.” Every person needs great help, because due to the weakness that naturally resides in him, he encounters many sorrowful and difficult things. Therefore, seeking refuge from all disasters, as if retreating to a safe place or, due to an enemy invasion, taking refuge on some sharp mountain peak surrounded by a strong wall, he resorts to God, recognizing only being in Him as peace. But although everyone agrees that our refuge is in God, the enemy leads people into many errors and difficulties in choosing a savior. For he traps them in an ambush like an enemy, and again deceives those caught with the thought of resorting to him as a guardian, therefore people face a double disaster, either to be forcibly taken captive, or to perish from deception. For this reason, the infidels resort to demons and idols, having lost the knowledge of the true God due to the unity of concepts produced in them by the devil. Yes, and those who know God sin in distinguishing between things, acting ignorantly when asking for what is useful for themselves, asking for one thing as a benefit, although it often does not serve them to benefit, and shying away from another as if it were evil, although this would sometimes bring them a lot of benefit. For example, if someone is sick, avoiding the burdens of illness, he prays for health. If he lost money, he mourns the loss. But often illness is useful when it enlightens the sinner, and health is harmful when it serves as an aid to sin for those who use it. So money also turned into another means of debauchery, and poverty brought wisdom to many who had evil aspirations. So, do not avoid what you should not and do not resort to what you should not. But let you have one thing to avoid - sin and one refuge in misfortunes - God. Do not rely on princes, do not exalt yourself with unfaithful wealth, do not be proud of bodily strength, do not pursue the splendor of human glory. None of this saves, all of this is temporary, all of it is deceptive; one refuge is God. “Cursed is the man who trusts in man” (Jer. 17:5) or in anything human. So, “God is our refuge and strength.” Whoever can say: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13), for him God is “strength.” Although many say: “God is our refuge,” and: “Lord, you were our refuge” (Ps. 89:2), but very few say this with the same disposition as the Prophet. For few do not show surprise to humanity, but in everything they depend on God, they breathe in Him, they have hope and confidence in Him. And the deeds themselves convict us when, in sorrows, we rather resort to everything else, but not to God. If your child is sick, you look for a sorceress or someone who hangs empty signs on the necks of innocent babies, or, finally, you go to the doctor and get medicine, neglecting the One who can save. A dream angers you - you run to a dream interpreter. You are afraid of the enemy - you are looking for an intercessor in one of the people. In general, in every need, you expose yourself that in words you call God a refuge, but in reality you seek help from the useless and vain. But the true help of the righteous is God. Just as a military leader, having brave warriors, is always ready to help the weak, so God, our helper and supporter of everyone fighting against the wiles of the devil, sends ministering spirits to those in need of salvation. Sorrow comes upon every righteous person because of the life he has chosen. For he who deviates from the wide and spacious path, but he who walks along the sorrowful and narrow path, is “acquired” by sorrows. The Prophet vividly depicted this truth, saying: “In the sorrows that have come upon us greatly.” Like animated animals, they catch our sorrows, producing patience in us, and through patience art, and through art - hope. Therefore, the Apostle says: “Through much tribulation it is fitting for us to enter into the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). And “many sorrows for the righteous” (Ps. 33:20). But he who courageously and unabashedly endured the temptation of sorrow will say: “In all these we overcome for the sake of those who love us” (Rom. 8:37), and is so far from refusing sorrows, fearing them, that, on the contrary, he turns many misfortunes into a reason for boasting, saying: “not exactly, but we also boast in sorrows” (Rom. 5:3). (3) “For this reason we will not be afraid, for the earth is always troubled and the mountains are cut into the hearts of the sea.” The prophet shows the great firmness of his trust in Christ. Although everything will be transformed, although the troubled earth will turn over, although the mountains, leaving their foundations, will move into the middle of the sea, we will not fear, because we have God as our refuge and strength, and as our helper “in the sorrows that have come upon us.” Who has a heart so fearless, whose thoughts are so unconfused, that in such confusion he can direct his thoughts to God and, by trusting in Him, not be amazed by anything that happens? And we cannot stand human anger. If a dog or some other animal rushes at us, we do not look up to God, our helper in sorrows, but when we are horrified we turn to ourselves. (4) “They made noise and troubled their waters.” The Prophet spoke about the confusion of the soul and the breaking of mountains; now he speaks of the vibration and transformation of the sea from the fall of the mountains into the middle of the abyss. “Their waters were noisy and tumultuous,” obviously the waters of the sea. The greatest disturbance in the waters is caused by the mountains themselves, which are not erected in the sea, but by their own vibrations produce strong disturbances in the waters. Therefore, when the earth comes into confusion, the waters of the sea roar and boil from the very depths, the mountains begin to crumble and remain in great confusion from the excess of the power of the Lord; then, says the Prophet, our heart is fearless, because it has undoubted and firm hope in God. “The mountains were shaken by His strength.” You can take the meaning of this saying in a figurative sense, calling mountains those who think highly of their greatness, and do not know the strength of God, who place themselves above God’s knowledge and then are defeated by the messengers of God, with power and wisdom preaching the word of wisdom, and, realizing their poverty, they fear the Lord and humble themselves before His strength. Or, perhaps, the princes of this age and the fathers of perishing wisdom are called mountains, coming into confusion from the fortress of Christ, which Christ showed in the feat of the cross over those who had the power of death. For, as a courageous ascetic, he “struck off” and overcame “principalities and powers, bringing them to shame with boldness,” defeating “them” on the tree (Col. 2:15). (5) “River aspirations make glad the city of God.” The sea waters, strongly disturbed by the winds, are “noisy and confused,” but “river aspirations,” flowing without noise and silently flooding those worthy of acceptance, “rejoice the city of God.” The righteous still drinks living water, and will drink it more abundantly later, when he is inscribed as a citizen in the city of God. But now he drinks in the mirror and in fortune-telling, out of little comprehension of Divine speculation, and then he will suddenly receive into himself a full-flowing river, which can flood the entire city of God with joy. What kind of river of God will this be if not the Holy Spirit, who abides according to the measure of faith in the worthy who believe in Christ? For He says: “Believe in Me... rivers will flow out of his womb” (John 7:38). And one more thing: if anyone “drinks of the water... from the south I will give him, there will be in him a fountain of water flowing into an everlasting belly” (John 4:14). So, this river rejoices every city of God, although either the Church that resides in heaven, or every rational creature, from the powers of the world to human souls, must be understood under the name of a city rejoicing from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. For, according to the definition of some, a city is a collection of settled people governed by law. But the same definition of a city also befits the Mountain Jerusalem, the Heavenly City. For there too there is an assembly of the firstborn, written in heaven, an assembly of the living settled according to the immobility of the saints, and finally, an assembly governed by Heavenly law. Therefore, it is impossible for human nature to know the order of this life and all its decorations. These are the same ones “whose eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man breathed what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). In addition, we know that there are dozens of angels and the “triumph” of the saints and “the Church of the firstborn in heaven written” (Heb. 12:23). David says about this city: “Glorious words were spoken about you, the city of God” (Ps. 86:3). God makes a promise to this city through Isaiah: “I will give you eternal joy, joy from generation to generation”; and there will be “neither contrition nor poverty within your borders, but your salvation will be called” (Is. 60:15,18). Therefore, lifting up the eyes of your soul worthy of what is above, seek knowledge about the city of God. But how can one imagine in one’s thoughts anything worthy of the bliss there, which makes glad the river of God, “who is God’s artist and maker” (Heb. 11:10)? “The Most High has sanctified His village.” Perhaps the Prophet here means God-bearing flesh, sanctified by unity with God, so by the village of the Most High we understand the appearance of God in the flesh. (6) “God is in the midst of him, and does not move: God will help him in the morning.” And since God is in the midst of the city, He grants it steadfastness, sending it help during the first ascents of light. And whether the name of this city befits the Jerusalem above or the Church below, the Most High “has sanctified” His settlement in it. And through this village, in which God dwelt, He stood in the middle of the city and gave it, “not to move.” God is “in the middle” of the city, extending equal rays of His providence everywhere to the limits of the circle. For through this the Truth of God is preserved, distributing goodness to everyone in the same measure. “God will help him in the morning.” For us, morning produces the sensual sun when it appears on our horizon, and morning in the soul produces the Sun of Truth, producing day in those who receive It by the ascent of intellectual light. For we humans, in times of ignorance, were in the night, but when, having expanded within ourselves what is sovereign within us, we receive into ourselves the “radiance of glory” (Heb. 1:3) and are illuminated with eternal light, then “God will help him in the morning.” When we become children of light and the “night” for us “passes away and the day draws near” (cf. Rom. 13:12), then we will be worthy of God’s help. Therefore, God helps the city by making morning for it by His own ascension and appearance. For it is said: behold the man, “His name is the East” (cf. Zech. 6:12). Therefore, in whom, after the darkness of ignorance and deceit has been dispelled, the intelligent light shines, for him the morning will come. Since the Light came into the world so that those who walk in It would not stumble, His help comes in the morning. Or, perhaps, since the resurrection was in the deep morning, the “morning of the morning” will help the city by God, who won victory over death in the morning, on the third day of the Resurrection. (7) “The nations were in turmoil, turning away from the kingdom: He gave His voice from the Most High, and the earth moved.” Imagine a city against which the enemies who have taken up arms against it are plotting, and meanwhile many nations and kings, sceptron-bearers of each of these nations, are besieging it; then imagine a military leader, invincible in strength, who suddenly comes to the aid of the city, ends the siege, scatters a gathering of peoples, puts kings to flight, and does this only by calling on them with force, striking their hearts with the strength of his voice. Therefore, what confusion is likely to occur among the persecuted peoples and the fleeing kings, what a mixed cry and incessant noise will be heard during their disorderly flight! All places are filled with people fleeing from fear, which is why unrest begins in the cities and villages where the fugitives appear. The Prophet shows that the same help was given to the city of God by the Savior when he says: “The heathen were in turmoil, evading the kingdom: He gave His voice from the Most High, and the earth moved.” (8) “The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our protector.” The Prophet saw God incarnate, saw Emmanuel born of the Holy Virgin, “and it can be said: God is with us” (Matthew 1:23), and therefore prophetically cries out: “The Lord of hosts is with us,” showing that this is the One who appeared to the holy Prophets and Patriarchs. Our intercessor, he says, is not another God, different from the One about whom the Prophets betrayed, but “the God of Jacob,” who said to His servant in revelation: “I am... the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:6). (9) “Come and see the works of God, even he placed miracles on earth”: (10) “taking away the battle to the end of the earth.” Those who are far from the word of truth, the word calls to draw closer through knowledge, saying: “Come and see.” For just as for bodily eyes long distances make the representation of visible objects unclear, and the approach of those looking on brings clear knowledge of what is visible, so with mental contemplation, one who has not approached God and has not become familiar to Him through works cannot see the works of God with the pure eyes of the mind. Therefore, first “come”, draw near, then “see the works of God”, which are wonderful and wondrous and with which, having amazed the peoples who were previously hostile and rebellious, he brought them into silence. “Come children, listen to Me” (Ps. 33:12); also: “Come, all you who labor and are heavy laden” (cf. Matt. 11:28). This is the voice of the Father, with open arms calling those who have hitherto resisted to Himself. Therefore, whoever heeded the call and approached the Commander, he will see the One who pacified everything with the cross, “whether earthly or heavenly.” “He will crush the bow, and break the weapons, and burn the shields with fire.” Do you see the peacefulness of the Lord of hosts, because the invisible powers of the angelic armies are with Him? Do you see the courage and philanthropy of the Governor of the forces together? Being the Lord of hosts and having all the hosts of angelic armies, He does not hurt any of the opponents, does not overthrow anyone, does not touch anyone, but crushes bows and weapons, and burns shields with fire. He crushes the bow so that already ignited arrows are not fired from it, breaks weapons used in hand-to-hand combat so that those whom the enemy treacherously attacks close by cannot receive wounds. “And he will burn the shields with fire,” depriving the adversaries of protection and turning everything into a benefit for the enemies. (11) “Be ye silent and understand that I am God.” While we are occupied with subjects outside of God, we cannot contain within ourselves the knowledge of God. For who, caring about worldly things and immersed in carnal distraction, can listen to the teaching about God and be sufficiently thorough for such important speculations? Don't you see that a word that falls among thorns is crushed by thorns (see: Matt. 13:22)? And thorns are carnal pleasures, wealth, fame, and worldly worries. He who seeks knowledge of God will have to stand outside of all this and, having brought himself into the inaction of passion, perceive the knowledge of God. For how will the concept of God enter into the soul, crowded by the thoughts that previously occupied it? Pharaoh also knew that only the idle can seek God, which is why he reproaches Israel: “Be idle, be idle” and “say: Let us pray to the Lord our God” (cf. Exodus 5:17). But just as good and useful for one who indulges in idleness is that idleness that produces in him the silence necessary for accepting saving teachings, so bad is the idleness of the Athenians, who “practice themselves in nothing else, except to say something or hear new things” (Acts 17:21). This idleness is imitated by some even today, using their free time in life to invent some constant new teaching. Such idleness is pleasing to unclean and wicked spirits. It is said: “When the unclean spirit departs from a man... he says: I will return to my house, having departed from nowhere.” “And when he comes he will find” that house “laid down and marked” (cf. Matthew 12:43–44). Therefore, let our idleness not open the entrance to the enemy, but on the contrary, let us not leave our inner home idle, having first infused Christ into ourselves by the Spirit! The Prophet first granted peace to those who had hitherto been troubled by enemies, then he says: “Abandon yourself” from the enemies who entertain you, so that in silence you may contemplate the teachings of the truth. Therefore, the Lord says: “Whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). So, we must abstain from marital affairs in order to engage in prayer, abstain from worries about wealth, from the desire for earthly glory, from the enjoyment of pleasures, from envy and every evil deed against our neighbor, so that when our soul is in silence and not disturbed by any passion, in it, as in a mirror, God’s illumination is pure and unclouded. “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted to the earth.” It is obvious that the Lord says this about His suffering, just as it is written in the Gospel: “And I,” when “I am lifted up... I will draw all things to Himself” (cf. John 12:33). “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so it is fitting for the Son of Man to be lifted up” on earth (cf. John 3:14). So, since He had to be exalted on the cross for the pagans and accept the ascension for the whole earth, he says: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted to the earth.” (12) “The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our protector.” Delighted by God's help, the Prophet twice exclaimed the same word: “The Lord of hosts is with us,” like one advancing and jumping on the enemy, in complete trust in the Savior of our souls, that with His help nothing would suffer. For “if God be for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31)? He who gave victory to Jacob and after the struggle proclaimed him Israel - this is who our Intercessor is; He Himself fights for us. But let us remain silent, for “He is our peace, who made both one... that he may create both... into one new man” (Eph. 2:14-15). (1) “To the end, the son of Korah psalm.” And the pagan sages indulged in speculation about the end of man, but they disagreed on the concept of this. Some argued that this end is knowledge, others - successful action, others - the varied use of life and body, while others, becoming bestial, said that this end is pleasure. But, according to our teaching, the end for which we do everything and to which we strive is a blessed life in the Future Age. And this end is achieved when we allow God to reign over us. The best thing for intelligent nature has not yet been invented by reason. The Apostle also encourages us to such an end, saying: “The same is the end when he gives up the kingdom to God and the Father” (1 Cor. 15:24). Zephaniah represents the same thing in prophecy, speaking on behalf of God: “My judgment will be in the host of tongues to receive kings, who will pour out My wrath on you...before the whole earth will be consumed by the fire of My zeal.” “Then I will turn the tongue of many people to his generation, to call on everyone the name of the Lord, to work for Him under one yoke” (Zeph. 3:8-9). Therefore, I think that the usefulness of the psalms having such an inscription is traced to the same end. This concept is not contradicted by those who translate this inscription: “to victory” 58, or “victory song” 59, or “to the winner” 60. Since “he was sacrificed to death in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54) and destroyed by Him who said: “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), and since everything was conquered by Christ and about His “name” “every tribe will bow down, those in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Phil. 2:10), then the Holy Spirit rightly proclaims in songs of victory what is in store for us in the future. (2) “All nations will hear this; all who live throughout the world will be taught this,” (3) “the earthly and sons of humanity, together rich and poor.” A very extensive church is needed for listeners who calls all nations and all who fill the universe with their dwellings to hear the psalm; but I think that with this lofty preaching he attracts and convenes both the earthly and the sons of men, the rich and the poor, to listen. But what kind of guard is this, so elevated above the whole earth that from its height you can see all nations and embrace the whole universe with your gaze? Who is such a loud herald, who proclaims clearly for so many rumors together? Where is this church that can accommodate everyone who gathers? How great and how wise is this teacher who finds lessons worthy of such a meeting? Be patient a little, and you will find out that what follows is worthy of such foreshadowing. For the one who gathers and calls everyone to preach is the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, who gathers those who are being saved through the prophets and apostles. And since “their broadcasts went out into the whole earth and their words to the ends of the world” (Ps. 18:5), therefore it is said: “all the nations and all who live in the world will hear.” Therefore, the Church is gathered from all states, so that no one remains deprived of benefit. For there are three called fours, in which the entire human race is contained: “the Gentiles and those who live throughout the world, the earth-born and the sons of men, the rich and the poor.” And really, who did God leave outside the preaching church? Alien faiths are called tongues, those who dwell in the Church are inhabitants of the universe, earth-born are those who philosophize earthly things and are devoted to the desires of the flesh, sons of men are those who have made some effort and exercised their reason, for the special property of man is rationality. The rich and the poor themselves show their distinctive properties: some have what they need in abundance, others live in need of what they need. Since the Physician of souls “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13), he placed those worthy of condemnation in each couple who were first called. For tongues are worse than those living in the universe, however, they are preferred in calling, so that those in a bad state will first receive benefit from the Physician. Again, the born of the earth are placed before the sons of men, and the rich before the poor. The class of outcasts who find it difficult to be saved is called before the poor. For such is the philanthropy of the Physician - He is the first to give help to the weak. But fellowship in vocation also leads to peace, so that those who were previously opposed to each other in their way of life, through gathering together become accustomed to mutual love. Let the rich know that he and the poor are called to preach equally. It is said: “together the rich and the poor.” Leave behind your superiority over your inferiors and your pride in wealth, and then enter the Church of God. Therefore, the rich do not exalt themselves over the poor, and the poor do not fear the power that abounds in all, “and the sons of men,” do not disdain the earth-born, “and the earth-born,” again, do not be alienated from the sons of men, “and the tongues” get used to those who live in the universe, and “those who live in the universe” accept with love “those who are strangers from the covenant.” (4) “My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the teaching of my heart shall be understanding.” Since, according to the words of the Apostle, “the truth is believed with the heart, and confession is made with the lips for salvation” (Rom. 10:10), and the combined action of both in this matter presupposes perfection, the prophetic word embraced both in itself - both the action of the lips and the teaching of the heart. For if there is no good stored up in the heart, then how can one who does not possess it in secret bring the treasure out of his mouth? If someone who has good in his heart does not proclaim it in words, then he will be told: “Wisdom is hidden and treasure is not revealed, what good is there in both” (Sir. 20:30)? Therefore, for the benefit of others, let my mouth “speak wisdom,” and for my own advancement, let my heart be taught understanding. (5) “I will incline my ear to a parable, I will open my chanting 61 in the psalms.” The Prophet also speaks in praise of his own person, so that his words will not be despised as proposed by a human invention. What the Spirit teaches me, he says, I proclaim to you, I speak not my own, not human. But since I have become attentive to the “gananias” of the Spirit, who secretly teaches us God’s Wisdom, I reveal and I bring this “chanting” to you clearly, but I reveal it only as a psalter. And the psalter is a musical instrument that produces sounds in the harmony of sweet singing with a voice. Therefore, the verbal psalter is especially revealed when the actions are brought into agreement with the words. And he is the spiritual psalter who created and taught (see: Matt. 5, 19). “opens the gan,” showing by his own example the possibility of fulfilling what was taught, as if he were unaware of anything discordant and incongruous in his life, the Prophet confidently pronounces the following words: (6) “What am I afraid of on the day of fierceness? The iniquity of my heel shall not 62 pass me by." He calls the day of Judgment a fierce day, about which it is said: "The Day of the Lord is coming without healing" (cf. Is. 13:9) upon all nations; on this day, says the Prophet, "they will pass over" everyone's "advice" (cf. Hos. 7:2). And then, as if they had not done anything lawless along the way life, I will not be afraid of the cruel day. For the traces of sins will not surround me, they will not “surround” me, bringing accusation against me in a silent accusation; because no other accuser will arise against you except the deeds themselves, each of which will appear in its own form: fornication, theft, adultery, recalling both the night and the image of the Fall, and its distinctive property, and in general every sin will appear, bringing with him a clear reminder of his characteristic sign. So, the traces of sins will not “incline me” to the parable and “open my prayer in the psalter.” (7) “Those who trust in their strength and boast about the abundance of their wealth.” The Prophet has a word for persons of two kinds, to the earthly and to the rich. He speaks to some, degrading their opinion of his strength, and to others, deposing their exaltation by the abundance of their possessions. You, he says, “who rely on your own strength” are earth-born who rely on bodily strength and think that human nature has sufficient strength to completely fulfill human desires. And you who trust in unfaithful wealth, listen: you need a redemption price to bring you back to freedom, which you lost when you were overcome by the violence of the devil, because the devil, having taken you into slavery, will not free you from his teaching until he wants to exchange you, prompted to do so by some worthy ransom. Therefore, what is offered for ransom should not be similar to the enslaved, but to a greater extent exceed their price, so that the devil voluntarily frees the captives from slavery. Therefore, your brother cannot ransom you. For no man is able to convince the devil to free from his power those who have once fallen under him. A person cannot give God a propitiatory sacrifice for his own sins. How can one do this for someone else? And what could he acquire in this age that is so worthwhile that it would serve as a sufficient replacement for a soul that is by nature precious, because it was created in the image of its Creator? And what work of the present century will provide the human soul with a sufficient supply for the transition to the Future Age? Therefore, I simply understand these words like this: even if someone imagined himself to be very powerful in this life, he was surrounded by a lot of possessions, the psalm teaches to put aside a proud opinion of oneself, “humble yourself under the mighty hand of God” (cf.: 1 Pet. 5:6) and not rely on your strength, not to boast about the abundance of wealth. But you can also rise somewhat in thought and by those who rely on their strength and boast about the abundance of wealth we mean spiritual strength, because the soul itself does not have sufficient strength for its salvation. Although someone is perfect among the sons of men, yet, not having the Wisdom of God in himself, he is imputed to nothing. Although he has assimilated many speculations from worldly wisdom and collected some wealth of knowledge, let him hear the truth fully, namely, that every human soul has bowed under the heavy yoke of slavery to the common enemy of all and, having lost the freedom given by its Creator, has been led into captivity by sin. But every captive needs the price of redemption to be freed. A brother cannot redeem his brother, and each person cannot redeem himself, because he who redeems another with himself must be much superior to those in power and those already in bondage. But in general, a person does not have such power before God to propitiate Him for a sinner, because he himself is guilty of sin. “For having all sinned and come short of the glory of God, we will be justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” our Lord (Rom. 3:23–24). (8) “will not give God treason 63 “for ya” (9) “and the price of the deliverance of my soul.” So, do not look for a brother for your redemption, but for the God-man Jesus Christ, who alone can give God “change” for us all, because “God hath set forth cleansing through faith in His blood” (Rom. 3:25). Moses was a brother to the Israelites, but he could not redeem them. How can an ordinary person redeem? The prophet says first in the affirmative: “brother will not deliver”, and then with force he adds interrogatively: “will man deliver”? Moses did not free the people from sin, but only begged God not to punish for sin. He could not even give “treason” for himself when he fell into sin, and after such great miracles and signs that he had seen, he uttered a word of doubt: “Listen to me, you disobedient: food from this stone we will bring you water”? Why did the Lord for this word “speak to Moses and Aaron: you have not yet believed” in Me, “sanctify Me before the children of Israel, for this reason you will not bring this host into the land that I gave to them” (Num. 20, 10, 12). Therefore, “he will not give God treason for himself.” For what can a person find so valuable that he can give as a ransom for his soul? But there was found one thing of equal value to all people together, which was given as the price of the redemption of our souls - this is the holy and valuable Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He shed for us all. Why are we “bought with a price” (cf.: 1 Cor. 6:20). So, if “a brother does not deliver, will a man deliver”? If man cannot deliver us, then He who redeemed us is not man. Therefore, if our Lord lived with us in the likeness of the flesh of sin, then do not consider Him for this a simple man, not recognizing in Him the power of the Divine. He had no need to give God “betrayal for Himself” and deliver his own soul, because “thou shalt not commit sin, lest flattery be found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). So, no one can redeem himself until the One who returns “the captivity of people” (Ps. 13:8) comes, “not with money,” not with gifts, as it is written in Isaiah (see: Isaiah 52:3), but with His Blood. He, who are not His brothers, but became enemies through their sins, He - not an ordinary person, but God - after giving us freedom, He calls us His brothers. For it is said: “I will proclaim your name to my brethren” (Heb. 2:12). Therefore, the One who redeemed us, if we turn our thoughts to His nature, is not our brother and not a man. If we take into account His gracious condescension towards us, then He calls us brothers and descends to humanity who “will not give God treason for Himself,” but will give “treason” for the whole world, for He has no need for purification, but He Himself is purification. “This is how a Bishop is fitting for us: reverend, gentle, undefiled, excommunicated from sinners and above the heavens, Who does not have need all the days, like the high priestess, first to offer sacrifices for his sins, then... for human ignorance” (Heb. 7, 26-27; 9, 7). Then the Prophet says: “And he will labor forever,” (10) “and he will live to the end.” Source Life, Power, tireless Nature was toiling in this age, when “he was weary from the way, sitting on the source” (John 4:6). Those who “will not see destruction”, (11) “will always see the wise dying.” For the Father will not allow His “venerable one” to “see corruption” (cf. Ps. 15:10), when those who boast of abolished wisdom die. And if you want to understand these words about righteous people, then remember Job, who says: “Man is born to work” (Job 5:7), also the Apostle: “We have labored more than all of them” (1 Cor. 15:10), and “in labor we multiply” (2 Cor. 11:23). So, whoever has labored in this age “will live to the end.” And whoever lives in luxury and in every kind of debauchery, out of effeminacy, puts on “purple and fine linen,” rejoices “all the days in the light” (cf. Luke 16:19) and avoids working for the sake of virtue, he has not “toiled” in this age and “will not live” in the future, but will begin to look at life from afar, tormented in the fire of the fire. But whoever endured thousands of labors for the sake of virtue and tested himself in abundance in labor to acquire it, he “will live to the end,” like Lazarus, who worked hard in sorrows, like Job, who was overworked in the fight against the enemy. For it is said: “There is no more toil” (Job 3:17). Therefore, the Lord calls for the calm of “those who labor and are heavy laden” (cf. Matt. 11:28). Why are those who labor in good deeds called burdened? Because “those who go walking and weeping, throwing their seeds, but those who are coming will come with joy, grasping their hands” (Ps. 125:6), are full of fruits, which are returned to them according to the amount sown. Therefore, those are called burdened who, because they “sowed for blessing, also reap for blessing” (cf. 2 Cor. 9:6) and prepare for themselves with eternal joy the handles of spiritual fruits. Whoever is delivered by God, who gave “treason” for him, he “suffered labor” in this age, and then “he will live to the end.” He “will not see destruction until he sees the wise dying.” Whoever preferred the narrow and difficult path to the smooth and calm path, during God’s visit, when those who did not believe the words of God and walked according to the desires of their vain hearts will be taken to eternal execution, “will not see” eternal “destruction”, never-ending suffering. And the Prophet calls wise either those who are strong in cunning, about whom Jeremiah says that “they are wise, who do evil, but do good without knowing it” (Jer. 4:22), or by wise he means the disciples of “the princes of this age who are passing away” (cf.: 1 Cor. 2:6), who, while “professing to be wise, become fools” ( Rom.1:22). Why is “the wisdom of this world a riot with God” (1 Cor. 3:19). And since this wisdom makes fools, God says that He will “destroy the wisdom of the wise and reject the understanding of the prudent” (cf. 1 Cor. 1:19; Isa. 29:14). Therefore, the plausibility of false knowledge for those who are convinced of it serves as a cause of death. And such a death “will not be seen” by the redeemed by Him who deigned to save the believers through the violence of preaching. “Together the foolish and the foolish will perish, and leave their wealth to strangers.” (12) “And destroy their dwellings forever: their villages from generation to generation, calling their names on the lands.” Above, the psalmist called them by a generic name - “wise” and now he subdividually calls them “mad” and “foolish”. And it is obvious that he called them wise, using the name that they gave themselves out of conceit. Just as he calls those who are not gods by nature gods, following the custom of those who have been deceived, so he calls the foolish and foolish wise. One can distinguish by the concept of the insane and the senseless. A fool is someone who is devoid of prudence and has no insight into ordinary and human affairs. So in general usage they are called prudent, who in everyday affairs distinguish between what is useful and what is harmful, which is why the Gospel says: “For the sons of this age are wiser than the sons of light in their generation” (Luke 16:8). For they are not simply “wisest,” but only in the way they conduct this carnal life; they are also called “unrighteous builders” for their prudence in organizing their lives. In the same sense, mudras also mean snakes, which make holes for themselves and, in dangerous cases, avoid blows to the head by all means. The one who has no advantage in a person is called “unreasonable.” And this is knowledge of God the Father, recognition of the Word that is in the beginning with God, and enlightenment given by the Holy Spirit. Those who can say with Paul have such a mind: “we are the mind of Christ, imams” (1 Cor. 2:16). However, according to the usage of Scripture, the words “mad” and “foolish” are replaced by one another: it calls the godless foolish, saying: “The fool says in his heart: there is no God” (Ps. 13:1), and again, what is harmful to life is called senseless, as the Apostle expresses about those who fall into “many foolish and harmful lusts” (1 Tim. 6:9). Thus, the insane and the foolish strive towards one common end - destruction. But another may say that a person who lives in a pagan way is called insane, and someone who limits life in a Jewish way to one keeping the law is called foolish. For to such a fool, because of his godlessness, God said: “O fool, this night your soul will be taken from You” (Luke 12:20). And carnal Israel is called foolish by the Prophet, who says: “And Ephraim was like a foolish dove” 64 ... “He prayed for Egypt, and gave birth to the Assyrians” (Hos. 7:11). Therefore, when they were all crushed by their own ignorance, we, strangers, became heirs of their wealth. For the commandments became ours, our prophets, our patriarchs, all the righteous who lived from time immemorial left us their wealth who perished in their madness. Their dwellings, that is, those of the insane and senseless, are “coffins forever.” Those whose lives are filled with dead works due to all kinds of sin, their “dwellings are graves forever.” He who became dead through the fall lives not in a house, but in a tomb, because his soul has become dead. In the house lives the simple-hearted and simple-hearted Jacob, about whom it is written that “he was a man without guile” and good, “living in the house” (cf. Gen. 25:27). And in the tomb lives a completely vicious one, who does not lay down any basis for turning away from dead works, but is likened to a “watered-down” tomb, which with its appearance attracts the eye, “inside it is full of the bones of the dead and all kinds of uncleanness” (cf. Matt. 23:27). Therefore, when such a person speaks, he does not open his mouth to the word of God, but “the grave of his throat is opened” (Ps. 5:10). If anyone, believing in Christ, does not demonstrate deeds consistent with faith, he, as one who listens to bad teachings and poorly comprehends the intent of Scripture, hews his own tomb in stone. “Their villages from generation to generation,” that is, “their tombs are their dwellings forever.” The Prophet, explaining what kind of coffins he meant, and wanting to show that he was talking about bodies in which souls deadened by vices live, added to the word “coffins”: “their villages from generation to generation,” because human bodies are always called villages. They also name “their own names on the lands.” For the name of the wicked is not written in the book of the living, nor is he numbered among the church of the firstborn, numbered in heaven. On the contrary, their names remain on earth, because they preferred this transient and short-lived life to eternal settlements. Do you not see that others build squares and houses for bodily exercises in cities, erect walls, construct water pipes, and that their names are given to these earthly buildings? And some, having put the mark of their name on the horse herds, decided to prolong the memory of themselves for a long time throughout their lives and, in order to show the splendor in the coffins themselves, they inscribed their names on the tombs. These are those who philosophize about earthly and here glory, and consider the remembrance of people as something sufficient for their bliss. And if you see that another is proud of false knowledge, joins the followers of some worthless teachings and, instead of the name of a Christian, calls himself by the name of some heresy leader, Marcion or Valentinus, or one of those who have arisen today, then know that such people have “named their names on the lands,” counting themselves among the corrupt and completely earthly people. (13) “And this man, in his honor without understanding, was likened to foolish cattle, and became like them.” (14) “This way is their offense, and to this day they delight in their mouth.” “A man is a great thing, and when a man is in trouble, show mercy” (Proverbs 20:6); its beauty lies in its natural structure. For what else on earth was created in the image of the Creator? Who else has been given rulership and power over all creatures living on land, in the waters and in the air? He is slightly lower than the angelic rank, and that is due to his connection with the earthly body. But although God created man “from the earth” (cf. Gen. 2:7), and “burned His servants with fire” (Heb. 1:7), however, in humans there is the ability to understand and know their Creator and Creator, for “I will blow into man’s face,” that is, he has put into man something of His own grace, so that man by like will know like. However, in such “honor” and by the very fact that he was created in the image of the Creator, venerable more than the sky, more than the sun, the hosts of stars (for what kind of sky is called the image of the Most High God? What image of the Creator do the sun or the moon, or other stars have in themselves? They are given bodies inanimate and material, although transparent; they have neither understanding, nor voluntary movements, nor autocratic freedom; on the contrary, they are slaves of proper necessity, by which they always invariably revolve around the same thing); Above all this, a man exalted in honor “does not understand”, but having ceased to imitate God and become like the Creator, having become a slave of carnal passions, “become like senseless cattle, and become like them.” That is how “the horse of the misogynist neighs at his sincere wife” (cf. Eze. 5:8), then how a predatory wolf rushes to someone else’s (see: Jer. 22, 27), and sometimes, through intrigues against his brother in wickedness, he is likened to a fox (see: Ezek. 13:4). But truly, this is an excess of senselessness and bestial lack of understanding if the one created in the image of the Creator does not recognize his original structure, does not want to understand all of God’s economy about him and from it conclude about his own dignity, and so forgets all this that, having rejected the image of the Heavenly, he accepts the image of the earthly. And so that he would not remain in sin, for his sake “the Word became flesh and dwelt in us” (John 1:14), and he humbled himself to such an extent that he showed his obedience “even to death, the death of the cross” (cf. Phil. 2:8). If you don’t remember your original origin, then form an idea of ​​your worth based on the price paid for you. Look at what is given in return and know your worth. You were bought with the much-valued Blood of Christ: do not be a slave of sin, understand your worth, so as not to become like “meaningless cattle.” (14) “This way is their offense.” Our steward God stops us on the path of vice, laying out stumbling blocks and obstacles for us, so that we, leaving a foolish life, “continue to be well pleased with our mouths, with our hearts” believing “in righteousness, and with our lips” confessing “for salvation” (Rom. 10:10). Paul persecuted and destroyed the Church of Christ, continued to follow the evil path, but “he was well pleased in his mouth,” proclaiming in the congregation, “for this is Christ” (Acts 9:22). (15) “Like sheep put in hell 65, I will save death.” People who were bestial-like and were joined as “thoughtless cattle”, like sheep, who had neither the understanding nor the strength to defend themselves, who kidnapped them captive like an enemy, threw them into his own fence and entrusted their pasture to death, because death shepherded people from Adam and during the time of living according to the Law of Moses, until the true Shepherd came, Who laid down His life for the sheep and then, raising them with Himself and Having brought them out of the prison of hell on the morning of the Resurrection, he handed them over to the “right”, that is, the holy Angels, to feed them. “And they have the rights of the morning.” For each of the faithful is assigned an Angel worthy of seeing the Heavenly Father. Thus, “the rulers possess them” upon their liberation from the most bitter slavery and “possess” them upon reaching the morning, that is, upon their arrival to the East of light. Consider the entire connection of the sayings used in Scripture. “A man who is ignorant of honor is considered to be like foolish cattle.” Then, when he, having made himself a stranger to God’s Word, became speechless, the enemy kidnapped him, like a sheep without a shepherd, laid him in hell and gave him over to the jaws of death. Therefore, he who is delivered from hell and freed from the evil shepherd says: “The Lord shepherds me” (Ps. 22:1), shepherds not death, but life, not fall, but rising, not lies, but truth. “And their help will be promised in hell.” The Prophet either says this about death, which, with all its benefits, could not hold its flock against the One who overthrew “the possessor of the power of death.” All their benefits have become dilapidated and powerless. Then the help of people seduced by the mind, who think highly of their wealth and fame and power, will also be insignificant. “He will promise in hell” when their powerlessness is revealed. Or perhaps the help of the righteous, redeemed by the Lord, will extend to hell. For they, “having not received the promise, foresaw the best of us to God, so that not without us they would receive perfection” who preceded us (Heb. 11:39-40). (16) “Otherwise, God will deliver my soul from the hand of hell when He accepts me.” He clearly prophesies about the descent into hell of the Lord, who, along with other souls, delivered the soul of the Prophet himself so that it would not remain in hell. (17) “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich or when the glory of his house increases.” “Do not be afraid,” says the Prophet, “when a man becomes rich.” And this sermon is necessary for those living throughout the universe, earth-born and sons of men, “together” the rich and the poor. “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich.” When you see, says the Prophet, that the unjust is rich and the righteous is poor, do not be afraid of yourself. Do not be embarrassed by the thought that there is no longer any Divine Providence supervising human affairs, or, although there is God’s supervision, it does not extend to above-ground places so as to penetrate into our affairs. And if Providence gave to everyone what is characteristic of him, then the righteous, who know how to use wealth, would be rich, and the vicious, who turn wealth into an instrument of their depravity, would be poor. So, since many people think in a similar way between “tongues and earthly creatures” and from the visible inequality in the division of worldly goods they conclude that the world is left without Providence, then the psalm addresses them, calming the ignorant excitement of their thoughts, as in the beginning it called them to listen to instructions. Or, perhaps, the Prophet extends his speech to the poor person himself, saying: “Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich.” For the poor have a special need of consolation, so as not to be afraid of the strong. The rich man, says the Prophet, has no benefit from wealth when he dies, because he cannot take it with him, and from the enjoyment of wealth he received only the benefit that his soul in this life was pleased by caresses. (18) “When he dies,” says the Prophet, “he will not take” all this abundance, but will barely take clothes to cover his shame, and that, if it pleases the servants who are equipping him for burial. He will be happy if he receives a little land as an inheritance, which the burying ones will give him out of pity, and they will do this for him out of respect for the common human nature, not bringing him a gift, but showing honor to humanity. Therefore, do not be faint-hearted when looking at the present, but expect that blissful and endless life, for then you will see that poverty, dishonor, and deprivation of pleasures serve the righteous for the good. And do not be embarrassed when you see that now imaginary benefits are divided as if unjustly. For you will hear how it will be said to the rich: “Thou hast received thy good in thy belly,” and to the poor, that he has received “evil” in his life; why is it right that one “is comforted” and the other “suffers” (cf. Luke 16:25). (19) “I will confess to You when You do good to him.” About the earthly man, who honors only the advantages of this life with blessings - wealth, health, power - the Prophet says about him that he will “confess” to God when he is “blessed”, and in misfortunes he will spew out all sorts of blasphemy. For the Prophet, having left the poor, turns his speech to God, blaming wealth, including the fact that the rich thank God only in happiness, but in sad circumstances he is not grateful. Likewise, the devil accuses Job that it is not “Job who honors the Lord” (cf. Job 1:9), but has a reward for piety - wealth and so on. Why, to demonstrate the virtue of this man, God deprived him of everything he had, so that from everything this man’s gratitude to God would be evident. (20) “You have gone down 66 even to the generation of his father.” 67 I think that this is said about a sinner who knows God as much as the custom of his fathers has taught him, but by the power of his own thinking he does not acquire anything and does not add anything to the knowledge of the truth. So much, says the Prophet, You are approaching, O God, and such is the concept of You in him that was “in the generation of his father.” And here the Prophet depicts great inactivity understanding, the complete earthiness and love of the flesh of a person who is mired in wealth and luxury, has a mind suppressed by everyday worries. Therefore, “even until the end of time he will not see the light.” For those who trusted in the guidance of blind teachers deprived themselves of the enjoyment of the light. But the words: “thou hast seen even unto his father’s generation,” have another meaning, namely: You punish not only those who indulge in vicious lives and teachings, although paternal, but alien to piety, but you also punish those who were the perpetrators of perverse teachings. And this means what was said: “You will see even to his father’s generation.” For not only is the one who has bad ideas about God guilty, but also the one who brought others to this destruction. And these are those who inherited the sin of their ancestors and, having confirmed it in themselves by a long-standing custom, made it indelible. “Even to a century he will not see the light.” For they are conveyed “into outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12), and they are subjected to this according to the Righteous Judgment of God, because in this life they hated the light for the sake of their bad deeds. (21) “A man who is in honor without understanding, is likened to foolish cattle and becomes like them.” This is the voice of one who regrets. A man who is “lowly humbled from the angels” (cf. Ps. 8:6), about whom Solomon says: “Great is man, and when he is a man he shows mercy” (Prov. 20:6), this man, because he did not realize his dignity, but submitted to carnal passions, “was likened to foolish cattle and became like them”! When I look at your diligence to listen and at the weakness of your strength, the image of an already grown-up baby, who has not yet been weaned from the breast and is disturbing the mother’s breast, dried up by illness, comes to mind. The mother knows that her sources of milk have dried up, but, attracted and disturbed by the baby, she gives him the nipples, not with the intention of nourishing him, but to stop his crying. So, although my strength has been drained by long-term and various bodily ailments, I am nevertheless ready to offer you, if not significant pleasure, then some satisfaction, because the excess of your love will be satisfied if your attraction to me is quenched by my voice alone. Therefore, let the Church of God hear my message and learn to say what we recently said: (13) “Give us help from sorrow, and human salvation is in vain.” Thus, the meaning of the psalm does not allow me, perhaps, to use illness as an excuse, if sorrow prepares help, and does not serve as an excuse for weakness. So, for those who were rejected for sins and then accepted again out of God’s love for mankind, it is fitting to say: (3) “God, you rejected us and brought us down, you were angry, and you showed mercy to us.” It is better to say, since the word, in the natural course of thought, met with what was meant in the psalm, let us touch upon its interpretation a little. The history of the proposed psalm, literally according to its inscription, has not yet been found in any of the inspired legends. However, diligent students of Scripture will find something similar to this story in the second book of Kings, in which it is written: “And David struck Hadadazar the son of Rahab king of Sobsk, when he went to set his hand on the river Euphrates: and David took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen and twenty thousand footmen, and David destroyed all the chariots, and kept for himself a hundred chariots" (2 Kings 8:3-4). And a little lower than this it says: “And David reigned over all Israel, and David did justice and righteousness... and Joab the son of Zerui over the armies” (2 Samuel 8:15-16). And a little further: “And he sent the sons of Ammon, and brought Syria to Bethraam, and Syria to Suba, and Rooblu, twenty thousand... men... And Joab saw that the opposite face of battle came upon him... and he chose from all the young men of Israel, and set them up against the Syrians... And he saw... the servants of Adraazar, as if they had fallen before Israel, and ran to Israel and worked for them" (2 Samuel 10:6, 9, 19). We find the inscription of the psalm to be in agreement with this historical extract, except that the time of this “writing of the pillars” signifies the time in which David became most famous and famous for his military prowess. Therefore, it is worthy of investigation why he begins with lamentation and crying, when he should have rejoiced and been complacent because of his successes, for some sayings are appropriate for those who are triumphant, others for those who are sad. Victories are a reason for national celebration not only for warriors, but also for farmers, merchants, artisans, for everyone who enjoys the benefits of the world. So, why does he say: “God, you rejected us and overthrew us,” and yet God made them victors? How did he overthrow those whom he had strengthened so much, multiplying their weapons, chariots, horses, subjects, making them tributary to the whole country, all of Arabia, Phenicia and Mesopotamia? It is interesting to know whether these words do not express some kind of ingratitude? David first defeated Adraazar, king of Suba, took from him a thousand chariots, seven thousand “footmen”, then enslaved the king of Syria, who helped the defeated Adraazar, made him his tributary, in one instant of time he beat twenty-two thousand from him, and won the third victory when the sons of Ammon, who took up arms “before the gates of the city,” were defeated by his military leader Joab, who, dividing his forces into two parts, he met some in front, and defeated others by going to the rear. How, in the midst of such valiant deeds, does he express himself so sadly and despondently, saying: “God, you rejected us and deposed us, you were angry, and you showed mercy to us”? Although the time of this “writing of pillars” was a time of success, the power of what was written refers to the end, and by the end it is clear what will happen at the end of centuries. Therefore, he says that the psalm was written “about those who want to change.” In general, this can be understood about the entire human race, since the benefit of the psalm extends to everyone. For those who change and “want to change” are those who do not keep their bodies in the same state, nor are they always firm in their disposition, but change in the body with changes in age and change their thoughts, taking into account various circumstances. For we are different when we are still children, different when we are already young men, we become different when we mature, and again we are completely changed when we grow old. And also we are different when we are in a joyful state of affairs, and we become different when we are in a sad set of circumstances; we are different when we are sick and different when we are healthy; different during the wedding celebration, different during the mourning. Or, since it is not said: about those who change, but “about those who want to change,” and this saying has the form of a prophecy, because it points to the future, then by “those who want to change,” it is more appropriate to understand those who, having abandoned the habit of their fathers to vain things, will consider their life with Gospel severity. Therefore, the psalm was written not about the Jews of that time, but about us, “who want to change,” about us, who exchange polytheism for piety and idolatry delusion - for the knowledge of the Creator of us, who, instead of lawless voluptuousness, choose legal chastity, and replace pipes, choirs, and drunkenness with psalms, fasting and prayer. So, if anyone says that this psalm was written about us, he will not sin against the truth. Why are the “words of God” (Rom. 3:3) ours, and in the Church of God, as God-sent gifts, are read at every meeting, constituting, as it were, some spiritual food given from the Spirit. But this psalm is also written in “pillar writing,” that is, it should not be listened to carelessly. Do not let the words of the psalm, having imprinted them in your memory for a short time, then merge and be erased in your mind, as what is written on a perishable substance soon begins to disappear, but keep them written in your soul, as on a pillar, that is, unchangeable, solid, forever rooted in memory. And if a Jew excludes us, saying that the psalm was not written about us, then we will shame him by writing in the same psalm, explaining to him the inseparability of the calling and how it brings those who are distant together, convenes those who are distant, and makes many united through faith in Christ. It is said: (9) “Mine is Gilead, and Mine is Manasseh”; and he named Ephraim, and added Judah, and numbered Moab, threatens to attack Idumea, and together preaches the submission of all: (10) “The foreign women have submitted to me.” “God, you have rejected us.” “Thou hast rejected” us, who move away from Thee according to the extent of their sins; “thou hast cast down” the crowds of our wickedness, benefiting us by what brings us into weakness; “You were angry” when “you are a child of wrath by nature” (Eph. 2:3), “there is no hope and there is no god in the world” (Eph. 2:12); “Thou hast graciously given us,” when Thou didst “offer” Thy Only Begotten as a sacrifice of propitiation for our sins (see: Rom. 3:25), so that in His Blood we might find “deliverance” (see: Eph. 1:7). But we, who have been blessed by You, would not have known this if (5) You had not “given us to drink the wine of tenderness.” Wine is the word that brings a hardened heart to its senses. (6) “Thou hast given a sign to those who fear Thee, that they should flee from the presence of the bow.” Moses placed the blood of the sheep as a sign on the doorposts of the Israelites' houses, and You gave us a sign - the very Blood of the spotless Lamb, slain for the sins of the world. And Ezekiel says that a “sign is given to the faces.” It is said: “Go after him, cut him off, and do not spare him or have mercy: slay the old man, the young man, the virgin, the infant and the wife, and do not touch anyone who has a sign on him” (cf. Ezek. 9:4-6). (8) “God said in His holy things: I will rejoice and divide Sikima.” “Chosen Shekima,” a plot of land given by Jacob to Joseph (see: Gen. 48:22), prefigures the Covenant, which apparently was given to Israel alone. I will turn this “chosen” Testament, this heritage of the people into a division and make it common with others. And when the Testament is divided among everyone and the benefit becomes common to all those blessed by God, then “the vale of dwellings will be measured,” that is, the entire universe, as if by lot, will be divided for settlements in every place. Then the One who pacifies those who are distant will bring into contact “whether earthly or heavenly” (Col. 1:20), and “he who destroys the middle wall of the fence will create both as one” (cf. Eph. 2:14). (9) “Mine is Gilead, and Mine is Manasseh.” Gilead is a descendant of Manasseh (cf. 1 Chronicles 7:17). This shows a successive series of patriarchs descending from God, “from whom is Christ according to the flesh” (cf. Rom. 9:5). “And Ephraim is the intercessor” (Ps. 107:9) “of My head, Judah is My king.” He unites the separated parts with like-mindedness. (10) “Moab konob of hope” or, as another interpreter says, “konob of washing” 68, or “konob of carelessness” 69, that is, a rejected person who is told with a threat that he will not ascend into the Church of the Lord, for “Ammanite and Moabite will not enter” until the third and “until the tenth generation and even until the age” (cf.: Deut. 23, 3). However, since Baptism provides remission of sins and brings carelessness to debtors, the Prophet, pointing to deliverance and assimilation to God through Baptism, says: “Moab” is a “konob of washing” or “konob of carelessness.” So, all the “foreign women” submitted, bowing under the yoke of Christ. That is why “he places (cf. Ps. 107:10) his boot on Idumea. And the boot of the Divine is the God-bearing flesh through which It descended to men. In this hope, pleasing the time of the coming of the Lord, the Prophet says: (11) “Who will bring me into the city of enclosure”? And perhaps, the Church means, calling it a “city” because it is a collection of those who dwell legally, and a “city of enclosure” along the fence of faith. Why did one of the interpreters 70 very successfully translate: “into the fenced city.” So, who will let me see this great spectacle - God coming to men? This is indicated by the words of the Lord: “For many prophets and righteous women longed to see what they saw, and did not see” (Matthew 13:17). (13) “Give us help from sorrow.” Let us seek help not in strength, not in the well-being of the flesh, let us desire intercession not from any of those considered noble among people. Victory is not acquired by a lot of money, not by superior strength, not by the height of glory; on the contrary, out of the abundance of sorrow the Lord will give help to those who seek Him. Such was Paul, who took sorrow to his praise, which is why he could say: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). “Give” us, O Lord, help from tribulation, for “tribulation makes patience perfect, and patience is a skill, and a skill is hope; but hope does not put you to shame” (Rom. 5:3-5). Do you see where grief takes you? To shameless hope! If you are sick, be complacent, because “the Lord loves him and punishes him” (Heb. 12:6). Whether you are poor, have fun, because Lazarus’ blessings await you. If you endure dishonor for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because your dishonor will be turned into angelic glory. Let us convince ourselves, brothers, in times of temptation to resort not to human hopes and not here on earth to seek help for ourselves, but to pray with tears and sighs, with diligent prayer, with intense vigil, for he receives help from sorrow who despises human help as vain, and is confirmed in the hope of Him who is able to save us, but is confirmed in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. (1) “At the end, O Idithum, a psalm to David.” We know two psalms with the inscription: “about Idithum”, the thirty-eighth and the one in the hands. I think that the composition of the psalms belonged to David, and they were handed over to Idithum so that he could use them in healing spiritual passions and so that by singing them in front of the people, both God would be glorified, and those listening to this harmonious singing would be corrected in their morals. For Idithum was a sacred psalmist, as history testifies to us in the book of Chronicles, saying: “And with them Heman and Idithum and... trumpets and cymbals to cry out, and the organs of the songs of God” (1 Chron. 16, 41-42). And a little lower: “And David appointed King and princes of power over the works of the sons of Asaph and Heman and Idithum, who preached the harp and psaltery” (1 Chron. 25:1). Both psalms primarily talk about patience, by which mental irritability is tamed, and after the destruction of all arrogance, humility is perfected. For it is difficult to imagine that a person who does not tolerate being the lowest and the last could ever either, when reproached, refrain from anger, or during times of tribulation overcome temptations with long-suffering. And whoever has succeeded in the highest humility, when he hears reproaches, since he recognizes himself as even more worthy of humiliation, his soul will not be embarrassed by the fact that they dishonor him with words. But if they call him poor, he knows that he is really poor and meager in everything and every day he needs alms from the Lord. If they call him a man of low birth and unknown in the world, it has long been imprinted in his heart that he was created from dust. That is why the psalmist in the first of these psalms says: “Reh: I will keep my ways” (Ps. 38:1), and depicts both the sinner’s malice and his own patience. “The sinner before me has never risen,” he says, “I have become dumb and humbled and kept silent from good things” (Ps. 39:2-3). Then he continues: “Besides, every living person is all vanity” (Ps. 39:6). And further - “it is a treasure, and I don’t know who will collect it” (Ps. 39:7). In the present psalm, he begins with bewilderment, as if talking with his soul and continuing the speech he began earlier. So that the soul, having submitted to the wisdom of the flesh, does not give in to anger and sorrow, he says: why do I make the soul, to which its Creator entrusted it to rule the body and bodily passions, a slave of worthless passions? Therefore, one must control one’s passions and work for God. For it is impossible for sin and God to reign in the soul; on the contrary, one must prevail over vice and submit to the Lord of all. Therefore, the Prophet, turning his speech to the one who brings temptations upon him, arouses a great many evils against him and tries to enslave and subjugate the heights of the spirit to the flesh, as if to expose the vanity of such malice and says: why are you forcing me to serve, to whom I am not obliged? I have a Lord, I know the true King. (2) “Does not my soul submit to God? From Him is my salvation." The prophet said the reason for caring about obedience is precisely that salvation is from God. It is natural for the Creator to take care of the safety of these creatures. Or “from Him is salvation,” that is, David prophetically foresees the coming grace of the Incarnation of the Lord, therefore he says that one must serve God and love Him. He provided such a great benefit to the human race that “He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up to eat for us all” (Rom. 8:32). For the Scriptures usually call the salvation of Christ of God, just as Simeon says: “Now you have released Your servant, O Master... as my eyes have seen Your salvation” (Luke 2:29-30). So, let us “obey” God, because salvation comes from Him. And what salvation is, the Prophet explains: it is not a simple action that imparts to us some grace for deliverance from infirmity and for the well-being of the body. But what is salvation? (3) “For this is my God and my Savior, my intercessor, I do not move in the least.” Our God is the Son of God; He is also the Savior of the human race, strengthening our weakness, stopping the disturbance caused in our souls by temptations. I’m not “moving forward.” The psalmist, like a man, confesses to emotion. "Most of all". It is impossible for the human soul not to be somewhat agitated by temptations. While we rarely make mistakes and not in important things, we only waver slightly, like plants swayed by a quiet wind. But when our bad deeds become more numerous and more important, then as our sins increase, our anxiety usually intensifies. And some begin to waver beyond measure, while others reach the point that, uprooted, they are overthrown, when the breath of vice, stronger than any storm, uproots, as it were, the roots of the soul, on which it was affirmed by Divine faith. That is why I, says the psalmist, have hesitated as a man, but I will not be shaken “most of all,” because the right hand of the Savior supports me. (4) “How long will you bear upon a man? You all kill, as if you have bowed to a wall and built a stronghold.” The psalmist again argues with the crafty servants of the devil, complaining about the immensity of their evil intentions. We are people, weak living beings, and you “lean” on us, not being content with the first attack, but attacking another and a third time, until you overthrow the soul of the one you meet, so that it will be like a tilted wall and a destroyed stronghold. A wall, while it stands in a straight position, is solid, but when it tilts, then it must collapse and fall, because a heavy body is one-component and can be straightened when tilted, but bodies composed of many parts, as soon as they become predominant on one side, no longer allow the possibility of straightening them. So, the psalm makes it clear that since human nature, being complex, is bowed down by sin, it must certainly be destroyed so that, after being renewed by the Artist who created it in the beginning, it can assume safety, indestructibility and not being carried away by someone’s malicious intent into a new fall. It is said: “God’s desire, God’s building is natural” (1 Cor. 3:9). This building was shaken by the enemy; The builder corrected the damage that had occurred in it. And thus, although destruction is necessary because of sin, the resurrection is nevertheless great because of immortality. (5) “Besides, I rejected my value, I walked in thirst: I blessed my lips, and cursed my heart.” The price of a person is the Blood of Christ. For it is said: “By the price of purchase, do not become servants of men” (1 Cor. 7:23). The warriors of the evil one intended to make this price fruitless for us, again bringing into slavery those who had once been freed. "Tekosh in Thirst". The prophet expresses the cruelty of the malice of the demons - they rush at us, thirsting for our destruction. “I bless my lips and prostrate myself with my heart.” Many people approve of bad deeds: a playful person is called funny, a foul-mouthed person is called well-mannered, an overly demanding and angry person is called a person not deserving of contempt, the stingy and unsociable person is praised for his prudence, the wasteful person is praised for his generosity, the fornicator and dissolute person are called for the ability to enjoy and for cheekiness, in general, every vice is embellished with the name of a common virtue. Such people bless with their lips, but curse with their hearts, because with their praises they bring a curse on the lives of those being praised, subjecting them to eternal condemnation for the very thing for which they approve. The psalmist again turns his speech to the soul to strengthen its obedience to God. (6) “Besides,” he says, “Obey God, my soul, for from Him is my patience.” This shows how great the temptations are, and says the same thing with the Apostle, that God “will not leave” us “to be tempted beyond what” we can endure (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13), “for from Him is my patience.” (8) “In God is my salvation and my glory: God is my help, and my hope is in God.” Blessed is the one who does not admire any worldly heights, but has God as his glory, who boasts in Christ and can say with the Apostle: “Let me not boast except in the cross” of Christ (Gal. 6:14). To this day, many boast of their bodies: such are those who have practiced in the struggle or generally bloom with the freshness of age. Many boast of courage in war, considering even the murder of fellow tribesmen a virtue, because military valor and monuments erected by the commander and cities are commensurate with the number of murders. Some are famous for the construction of city walls, others for the construction of water pipelines and the construction of large buildings for wrestling exercises. This one, spending his wealth on fighters with beasts and admiring the vain cries of the crowd, is puffed up with praise and thinks a lot about himself, putting glory in his shame and even, in prominent places in the city, having written his sin on boards, he puts it on display. Another is famous for his wealth, and another for being a strong and invincible vita or expert in worldly wisdom. We must regret the glory of all such people, but please those who glorify God with their glory. If another places high value on the fact that he serves under the king and is honored by him with great honor, then how much should you set yourself in honor that you are a servant of the Great King, called by Him into close fellowship, and have received the Spirit of promise, so that, having been imprinted by Him, you may become a son of God. Having learned for himself the benefit of sincere trust in God, the psalmist calls on the people to compete with him in this, saying: (9) “Trust in Him, the whole host of people: pour out your hearts before Him.” It is impossible for us to become capable of receiving Divine grace without expelling from ourselves the vicious passions that have taken possession of our souls. I saw that doctors do not give healing medicines, as before, through vomiting, they cleanse the insides of that pathogenic substance that incontinent people have accumulated in themselves through bad behavior. And they do not pour myrrh into a vessel that has been filled with some foul-smelling liquid without washing it. Therefore, what was previously placed must be poured out, so that what is poured in again can be contained. (10) “Beyond the vanity of the sons of humanity.” The prophet knew that not everyone follows his admonition, not everyone agrees to hope in God, but on the contrary, they have hope in the vanities of life. Therefore he says: “Besides, the sons of humanity are vanities, the sons of humanity are lies.” Why vanity? Because they are deceitful. What especially exposes their deceit? “In the measure of the hedgehog there is no truth.” What “standards” is the Prophet talking about? Does every person stand and hang? Are they all sellers of wool and meat, trading in gold or silver, or generally only dealing in things that merchants usually sell by measure and weight? But there are many craftsmen of all kinds who do not need scales for their work. Many are engaged in navigation, many are involved in judicial matters and government. And they, it’s true, have lies, but the deception is not done through scales. What does what the Prophet said mean? The fact that inside each of us there is a certain standard, created by our Creator, with the help of which we can discern the nature of things. “I have given you life and death, good and evil” (Deut. 30:15) - two things that are mutually opposite in nature. Weigh them at your own judgment seat, measure carefully which is more useful for you, whether to choose temporary pleasure and receive eternal death for it, or, choosing suffering while practicing virtue, to use this as a means to acquire eternal pleasure. So, people are deceitful, because the judgment seat of the soul has been corrupted in them. The Prophet, pitying them, says: “Woe to those who say... darkness is light, and darkness is light,” who say “bitter is sweet, and sweet is bitter” (cf. Is. 5:20). Before me, says the psalmist, is only the present, but who knows the future? You measure poorly when you prefer the bad to the good, you value the vain more than the true, you put the temporary above the eternal, you choose fleeting pleasure instead of endless and continuous fun. Therefore, “lie to the sons of humanity according to the standard of untruth.” They commit lies first against themselves, and then against their neighbors, because they themselves are bad advisers in business and serve as a bad example for others. You cannot say on the Day of Judgment: I did not know good; you are convicted by your own scales, sufficient to separate good and evil. We recognize bodily burdens by the inclination of the arrow on the scales, and what is worthy of preference in life is distinguished by the free will of the soul, and the psalmist called this the “measure”, because freedom can equally lean on one side or the other. (11) “Do not trust in unrighteousness, and do not desire admiration.” Above he said: “Trust in Him, the whole multitude of people.” But he saw the slowness in obedience and said: “Besides the vanity of the sons of humanity.” Now he again forbids relying on untruth. Whoever considers wealth collected by untruth to be a sufficient means of strength and power is like a sick person who, in the most severe illness, puts his health on hold. “Do not trust in untruth,” it hinders you in every endeavor. “And do not covet the admiration,” the psalmist exhorts not to be lustful of the things of others. “Even if wealth flows, do not apply your heart.” If you see that someone is excessively rich, do not consider his life blessed. If money flows to you from everywhere and from inexhaustible sources, do not allow its abundance to reach you. “Wealth still flows”... Marvel at this saying! The property of wealth is fluid. It flows faster than a stream past those who own it and usually changes them one after another. Just as a river, rushing from a height, approaches those standing on the bank, but suddenly touched and at the same moment moved away, so the benefits of wealth very quickly appear and slip away, having the custom of moving from one to another. This field today belongs to one, tomorrow will belong to another, and after some time to a new owner. Look at the houses in the city; how many names have they already taken since the time of their existence, being called by the name of one owner or another! And gold, constantly flowing from the hands of the owner, passes to another, and from another to a third, you can rather retain the water compressed in the river than keep wealth for a long time. Therefore, it is beautifully said: “Even if wealth flows, do not apply your heart.” Do not become addicted to it with your soul, but benefit from it; do not love it excessively and do not marvel at it as one of the blessings, but use it in service as an instrument. Then the psalmist adds a saying to everything that has been said, not in his own words, but as he heard it from God. For he says: (12) “By one word did I hear God.” And no one should be embarrassed, as if there is something strange in what was said, namely, that God spoke once, and the Prophet heard it twice. For it is possible to say one day in such a way that what is once said contains much. One person, having met another once, talked with him about many things, and whoever listened to his speeches can say: he once spoke to me, but he told me a lot. This is the same meaning of what has been said now. One day I had a manifestation of God, but there were two things that God spoke to me about. The Prophet did not say: “God spoke of one verb,” but “I heard these two,” in which case it would have turned out that the speech contained a contradiction. So, what are these “two” heard by the Prophet? “Beyond the power of God,” (13) “and Your Lord, mercy.” I heard, says the Prophet, that God is strong in the Judgment and that He is merciful. Therefore, “do not trust in unrighteousness, do not attach yourself” to wealth, do not choose vanity, do not carry with you the corrupt judgment seat of the soul. Knowing that our Lord is strong, fear His strength and do not despair of His love for mankind. In order not to commit unrighteousness, fear is good, and in order to not, having once crawled into sin, not neglect oneself out of hopelessness, hope for mercy is good. For “the power of God, and” from Him is “mercy.” “For Thou hast rewarded each one according to his deeds.” For “by the measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). Did you insult your brother? And expect your own equal. Have you robbed the lower, beaten the poor, shamed you with reproaches, slandered, lied, encroached on someone else’s marriage bed, broken an oath, “transgressed the boundaries” of fathers (cf. Proverbs 22:28), laid hands on the property of orphans, insulted widows, preferred real pleasure to promised blessings? Expect retribution for this. For “everyone who sows” will also “reap” (cf. Gal.6:7). However, even if you have done something good, then expect a much greater reward for it. Keeping this saying in mind throughout your entire life, you will be able to avoid many sins in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Having occupied this sacred enclosure of the martyrs in advance and since half the night you have propitiated the martyrs with the hymns of God to the martyrs, you have endured until this noon, awaiting my coming. Therefore, for you who prefer the honor of martyrs and the service of God to sleep and rest, your reward is ready. But if I have to justify myself in slowing down and in leaving you for a long time, I will tell you the reason for this. I have used all the time of this day to organize another, this equal, Church of God, separated from you by a considerable distance. So, since the Lord has granted me and them the ministry to fulfill, and your love cannot be deceived, then give thanks with me to the Benefactor, Who strengthens this visible weakness of my body with His invisible strength. But in order not to upset you, by keeping you for a long time, I will briefly talk from the psalm that I found you singing, and to the best of my ability, having nourished your souls with a word of consolation, I will let you go so that each of you can take care of your body. What did you sing? The following: (1) “I have loved that the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer.” You cannot say to everyone: “I have loved,” but only to those who are already perfect, have come out of slavish fear and have accepted the spirit of sonhood. To the word “I loved” it is not added who exactly he loved, but it means: the God of all. For that which is most amiable in the proper sense is God, since by definition that which is most amiable is what everyone desires. And God is good, the first and most perfect of good. So, I loved God Himself and joyfully accepted suffering for Him. Some kind of suffering, the Prophet describes a little lower: “mortal illnesses, the troubles of hell, sorrow and illness” - all this seemed to him worthy of love for God and the hope of what is observed by those who have suffered suffering for piety. “I endured labors not against my will, not forcibly or under compulsion,” says the Prophet, but with some kind of love and disposition I endured the labors, which is why I can say: “For Your sake we are killed all day long” (Ps. 43:23). And it seems that this is equivalent to the apostolic word and is said with the same disposition with which the Apostle says: “Who will separate us from the love of God; Is it tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or trouble, or a sword” (Rom. 8:35)? So, I “loved” all this, knowing that I endure troubles for the sake of piety and have the Lord of all as my spectator and hero. “For the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer.” Likewise, each of us can fulfill the difficult things in the commandments when he opens his life to everyone, as if before an audience, before God. (2) “Incline Your ear to me.” The Prophet said “incline” not so that you would form some sensual concept about God, as if He has ears and inclines them because of a quiet voice, as we do, bringing your hearing closer to those who speak weakly, in order to closely understand what is being said. On the contrary, he said “incline” to show his own weakness, that is, to condescend out of love for me, lying on the ground, like a philanthropic doctor, inclining his ear to the patient, who from great exhaustion cannot speak clearly, recognizes the needs of the sufferer up close. So, “incline your ear to me.” God's hearing does not need a voice for sensation. God knows how to recognize what is asked by his movements. Or don’t you hear that Moses, who says nothing, but prays to the Lord in his unspeakable groanings, was heard by the Lord, and He said to Moses: “Why do you cry to Me” (Ex. 14:15)? God knows how to hear righteous blood, which has no tongue, no voice piercing the air. The manifestation of righteous deeds before the Lord is a great voice. “And in my days I will call.” We, having prayed for one day or one hour, and even then a little, having grieved over our sins, put aside care, as if we had already done something equal to our sinfulness. But the holy Prophet declares that he brings a confession commensurate with the entire time of his life. For he says: “In all my days I will call.” Then, so that you do not think that he called on God, because he was prosperous in this life and all his deeds were prosperous, he describes the greatness of the disasters in which he did not forget the name of God. For he says: (3) “Having come upon me with mortal illnesses, the troubles of hell have come upon me.” The word illness in the Prophet's proper sense refers to ordinary pain during pregnancy, when the womb, oppressed by a burden, encourages the carried fetus to come out, and then the reproductive members, bent and strained during pregnancy, with concussions and compression of the veins, cause the most acute pain and severe torment to those giving birth. He transferred this concept of diseases to mortal diseases that affect a living being during the separation of soul and body. I suffered, he says, not something quite tolerable, but I experienced even the most mortal illnesses and was brought to the danger of descending into hell. Did he endure this alone, which he boasts of, or did he often endure the same thing, but involuntarily, while what was forced does not deserve praise? But look at the generosity of the ascetic. When, he says, “mortal illnesses overwhelmed me” and “the troubles of hell found me,” then not only did I not fall under the weight of these temptations, but I even voluntarily exposed myself to much more numerous temptations, as if I had voluntarily invented sorrow and illness for myself, and not against my will they befell me. Above he said: “the troubles of hell have come upon me,” and here: “sorrow and illness have come upon me.” Since in troubles I found myself unrelenting despite all the obsessions of the tempter, then, in order to show the abundance of love for God, I added sorrow to sorrow and illness to illness, not in the hope of resisting the sorrowful with my own strength, but because I called on the name of the Lord. Similar to this is what the Apostle said: “In all these we overcome because we love them” (Rom. 8:37). The winner is the one who relentlessly endures what happens out of necessity; The winner is the one who spontaneously incurs illness as a proof of patience. Whoever has fallen into some mortal sin must say: “I have been overcome by mortal diseases,” for it is said: everyone who “commits sin of the devil” is born “to eat” (1 John 3:8). When I was a worker of sin, says David, and when death carried me in her womb, then I was overcome by the troubles of hell. How did I heal myself? Because I “gained the sorrow and sickness” of repentance; invented for himself the torment of repentance, commensurate with the severity of sin, and thus dared to call on the name of the Lord. What did I say? (4) “O Lord, deliver my soul,” I am held captive. Give me a ransom for me, “and redeem my soul.” "The Lord is merciful and righteous." Scripture everywhere connects truth with God’s mercy, teaching us that God’s mercy is not without judgment, and judgment is not without mercy. God, being merciful, with reasoning and measure shows mercy to the worthy, and judging, with mercy for our weakness, carries out judgment, punishing us more out of love for mankind, rather than for rewarding equals for equals. "And our God has mercy." Mercy is pain for the oppressed beyond the measure of their guilt, felt by the compassionate. We have mercy on those who have fallen from great wealth into extreme poverty, who have gone from strong physical health to extreme exhaustion, who formerly delighted in the beauty and freshness of their bodies and are then damaged by disfiguring diseases. Since we were once glorious in the paradise state, and because of the fall we became inglorious and humiliated, then “our God has mercy,” seeing what we were and what we have become. Therefore, He called on Adam with the voice of mercy, saying: “Adam, where are you” (Gen. 3:9)? For the Omniscient did not demand information, but wanted Adam to reflect on what he was and what he had become. “Where are you,” that is, what kind of fall did you undergo, being at such a height? (5) “God bless the little ones: humble yourself and be saved.” Whether we understand this in a natural sense, human nature could not exist if the children and infants themselves were not protected by the Lord. For how could they, carried in their mother’s womb, feed or have movement, spending their life in such a cramped room, not easy to handle, even in a dark and damp place, not being able to breathe or live a human life, but like fish swimming in the humidity, if God’s protection did not support them? Then, how could they continue life, even for a short time, after going to a place that was unusual for them, and having been cooled by the air after the warmth that was in their mother’s womb, if God had not saved them? So, “God bless the little children: humble yourself and save me.” Or you can understand these words this way: since I turned and became like a baby, accepted the Kingdom of Heaven like a child, and through gentleness brought myself to childish humility, then “God bless the little ones,” as soon as “humble yourself, save me.” (6) “Turn my soul to your rest, for the Lord has done good to you.” The good ascetic offers himself a word of consolation, saying like Paul: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my life, I have kept the faith; otherwise I will be kept a crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). The Prophet says the same thing to himself: since you have already gone through a sufficient course of this life, then “turn” at last “to your rest, for the Lord has done good to you.” For eternal rest awaits those who have labored lawfully in this life - a peace that is not rewarded according to the merits of works, but by the grace of the greatly gifted God, bestowed on those who trust in Him. Then, without even talking about the blessings there, but proclaiming how he was freed from worldly worries, he thanks for this the Liberator of souls, who delivered him from the varied and difficult slavery of passions. How is this possible? (7) “For my soul is taken away from death, my eyes from tears, and my nose from creeping.” Through comparison with the present state, it depicts future peace. Here, he says, “he took mortal illnesses upon me,” and there (God) “snatched my soul from death”; here the eyes shed tears from sorrow, but there are no longer tears that would darken the eyes of those rejoicing in the beauty of the glory of God, for “the Lord God has taken away every tear from every face” (Isa. 25:8); here there are many dangers of creeping, which is why Paul said: “Be sure to stand and be careful, lest you fall” (1 Cor. 10:12), but there the feet stand firmly, life is unchanging, there is no danger of being drawn into sin, because there is no carnal rebellion, nor the wife’s contribution to sin. In the resurrection there is neither male nor female, but there is some kind of single and uniform life for those who please their Master and for those living in the land of the living. This world itself is mortal, and serves as a dwelling for the dying. Since the composition of visible things is complex, and everything complex is usually destroyed, then we, who live in the world, as parts of the world, necessarily participate in the nature of the whole. Therefore, we humans die many times even before death separates the soul from the body. And don’t let what was said seem strange to you; on the contrary, delve into reality itself. Over the course of three weeks of years, a person usually experiences three changes and vicissitudes in age and lifestyle, and at the end of each week, a special limit encloses the past and clearly indicates the change. In the first week, childhood ends with tooth loss; the age of a youth capable of learning continues until adolescence; The young man, upon reaching his twenty-first year, as soon as his cheeks begin to be covered with the first down, disappears unnoticeably, changing from a young man to a husband. Therefore, when you see a husband in whom the gradual growth over the years has ceased, his reason has already become established and there is no trace of youth left, then don’t you conclude that the past has died in him? And again, the old man, having changed both in appearance and in his spiritual disposition, clearly becomes different from what he was before. Therefore, human life is usually filled with many deaths, not only during the transition from one age to another, but also during spiritual falls into sin. And where there is no physical or mental change, because neither the mind is mistaken, nor the disposition changes, and no circumstance disturbs the constancy and serenity of thoughts, there is a country of the truly living, always similar to themselves. In it, the Prophet promises to especially please the God of all, since nothing external will prevent him from fulfilling his intention to serve truly and equally honestly with the Angels. It is said: “For those who strive, even if” he remains in the body, “if he departs” from the body, “it pleases Him to be” (cf.: 2 Cor. 5:9). This is the country of the living: in it there is no night, no sleep - the image of death, no food, no drink - these reinforcements of our weakness, no illness, no suffering, no medicine, no courts of justice, no trade, no arts, no money - this beginning of evils, a pretext for warfare, the root of enmity. This is a country of the living, not dying by sin, but living the true life in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Discourse on Psalm 115 71 Faith, not proof 1. (1–2) I believed, I also spoke, and I greatly humbled myself. But in my frenzy, every man died a lie. Faith, as it should be understood about God’s words, is [precisely] faith, and not proof. Faith attracts the soul, apart from any logical methods [of proof], to [internal] consent [to worship of God]; faith is born not by logical evidence 72 [inferences], but by the actions of the Spirit. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk (Acts 3:6). And this voice is also followed by the work [done] through the Spirit. Those who saw this miracle were born with the necessary acceptance of faith in the Divinity of the Only Begotten. And what else [could be more] convincing for the [internal] agreement [of faith]? Tangles of external brilliance, consistent [logical] conclusions that automatically lead [to this agreement], or such a miracle, clearly visible and surpassing human strength? 73 But now this is not in honor, and they believe not in the works of the Spirit, about which the word of God speaks, but in skillful proofs based on worldly wisdom, and not in the revelation of the Spirit in power and evidence, which came through those who, in simplicity of heart, innocently believed God and became salvation for the sake of [the salvation of] many. But I should also believe worthily that I now speak five words with my mind to this great Church of God (1 Cor. 14:19). And let no one laugh at [our] speech, that without [any] investigation we encourage our listeners to believe in what we say. For it is imperative that in every science its beginnings are not subject to research for students, since for those who still argue about what lies at the beginning, it is impossible to go through a [certain] path and in order to the end [of a particular subject]. You should also learn this from external sciences. For if you do not agree with the first principles of geometry, then it is impossible to complete the subsequent ones. And the one who in arithmetic opposes himself to the original principles and elementary [concepts] deprives himself of the path to what follows from them further. In the same way, the beginnings of the medical art are unprovable. And in general, in whatever activity we follow a [clear] path and in order to the goal, [we will see that] it is impossible to present the first provisions in proofs, but it is necessary that the first principles of rational arts as consequences arising from hypotheses be accepted without investigation, but observe [already] what follows from them [further]. Likewise, the sacrament of theology seeks inner agreement from non-searching faith. For it is necessary that [one who comes to God] believe that He exists (Heb. 11:6), as [the apostle] says, and not argue about what He is [in Himself]. And in general, if faith is the substance of things hoped for and the assurance of things not seen (Heb. 11:1), then do not like to argue in order to see the rest of the great things that are put aside [for the future life], and do not question it because you have not yet been able to comprehend with your knowledge what you have believed. 2. Yet this [I said] is about faith for the sake of those who fight because of words and nourish hope in empty speeches. It seems to me that this psalm also contains a consistently developing thought. For it says there: I will please the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 115:9). Since this is not talking about the visible earth, as is clear and understandable, the reason here should be sought in the distinction of the implicit, saying “I believe that there is a land of the living,” which is why he said: I will please the Lord in it. In general, a soul that is going to speak without faith will chatter in vain without putting anything into the word. So, the beginning of the word of reason is faith, firmly established in the heart of the speaker. Then [the prophet David testifies to] how it is possible for us to achieve further perfection in faith, saying: I have greatly humbled myself. For whoever has not humbled his thoughts and says, imitating the Apostle: brethren, I do not consider myself to have attained (Eph. 3:13), but, harboring thoughts about comprehending the essence of God, trying with his own thought to measure the incomprehensible, and thinking that God is as much as his thoughts allow him to think, and that he has already comprehended, and in general, whoever makes his own mind the measure of things, does not reasoning that it is more likely to measure the entire sea with a small cup than to grasp the ineffable greatness of God with the human mind, he thoughtlessly swells with pride and exalts himself with the vanity of his mind and finds himself unable to say: I have faith, and the same words, because he cannot accept the following: I have greatly humbled myself, having bound myself with conceit and exaltation and being proud of empty words, but the power that occurs from faith without gaining. Then [the prophet] humbles not only himself, but also the entire common nature of humanity. I died in my frenzy, he says, every man is a lie. So the one who seeks support not in faith, but begins on his own to teach about God and dares to comprehend the truth [merely] by human strength, is a liar and falls much further from the truth. 3. This speech, as he says, burst into frenzy. What is frenzy? That is, examining human nature and examining whether there is any truth anywhere between people, and not finding it anywhere without God’s help, and amazed at this unexpected circumstance, [David] exclaims: every man is a lie. Or in that very frenzy with which he pretended to be in front of Achish, pretending to be epilepsy and madness (1 Samuel 21:10), after he realized that he needed to talk about himself, and depicted something that did not really happen in order to avoid danger from enemies, and then he said that every person is a lie, and if not resorting to lies out of free will, then, on the other hand, not for evil neighbors, but in any case for reasons [of the danger that threatened him]. For, contrary to reason, the prophet did not attack himself, as some sophists accused him, in order to convict him, but, on the contrary, they themselves fell under the accusation that they spoke against the prophet. For if every man is a liar, and [since] David is also a man, then it is clear that he is also a liar, and if he is a liar, then do not believe him that he is what he seems. But if [suppose] this word is not true and not every man is a liar, then let us leave to David the guilt of his lies. If he does not lie, then we will believe him in the way he himself appears to us, but having believed, we are again introduced to the need not to trust. So if David speaks the truth, then he frees his speech [from suspicion], since he is also a man and does not lie. If he lies, then of course you shouldn’t believe him, because who will believe someone who tells a lie? So when he once declared that every man is a liar, then let David also be a liar in order to believe his word, or if he speaks the truth, then remove the denial. But this is for those who play [with syllogisms] and for those who proudly delight in verbal expressions in the presence of infinite things, but the truth is not like this. For [here] we are talking about those people who are still possessed by human passions; the one who has already become above carnal passions and through the perfection of the mind has entered the angelic dispensation, when he speaks about what is characteristic of [ordinary] people, he obviously excludes himself from among the rest. For he who said: Azreh is God by nature and sons of all the Most High is not lying. You, like men, are dying (Ps. 82:6-7). [The words] Bozi naturally refer to who else if not David? For if the son of the Most High is one who, through virtue, has assimilated himself to God, then [such a person] no longer dies as a man, but lives, having God in himself. 4. I said in my frenzy: every man is a lie. Let those who mixed with the flesh through passions listen, but raised their minds to the super-worldly and killed their thoughts, and the elevation of their hearts became higher than God, and this is the common goal of all those who fight against piety. (3) What will I repay to the Lord for all who have repaid me? (4) I will accept the cup of salvation. Coming to our senses from the awareness of the [countless] multitude of gifts of God, [such as:] that He brought us from non-existence into existence, that, having created us from the earth, He honored us with reason, in which we can bear the image of the heavenly (1 Cor. 15:49); then, that, caring for the Economy [Salvation] of the entire human race, the Lord gave Himself as a ransom for us all, [however, he also] asks and seeks in all those who belong to Him, whether He will find something worthy of this gift of the Lord. What shall I render to the Lord? Neither sacrifice, nor the legal service of [Old Testament] worship of God, but my own life, and therefore he says: I will accept the cup of salvation - that is, suffering in the struggle for piety, in resisting sin even to the point of death, I think that this is the cup. The Savior Himself taught about this in the Gospel: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me (Matthew 26:39). And he said to his disciples: Can you drink the cup that I will drink? (Matthew 20:22), referring to the death that He accepted for the salvation of the world. Therefore, he says: I will accept the cup of salvation, that is, saying: “Thirsting, I come to complete my testimony, to calm my soul and body, accepting torment not for pleasure, but in the struggle for piety.” “I offer myself, he says, as a sacrifice and offering to the Lord, since I consider everything less than the dignity of the One who did good [to me]. And I am ready to give these proclamations from the witness to all the people. (5) I will offer my prayers [to the Lord] before all His people. And then encouragement to those listening so that they do not fear death: (6) The death of His saints is honorable before the Lord. [With this he seems to be] saying: “You people are participants in a wonderful competition, do not be timid before death, for this is not decay, but the beginning of life, not a complete disappearance, but a transition into glory.” It has become a custom among people who love wealth that some stones sparkling with multi-colored sparkle are called “honest” (precious). And truly the death of His saints is honorable before the Lord. If a soul that has led a pure life, free from carnal defilements, without spot or wrinkle, glorified in the struggle for piety and having won the crown of righteousness, sparkling with the beauty of many virtues, appears before the Lord and Judge of all, turns out to be even more sparkling with the radiance of grace, then how can the death of such a person not be honorable before the Lord? Therefore, let us not mourn the departure of venerable men from this world, but rather [let us experience this] as a birth and transition to another life. For entry into this world is ordained for us by the necessity of nature through the dishonor of uncleanness and stench through carnal birth. The exit and transition from here is honest and bright, but not for everyone, but for those who lived reverently and righteously in this life. Death is fair, but people's birth is not fair. It is sown in humiliation, it is raised in glory, it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption (1 Cor. 15:43, 42). So, compare death to birth and stop mourning those who have changed from dishonor [to glory]. So they did not die like Jews, becoming disgusting carrion, because for Christ, honorable death is the lot of His saints. Therefore [it was] said to the priests and Nazarites: touch its carrion, you will be unclean until the evening, and let you wash your clothes (Lev. 11:39, 40). Now, the one who touches the bones of the martyr also receives some communion of sanctification by that grace that dwells in the body [of the saint]. So, the death of His saints is honorable before the Lord. Therefore, do not prefer the most honorable to the dishonest, and do not be accomplices of the bad, preferring a corruptible life to an incorruptible and blessed state. Do not succumb to the passions of dishonor, to which many lovers of pleasure fall, which burn and enslave both the blessings of life and the greatness of the soul, dragging it to the service of the flesh. For where there is slavery, there is dishonor. So, one must avoid a life associated with dishonor. 5. I can’t do anything greater, he says, than to render myself to the Lord. For (7) I am Your servant and Your property, since in general everything created is a slave to its Creator, and a slave not only by will, but also by nature. For even in infancy, when the son of Your servant was still a child, the enemy deceived me and captured me, kidnapped me from Your slavery, and made me a slave of sin. But I will turn and resort to the original Master and recognize [again] the original slavery (i.e., serving God). You have torn apart my bonds. Since [You, Christ] delivered me from shackles by descending into hell, and having delivered me, freed humanity from death, bound and in the inevitable prisons of [hell], I therefore sacrifice to You neither artiodactyl quadrupeds chewing the cud, nor clean birds, or cakes cooked in oil, or glorious frankincense, or incense of this composition (for all this is offered from the earth to the Lord), but I have a special property and the product of my own heart, from which I will offer praise and praise, from my thoughts, as if from some kind of altar. (8) I will render to You a sacrifice of praise, which is preferable to You, the unapproachable and perfect God, than countless burnt offerings. [To you], who does not require bodily sacrifices, which the richer abound, but confession [coming] from an inner disposition and from a truthful heart, which is equally accessible to all who wish. (9) I will offer my prayers [to the Lord] before all His people. Offering You a sacrifice of praise, not as one who is ashamed, secretly and in a hidden place, avoiding the reproaches of the wicked, I will offer You a sacrifice, but I will offer You a certain sacrifice of all the people, making the whole people partakers of [this] worship. A place will be given to us for sacrifice in the middle, and even more famous than Jerusalem. Listen, you who are leaving the Church and fleeing to ordinary houses, pitiful fragments of the Honest Body [of the Church], that prayers should be offered in the midst of Jerusalem, that is, the Church of God. For not like in ancient worship, when everyone made an altar for themselves [where they wanted], but in a single and obvious place for everyone who wants to make a sacrifice. But you build an altar opposite the altar of your fathers and kindle strange fire on it (Lev. 10:1), not being admonished by the ancient example of people corrupt in mind, and becoming defiled along with them. Flee from imitation of such, you people of God, and do not separate yourself from part of those who are being saved, continuing in faith, perfecting yourself in the commandments of the Lord, to whom be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Listen to what David says in the psalm: (1) Behold, what is good, or what is good, but why should brethren live together? For he rejoiced not only over the successes of his neighbors, but also rejoiced over the well-being of others. Just as the Psalmist himself in another place expresses concern for those hurrying to worship: We rejoiced because of those who said to me: Let us go to the House of the Lord. Our feet are standing in your courts, Jerusalem (Ps. 122:1-2). [Therefore] seeing the fraternal meeting all together and enjoying the fraternal disposition, he cried out, saying this: behold, what is good, or what is good, but how can brethren live together? The reason that, according to God's commandment, gathers brothers to agreement and leads to unity, has in itself an irresistible good, and nothing [other] pleasant can separate from this good. For each of us who comes and tastes love for our neighbor comes to great heartfelt joy. Therefore, further he says sequentially: behold, what is good, or what is good, but should the brethren live together? (2) Like the ointment on the head that came down on the wedding, the wedding of Aaron. It is clear that the souls of the saints convey to us the incorporeal and spiritual help of grace, pouring out from heaven from the Savior onto the Church. (3) Like the dew of Aermon descending on the mountains of Zion. For just as the rain that falls on Mount Hermon gives it much splendor, so the intelligible rain that falls invisibly on the mountains of Zion gathers brothers from everywhere together, giving their souls a proportionate benefit. For the prophet Isaiah writes about such Divine rain, which is likened to the energies of the Holy Spirit: For the dew that comes from You is their healing (Is. 26:19). So, like the dew of Aermon descending on the mountains of Zion, like the commandment of the Lord, blessing and life forever. [That] the Lord often proclaimed and Moses said: The Lord your God will keep your covenant and mercy, as they swore by your father, and will love you, and bless you, and multiply you, and will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land (Deut. 7:12-13). And he adds, saying: belly up to a century. So, whatever is good or good, let the brethren live together as it was proclaimed to you: one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all (Eph. 4:5-6). Behold, whatever is good, or whatever is good, but the brethren must live together not only in a physical dwelling, but also in a holy and spiritual one. For [the Lord] says: My house shall be called a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13). But we, being enlightened [by the Spirit], are rewarded with this [very] peace. For Christ our Savior has anointed us all with His righteousness, through whom and with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and splendor forever and ever. Amen. See Gen 23:16; Acts 7:16. Hebrews 12:22–23. Synodal translation: But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem and ten thousand angels, to the triumphant council and church of the firstborn, written in heaven. Psalm 41:5. The text is quoted from the Septuagint. John 17:24. Synodal translation: Father! Those whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am. Isa 40:13. Synodal translation: Who has understood the spirit of the Lord? Isa 33:14. Text of the Septuagint. Synodal translation: Which of us can live in consuming fire? Right there. Text of the Septuagint. Deut 16:20. Synodal translation: Truth, seek truth. In Greek, the concepts of “truth, righteousness, justice” are expressed in one general word dikaiosЪnh. – Per. Ps 14:2,3. Synodal translation: ...speaks the truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue. Isa 53:9. Synodal translation: And there was no lie in His mouth. Ps 11:4. Synodal translation: The Lord will destroy all flattering lips. Ps 14:3. Synodal translation: Do not harm those who are sincere. Ps 14:3. Synodal translation: And does not accept reproach against his neighbor. Ps 14:4. Synodal translation: He in whose eyes the outcast is despised. Ps 127:1. Synodal translation: Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord. Ps 14:4. Synodal translation: He swears, even to an evil one, and does not change. See Matthew 5:28: Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 1 Cor 15:31. Synodal translation: I bear witness to this by your praise. Proverbs 19:17. Synodal translation: He who does good to the poor lends to the Lord. According to the Slavic translation: “in this body.” According to the Slavic translation: “your body.” According to Russian translation: “we played the pipe.” The translation of “Conversations on the Thirty-Seventh Psalm” and notes were made for this edition by P.K. Dobrotsvetov. – Ed. In the Synodal Translation: For the arrows of the Almighty are in me; their poison is drunk by my spirit - not entirely accurate; a translation option is also possible: “...my blood drinks their rage.” – Ed. In one of the manuscripts “vital” (βιωτικών). – Ed. That is, according to one of the surviving versions of the translation of the Old Testament into Greek. – Ed. Translation: reluctantly. – Ed. From Greek: “about those who want to change.” See: 1 Sam. 25, 3. According to the Slavic translation: “man is beast-like.” Τὸ πρόβλημα – question, task. So in the original. – /Ed./ Εξιλασμ – propitiatory sacrifice. In the text of the Seventy and St. Basil: ἄνους, similar to the word ἀνόητος (meaningless). In the Seventy and in the Slavic translation it reads: “positions are the essence.” In the Seventy and in the Slavic translation: “will enter.” In Slavic translation: “our own”. The translation of “Discourses on Psalms One Hundred and Fifteenth and One Hundred and Thirty-Second” and notes were made for this edition by P. K. Dobrotsvetov. Ed. Lit.: geometric necessity. Ed. Wed: St. Athanasius the Great. Life of St. Antonia, 74. – Ed. You might be interested in: