Interpretation of Psalm 6

“Commentary on Psalm 6” (early or mid-380s) is a supplement to the treatise of St. Gregory of Nyssa “On the Inscription of Psalms.” The essay reveals the spiritual meaning of the eighth day, which cannot be counted and continues forever (an indication of the future age). The essay establishes a connection between the seventh (the day of the Lord’s rest from His works) and the eighth day (the day of judgment and accountability for all deeds): “After the seventh day there will come a day “washed”, called “washed” because it follows the seventh, but does not allow for succession in number; because it constantly remains united, not divided into parts by the darkness of the night.” On the eighth day, “God’s righteous judgment will take place, giving to each his due.” St. Gregory points out the need for repentance in anticipation of the Last Judgment: “The court gave advice to sinners like us to precede the terrible decision of the court with repentance.” *The title of the work in Greek is Εἰς τὸν ἕκτον ψαλμὸν. *The title of the work in Latin is In sextum Psalmum. According to the prophetic blessing, those who ascend “from strength to strength” and believe in beautiful “ascents in their hearts” (Ps. 83:6, 8), when they take up some good thought, are guided by it to a higher thought, with the help of which the soul ascends to heights. And whoever in this way continually reaches out “to the foreground” (Phil. 3:13) will never cease his good ascent, always guided by sublime thoughts to the understanding of that which is even higher. I said this, brothers, delving into the meaning of the sixth psalm and paying attention to the necessary sequence of order, why is the word about “osmom” (Ps. 6:1) added to the word about “inheriting” (Ps. 5:1)? Of course, the secret of “osmogo” is not unknown to you. For it is unreasonable that the thoughts of others are carried away by Jewish assumptions. And the Jews, relegating the great mystery of “osm” to unseemly bodily members, claim that this number: “osm” refers to the law about circumcision, about cleansing after childbirth, and the like. But we, having learned from the great Paul that “the law is spiritual” (Rom. 7:14), although this number has a meaning in the mentioned laws when legitimizing circumcision for the male sex, and sacrifices for purification for the female sex, just as we do not reject the law, we do not accept it in a humiliating sense, knowing that true circumcision actually happens on the 8th day, and is performed with a stone knife. And under this stone, which cuts off uncleanness, you will, without a doubt, understand the Stone that is Christ (1 Cor. 10:4), that is, the Word of truth, and you will understand that the defiling current of everyday affairs then ceases when human life is transformed into the Divine. But so that what is meant by this becomes clear to everyone, let us state as clearly as possible what we are talking about. The time of real life at the first creation of the creature was measured by one week of days; because from the first day the creation of beings began, and on the seventh day the creation came to an end. “There was... one day” (Gen. 1:5), it is said about the day on which the first creatures were brought into being; and also in the second the second were created, and successively until the sixth day, when all were created. The seventh day, having become the end of creation, comprised the time extended by the structure of the world. Therefore, just as the sky was not brought into being after this time, and every other part of the world was not subsequently added to those already brought into being at the beginning, but on the contrary, creation itself remains neither requiring addition nor diminishing in its measures: so no other time occurred than that shown by the structure of the world; on the contrary, the nature of time is determined by a week of days. And therefore, when we measure time by days, having begun with one and concluding the number with the seventh, we again retreat to one, constantly measuring the whole continuation of time in a circle of weeks, until, after the passage of the movable and the cessation of the fleeting movement, as the Apostle says (Heb. 12:27), that which is no longer unshakable, and which is no longer affected by vicissitudes and change, comes. Since in the same state and in subsequent centuries the same creature always remains in the same way, over which, through the withdrawal of bodily life, the true circumcision of human nature and true cleansing from real filth are accomplished; defilement for man is sin, mortified along with human nature (because “my mother gave birth to me in sins” (Ps. 50:7)), which He who created “the cleansing of our sins” (Heb. 1:3) then completely cleanses, destroying in the nature of beings everything that is bloody, unclean and uncircumcised in them; then in this sense, the law on the “osm” day is acceptable - the law on circumcision and cleansing; because, after the cessation of the seventh day, after the seventh day the “osmy” day will come, called “osmy” because it follows the seventh, but does not allow for succession in number; because it constantly remains united, not divided into parts by the darkness of the night. For it produces another sun, which shines with true light, and as soon as it once appeared to us, as the Apostle says, it no longer hides to the west, but, having declared everything with its luminous power, produces continuous and unsuccessive light in the worthy, making the very participants of this light new suns, as the Word says in the Gospel: “then the righteous will be enlightened like the sun” (Matthew 13:43). So, since in the previous psalm we spoke about the “inheriter,” and the inheritance is reserved for the worthy for the last day, on this same day the truthful judgment of God will take place, distributing to each according to his dignity; then the Prophet perfectly combined the word about repentance with the memory of “osmom”. For who, bringing to mind the terrible judgment of Christ, will not immediately be confused in his own conscience, will not be overwhelmed by fear and ignorance? Even if he is aware of the correction of his life; then, looking at the severity of the trial, in which even the slightest oversights are examined, he will, of course, be horrified by the expectation of terrible punishments, not knowing what the end of the trial will be for him. Therefore, as if before his eyes there is a terrible torment, this Gehenna, this dark fire, this undying worm of conscience, always gnawing the soul with shame, and renewing suffering with a reminder of the bad things done in life, he now turns to God with a prayer, asking, “not with this rage” will he betray his conviction, and below this anger will impose on him punishment for everything in which he has sinned ( Ps.6, 2). For for those condemned to cruel punishment by this terrible torment, the verdict of the court seems to be a matter of rage and anger. And then the Prophet, as if already suffering in torment, assimilates to himself the sayings of the tormented, for whom what is imposed on the wicked as punishment seems to be rage and anger. Therefore he says: I do not wait for this rage to expose my secrets with terrible scourges; but, on the contrary, I warn you of the necessary consequence of this anger by confession. What produces pain in those who are scourged, making the secrets of lawlessness obvious against their will, the will does by itself, scourging and torturing oneself with repentance, and revealing the sin hidden in secret. Therefore, having said: “Let not rebuke me with Thy wrath, nor punish me with Thy wrath,” the Prophet then resorts to mercy, attributing the reason for the evil in himself, not so much to willfulness, but to the weakness of nature. I am in a bad position; heal me with mercy; because through weakness I fell into passion. What kind of weakness is this? My “bones” came out of their places, the mutual connection between them was broken. He calls chaste thoughts that support the soul bones. “Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are broken” (Ps. 6:3). And he explains the mysterious speech, adding to what was said: “my soul was greatly troubled” (Ps. 6:4). Why are you delaying healing? says the Prophet. “And you, Lord, until” show “mercy?” Don't you see how close human life is to death? Warn the decisive moment of our life by turning my soul, so that death overtaken does not render any means of healing ineffective. For in death no one will be able to heal the illness caused by sin by remembering God; because confession has power on earth; but in hell this does not exist. Then, as if to answer someone else’s question: why do you call on mercy to heal sins? How did you placate the Deity? - The Prophet answers like this: “I am weary with my groaning,” I will wash “my bed” from sin with tear water (Ps. 6:7). Why is this? Because, says the Prophet, “my eye was troubled with rage” (Ps. 6:8), and therefore I became somehow old and withered, because the irritation caused in me by my enemies gave rise to rottenness in my soul. If irritability alone produces such fear in those who have sinned from it, then how much more naturally will those who have recognized in their life not only the passions that arise from irritability, but also all those generated by lust, covetousness, arrogance, ambition, envy and other swarm of bad human inclinations, despair of saving hopes. Why, turning his speech to enemies of all kinds, the Prophet says: “Depart from me, all you who do iniquity” (Ps. 6:9). But in the continuation of this word, the Prophet shows good hope that with repentance we too will succeed in goodness. For immediately and at the same time he turns to God about repentance and, having come to the understanding of God’s favor for him, proclaims mercy and rejoices in the gift, saying: “The Lord has heard the voice of my prayer... The Lord accepts my prayer” (Ps. 6:9-10). Therefore, so that the good acquired by repentance will remain with him forever, and so that life will not again have a need for secondary repentance, he prays to turn away his enemies, punishing them with shame. For he who was ashamed during a bad undertaking, having used shame for himself as a mentor who restrains him from such deeds, will abstain from such temptations in the future. Here is the sequence of a good ascent! Psalm four distinguished the immaterial from the good of the body and the flesh; the fifth asked for such good as an inheritance; and the 6th, mentioning “osmom,” indicated the time of the inheritance. "Osmy" - made one see the fear of judgment. The court advised sinners like us to precede the terrible decision of the court with repentance. Then repentance, wisely brought to God, preached to us about the benefit that was being delivered to them, saying: “The Lord heard the voice” of one turning to Him with tears. And so that even after this, in subsequent times, our good remains immutable, the Prophet prays that shame will bring about the destruction of hostile thoughts in us. For another hostile and lawless thought cannot be extinguished otherwise than by bringing it to destruction through shame; because shame from the bad things done in life becomes a deeply established abyss and separates a person from sin. Therefore I will say: “let all my enemies be greatly ashamed and put to shame” (Ps. 6:11), “let a man be struck down by his own household” (Matt. 10:36), which “come from the heart and defile a person” (Matthew 15:18), and after which, if they quickly turn away with shame, the hope of glory will follow for us, not ending in shame, by the grace of the Lord. To him be glory forever. Amen You might be interested in: