Explanation of Psalm LXVII

Contents Inscription Origin Contents Location I II III IV 1. Finally, a psalm of songs to David. 1. To the rector of St. David's, a psalm of song. The inscription shows: a) the purpose, b) the writer, c) the special type of psalm. a) The Hebrew word מנצח (menaceach) comes from נצח, which means continuity, continuation, tension. Why did 70 interpreters, not without reason, put למנצח lamnatzeah at the end, which should mean: a psalm designated for indispensable preservation and important use for long periods of time. However, the newest interpreters, relying on the same word production מנצח, translate to the abbot, which will mean: a psalm assigned to the abbot, or the chief of singers, for storage and use during worship. b) The psalm is inscribed, according to a strict translation from the Hebrew, to David. Some give this expression special significance and believe that it means not just a psalm written by David, but a Psalm to David, inspired by the Holy Spirit. c) Psalm of song, according to St. Chrysostom, there is a kind of psalm in which the song sung in the voice and tongue of man is followed by a psalm performed with the sound of musical instruments 1. Some thought to explain the origin of this psalm by the victory of Hezekiah over the Assyrians. (See Commentary on the Psalter.) But this incident does not contain sufficient grounds for making David the singer of Hezekiah. Others revered this psalm as a song of victory over the Philistines (Clarius inter crit. Sacros 2). But even this opinion from the entire psalm is favored by one name of the evangelists (Ps. 67:12). See: 1 Samuel 18:6,7. The opinion that this psalm refers to the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt agrees better than others with its content (Ps. 67:8,9). (Grotius 3 inter cr. Sacr.). This, however, does not prevent us from looking for a special case by which the spirit of the Divine hymnist was drawn to this subject. The transfer of the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem with psalmody is believed to be such a case, not without reason (2 Samuel 6:5,14). (See Interpretation of the Psalter.) This conjecture is based on the fact that the present psalm begins with the exclamation that Moses used when erecting the ark (Num. 10:34). The general content of this psalm is the glorification of the victorious and saving Kingdom of God, which is depicted in it partly historically, partly prophetically. In this last respect, its special subject is the exaltation (Exaltatio) of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul explained this (Eph. 4:7-10). For easier viewing, the composition of the psalm can be divided into four main parts. I) Introduction, in which the occasion and the beginning of real prophetic rapture are revealed - the feeling of the presence of God with his actions (2-4). II) Proposal. It is a call to singing and rejoicing before God (5). III) Presentation. Here the prophet presents a sample of the song he called for singing. He sings of the past and future miracles of the Kingdom of Christ, prays against his enemies and triumphs over their overthrow (6–32). IV) Conclusion, in which he again calls upon entire kingdoms to sing and glorify God (33-36). 2. May God rise again, and may His enemies be scattered, and may those who hate Him flee from His presence. 2. God will arise and His enemies will be scattered, those who hate Him will flee from before His presence. In the translation of the Seventy, this speech is pronounced as a desire and a prayer, but by the strength of the Hebrew text it can be accepted in a more extensive and universal sense as a legend. Her full mind is this: “Just as Moses, when raising the ark of the Lord, said: Arise Jehovah, and Your enemies will scatter, and those who hate You will flee from Your presence, so we (says David to the Church of Judah and Israel), lifting up the same ark of the Lord, confess the beneficial power of the presence of God in the Church. When God arises, comes out of the rest of His eternity and reveals His presence and all-pervading power in time, in the chosen council of His true worshipers on earth, then the enemies of His power, who were gathering together against the Lord and against His Christ (Ps. 2:2), in order to destroy their Kingdom, will be divided both in intentions and in strength - they will be scattered; then those who hate His truth, to whom the word of His Kingdom seems foolishness, will not be able to bear His light, which convicts them, and will flee from His presence.” Although in this way God rose up and appeared in many parts and in many ways; However, the most important and most solemn uprising, typified by the erection of the ark, is when the ark of the Divine humanity of Jesus Christ, together with the veil of flesh (Heb. 10:20), taken up from the earth, preceded us to the heavenly Jerusalem, and at the same time the enemies of the Kingdom of Christ and those who hated His teaching, starting from the guards of His tomb, were squandered. 3. As smoke disappears, let them disappear, as wax melts from the face of fire, so let sinners perish from the face of God. 3. As smoke dissipates, you will scatter them. Just as wax melts in the presence of fire, sinners will perish in the presence of God. Here David himself continues Moses’ image of the victorious presence of God. To the enemies who hate God, he adds a third kind of people, overthrown by His presence - sinners who, although they do not rebel against the Kingdom of Jesus Christ by force and do not reject His teachings in thought, do not follow Him in their activity, are puffed up with the pride of life and cling to the world in their hearts. By the likeness of smoke and wax, the prophet depicts both their properties and their fate. Like smoke, their pride darkens them, like wax, their passions embrace the corruptible. Like smoke, their pride the more it ascends, the more insignificant it becomes, like wax, their addictions feed the fire of God’s wrath for their consumption. 4. And let the righteous rejoice, let them rejoice before God, let them enjoy themselves in joy. 4. But the righteous will rejoice, and will leap before the face of God and enjoy themselves with joy. The first action of the omnipotent presence of God, revealed in the overthrow of opposing forces, is followed by the second - the admiration and bliss of the sons of the kingdom, to whom, in fact, God's presence extends. They rejoice - in faith, acquiring through it the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, they gallop - in deeds of love, they enjoy - in the hope of glory. 5. Sing to God, sing to His name, make way for him who ascended to the west, the Lord is His name, and rejoice before Him. 5. Sing to God; jingle His name; make a way for him who walks through the deserts, His name is in Jaga; and leap before Him. Two words in this speech produce disagreement in translations: ץבבוה and יה. The first of them, according to the translation of the Seventy West, according to Aquila and Symmachus, means την αοικητον uninhabited country, which is in accordance with the use of this word in many places of Holy Scripture: Job.24:5; 29:6; Isa.33:9; 40:3; Jeremiah 50:12. But the Jews, like Kimkhias, understand by this the highest circle of heaven or what the Apostle Paul calls απροσιτον (1 Tim. 6:16). The word יה is considered by some to be an abbreviation of the name יהוה, but this guess is cast in doubt by the fact that these names are sometimes used both together (Is. 12:2; 26:4). For this reason, others believe that יה actually means beauty, from יאה (Jer. 10:7). The Prophet calls the Church to sing and jingle. Just as there is a difference between singing and external jingling, that the first is accomplished by the simpler and more immediate action of the singer, and the second represents more complexity, variety and mediating instruments, then in the internal and spiritual understanding, according to some (Breviar[ium] in Psal[mos] in Opp[eribus] Hieronym[i] – Evs[ebii] Caes[ariensis] Comm[entarium] in Psalmos 4, singing signifies contemplation, and rattling signifies activity, and both together constitute the glorification of God in bodies and souls. Next, the prophet commands to create a path, that is, to arrange and decorate the path of one walking through the deserts. In adapting the present psalm to a certain special case, this appeal can have this specific meaning: “Just as for the solemn procession of victors or rulers they level and prepare the way, so may the churches of Judah and Israel, with reverence and spiritual joy, arrange and decorate the way for Him who sits on the cherubim (1 Sam. 4:4; Ps. 79:2; 98:1) the ark, and in this sign of His presence, like in a chariot, starting from the wilderness Sinai, victoriously and solemnly marching to the chosen place of his settlement, Jerusalem.” But a more extensive and higher sign can be given to this proclamation of David if we compare it with a similar proclamation of Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3), which is explained in the New Testament (Matthew 3:2,3). For this reason, preparing the way for God is repentance and conversion, and the procession of God through the deserts is the same as the approach of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, through the procession to the west or through the deserts, Eusebius understands the incarnation, others - the death of Jesus Christ, others - the continuation and spread of the Church in the world, its passage from people to people, from Jews to pagans, from eastern to western countries (Breviar[ium] in Psal[mos] - Comm[entarium] Tyrin 5). Some words in Jaga unite His name into one mind with the previous ones: walking through the deserts in Jaga, that is, in the splendor of His name. But the Seventy Interpreters and Symmachus give them their own full reason: “The one whose celebration the Church is called upon to decorate is Jah, by his very name the God of splendor.” “And before this God,” adds the prophet, “in the feeling of His gracious presence, believers and lovers leap, putting aside worldly cares and slavish fear.” 6. Let them be troubled at His presence, the Father of the orphans and the Judge of widows: God is in His holy place. 7. God brings like-minded people into the house, destroying those who are bound by courage, and those who live in tombs are also grieving. 6. Father of the orphans and judge of widows, God is in His holy habitation. 