О том, что не должно дивиться временному и обольщаться приятностями жизни, и на псалом семьдесят второй

Since our engrossed mind is easily carried away by the pleasures of life, forgetting about future benefits, we must not be careless in guarding our feelings. The hater of good, to our temptation, merges things so that the ruler - the mind - cannot distinguish between good and bad; Therefore, when vain thoughts accumulate in us, before we have yet become darkened by them, let us rather resort to spiritual teaching, chanting with the Prophet the written psalm, because the teaching contained in it is very applicable to us. The prophet describes in the psalm the incongruities noticed in life, the temptations caught by temptations and overcoming temptations with patience. He depicted in the psalm also rewards for everyone. And through this he becomes the destroyer of pride and vanity, and guides those who want to be saved to true glory. Therefore, we will not just run through the expressions, but we will try to accurately extract from the sayings the meaning contained in the psalm, in order to make us worthy of becoming executors of the power of what is said. The Prophet says (Ps. 72:1-9): If the God of Israel is good with a right heart. My nose did not move in the slightest, my feet did not shed, for I was jealous of the lawless world of sinners in vain: for there is no joy in their death and confirmation in their wound: they are not the essence of human labors, and men will not receive wounds. For this reason, I restrained their pride to the end: clothed in unrighteousness and wickedness. Their unrighteousness comes out of the fat: it comes into the love of the heart. She thought and spoke in wickedness, and spoke untruthfully: she set her mouth in heaven, and her tongue passed over the earth. What does it mean: speaking a lie on high, and placing your mouth in heaven? The Prophet expresses the following: since they did evil, and did not receive punishment for their malice for it, then in their madness they think that there is no God. For the Prophet says: “The fool says in his heart: there is no God” (Ps. 53:2). They spoke great lies and set their mouth in heaven, and their tongue passed over the earth. For this reason my people will be converted, and the days of fulfillment will be found in them. And deciding: what will God lead, and if there is reason in the Most High? Behold, these sinners and gobblers have retained wealth forever. And they said: I have justified my heart in vain and washed my innocent hands, and have been plagued all day long, and my reproof in the morning? If we speak in words, we say this: Behold, the generation of Your sons, to whom they were promised and who did not understand: this work is before me, until I entered into the sanctuary of God, and I mean their last (Ps. 72:9-17). So, listen, what will be the last of those who forget God. For, says the Prophet (Ps. 72:18, 19): because of their flattery, you brought evil upon them; you brought me down, having at times become proud. What about Bysha in desolation? suddenly disappeared, perished for her iniquity. Like the sleep of one who rises... And further he says (Ps. 72:20): “...Lord, in Your city you will humble their image.” What city is this? - Heavenly Jerusalem. And again (Ps. 72:21-24): For my heart was kindled, and my bowels were changed: and I was humbled, and I did not understand how beastly I was to you. And I will go out with You, You have held my hand on my right hand, and You have instructed me with Your advice... What does it mean: And You have instructed me with Your advice? I think that the Prophet understands the following: when I renounced my carnal will and agreed to accept and keep Your commandments, then You instructed me with Your advice, because I did not expose my will. Therefore, as a good Father, Who has with Him the Beloved Son (Ps. 73:24-26), Thou didst restrain my hand on my right hand, and with Thy counsel thou didst instruct me, and thou didst receive me with glory. What is there in heaven? and what did You want on earth? My heart and my flesh are gone: God of my heart. What are you looking for? - Mountain classes. In the same way the trees desire the springs of water: my soul still desires Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for the mighty, living God: when will I come and appear to the face of God? ( Ps. 41:2-3 ) ...and my portion, O God, endures forever. Deepen your mind more deeply to accept what is said. What a terrible saying he adds, saying (Ps. 72:27-28): For behold, he that separates himself from Thee shall perish: Thou hast consumed every one who commits fornication from Thee. It is good for me to cleave to God, to place my trust in the Lord, to proclaim with me all Your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion. Therefore, beloved, having aid in the Divine Scriptures, as well as a clear and straight path leading to the gates of heaven, let us not be neglectful of the hope kept for us in heaven. For, as it is written, the Lord comes, with the spade in His hand, and He will clear away His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn, and He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:12). Glory to him forever! Amen. You might be interested in: