Conversation about King David and Paul the Apostle

About repentance, about various sayings of the Psalter relating to Christ, and so that we do not despair of our salvation Why does the prophet say: “Have mercy on me, O God”? What did the prophet himself render to God? – David prophesied about all the events of the descent of the Son of God to earth and, however, asked for the purification of his heart. – Quick repentance of the sinner David and the Apostle Paul and their complete forgiveness. – The admonition is to repent of your sins and not give in to despair. Recently you heard the words of the hymn writer David: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my iniquity” (Ps. 50:3). And the same David also cries out: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb” (Ps. 50:12) **. Why does the prophet say: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy”? Because where there is mercy, there is undoubtedly salvation; where there is mercy, there is no judgment; where there is mercy, no account is required. I wish, he says, only to be pardoned; deliver me from my weakness, And why does David cry: “Create in me a pure heart, O God”? The one who accomplished many glorious deeds, erected so many trophies, killed Goliath, strangled a lion, had such boldness from the Holy Spirit, says: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity.” He says that when I was a farmer, You made me a king; having made him a king, he made him a prophet; helped me win the war, overthrow Goliath not with physical strength, but with the power of faith; clothed me with purple, rejected another and exalted me, gave me wealth. “You will be righteous in Your judgment, and you will be victorious when You judge” (Ps. 50:6). What was worn out by sin has been renewed by grace. What will you, the prophet, render to God? “I will teach the wicked in Your ways, and the wicked will turn to You” (Ps. 50:15). Without dwelling on the kingdom, he speaks of prophecy. You He honored me with such honor that He revealed His Son to me and made Him known to me; I knew that You have a Son who took on human nature, I learned that You have a co-throne with You, and I announced to the universe the cross, burial, descent (from heaven), His resurrection, I spoke about His judgment, I spoke about the salvation of the pagans, I spoke about the election of the apostles, I spoke about the rejection. Jews, spoke about the calling of the Church, spoke about the face of the virgins, spoke about His sitting at Your right hand. “But You loved the truth: You showed me the unknown and secret of Your wisdom” (Ps. 50:8). Where did he proclaim this? Listen to the prophet himself, as he speaks about the descent (of the Son of God) from heaven: “he will come down like rain on the fleece” (Ps. 71:6), because the Son of God, when he came, did not shake the universe, did not throw lightning, did not cast down thunder, and did not come with an open deity. If He had revealed His divinity, then the mountains would not have endured it, and the sun would have gone out; if He had revealed His being, the moon would have disappeared, the earth would have perished, our entire nature would have been destroyed. That’s why He came quietly and without noise, so that no one knew, but unnoticed by everyone, He came and moved into the virgin’s womb. Oh, wonderful and extraordinary things! The stone disintegrates, but the womb does not dissolve; the mountains are destroyed, but the womb bears God. How will I explain this, how will I present it? Oh, the madness of the blasphemer! Tell me: how did the slave carry God in her womb? Explorer of the high, explain the low. How was the Omnipresent in the womb and at the same time in heaven? I know that He sat on the (divine) throne and at the same time was in the womb of the Virgin; but I don’t know how. I accept by faith, and do not investigate with reason, that He appeared, that He has to appear, without causing any confusion, noise, destruction, or destruction: “He will come down like rain on the fleece.” So, you spoke about His kingdom, and you also said about betrayal: “Who ate my bread and lifted up his heel against me” (Ps. 40:10). Say about His judgment: “Why are the nations worried, and the tribes are plotting in vain?” (Ps. 2:1). Say also about the cross: “they pierced my hands and my feet,” “they numbered all my bones” (Ps. 21:17–18). Say also about the gall given to Him: “They gave me gall for food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 68:22). Say also about His anointing: “He anointed my head with oil” (Ps. 23:5). Say also about His baptism: “He brought me up by still waters” (Ps. 22:2). Say also about His sacraments: “He has prepared a table for me against my oppressors” (Ps. 22:5). Say about His cup: “Your cup, which drinks from me, how strong it is!” (Ps. 22:5). Say about the rejection of the Jews: “I will not accept bulls from your house or goats from your flocks” (Ps. 49:9). Say also about the Jews’ blasphemy against Him: “he trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver him, let him save him, if... he pleases” (Ps. 21:9). Say also about the salvation of the pagans: “Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thy inheritance” (Ps. 2:8). Say also about His burial: “That You will not leave my souls in hell, and You will not allow Your saint to see corruption” (Ps. 15:10). Say also about His ascension into heaven: “God was exalted with a shout, and the Lord with the sound of a trumpet” (Ps. 46:6). Say also about the election of the apostles: “In place of Your fathers were Your sons” (Ps. 44:17). Say also about the face of the virgins: “The virgins will be brought to the King in His wake” (Ps. 44:15). Tell us also about the calling of the Church: “The Queen stood before You at Your right hand, in clothes embroidered with gold, adorned” (Ps. 44:10). Say also about His sitting at the right hand of the Father: “The Lord said to my Lord, “You are at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Ps. 109:1). Thus, David, you have announced prophecies about everything; Why do you cry: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb” (Ps. 50:12)? You are the king; you are wearing a tiara; you are clothed in purple. But, he says, all this is leaves, night and a dream; I am looking for another beauty, grant me the Holy Spirit, so that You will talk with me again and I will talk with You; The spirit retreated from me, like a dove retreats when it sees dirt; I want to return Him; then I will come and appear before You; and now I cannot bear it, having lost my boldness before You. You see how David confesses to God. Look how great an evil sin is. What sin? Adultery, murder, breaking the law, breaking God's commandments. I say this not to condemn the prophet, but to show his quick repentance. The Prophet duly fulfilled what was written: “Remember Me; let's go to court; speak so that you may be justified” (Is. 43:26). He was justified by the words he uttered: “I have sinned before the Lord.” Then the prophet Nathan came and said: “And the Lord has taken away your sin” (2 Samuel 12:13). The sin is soon committed; even more likely – repentance. Having sinned with Uriah’s wife, he was struck by this sin and, starting to write a psalm, said: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy” (Ps. 50:3). By complete repentance he received complete remission of sin. And how was Paul pardoned? The Lord said to him: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? ( Acts 9:4 ) Oh, the Lord’s love for mankind! He says to the man: “Why are you persecuting Me?” He imitates His Father here. As He said to the Jewish people: “My people! What have I done to you and how have I burdened you? answer Me” (Mic. 6:3), and so his Son says: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting Me? What about Pavel? He answered: “Who are you, Lord?” , telling me? O prudent servant! He immediately confesses the sovereignty (of the Lord): “Who are you,” he says, “Lord?” The Lord said to him: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting... get up and go into the city; and it will be told to you what you must do” (Acts 9:5-6). And the one who was once a wolf has now become a sheep; who was once a persecutor has now become an evangelist; what was once tares has now become wheat; who was once a persecutor and destroyer has now become the ruler of the people; who was once the destroyer of the Church is now entrusted with it; who was once a destroyer of grapes has now become a planter of them; what was once lead has now become gold. So you, beloved, cry out at the great noise of your sins, and you will immediately hear the Lord; The Lord’s love for mankind is great. God became a man, descended and moved into a virgin’s womb, and called whom? Magi. And who after them? Harlot. And who after her? Robber. And who after him? Blasphemous. Oh, wonderful and extraordinary things! The firstfruits of those who were called were great sinners. Since the universe was in a bad state, people were given over to sinful sleep, Judaism and great carelessness, He, having come, first called sinners into the Church, so that later no one would despair of their salvation. Are you wicked? Remember the robber. Are you unclean? Remember the harlot. Have you blasphemed God? Remember Paul, who blasphemed Him. Are you unfaithful? Remember the Magi. I know how sin can lead to despair. The devil, sharpening his sword, comes and speaks to you these words: you spent your whole life with harlots, moreover, you broke your oaths and committed adultery worse than anyone else in your real life. These are the words of the devil. But feel free to start doing the opposite. Have you fallen? Rise up now. Have you committed fornication? Repent. Have you committed adultery? Get better. Your repentance is not great; but the Lord’s love for mankind is great. While you have breath, and while on your very bed, perform repentance; the difficulty of the matter will attract God's love for mankind. Apply these remedies and you will tame the flame. I know, beloved, that there are many spiritual wounds; but each wound has its own medicine, appropriate and ready for it. You have a Church that brings down the gifts of the Spirit. You have a host of martyrs and many other things that can turn you from sin to righteousness. You have heard about some of the sins of the righteous; but they also saw their quick repentance in words and tears. Thus, David himself cried out: “I water my bed with my tears” (Ps. 6:7). And Paul said: “But he received mercy because he did so out of ignorance, in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13). So, let us not despair of our salvation, remembering those who have previously sinned and have been made worthy of the kingdom of heaven by the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen. This conversation is classified as Dubia in Min's publication. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” All psalms in the text are quoted from the translation by P. Yungerov - Editorial Board of the ABC of Faith