7. God dwells the lonely in the house, and wears out the prisoners in chains: while the Troublers dwell in the waterless. Having called the Church to a solemn doxology, David now begins this doxology with his own song and sings, first of all, the generally comforting properties and actions of God for distressed humanity - a good and righteous providence, and a gracious look. God is the Father of the orphans: not only those who by fate are deprived of earthly parents, but also, and most importantly, those who themselves do not call themselves a father on earth (Matthew 23:9), in order to assimilate for themselves the Father who is in heaven, the Spiritual Father. I will not leave you orphans (John 14:18), says the only begotten Son of the heavenly Father. God is the Judge of widows: He gives protection to the defenseless and nourishers for the childless, but especially the widowed and childless Church betroths to Himself forever, and promises many empty children rather than those who have a husband (Is. 54:1-8). For the prophet sees him as such, not in the world, in this adulterous and sinful generation, but in the dwelling of His holiness - in the Church and in the soul of the believer. God brings the lonely into the home: those who, seeking Him, despised everything and became lonely and poor with David (Ps. 24:16). God raises the saints to fellowship in grace and glory (see: Mark 10:29,30). God brings those imprisoned into chains: both by good providence delivering the innocently afflicted, and by gracious looking, resolving sinners bound by Satan (Luke 13:16), and by opening to those who keep His word the doors to the spread of the Gospel (Apoc. 3:8), and from all evils, temporal and eternal, redeeming those who confess their weakness before Him (see: Ps.106:10-14). But since, despite the great wealth of goodness and mercy revealed by God, His Kingdom has its troublemakers, then in order to preserve this Kingdom they are given over to justice, expelled from the house of God and thrown into a waterless country - in a world where they will continue to hunger and thirst, not seeing help from either heaven or earth, until they turn to God, the source of living water. David, as a warning, points Israel to this disaster: Isaiah predicts this decisively (see: Is. 8:21,22), and by the event that Israel’s indignation is condemned, God’s justice is justified. 8. God, you never go before your people, you never pass by in the desert, 9 . The earth shook, for the heavens were destroyed from the presence of the God of Sinai, from the presence of the God of Israel. 8. God! when You went out before Your people; when You walked in the desert: (Sela) 9. The earth trembled and the heavens melted at the presence of God, this Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel. In this second section of David’s doxology, the miracles of God that took place in bringing the Jews out of Egypt and in sending down the law are glorified. The words depicting these miracles are taken from the song of Deborah and Barak (see: Judges 5:4,5). The middle of this speech is interrupted in the Hebrew text by the word םלה village, which interpreters translate and explain very differently: a) Seventy interpreters: διάψαλμα. But in the book of Habakkuk they also translate εις τέλος (Hab.3:9); b) Chaldean and Syrian interpreters: forever; c) Aben-Ezra: her or the same as Amen; d) from the newest Ravanella: a sign of raising the voice, and at the same time an exclamation of tension and attention (Bibl[iotheca] Sacra); e) Luther and Calovius: a musical sign of silence; f) Slavic text in Avvakum’s prayer: Lord. The image of the creature, brought into extraordinary motion by the appearance of the Divine in a pillar of fire and cloud, seems to be taken from the image of a person when he, being struck by some great accident, is overwhelmed with awe. Often in this case, the upper parts of the body are covered with sweat, and a shudder is felt in the lower parts. So, during the miraculous procession of God before the people of Israel, the earth shuddered, revealing dry land into the sea and water into the rock, the sky dripped manna like sweat, and most of all, Sinai trembled and melted when the God of gods and nature appeared as the God of Israel. 10. The rain is free to separate, O God, to Your inheritance and exhaustion, but You have accomplished it. 11. Thy animals live on it: Thou hast prepared with Thy goodness for the poor, O God. 10. You will shed (generous) rain of blessings, O God, for Your delight, and You have corrected the dejected. 11. Your animals will dwell in it: You will provide according to Your goodness for the poor, O God. The third part of David's doxology: God is glorified for giving His people the promised land. “You have given,” the prophet calls to God, “to Israel, whom you chose above all languages ​​(Deut. 7:6) and through this you have made, as it were, Your inheritance (Deut. 9:29), such a land that, although it lies on the mountains and does not have great rivers, nevertheless, according to Your providence, is generously watered with rain (Deut. 11:11,12).” “No matter how depressed the people of Israel were during their wanderings in the wilderness, having brought them into this land, You caused them to soon multiply, become stronger, and become rich.” “His land is filled with flocks, for which You provide food therein, and which You give to him for food.” “According to Your goodness, You have prepared from it the needs of the poor: for You have given an abundance of fruits, and the law to leave the poor remains in the fields and in the vineyards and to provide them with all the native fruit of the seventh year.” By the name of inheritance, Eusebius here means the own inheritance of the Son of God (see: Ps. 2:7,8), that is, the true Church; under the name of free rain - the word of the Gospel, which is opposite to the slavery of the law and with which the Son of God descends to earth not in the horrors of Sinai, but like quiet rain on the fleece (Ps. 72:6); under the name of animals - souls living a life that exists in God, or, in the words of Isaiah, enjoying His glory from animals (vital essence) (Is. 66:11); under the name of the poor is the humanity of Jesus Christ, who is rich for our poverty, so that through His poverty we may be rich (2 Cor. 8:9). But just as the first explanation reveals more order and union in the parts of the prophetic song, the latter seems more like a transformative adaptation of the text than its essential presentation. 12. The Lord will give the word to those who preach the gospel with much power. 13. King of the beloved's powers, share the home's self-interest with beauty. 12. The Lord will give the verb. The evangelists are like a great army. 13. The kings of armies will flee and flee: and she who dwells in the house will divide the spoil. The fourth part of David’s doxology: joy over the victories given by God to the people of Israel. The speech of the hymnist, rapid and short, and therefore difficult to understand, must be explained through the concept of evangelists, which the history of the Jews gives about them. It is very likely that this name means a gathering of wives and virgins, who, according to the custom of the Jews, marched in victorious celebrations with singing and rejoicing and thus were the harbingers of national glory and joy (see: Ex. 15:20; Judges 5:11; 11:34. 1 Samuel 18: 6,7; Ps. 67: 25, 26). From this concept the following reason is revealed in the words of the singer: “Having brought Israel into the Promised Land and established Israel on it, the Lord from time to time gives new occasions for preaching His miracles.” “The wars of the people of Israel are so blessedly accompanied by successes, their victorious triumphs are so magnificent that the hosts of wives, when they meet and glorify the victors in solemn processions, are likened to entire armies.” “These evangelists sing: Kings with the armies of entire kingdoms are swiftly fleeing from the face of Israel, the spoils of the victors are so great that even wives who have not left their homes are given plots.” And here some, by the name of evangelists, mean the evangelists of the Gospel, by the name of power - the gifts of the Holy Spirit (see: Acts 1:18), by the image of a woman dividing the spoils of battle - the Church, which, being enclosed in itself, constantly acquires new spoils from its enemies, visible and invisible, through the conversion of sinners. This explanation has the dignity of church tradition (see the rite of the liturgy before the Gospel 6): however, it can be more conveniently accepted as secondary and transformative than as original and literal. 14. If you sleep in the middle of the border, the dove’s wing is covered with silver, and its space is in the glitter of gold. 15. The heavenly kings will always separate from each other, and they will snow in Selmon. 16. The mountain of God, the fat mountain, the strewn mountain, the fat mountain. 17. How do you feel the strewn mountains? The mountain where God is pleased to live: for the Lord will dwell to the end. 14. If you lie down in the midst of the horsemen, you will be like the wing of a dove covered with silver, whose feathers are yellowed with gold. 15. When the Almighty will scatter kings in this inheritance: it will snow in Selmon. 16. Mountain of God, Mount Bashan, Mount of Ridges, Mount Bashan. 17. What are you looking at, mountains, ridges? This is the mountain in which God desired to dwell, Jehovah will dwell to the end. Fifth section of David's doxology. Here he moves from the past miracles of God to the future and proclaims the unparalleled care of God for the Church and the continuous presence of God in it until the end of the world. For a thorough presentation of the speech, filled with the admiration characteristic of the chanter and therefore quite mysterious, some words first require special consideration. שפחום The seventy interpreters, of course, took it as one with the word משפחים (Gen.49:14) and therefore gave it the meaning of limits. But in Ezekiel the word שפח means to instruct the konob [7] (Ezek.24:3), and שפחום – two rows of stones on which the konob is instructed (see: Ezek.40:43). יונה usually means dove. Tirin thinks that the dove is a symbol of the Babylonian kingdom, adopted in memory of Semiramis, and in this sign he takes the word יונה from Jeremiah (see: Jer. 25:38; 46:16; 50:16). But according to others, in these places it means embittered, as in Zephaniah (Zephaniah 3:1). כצלמון Theodotion offers: In the shadows, but most interpreters take this name for the proper name of Mount Selmon, which lies in the middle of the Promised Land, near Shechem (Judges 9:48). Aben Ezra describes it as white with snow and overshadowed by trees. Bashan is a country lying on the eastern side of the Jordan, conquered by the Jews from King Og (see: Num. 21:33,35), rich in cattle breeding (see: Num. 32:5,33), which is why the strong lands are called the youths of Bashan (Ps. 21:13,14). ןבנכים Seventy interpreters confused with the word ןבינח, which means: cheese (Job.10:10). According to the newest ones, the first means: Ridges. From the different understanding of these more or less important words for the whole speech, various interpretations arose, a comparison of which can serve as confirmation of a better opinion. Interpretation following the example of Eusebius and other ancients: “If you rest within the boundaries of the two testaments, the Old and the New, then you will find the krill of the dove, that is, the words of the Holy Spirit opening to God, which in a simple literal sense are covered with silver (Is. 11: 7), and in the purest innermost understanding are revealed in the yellowing of gold. When the Heavenly King shares these dove wings with the earthly participants in His Kingdom, the prophets, apostles and disciples, then they themselves appear as white as the snow on the top of Mount Selmon. The Church of Christ is likened to this mountain. She is the mountain of God, according to the presence of God, a mountain rich with pastures for the verbal sheep, a mountain strewn with the healthy fruits of their strength and activity, a mountain fat as the land of Bashan. Why are you thinking of finding many mountains covered with water? Why do you Jews want to exalt Moses before Christ? Why do you, heresy leaders, think about creating many churches? There is one mountain in which God desires to dwell (Is. 2:2,3; 2 Cor. 6:6), and there is one Head of this mountain, in which the Divinity will live forever (Col. 1:18).” Interpretation as suggested by Tirin: “If you are children of the now victorious Church and once lie down in the midst of alien borders, and become like the wings of a dove covered with silver and yellowing with golden feathers, that is, you will be subjects of the rich and magnificent kingdom of Semiramis, but when the Almighty scatters kings over this kingdom, when he judges the kings of Babylon and delivers their kingdom to the kings of Persia, then you appear like snow on gloomy Selmon, lifted up from the darkness of captivity, clean from pagan filth, bright with the joy of deliverance, Mount Zion will again be the mountain of God, and so on.” Interpretation according to the signs of the Hebrew words, the most proven, and according to the mutual understanding of the parts of the prophetic song, in which, without a doubt, there must be some order of thoughts: “Not only visible prosperity and acquired victories over external enemies should excite Israel to glorify God, but also external temptations and victories over invisible enemies. Not only gratitude for the past miracles done by God for the Church should be the subject of praise, but also faith in its future and constant preservation, establishment, and dissemination. If there ever comes a time when you, children of the victorious and triumphant Israel now, recline in the midst of the cavalry pits or crucibles, when you are cast into the fire of temptation, although disaster and sorrow darken your image and make you like the servants of the horsemen, sleeping in ashes and coals, but even then, from all the evils surrounding you, from the captivity of Babylon, from the flight of Egypt, from the persecution of Syria, You will finally fly away in purity and splendor, like a krill dove covered with silver and whose feathers are yellowed with gold. When the Almighty scatters kings in his inheritance, when he scatters and rejects the kings of Judah and Israel, like a seed that bears no fruit, when he scatters and crushes the pagan kings who suppress his inheritance, when he finally creates in him kings and priests (Apoc. 1:6) from fishermen and tax collectors, then you will appear, O Church, above earthly storms and darkness, in the heavenly purity and beauty inviolable, like snow on the top of gloomy Selmon. You will appear again as the highest mountain or God’s own, you will appear both as Selmon because of your majestic height, and as Bashan because of the abundance and strength of those living in you, you will appear composed of many mountain ranges, from many kingdoms of the world, you will appear as the Mount of Bashan, for your borders will stretch beyond the Jordan, so that a new Zion will be erected within the boundaries of paganism.” “So why do you look upon this mountain of the Lord with envy and malice, you mountains of ranges, great and powerful powers? (see: Jer.51:24,25). The Church, despite its passage from country to country, is the only mountain in the whole world in which God wished to dwell, and Jehovah, God the Existence of things that do not exist, revealed on Mount Horeb and Sinai and coming to reign on Mount Zion, will dwell on the mysterious mountain of His Church until the end of the world, preserving it, establishing it, spreading it despite all the hostile efforts being made to destroy it.” 18. The chariot of God is in darkness, a thousand gob-hunters, the Lord is in them in Sinai in the holy. 19. Thou hast ascended to the heights, thou hast taken captivity captive, thou hast accepted gifts from men, for those who do not repent will dwell. 18. There are two thousand chariots of God, aggravating thousands. The Lord is in them. Sinai in the Holy Place. 19. You have ascended on high; captivated by captivity; received gifts in men; and even took captive those who resisted the dwelling of Jehovah God in them. The sixth section of David's doxology is the focus of the entire song: the glorification of the victorious and reigning Messiah. Having said that the Church, despite all the efforts of envy and malice, will remain the eternal and only blessed village of the Divine, the prophet seems to be looking for the inhabitant and ruler of this village, and finds him, and talks with him. “I see,” he says, “on the mountain of God two, or even many thousands of chariots of God, angels serving Him (Dan. 7:10), sent for those who want to inherit salvation [Heb. 1:14], ready to fight the Church militant on earth against the spirits of wickedness in high places.” “After them follow thousands that aggravate or constitute the second army, the Church’s own earthly and heavenly army” (Rev. 19:11–12). “The Lord is in them: He himself is the commander of these armies.” “The sanctuary of His presence is so vast that Sinai with all its wonders appears there as part of its adornment.” Having thus presented the entire Church as a single sanctuary or church, placed among the armies of the Messiah, the prophet turns to him himself and, in contemplation of the future, exclaims: “You are no longer in Sinai, below in Zion: you have ascended on high, into heaven, which is Your throne” (Is. 66:1). “Thou hast taken captivity captive, and in the blood of Thy covenant hast sent forth the prisoners of hell (Zechariah 9:11); You have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit to distribute them among men” (Acts 2:33). This is how the Apostle expounds the word לקחה (to give) (Eph.4:8; in accordance with its use among the Hebrews. See: Gen.48:9). “By distributing these rich gifts You finally captivate those who resisted the God of splendor dwelling in them.” This event is depicted by the Apostle Paul (see: Rom.9-11). 20. Blessed be the Lord God, blessed be the Lord day by day; God will hasten our salvation. 21. Our God is the God of salvation, and the Lord’s, the Lord’s departure from death. 20. Blessed be the Lord. From day to day he bestows upon us new gifts. God the Mighty is our salvation. (Sela). 21. Our mighty God, the mighty God of salvation: and Jehovah the Lord from the source of death. The seventh section of David’s doxology is the conclusion of the previous one: thanksgiving to the God of the Messiah for the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and for the victory over death. “Blessed be the Lord: all reflections on the miracles of God in the Church should naturally end with thanksgiving and admiration.” “From day to day he lays on us: once he laid the heavy yoke of the law, but from day to day he lays on the good and easy yoke of the Gospel and those gifts that the incarnate Son of God received from the Father for men.” “Mighty God is our salvation: the distribution of these gifts has no other end than the communication of the power of God to weak creatures to achieve bliss.” “Our mighty God: to impart to us saving power, God made Himself available to us through the incarnation.” “Mighty God for salvation: aggravation of this thought and word: salvation not only depicts the immutability of salvation, but also in some divinatory way points to the very name of the Savior - Jesus.” “Jehovah the Lord is the source of death: the salvation He bestows relates not only to temporary prosperity, but even more to eternal life. He has the keys of hell and death" (Apoc. 1:18). 22. Otherwise, God will crush the heads of His enemies, the top of the powers that pass away in their sins. 23. The Lord said: I will convert from Bashan, I will convert in the depths of the sea. 24. For let Thy foot be dipped in blood, and let Thy dog's tongue be kept from him by the enemy. 22. Only God will trample the head of His enemies, the hairy one who stretches out in his sins. 23. The Lord said: I will bring you back from Bashan, I will bring you back from the depths of the sea. 24. May You deepen Your foot in blood, O tongue of Your dogs, from your enemies, from your hairy top. Eighth section of David's doxology: judgment over paganism and victory of the Church. The hairy top means either a beastly man, or the head of a large people, like Moses (see: Deut. 32:42). Bashan, the strongest of the pagan kingdoms that opposed the Jews on the way to the Promised Land (see: Deut. 3: 1–5), may in the present case mean paganism in relation to its power, or, due to its position on the eastern border of the Promised Land, eastern paganism. The sea signifies the peoples of the west and islands, or peoples in general in relation to their numbers, as in the Apocalypse (see: Apoc. 12:12; 17:15). Bloodshed sometimes means victory over flesh and blood, which in spiritual warfare is acquired by the Blood of the Lamb of Christ. This is how the victory of Jesus Christ himself, acquired through His suffering, is depicted in Isaiah (see: Is.63:1–6). Based on these observations, the meaning of the prophetic words is revealed as follows: “Although the goal and spirit of the Messiah’s dominion is the salvation of people from death and the captivity of the troublemakers themselves into the obedience of faith, since His Church will always have enemies, He will always have the need to overthrow them, trample them and scatter them.” “God will especially not spare the high-haired one - the strong man of the earth, who, as the head of his hair, shakes the peoples under his control, who has the time of God’s long-suffering and does not turn to use his power to spread piety, but immediately extends further in his sins, and comes to the depths of evil.” “The Lord of the rivers in His predestination: even if My Church was attacked and oppressed by such a strong enemy as the kingdom of Bashan, or scattered throughout the east, I will deliver her and return her from Bashan, even if she completely and irrevocably seemed mired in a sea of ​​tongues and scattered from east to west, I will gather her and bring her back from the depths of the sea” (see: Is. 11: 11.12 ). “Truly, Lord,” the prophet answers the voice of predestination, “the victory of Thy and Thy Church over paganism will be so great, so decisive, so humiliating for Thy enemies that it is difficult to depict it with the greatness worthy of it. In order to imagine it in sensual images, we can say that when you make Your enemies your footstool (Ps. 109:1), Your foot will be deep in their blood, and the tongue of Your dogs will lick it, especially the blood of that head of Your enemies.” 25. Thy processions, O God, have been seen, the processions of my God the King, who is in the holy world. 26. Preceding the princes near the singers, in the midst of the tympanic virgins. 27. In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountain of Israel. 28. There, the youngest Benjamin is in horror, the princes of Judah and their rulers, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. 25. We have seen Your processions, O God, the processions of my mighty God, my King in the holy. 26. The singers preceded, then the jingles, in the middle was the maiden tympanica. 27. In the churches bless God, the Lord from the fountain of Israel. 28. There is Benjamin the little, the owner of them, the princes of Judah, their purple, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. Ninth section of David's doxology. The closest sign of this speech is the image of the procession of the ark in the form of a victorious triumph. But as from the previous sections of the song it is clearly clear that the prophet’s thought was focused on the future events of the kingdom of Christ, so as not to interrupt the order of his contemplation, here too we must add fortune-telling and internal to the external and open meaning of the words. “Victory must be followed by victorious triumph: it will also follow the victory of the Messiah and the Church.” “Those who have the open eye of faith can see it before the final and general event in particular plans and transformations. They see your processions, O God, similar to the way you walk now, O mighty God, protector of the people of Israel and the King of their king, appearing to them in your holy ark: and they think about that victorious and solemn procession of yours, how you will come and your expected kingdom will come with you - the kingdom of grace, peace and holiness. “In a real solemn procession, singers precede the crowd of people, then the jinglers appear; In the midst of these two choirs of marching maidens march, beating tympanums. So once upon a time, after the victory of Michael and his Angels (Apoc. 12:7), in the triumph of Christ and the Church, first a great voice will be heard speaking (Apoc. 12:10–12), then the thunderous song of the virgins (Apoc. 14:2–4), after the Mosaic song of those who have the harp of God (Apoc. 15:2–4). “Look, all of you, at this image, and not just each one on your own, but bless God as a whole, churches or councils: bless you, who came from the source of Israel (Isa. 48:1; 51:1), and bless the Lord, who is pleased to come from the source of Israel” (see: Rom. 1: 2-4). “Here Benjamin is small in time of birth and in the number of his tribe (see Judges 21:3; 1 Samuel 9:21), but the owner of Israel in the person of Saul, here are the princes of Judah, from whom the whole purple-bearing clan originates, here are the princes of Zebulun and the princes of Naphtali, the smaller and most distant tribes of Israel: for here are all the tribes of Israel. Likewise, there - at the coming of the Messiah - he himself will appear as the Porphyrogenitus of the tribe of Judah, most of the first princes of His mysterious kingdom will come from the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali, and one lesser by the name of his election - from Benjamin (Apostle Paul 8)." 29. Commandment, O God, by Thy power, strengthen this which Thou hast done in us. 30. Kings will bring you gifts from your temple in Jerusalem. 31. Forbid the beast of reed: the host of youths among the youths of men, who shut up the temptations of silver: scatter the tongues of those who want to abuse. 32. Women of prayer will come from Egypt: Ethiopia will advance her hand to God. 29. Your God commanded you to be strong. God strengthen what You have done for us. 30. From Your church throughout Jerusalem, kings will bring You a gift. 31. Refuse the beast of reeds, the host of bulls in the youths of the peoples, who strews the rubble of silver. Scatter the nations that desire war. 32. The nobles will come from Egypt. Ethiopia will speed up its journey to God. The tenth and last section of David's doxology: prayer for the Church and against her enemies. The prayer is addressed to God, whom His God commanded to be strengthened, that is, to the God-man Messiah. David repeatedly concludes the mystery of the incarnation in similar expressions (Ps. 44:8; 109:1). The subject of the prayer, apparently, is limited to the Jewish Church, but if it (the prayer - Comp.) should be a consequence of the raptures described in the previous parts of the psalm, then its hidden meaning should extend further and embrace the entire Church Ecumenical. The first part of the prayer asks for the internal affirmation of the Church. “Since God, Your Father, commanded and ordained in Your destinies that You, O God incarnate, would strengthen or even more strengthen Your dominion, the Church, then strengthen in us what You have done for us, prolong the miraculous preservation of Your Church, the creation in it of Your new creation, the communion of Your merits and the peace and joy You have given in the Holy Spirit. We have no right to these benefits, but you preserve and complete your own work.” Following this prayer, the prophet reveals a premonition of the event of his prayer, spreading to the entire Church. “When You, O God incarnate, strengthen Your work on earth, then starting from the church, which is the place of Your mysterious presence (see Rev. 21:22) throughout Jerusalem - throughout the entire space of Your Church, which is the highest Jerusalem (Gal. 4:26), not just any people or king, like the Jews, but many nations and kings will bring You a gift, or tribute of obedience and service to Your kingdom.” The second part of the prayer asks for the Church to be brought to safety from enemies. The beast of the reed means either a beast living in the reeds, wild and unclean, or the beast of Egypt, since the reed is a product primarily of Egypt (see: Is.19:6) and a symbol of Egypt (see: Is.36:6; Ezek.29:6,7), or an enemy armed with an arrow or a spear made from a reed. Be that as it may, the prophet reveals the general meaning of his riddle: he says clearly that we are talking about peoples who want to fight. The details could not and should not have been clear for his time, and perhaps had not yet been revealed by the final event. “Refuse the reed to the beast, that is, restrain, exalt the desire of the enemies, like beasts (Ps. 73:19; 79:14) attacking Your inheritance and once having to unite all their forces under the image of two beasts from the sea and from the earth (Apoc. 13:1-11). Pretend the host of calves, that is, the host of strong ones, who appear among the nations like strong calves among young youths. Destroy this evil host, which, in order to appear as Thy true Church, like a silver dove (see: Ps. 67:14), showers itself with the abrasion of 9 silver, adorning itself with feigned purity, in the Word: scatter the nations who desire war and disturb the peace of Thy blessed kingdom.” Having finished the prayer, the prophet again sees its event and glorious consequences. “The nobles will come from Egypt to Jerusalem: Ethiopia will hasten to stretch out her hands to bring gifts to God.” This event began with the coming of the Queen of Sheba to Jerusalem, but it was to be revealed in greater detail after the captivity of Babylon (see: Ps. 86:4; Is. 19:24; Zeph. 3:10), it took place during the coming of the Messiah, starting from the eunuch of the queen of Candace, and perhaps it will still happen (see: Ps. 71). 33. Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God, sing to the Lord. 34. To him who ascended to heaven the heavens to the east; behold, He will give His voice a voice of power. 35. Give glory to God, His glory upon Israel, and His power upon the clouds. 36. God is marvelous in His saints. God of Israel: He will give strength and power to His people. Blessed be God. 33. Kingdoms of the earth! Sing to God, jingle to the Lord. 34. To him who walks in the heavens of the ancient heavens: behold, he will give in his voice the voice of power. 35. Give strength to God: His exaltation is upon Israel, and His power is in the clouds. 36. Thou art terrible, O God, from Thy sanctuaries: this God of Israel will give strength and strength to the People. Blessed be God. Having depicted the miracles of God's presence in the Church and its glorious destiny associated with the exaltation of the Messiah, and concluding the prophecy with prayer, David stops his own song. He returns to where he began, and, having presented the most valid motives for the glorification of God, with new strength he calls for the glorification of Him not only the Israeli, but the Universal Church of all places and times, since his thought is occupied with the fate of its universal. “It is not your destiny alone, O Israel, that I please, and therefore it is not you alone that I invite to participate in my praise. Kingdoms of the earth! Even pagan kingdoms! God will also give you the Lord Messiah, so you too sing to God, jingle to the Lord. Serve not the insignificant deities that you imagine to find on earth, below the powers of heaven. But to God, who walks in the heavens of the heavens, who dwells above the visible or comprehended heavens of the heavens, who lives in the heavens of the ancient heavens (קדם, see: Ps. 42:2), or even without comparison, more than the very heavens, the Ancient of Days, who walks in the heavens of the heavens of the east (for קדם means this too), eternal, unsetting, produced by the presence of that uncreated Sun.” “Behold, He will give in His voice the voice of power. If, that is, he speaks, then he speaks with a strong voice. You hear this strong verb in natural thunder, but it will be heard incomparably more tediously in the seven mysterious voices and thunder of its destinies (see: Rev. 10:3; Ps. 23).” “Give, ascribe power to God: and so that the most ignorant of this Almighty God may recognize Him, behold His sign: in Israel you will see His exaltation, the closest traces of His miraculous greatness; His essential power is above the clouds.” “Thou art terrible, O God, because of Thy sanctuaries, such as Sinai and Zion.” “And this very God, who so miraculously appears to Israel, is the one universal source of strength and strength for all nations.” “But is it possible to depict this God? He can only be acknowledged, loved and blessed. Blessed be God!” See: St. John Chrysostom. Complete collection of creations. M, 1996. Reprint. T.5. Book 2. pp.595–596. – Note. comp. Shortened links St. Filaret's works on the publications he used are difficult to unconditionally decipher today. This text can be interpreted as follows: Among the critical scholars of Holy Scripture is Clarius. Clarius Isidore, †1555, author of the critical edition of the Bible Biblia Sacrosancta. – Note. comp. See note. higher. Grotius Hugo, †1685, historian, theologian, lawyer. He owns the Annotata ad Vetus Testamentum - Commentary on the Old Testament. – Note. comp. Brief interpretation of the psalms in the works of the blessed one. Jerome. – Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on the Psalms. – According to Min, the first of these works does not belong to the blessed one. Jerome, but an unknown author. – Note. comp. Obviously Tirin's comment. Tirin Jacob, †1636, his Commentarium in Vetus et Novum Testamentum, for which he used the patristic scholia, went through 26 editions. – Note. comp. Exclamation before reading the Gospel: God... give you the word to preach the gospel with much power to fulfill the Gospel of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. – Note. comp. Konob - boiler. – Note. comp. From paulus (lat.) – small. – Note. comp. Abrasion is something that is crushed, rubbed. – Note. comp. You might be interested in: