PSALM 101__

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v. 4.2. And my bones are parched like firewood

 1.  But elsewhere it is said: All my bones shall say: Lord, Lord, who is like you? (Ps 34.10)

4.2.καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ὡσεὶ φρύγιον συνεφρύγισαν

§1. Ἀλλαχοῦ δέ φησι· Πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἐροῦσιν· Κύριε, κύριε, τίς ὅμοιός σοι.

v.5 I am stricken like grass, and my heart is withered

 2. Withered is the nous shut off from the spiritual water that flows from the springs of life. (cf Ps 35.10; Rev 21.6)

5.1.ἐπλήγην ὡσεὶ χόρτος καὶ ἐξηράνθη ἡ καρδία μου

§2. Ξηραίνεται νοῦς ὕδατος πνευματικοῦ ἀπορῶν τοῦ ῥέοντος ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τῆς ζωῆς.

v. 7.1. I have become like the desert pelican

 3.  The pelican is said to revive with its own blood those of its young who have died.

7.1.ὡμοιώθην πελεκᾶνι ἐρημικῷ

§3. Τὸν πελεκᾶνα τοῦτόν φασιν τῷ οἰκείῳ αἵματι ἐγείρειν τὰ τεθνηκότα τῶν τέκνων.

v. 8. I kept watch and became like a lonely sparrow on a roof

 4.  Nothing makes the intellect so buoyant as keeping watch.

8.ἠγρύπνησα καὶ ἐγενήθην ὡσεὶ στρουθίον μονάζον ἐπὶ δώματι

§4. Οὐδὲν ἄλλο τὸν νοῦν οὕτως ἀπεργάζεται κοῦφον ὡς ἀγρυπνία.

v.10 For I ate ashes as if it were bread, and mixed my drink with weeping.

 5. This saying is useful for those who at the time of drinking make merry with flutes and songs.

101·10.  ὅτι σποδὸν ὡσεὶ ἄρτον ἔφαγον καὶ τὸ πόμα μου μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ ἐκίρνων

 5. χρήσιμον τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸς τοὺς παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πότου αὐλοῖς καὶ ᾠδαῖς τερπομένους.[͂PG 12.1557]

v. 12.1. My days have faded like a shadow

 6.  For our life on earth is a shadow. (Job 8.9)

12.1.αἱ ἡμέραι μου ὡσεὶ σκιὰ ἐκλίθησαν

§6. Σκιὰ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

v. 13. But you, Lord, you remain unto the age, and your memorial, from generation to generation

 7.  For I am temporary and mortal, while you are eternal and immortal.

13.σὺ δέ, κύριε, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένεις καὶ τὸ μνημόσυνόν σου εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν

§7. Ἐγὼ μὲν πρόσκαιρος καὶ θνητός· σὺ δὲ ἀΐδιος καὶ ἀθάνατος.

v. 14 You will arise and have compassion on Zion.

 8. Here ‘Zion’ means the reasoning nature naturally disposed to behold the things of heaven.

14.  Σὺ ἀναστὰς οἰκτειρήσεις τὴν Σιὼν

 8. νῦν τὴν  Σιὼν τὴν φύσιν λέγει τὴν λογικὴν τὴν πεφυκυῖαν σκοπεύειν τὰ ἐπουράνια.῟ [P 101.14̓ ]

v. 15.2. And they will take pity on its dust

 9.  That is, “of his men made of dust.” (cf ICor 15.47-49)

15.2.καὶ τὸν χοῦν αὐτῆς οἰκτιρήσουσι
§9. Τουτέστι τοὺς χοϊκοὺς αὐτῆς ἀνθρώπους.

v. 17.1. Because the Lord will build Zion

 10.  [That is,] if one builds on this foundation, made of gold, silver, [and] precious stones. (1Cor 3.12)

17.1.ὅτι οἰκοδομήσει κύριος τὴν Σιών

§10. Εἴ τις ἐπιοικοδομεῖ ἐπὶ τὸν θεμέλιον τοῦτον, χρυσόν, ἄργυρον, λίθους τιμίους.

v. 19.2. And the people who will be created will praise the Lord

 11.  If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. (2Cor 5.17)

19.2.καὶ λαὸς ὁ κτιζόμενος αἰνέσει τὸν κύριον

§11. Εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις.

v. 21.2. To release the sons of those condemned to death

 12.  Sinful men are the sons of those condemned to death.

21.2.τοῦ λῦσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν τεθανατωμένων

§12. Οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἄνθρωποί εἰσιν υἱοὶ τῶν τεθανατωμένων.

v. 25.1.Do not take me away in the midst of my days

 13.  Days produced by the Sun of righteousness. (Mal 3.20)

25.1.μὴ ἀναγάγῃς με ἐν ἡμίσει ἡμερῶν μου

§13. Τῶν γινομένων ἡμερῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης.

v. 26-27. And the heavens are the work of your hands; they will disappear, but you remain

 14.  The heavens will disappear not according to essence, but according to shape, for the shape of this world will pass away, says the Apostle. (1Cor 7.31)

26.2.καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί 27.1.αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, σὺ δὲ διαμένεις

PSALM 102__

v. 1.2 Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name

 1.  All that is within the inner man are the noetic, intellectual, visual and instinctive power, as well as the imaginative [power] and that of memory. (cf Rom 7.22; Eph 3.16)

1.2.Εὐλόγει, ἡ ψυχή μου, τὸν κύριον 3.καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐντός μου, τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ

v. 3.2. The one who cures all your diseases

 2.  He heals illnesses, as physician of souls.

3.2.τὸν ἰώμενον πάσας τὰς νόσους σου

v. 4.1. He who redeems your life from corruption

 3.  He redeems, as a king.

4.1.τὸν λυτρούμενον ἐκ φθορᾶς τὴν ζωήν σου

v. 4.2. He who crowns you with mercy and compassion

 4.  He crowns, as judge of the contest.

4.2.τὸν στεφανοῦντά σε ἐν ἐλέει καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖς

v. 5.1. The one who fills your desire with good things.

 5.  He fills us with good things, as [a] wealthy [person].

5.1.τὸν ἐμπιπλῶντα ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν σου

§5. Ἐμπίμπλησιν ἡμᾶς ἀγαθῶν ὡς πλούσιος.

5.2. renewed like the eagle’s shall be your youth.

 6.  The eagle strips off old age, just as a man strips off the old man, corrupt according to deceitful desires. (Eph. 4:22).

5.2.ἀνακαινισθήσεται ὡς ἀετοῦ ἡ νεότης σου

§6. Τὸ γῆρας ἀποδύεται ὁ ἀετὸς ὡς καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποδύεται τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης. [SC= PG 12.1560̓

v. 9. He will not become angry forever or hold a grudge unto the age [to come]

 7.  From this we learn that anger is one thing and resentment another.

9.οὐκ εἰς τέλος ὀργισθήσεται οὐδὲ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μηνιεῖ.

§7. Ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἄλλο ὀργὴ καὶ ἄλλο μῆνις.

v. 11. Because, according to the height of the sky from the earth, the Lord has strengthened his mercy on those who fear him

 8.  As he exalted those in heaven, so he took mercy on those who fear him on earth.

11.ὅτι κατὰ τὸ ὕψος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐκραταίωσεν κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν

§8. Ὥσπερ ὕψωσε τοὺς ἐν οὐρανοῖς, οὕτως ἠλέησε τοὺς ἐπὶ γῆς φοβουμένους αὐτόν.

v. 15.1. Man - his days are like grass; like the flower of the field, so it will bloom

 9.  Here man indicates nature in general, for all man is temporary and mortal.

15.ἄνθρωπος, ὡσεὶ χόρτος αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἄνθος τοῦ ἀγροῦ, οὕτως ἐξανθήσει

§9. Ἐνταῦθα ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὴν καθόλου φύσιν δηλοῖ· πᾶς γὰρ ἄνθρωπος πρόσκαιρος καὶ θνητός,

 v. 16,1. Because a breath passed through him, and there will be no more

 10.  After death, the soul does not exist in this life.

16.1.ὅτι πνεῦμα διῆλθεν ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ οὐχ ὑπάρξει

§10. Μετὰ τὸν θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ οὐχ ὑπάρχει ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ.

v. 16.2. And he will no longer recognize his place, but the mercy of the Lord is from age to age on those who fear him

 11.  The life of the senses is not eternal, while the mercy of the Lord is.

16.2.καὶ οὐκ ἐπιγνώσεται ἔτι τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ 17.1.τὸ δὲ ἔλεος τοῦ κυρίου ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν

§11. Ἡ μὲν αἰσθητὴ ζωὴ οὐκ ἀΐδιος, τὸ δὲ ἔλεος κυρίου ἀΐδιον.

v. 17.2. And his righteousness is upon the sons of the sons

 12.  Sons of sons are those who have been found worthy of the same spirit of adoptive sonship. (Rom 8.15)

17.2.καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ υἱοὺς υἱῶν

§12. Υἱοὶ υἱῶν εἰσιν οἱ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πνεύματος τῆς υἱοθεσίας κατηξιωμένοι.

v. 18.2. And on those who remember his commandments to do them

 13.  He remembers the commandments who lives according to them.

18.2.καὶ μεμνημένοις τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτάς

§13. Οὗτος μέμνηται τῶν ἐντολῶν ὁ ζῶν κατ' αὐτάς.

v. 19. The Lord has prepared his throne in heaven and his kingship governs all beings

 14.  His kingship as creator governs all, while his kingship according to knowledge does not govern all who are on earth, but rather all who are in heaven.

19.κύριος ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἡτοίμασεν τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ πάντων δεσπόζει

§14. Ἡ μὲν δημιουργικὴ αὐτοῦ βασιλεία πάντων δεσπόζει· ἡ δὲ κατὰ γνῶσιν βασιλεία οὐ πάντων τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς, πάντων δὲ τῶν ἐν οὐρανοῖς δεσπόζει

v. 20. Bless the Lord, all his angels, mighty in strength, when you carry out his word, to listen to the sound of his words

 15.  He is mighty who does the word of God. But at the same time it is also necessary to know that even the angels listen to certain words that instruct them. And they, indeed, have languages which are adapted to them, by which they transmit commands to one another: If I should speak in the tongues of the angels, says Paul. (1Co 13.1)

20.εὐλογεῖτε τὸν κύριον, πάντες οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ δυνατοὶ ἰσχύι, ποιοῦντες τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς τῶν λόγων αὐτοῦ

§15. Οὗτος δυνατὸς ὁ ποιῶν τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἅμα δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἰστέον ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι λόγον ἀκούουσίν τινων διδασκόντων αὐτούς. Καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ διαλέκτους ἁρμοζούσας αὐτοῖς ἔχουσι δἰ᾿ ὧν τὰ προστάγματα ἀλλήλοις σημαίνουσιν· Ἐὰν ταῖς γλώσσαις, φησὶν ὁ Παῦλος, τῶν ἀγγέλων λαλῶ.

PSALM 103__

v. 2.1. By draping you in light as ina cloak

 1.  Cloak of the Lord - true knowledge; the one who puts on this [cloak] will be illuminated by it.

2.1.ἀναβαλλόμενος φῶς ὡς ἱμάτιον

§1. Ἱμάτιον κυρίου γνῶσις ἀληθής· ὁ δὲ ἐνδυόμενος αὐτὸ φωτισθήσεται ὑπ' αὐτοῦ.

v. 2.2. Stretching the sky like a skin

 2.  Why did he not say “having stretched out the sky”, but “stretching it out”? Perhaps he only stretched it once according to essence, while he still stretches it according to providence. Such is also this passage from Job: He who makes the Pleiades, the evening star, the Bear and the granaries of the south wind. (Job 8.9)

2.2.ἐκτείνων τὸν οὐρανὸν ὡσεὶ δέρριν

§2. Διὰ τί οὐκ εἶπεν ἐκτείνας τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἀλλ' ἐκτείνων; Ἢ ἅπαξ μὲν αὐτὸν κατ' οὐσίαν ἐξέτεινεν, ἀεὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκτείνει κατὰ τὴν πρόνοιαν. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ παρὰ τῷ Ἰὼβ κείμενον τὸ ὁ ποιῶν πλειάδα καὶ ἕσπερον καὶ ἀρκτοῦρον καὶ ταμιεῖα νότου.

v. 4. He who makes spirits of his angels and his ministers, a burning fire

 3.  To Abraham the angels appeared as spirits (cf Gen 18.1-9), but to the inhabitants of Sodom (cf Gen 19.24), as burning fire.

4.Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πῦρ φλέγον

§3. Τῷ μὲν Ἀβραὰμ οἱ ἄγγελοι ὡς πνεύματα ἐπεφάνησαν· τοῖς δὲ Σοδομίταις ὥσπερ πῦρ φλέγον.

v. 5.1. He founded the earth on her sure foundation

 4.  Job said: Having suspended the earth on nothing (Job 26.7), and David: having founded her on her sure foundation. Both reject the idea that there is any other body beneath to support it, for stability is not an essence, but an art of God, holding the earth motionless within the sphere.

5.1.ἐθεμελίωσεν τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν αὐτῆς

§4. Ὁ μὲν Ἰὼβ εἶπεν· Κρεμάσας τὴν γῆν ἐπ' οὐδενός· ὁ δὲ Δαυίδ· ἐπὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν αὐτῆς θεμελιώσας αὐτήν. Ἑκάτεροι δὲ ἀναιροῦσι τὸ εἶναι σῶμά τι ἕτερον βαστάζον αὐτὴν ὑποκάτω· ἡ γὰρ ἀσφάλεια οὐκ ἔστιν οὐσία, ἀλλὰ τέχνη θεοῦ, ἀκίνητον τὴν γῆν ἐν τῇ σφαίρᾳ διαφυλάττουσα.

v. 6.1. The abyss, like a cloak, envelopes her

 5.  Through the abyss he presents the incomprehensibility of the knowledge of God.

6.1.ἄβυσσος ὡς ἱμάτιον τὸ περιβόλαιον αὐτοῦ

§5. Τὸ ἀκατάληπτον τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τῆς ἀβύσσου παρίστησιν.

v. 6.2. The waters will stand on the mountains 

 6.  On those who are in ignorance knowledge will stand.

6.2.ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων στήσονται ὕδατα

§6. Ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ ὄντων στήσεται ἡ γνῶσις

v. 8.1. They leap on the mountains and go down the plains

 7.  By these words, he hints at certain reasoning natures.

8.1.ἀναβαίνουσιν ὄρη καὶ καταβαίνουσιν πεδία

§7. Λογικάς τινας διὰ τῶν λόγων τούτων αἰνίττεται φύσεις.

9. You have set a boundary that they may not pass; nor shall they return again to cover the earth.

 8. This is said in reference to the subterranean demons. (cf Sch 1 on Ps 55.3)

9. Ὅριον ἔθου ὃ οὐ παρελεύσονται, οὐδὲ ἐπιστρέψουσιν καλύψαι τὴν γῆν.

 η´. Περὶ τῶν καταχθονίων δαιμόνων ταῦτα λέγεσθαί φασι.

v. 10.1. He who returns the springs to the ravines

 9.  He who gives knowledge to those who have been hollowed out by ignorance and scraped out like ravines by vice.

10.1.ὁ ἀποστέλλων πηγὰς ἐν φάραγξιν

§9. Ὁ διδοὺς γνῶσιν τοῖς κενωθεῖσιν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας καὶ δίκην φαράγγων κοιλανθεῖσιν ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας.

v. 12. The birds of the sky will roost on them

 10.  The birds of the sky roost on them because they had faith like a mustard seed (cf Mt 17.20; cf Mt 13.21-22).

12.ἐπ' αὐτὰ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσει.

§10. Κατασκηνοῖ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπειδὴ ἔσχον πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως.

v. 13.1. Giving drink to the mountains from her regions superior

 11.  The higher regions of God are the pure natures who give drink to those who are most elevated in heart.

13.1.ποτίζων ὄρη ἐκ τῶν ὑπερῴων αὐτοῦ

§11. Ὑπερῷα θεοῦ φύσεις καθαραὶ ποτίζουσαι τοὺς ὑψηλοτέρους τὴν καρδίαν.

v. 13.2. With the fruit of your works the earth will be satisfied

 12.  The fruit of works is the contemplation of beings.

13.2.ἀπὸ καρποῦ τῶν ἔργων σου χορτασθήσεται ἡ γῆ

§12. Καρπὸς τῶν ἔργων ἐστιν ἡ θεωρία τῶν γεγονότων.

v. 14.1. Growing grass for the cattle and greenery at the service of men

 13.  For the weak eat vegetables (Rom 14.2).

14.1.ἐξανατέλλων χόρτον τοῖς κτήνεσιν2.καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

§13. Ὁ γὰρ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει.

v. 1. The trees of the plain will be sated

 14.  Just as there are trees of paradise (cf Ez 31.9), so there are there are also trees of the plain.

16.1.χορτασθήσεται τὰ ξύλα τοῦ πεδίου

§14. Ὥσπερ ἔστι τινὰ ξύλα τοῦ παραδείσου, οὕτω καὶ ξύλα τοῦ πεδίου.

v. 17.1. There the sparrows will nest

 15.  If anyone has become like a sparrow through fasting and asceticism, he can also become the father of fledglings.

17.1.ἐκεῖ στρουθία ἐννοσσεύσουσιν

§15. Εἴ τις ἀπὸ ἀγρυπνίας καὶ ἀσκήσεως γέγονεν ὡς στρουθίον, οὑτος δύναται καὶ νεοσσῶν γενέσθαι πατήρ.

v. 18.2. The rock will serve as a refuge for the porcupines

 16.  He who has the condition of the porcupine, let him take refuge near the spiritual rock that accompanied and watered Israel in the desert (1Cor 10.4; cf. Ex 17.6; Num 20.7-11).

18.2.πέτρα καταφυγὴ τοῖς χοιρογρυλλίοις

§16. Ὁ χοιρογρυλλίου ἔχων κατάστασιν προσφευγέτω τῇ πνευματικῇ πέτρᾳ τῇ ἀκολουθούσῃ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ ποτιζούσῃ τὸν Ἰσραήλ.

v. 19.2. The sun knows its setting

 17.  The Sun of Justice (Mal 3.20) now knows those upon whom he once went down.

19.2.ὁ ἥλιος ἔγνω τὴν δύσιν αὐτοῦ

§17. Ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἔγνω νῦν τοὺς ἐν οἷς ἔδυ ποτε.

v. 21. Lion cubs roaring to seize and seek their food from God

 18.  And the demons in the Gospels reclaimed the pigs! (cf Mt 8.30-32)

21.σκύμνοι ὠρυόμενοι ἁρπάσαι καὶ ζητῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσιν αὐτοῖς

§18. Καὶ οἱ δαίμονες ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις τοὺς χοίρους ἐξῃτήσαντο.

v. 22. The sun came up and they gathered and they will lie down in their dens

 19.  Those on whom the Sun of Justice rises (Mal 3.20) , with them the vices also potentially exist.

22.ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος καὶ συνήχθησαν καὶ ἐν ταῖς μάνδραις αὐτῶν κοιτασθήσονται

§19. Ἐν οἷς ἀνατέλλει ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης, ἐν τούτοις καὶ αἱ κακίαι κατὰ δύναμιν ἐνυπάρχουσιν.

v. 23.1. The man will go out for his work and for his activity, until the evening

 20.  He now calls matter itself “work” that concerns his activity, while activity is the art  exercised on matter.

23.ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐπὶ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτοῦ ἕως ἑσπέρας

§20. Ἔργον νῦν λέγει αὐτὴν τὴν ὕλην περὶ ἣν ἡ ἐργασία· ἐργασίαν δὲ αὐτὴν τὴν τέχνην τὴν περὶ ὕλην γινομένην.

v. 25.1. Behold the sea great and vast

 21.  This sea designates this life.

25.1.αὐτὴ ἡ θάλασσα ἡ μεγάλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος.

§21. Αὕτη ἡ θάλασσα τὸν βίον τοῦτον σημαίνει.

25(2). There are reptiles there without number

 22.  Of the men [made] reptilian through vices there is no number, for it says, Who numbers the number of the stars: and calls them all by their names. (cf. sch 2 On Ps 146.4)

25.2.ἐκεῖ ἑρπετὰ ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμὸς

§22. Τῶν ἑρπετῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ τὴν κακίαν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμός· Ὁ γὰρ ἀριθμῶν, φησί, πλήθη ἄστρων καὶ πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς ὀνόματα καλῶν.

v. 29.2. You'll make their spirit disappear, and they'll faint and they will return to their dust

 23.  Those who are deprived of the Spirit given to them by God become dust.

29.2.ἀντανελεῖς τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκλείψουσιν3.καὶ εἰς τὸν χοῦν αὐτῶν ἐπιστρέψουσιν
§23. Οἱ ἐκπίπτοντες τοῦ παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ δοθέντος αὐτοῖς πνεύματος γίνονται χοϊκοί.

v. 30.2. And you will renew the face of the earth

 24.  What St. Paul called resurrection (Phil 3.11), David has called renewal.

30.2.καὶ ἀνακαινιεῖς τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς

§24. Ἣν Παῦλος ὁ ἅγιος ἐξανάστασιν εἴρηκεν, ταύτην Δαυὶδ ἀνακαινισμὸν προσηγόρευσεν.

v. 32. He who casts his eyes on the earth and makes it shudder, he who touches the mountains, and they smoke

 25.  The smoldering mountains reject evil, when the spiritual fire that was cast down on the earth touches them. (cf Lk 12.49)

32.ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὴν τρέμειν, ὁ ἁπτόμενος τῶν ὀρέων καὶ καπνίζονται

§25. Τὰ καπνιζόμενα ὄρη ἀποβάλλει τὴν κακίαν, ἁπτομένου αὐτῶν τοῦ πνευματικοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ βληθέντος ἐπὶ τὴς γῆς.

v. 35.1. Let them disappear from the earth, sinners and the iniquitous, so that they no longer exist

 26.  Not so that they no longer exist, but so that they no longer exist as sinners .

35.1.ἐκλίποισαν ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς 2.καὶ ἄνομοι, ὥστε μὴ ὑπάρχειν αὐτούς

§26. Οὐχὶ μὴ ὑπάρχειν αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ μὴ ὑπάρχειν αὐτοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς.

PSALM 104__

[104.] v. 2. Tell all his wonders

 1.  Those who have acquired all the science of God, those can relate all his marvels.

2.διηγήσασθε πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ

§1. Ὁ κτησάμενοι πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗτοι δύνανται διηγήσασθαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ.

[104.] v. 4.1. Seek the Lord and be strengthened

 2.  He who fulfills the commandments of God - he [it is who] seeks God.

4.1.ζητήσατε τὸν κύριον καὶ κραταιώθητε

§2. Ὁ τὰς ἐντολὰς ποιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗτος ζητεῖ τὸν θεόν.

[104.] v. 4.2. Constantly seek his face

 3.  He tells us to look for that face that the angels constantly see. (Mt 18.10)

4.2.Ζητήσατε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ διαπαντός

§3. Τοῦτο λέγει τὸ πρόσωπον ζητεῖν ἡμᾶς ὅπερ οἱ ἄγγελοι βλέπουσι διαπαντός.

[104.] v. 6.1. Seed of Abraham, his servants

 4.  Those who are of the seed of Abraham are potentially elect.

6.1.σπέρμα Ἀβραὰμ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ
§4. Οἱ τοῦ σπέρματος ὄντες τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ δυνάμει εἰσὶν ἐκλεκτοί.

[104.] v. 6.2. Sons of Jacob, his chosen ones

 5.  Many are called, but few are chosen. (Mt 22.14)

6.2.υἱοὶ Ιακωβ ἐκλεκτοὶ αὐτοῦ

§5. Πολλοὶ μὲν κλητοί· ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί.

[104.] v. 8. He remembered for the age of his covenant, the word he commanded for a thousand generations

 6.  Some thought the thousand generations was a question of many generations, others of those who are circumscribed by this number.

8.ἐμνήσθη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαθήκης αὐτοῦ λόγου οὗ ἐνετείλατο εἰς χιλίας γενεάς

§6. Τὰς χιλίας γενεὰς οἱ μὲν τὰς πολλὰς αὐτὸν λέγειν γενεὰς ἐνόμισαν, οἱ δὲ τὰς ὑπὸ τούτου τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ περιγραφομένας.

[104.] v. 7. Saying: To you I will give the land of Canaan

 7.  Before the coming of Christ, the Canaanites occupied our souls without letting us produce spiritual fruits.

11.1.λέγων· σοὶ δώσω τὴν γῆν Χαναὰν

§7. Πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ οἱ Χαναναῖοι κατεῖχον ἡμῶν τὰς ψυχὰς, μὴ ἐῶντες ἡμᾶς καρποὺς ἐκφέρειν πνευματικούς.

[104.] v. 12. While they were few in number, sparse and foreign resident on her

 8.  Foreign residents are those who believe that none of the goods of this world belong to them.

12.ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀριθμῷ βραχεῖς, ὀλιγοστοὺς καὶ παροίκους ἐν αὐτῇ

§8. Πάροικοί εἰσιν οἱ μηδὲν ἴδιον τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου νομίζοντες.

[104.] 14. He suffered no man to wrong  them:

 9 From this we know that those wronged by men are wronged according to abandonment by God

14.1.οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἄνθρωπον ἀδικῆσαι αὐτοὺς

§9. Ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι οἱ ἀδικούμενοι ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων κατ' ἐγκατάλειψιν ἀδικοῦνται θεοῦ.

[= PG 12.1564̓

[104.] 15. Do not touch my anointed ones

 10. Because those who are ‘Christ’ [anointed] partake of Christ they are called ‘Christ’;  whereas the Christ who partakes of the Father is called ‘Christ’ [anointed].  By ‘Christ’ I mean the Lord who, with God the Word, has come among [us]. [cf. Sch.7 on Ps.44.8]

15.1.μὴ ἅπτεσθε τῶν χριστῶν μου

§10. Οὗτοι οἱ χριστοὶ Χριστοῦ μετέχοντες λέγονται χριστοί· ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς τοῦ πατρὸς μετέχων λέγεται Χριστός· Χριστὸν δέ φημι τὸν μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου ἐπιδημήσαντα κύριον. ῟PG 12.1564̓

[cf Clem Strom 2.4.18.3.1; 6.17.149.5; Didymus d.Trin 39.712.6; old NT variant: become chrēstoi, like heavenly father]

[104.] v. 19 until his word came.
 The word of the Lord inflamed him.

 11. The devil bring many temptations upon the holy ones until the word of the Lord comes which inflames and purifies their hearts.

19.μέχρι τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τὸ λόγιον κυρίου ἐπύρωσεν αὐτόν

§11. πολλοὺς πειρασμοὺς ἐπάγει τοῖς ἁγίοις ὁ διάβολος μέχρι τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν πυροῦντα καὶ καθαρίζοντα τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν. [= Pitra 104·19̔1̓̓

[104.] v. 12. And Israel entered Egypt and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham

 12.  From this we learn that the Law is really spiritual (Rom 7.14) and that the events of that time happened to Joseph symbolically (cf Ps 104.16-23). And in fact wheat designates, it seems, knowledge, and famine, ignorance; as for Egypt, it indicates this world (cf Ps 104.16), for Pharaoh has been interpreted by many as the designation of the devil (cf Jn 12.31; 16.11).

23.καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ἰσραὴλ εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ Ἰακὼβ παρῴκησεν ἐν γῇ Χαμ

§12. ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι πνευματικὸς ὄντως ὁ νόμος ἐστί, καὶ τὰ πραττόμενα τότε συμβολικῶς Ἰωσὴφ ἐγίνετο. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ σῖτος ὡς ἔοικεν γνῶσιν σημαίνει καὶ ὁ λιμὸς ἀγνωσίαν καὶ ἡ Αἴγυπτος τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον δηλοῖ· ὁ γὰρ Φαραὼ τὸν διάβολον ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἡρμηνεύθη σημαίνειν.

[104.] v. 24.2. And (God) made him mightier than his enemies

 13.  Without the virtue and knowledge of God, no one would become stronger than their enemies.

24.2.καὶ ἐκραταίωσεν αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ

§13. Χωρὶς ἀρετῆς καὶ γνώσεως θεοῦ οὐκ ἄν τις γένοιτο τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἰσχυρότερος.

[104.] v. 26. He sent Moses his servant, Aaron whom he had chosen; 27 he placed in them the reasons for his signs and wonders in the land of Cham

 14.  Only Moses and Aaron knew the logoi of signs and wonders.

26.ἐξαπέστειλεν Μωϋσῆν τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ, Ἀαρὼν ὃν ἐξελέξατο αὐτόν·2.7.ἔθετο ἐν αὐτοῖς τοὺς λόγους τῶν σημείων αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν τεράτων ἐν γῇ Χάμ

§14. Μωσῆς καὶ Ἀαρὼν μόνοι ᾔδεσαν τοὺς λόγους τῶν σημείων καὶ τῶν τεράτων.

[104.] v. 28.2 And they embittered his words

 15.  Those who hear the words of God and do not put them into practice - these embitter his words. (Cf. Lk 6, 46-47)

28.2.καὶ παρεπίκραναν τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ

§15. Οἱ ἀκούοντες τῶν λόγων τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντες αὐτοὺς, παραπικραίνουσι τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ.

[104.] v. 31.1. He said, and the dog fly came

 16.  The Hebrews translate by kunomuia a multitude of wild and carnivorous animals of all kinds, but the Greeks call kunomuia the [dog]fly of the barking dog.

31.1.εἶπεν καὶ ἦλθε κυνόμυια

§16. Τὴν κυνόμυιαν οἱ Ἑβραῖοι ἑρμηνεύουσιν πλῆθος πάμμικτον ἀγρίων καὶ σαρκοβόρων θηρίων· οἱ δὲ Ἕλληνες λέγουσι κυνόμυιαν τὴν τοῦ κυνὸς τοῦ ὑλακτοῦντος μυῖαν.

[104.] v. 33.1. He smote their vines and their fig trees

 17.  For their vines came from the vineyard of Sodom, and their branches from Gomorrah. (Dt 32.32)

33.1.καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὰς ἀμπέλους αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς συκᾶς αὐτῶν

§17. Ἐκ γὰρ ἀμπέλου Σοδόμων ἦσαν αἱ ἄμπελοι αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ κληματίδες αὐτῶν ἐκ Γομόρρας.3

[104.] v. 34.1. He said, and the grasshopper came

 18.  This grasshopper devours the evil seed.

34.1.εἶπεν καὶ ἦλθεν ἀκρίς

§18. Ἡ ἀκρὶς αὕτη κατεσθίει τὸ σπέρμα τὸ πονηρόν.

[104.] v. 37.1. And he brought them out in silver and gold

 19.  That is, “with silver and gold,” which are symbols of exterior [secular/exothen] wisdom.

37.1.καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ

§19. Ἀντὶ τοῦ μετὰ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, ἅπερ σύμβολά ἐστι τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας.

[104.] v. 39. He sent a cloud to shelter them and a fire to light them at night.

 20.  The cloud indicates a holy nature and the pillar of fire likewise indicates an intelligible (noetic) power.

39.διεπέτασεν νεφέλην εἰς σκέπην αὐτοῖς καὶ πῦρ τοῦ φωτίσαι αὐτοῖς τὴν νύκτα

§20. Ἡ νεφέλη φύσιν ἁγίαν δηλοῖ καὶ ὁ στύλος τοῦ πυρὸς ὁμοίως δύναμιν σημαίνει νοηράν.

[104.] v. 40.2. And he filled them with bread from heaven

 21.  I am the bread that came down from heaven, he says in the Gospels (Jn 6.41).

40.2.καὶ ἄρτον οὐρανοῦ ἐνέπλησεν αὐτούς

§21. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβὰς, ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις φησίν.

[104.] v. 43. And he brought out his people in exultation and his elect in rejoicing

 22.  If the people went out in exultation and his elect in rejoicing, rejoicing is better than exultation, since the elect are better than the people.

43.καὶ ἐξήγαγεν τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ

§22. Εἰ ὁ λαὸς ἐξῆλθεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, οἱ δὲ ἐκλεκτοὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, μεῖζον ἡ εὐφροσύνη τῆς ἀγαλλιάσεως, ἐπεὶ καὶ μείζονες οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ λαοῦ.

[104.] v. 44.2. And they inherited the sorrows of the peoples

 23.  Here he has named the product of pain “pain.”

44.2.καὶ πόνους λαῶν ἐκληρονόμησαν

§23. Νῦν τὸ ἀποτέλεσμα τοῦ πόνου πόνον ὠνόμασεν.

[104.] v. 45.2 And so that they seek his law

 24.  If the Law is spiritual, it needs to be sought if it is to be known. (Rom 7, 14)

45.2.καὶ τὸν νόμον αὐτοῦ ἐκζητήσωσιν

§24. Εἰ ὁ νόμος πνευματικός ἐστι, χρῄζει πρὸς τὸ γνῶχθηναι ζητήσεως.

PSALM 105__

v. 2.1. Who will tell the dominions of the Lord?

 1.  Here the interrogative “which” does not indicate impossibility, but rarity. But sometimes it designates impossibility, as in the verse: Who will tell his generation? (Is 53.8)

2.1.τίς λαλήσει τὰς δυναστείας τοῦ κυρίου

§1. Τὸ τίς ἐνταῦθα οὐ τὸ ἀδύνατον, ἀλλὰ τὸ σπάνιον δηλοῖ· ἐστὶ δ' ὅτε καὶ τὸ ἀδύνατον σημαίνει, ὡς τὸ τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται;

v. 3. Blessed are those who keep judgment, and do justice at all times!

 2.  The words “at all times” must be said of each virtue, practicing temperance, practicing courage at all times, practicing charity, long-suffering, and the same for the other [virtues].

3.μακάριοι οἱ φυλάσσοντες κρίσιν καὶ ποιοῦντες δικαιοσύνην ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ.

§2. Ἐφ' ἑκάστης ἀρετῆς τὸ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ λεκτέον ποιοῦντες σωφροσύνην, ποιοῦντες ἀνδρείαν ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, ποιοῦντες ἀγάπην, μακροθυμίαν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὡσαύτως.

v. 5.3. To be praised with your inheritnce

 3.  He is worthy of praise who has inherited the nature of God: My soul will be praised in the Lord, that is to say: my soul will be praised in justice, wisdom, knowledge and charity . Indeed, our Lord receives all these names according to [His] title. (Ps 33, 3)

5.3.τοῦ ἐπαινεῖσθαι μετὰ τῆς κληρονομίας σου

§3. Οὗτος ἐπαινετὸς ὁ κληρονομήσας τὴν φύσιν τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ· Ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπαινηθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου, τουτέστιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἐπαινηθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἐν σοφίᾳ, καὶ ἐν γνώσει καὶ ἐν ἀγάπῃ· Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν κατ' ἐπίνοιαν ὀνομάζεται.

v. 8. And he saved them because of his name to make known his dominion

 4.  The Lord saves us in order to grace us with the knowledge of his dominion.

8.καὶ ἔσωσεν αὐτοὺς ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ τοῦ γνωρίσαι τὴν δυναστείαν αὐτοῦ

§4. Διὰ τοῦτο σῴζει ἡμᾶς ὁ κύριος, ἵνα γνῶσιν ἡμῖν τῆς δυναστείας αὐτοῦ χαρίσηται.

v. 9.1. He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up

 5.  And in the Gospels, Christ rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. (Mt 8.26)

9.1.καὶ ἐπετίμησεν τῇ ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐξηράνθη

§5. Καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπετίμησεν τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη μεγάλη

v. 11. And the water covered their oppressors, none of them were left

 6.  Blessed is he for whom none of the enemies are left!

11.καὶ ἐκάλυψεν ὕδωρ τοὺς θλίβοντας αὐτούς, εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐχ ὑπελείφθη

§6. Μακάριος οὗτος ᾧ μηδεὶς τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑπολείπεται.

v. 13. Very quickly, they forgot his works, they did not wait for his decision; 14.1 and they were seized with desire in the wilderness

 7.  They did not wait for his grace, but forgot his works and were seized with an evil desire. (Col.3, 5)

13.ἐτάχυναν ἐπελάθοντο τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, οὐχ ὑπέμειναν τὴν βουλὴν αὐτοῦ·14.1.καὶ ἐπεθύμησαν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ

§7. Οὐκ ἀνέμειναν τὴν χάριν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐπελάθοντο τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπεθύμησαν ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν.

v. 16. And they angered Moses in the camp ‘and Aaron the saint of the Lord

 8.  Those who transgress the commandments of God anger Moses, and those who reject the faith anger Aaron, for one denotes action, the other contemplation.[cf. Sch.4 on Ps. 132, 2; Schol.14 on Ps.104,26-27]

16.Καὶ παρώργησαν Μωϋσῆν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ καὶ Ἀαρὼν τὸν ἅγιον κυρίου

§8. Οἱ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ παραβαίνοντες τὸν Μωϋσῆν παροργίζουσιν· οἱ δὲ τὴν πίστιν ἀθετοῦντες τὸν Ἀαρὼν παροξύνουσιν· ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρᾶξιν, ὁ δὲ θεωρίαν σημαίνει.

v. 20. And they exchanged their glory for a representation of a calf that browses the grass

 9.  Those who glorify the creature instead of the creator (Rom 1.25) , these exchange their glory: And they exchanged, says Paul, the glory of the incorruptible God for a representation of corruptible man, birds, quadrupeds and reptiles b. (Rom 1,23).
9.a.

20.καὶ ἠλλάξαντο τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν ἐν ὁμοιώματι μόσχου ἔσθοντος χόρτον

§9. Οἱ δοξάζοντες κτίσμα παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα, οὗτοι ἀλλάσσουσι τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν· Καὶ ἤλλαξαν, φησὶν ὁ Παῦλος, τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου θεοῦ ἐν ὁμοιώματι φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ πετεινῶν καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ ἑρπετῶν.

v. 23.1. And he spoke of exterminating them

 10.  Now extermination means the change of those who come forth from this life.

23.1.καὶ εἶπεν τοῦ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτούς

§10. Ἡ ἐξολέθρευσις νῦν τὴν μετάθεσιν τῶν ἐκ τοῦ βίου τούτου σημαίνει.

v. 23.4. To divert his anger so that he does not exterminate

 11. It should be noted that even a single saint like Moses is able to divert the anger that spreads over all the people.

23.4.τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι

§11. Σημειωτέον ὅτι καὶ εἷς ἅγιος ὡς ὁ Μωσῆς δυνατός ἐστιν ἀποστρέψαι ὀργὴν φερομένην ἐπ' ἔθνος ὅλον.

v. 24.1. And they despised the desired land

 12. The desired land is the kingdom of heaven.

24.1.καὶ ἐξουδένωσαν γῆν ἐπιθυμητὴν

§12. Ἡ γῆ ἡ ἐπιθυμητὴ ἡ βασιλεία ἐστὶν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

v. 1. And he raised his hand to them

 13. He calls His powers of punishment “hand”.

26.1.καὶ ἐπῆρεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ αὐτοῖς

§13. Χεῖρα λέγει τὰς κολαστικὰς αὐτοῦ δυνάμεις

v. 28.1. And they were initiated into Belphegor

 14. They held ceremonies in honor of Belphegor after being initiated into his mysteries.

28.1.καὶ ἐτελέσθησαν τῷ Βεελφεγώρ

§14. Τελετὰς ἤγαγον τῷ Βεελφεγὼρ μυηθέντες ἐν τοῖς μυστηρίοις αὐτοῦ.

v. 29.2. And the fall multiplied among them

 15. Instead of “those who fall”.

29.2.καὶ ἐπληθύνθη ἐν αὐτοῖς ἡ πτῶσις

§15. Ἀντὶ τοῦ οἱ πίπτοντες.

v. 30.1. And Phinees arose and intervened, and the slaughter ceased

 16. Above it says that Moses arose and averted the wrath [of God] (cf. Ps 105.23), while here that Phinehas arose and he did not avert the slaughter; but the slaughter stopped .

30.καὶ ἔστη Φινεὲς καὶ ἐξιλάσατο καὶ ἐκόπασεν ἡ θραῦσις

§16. Ἀνωτέρω μὲν λέγει ὅτι ἔστη Μωϋσῆς καὶ ἀπέστρεψε τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ· ἐνταῦθα δὲ ὅτι ἔστη Φινεὲς καὶ οὐχὶ ἀπέστρεψε τὴν θραῦσιν, ἀλλ' ἐκόπασεν ἡ θραῦσις.

v. 33.2. And he disagreed with his lips

 17. . Instead of: “he clashed against God”.

33.2.καὶ διέστειλεν ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ

§17. Ἀντὶ τοῦ προσέκρουσε θεῷ.

v. 34. They did not destroy the nations that the Lord told them

 18. He who has cast off the passions - he has destroyed the nations of which the Lord has spoken.

34.οὐκ ἐξωλέθρευσαν τὰ ἔθνη ἃ εἶπεν κύριος αὐτοῖς

§18. Ὁ ἀποθέμενος τὰ πάθη οὗτος ἐξωλέθρευσεν τὰ ἔθνη ἃ εἶπεν κύριος.

v. 35.1 And they mingled with the nations [...] 36.1 and they served their carved images

 19. We mingle with the nations when we serve carved images.

35.1.καὶ ἐμίγησαν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν [...]36.1.καὶ ἐδούλευσαν τοῖς γλυπτοῖς αὐτῶν

§19. Μίγνυταί τις τοῖς ἔθνεσι δουλεύων γλυπτοῖς.

v. 39.2. And they prostituted themselves in their doings

 20. The soul prostitutes itself when it receives seeds from the opposing power and gives birth to evil children.

39.2.καὶ ἐπόρνευσαν ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτῶν

§20. Πορνεύει ψυχὴ σπέρματα λαμβάνουσα παρὰ τῆς ἀντικειμένης δυνάμεως καὶ τίκτουσα τέκνα πονηρά.

v. 40.2. And [the Lord regarded] his inheritance as an abomination

 21. Inheritance of the Lord - reasoning souls.

40.2.καὶ ἐβδελύξατο τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ

§21. Κληρονομία κυρίου ψυχαὶ λογικαί.

v. 41.2. And those who hated them ruled them, 42.1 and their enemies oppressed them

 22. Demons are those who hate us and oppress our souls.

41.2.καὶ ἐκυρίευσαν αὐτῶν οἱ μισοῦντες αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἔθλιψαν αὐτοὺς οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν

§22. Οἱ δαίμονές εἰσιν οἱ μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς καὶ θλίβοντες τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

v. 45.2. And He repented according to abundance of his mercy

 23. By this we learn that the Lord also makes us worthy of mercy

45.2.καὶ μετεμελήθη κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ ἐλέους αὐτοῦ

§23. Ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι καὶ τοῦ ἐλεεῖσθαι ἀξίους ὁ κύριος ἡμᾶς ἀπεργάζεται.

v. 47.1. And gather us from the nations

 24. Those whom God gathers from the nations are those whom he removes from vice and ignorance.

47.Καὶ ἐπισυνάγαγεν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν· τοῦ ἐξομολογήσασθαι τῷ ὀνόματί σου τῷ ἁγίῳ. τοῦ ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι ἐν τῇ αἰνέσει σου.

§24. Τούτους συνάγει ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ὁ θεὸς οὓς ἀφίστησιν ἀπὸ κακίας καὶ ἀγνωσίας.

v. 47.2. For us to boast of your praise

 25. Our Lord is praise, since he who boasts must boast in the Lord. (1Cor 1.31; 2Cor 10,17).

47.2 τοῦ ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι ἐν τῇ αἰνέσει σου.

§25. Ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ἡ αἴνεσίς ἐστιν, εἴ γε ὁ καυχώμενος, ἐν κυρίῳ καυχάσθω.

PSALM 106__

+1. [Among the Hebrews, Book IV goes to Psalm 105.]

§+1 [Παρ' Ἑβραίοις ἡ τετάρτη βίβλος ἵσταται μέχρι τοῦ ρεʹ ψαλμοῦ.]

[106.] v. 3. he gathered them from the east and west, north and the sea

  1. He who came forth from the east is one who ceased to covet and to be angry, because he attained apatheia; he who was gathered from the west abstains from adultery and murder (cf. Mt 15.19), as well as from the actual sins which he had been committing until then. But if anyone keeps away from the north and the sea, that one, because he has his being in true doctrines, is no longer tossed about by every wind of teaching (Ep 4.14) nor is he shipwrecked with regard to faith (1Tim 1.19), because he acquired divine navigation (cf Pr 1.5) by the grace of Christ.

3.ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν συνήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ βορρᾶ καὶ θαλάσσης

§1. Ὁ μὲν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἐξελθὼν οὗτος πέπαυται τοῦ ἐπιθυμεῖν καὶ ὀργίζεσθαι, ἀπαθὴς γεγονώς· ὁ δὲ ἀπὸ δυσμῶν συναχθεὶς ἀπέχεται μοιχείας καὶ φόνου καὶ τῶν κατ' ἐνέργειαν τέως ἁμαρτιῶν· εἰ δέ τις τοῦ βορρᾶ καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀπήλλακται, οὗτος ἐν ἀληθέσι δόγμασιν ὢν, οὐκέτι περιφέρεται παντὶ ἀνέμῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας οὐδὲ περὶ τὴν πίστιν ναυαγεῖ, κυβέρνησιν θείαν κτησάμενος διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

[106.] v. 4. They wandered in the desert, in (a place) without water; they did not find the way to a city of habitation

 2. The city of habitation is the knowledge of God.

4.ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐν ἀνύδρῳ, ὁδὸν πόλεως κατοικητηρίου οὐχ εὗρον

§2. Πόλις κατοικητηρίου ἐστὶν ἡ γνῶσις τοῦ θεοῦ.

[106.] v. 9.1. Because (the Lord) has filled the empty soul

 3. The empty soul is one that is deprived of virtues and knowledge.

9.1.ὅτι ἐχόρτασε ψυχὴν κενήν

§3. Ψυχὴ κενή ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετῶν καὶ γνώσεων ἐστερημένη.

[106.] v.10. Sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, chained by poverty and iron

 4. They sit in darkness and the shadow of death who live in ignorance: chained with iron are those who pass their time in vice.

10.καθημένους ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, πεπεδημένους ἐν πτωχείᾳ καὶ σιδήρῳ

§4. Κάθηνται ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου οἱ ἀγνοίᾳ συζῶντες, πεπέδηνται σιδήρῳ οἱ ἐν κακίᾳ διάγοντες.

[106.] v. 11.2. And because they irritated the will of the Most High

 5. As certain intelligible powers are called [the] “eye” and “hand” of the Lord, so also a holy nature that is angry with sinners is called “will” of the Lord.

11.2.καὶ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ ὑψίστου παρώξυναν

§5. Ὥσπερ ὀφθαλμὸς κυρίου καὶ χεῖρες ὀνομάζονται δυνάμεις τινὲς νοεραί, οὕτω καὶ βουλὴ κυρίου λέγεται φύσις ἁγία ἡ παροξυνομένη ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν.

[106.] v. 14. And he brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and he broke their bonds

 6.  Insofar as [He] is light (cf Jn 8.12), the Lord brings us out of darkness, insofar as [He] is is life (cf Jn 11.25; 14.6), [He brings us] out of death, and again as mighty (cf Ps 23.8; 77.65; 88.9) He will break [our] bonds.

14.καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐκ σκότους καὶ σκιᾶς θανάτου καὶ τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν διέρρηξεν

§6. Καθὸ φῶς ἐστιν ὁ κύριος ἐξάγει ἡμᾶς ἐκ σκότους, καθὸ δὲ ζωὴ ἐκ θανάτου καὶ πάλιν ὡς δυνατὸς διαρρήξει δεσμούς.

[106.] v. 16. Because he broke the bronze doors and broke the iron bolts

 7.  He calls “doors of bronze” either the vices or the demons who produce them, while by the “bolt” I think is indicated the resistance of the ruling faculty (hégemonikon) to virtue. [cf KG 5.80;  5.77]

16.ὅτι συνέτριψεν πύλας χαλκᾶς καὶ μοχλοὺς σιδηροῦς συνέθλασεν

§7. Πύλας χαλκᾶς ἤτοι τὰς κακίας λέγει ἢ τοὺς ἐνεργοῦντας αὐτὰς δαίμονας· διὰ δὲ τοῦ μοχλοῦ τὸ δυσκαμπὲς πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ δεδηλῶσθαι νομίζω.

[106.] v. 18.1. Their soul felt disgust for all food

 8. Just as the sick feel disgust for all food, so the impure reject all knowledge.

18.1.πᾶν βρῶμα ἐβδελύξατο ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν

§8. Ὥσπερ οἱ νοσοῦντες πᾶν βρῶμα βδελύσσονται, οὕτως οἱ ἀκάθαρτοι πᾶσαν γνῶσιν ἀπωθοῦνται.

[106.] v. 20.1. He sent his word and healed them

 9. The Word healed them according to His intention as physician.

20.1.ἀπέστειλεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτοὺς

§9[ 8?]. Ἰάσατο αὐτοὺς ὁ λόγος κατὰ τὴν ἐπίνοιαν τοῦ ἰατροῦ.

v.      [106.] 21-22.  Let them acknowledge His mercies to the Lord 

 10. The one who understands the logoi of providence - he glorifies the Lord’s mercies.

21.ἐξομωλογησάσθωσαν τῷ κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτου

§10. ὁ τοὺς περὶ προνοίας ἐπιστάμενος λόγους οὗτος δοξάζει τὰ ἐλέη κυρίου.

[cf Pitra 106·21-22̔1̓]

[106.] v. 22.1. Let them offer a sacrifice of praise

 11. Abolition of legal[istic] worship.

22.1.καὶ θυσάτωσαν θυσίαν αἰνέσεως

§11. Ἀναίρεσιν νομικῆς λατρείας.

[106.] v. 23. Those who go down to sea in boats, doing their work on abundant waters, they have seen the works of the Lord

 12. All those who fall into many and varied temptations because of the work of virtue, they see the works of the Lord: that is, the logoi of the events that have happened and are happening.

23.οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐν πλοίοις ποιοῦντες ἐργασίαν ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς, 24.1.αὐτοὶ εἴδοσαν τὰ ἔργα κυρίου

§12. Ὅσοι πειρασποῖς πολλοῖς καὶ ποικίλοις διὰ τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐργασίαν περιπίπτουσιν, οὗτοι ὁρῶσι τὰ ἔργα κυρίου, τουτέστι τοὺς λόγους τῶν γεγονότων καὶ γινομένων.

[106.] v. 25.2-26.2. And the waves of (the sea) arose. 26.1-2 They ascend to the heavens and they descend to the abyss

 13. If the waves are the temptations, and if among the temptations some compel us to blaspheme God, while others [compel us] to sin against both the living and the dead, it is well said that the waves ascend to the heavens and descend to the abyss. But some say David is speaking hyperbolically here.

25.2.καὶ ὑψώθη τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς·26.1.ἀναβαίνουσιν ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν2.καὶ καταβαίνουσιν ἕως τῶν ἀβύσσων

§13. Εἰ τὰ κύματά εἰσιν οἱ πειρασμοί, τῶν δὲ πειρασμῶν οἱ μὲν ἀναγκάζουσιν ἡμᾶς βλασφημεῖν τὸν θεόν, οἱ δὲ καὶ εἰς ζῶντας καὶ εἰς νεκροὺς ἐξαμαρτάνειν, καλῶς λέγεται τὰ κύματα ἀναβαίνειν ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ καταβαίνειν ἕως τῶν ἀβύσσων· τινὲς δὲ ταῦτά φασιν ὑπερβολικῶς λαλεῖν τὸν Δαυίδ.

[106.] v. 27.2. And all their wisdom was swallowed up

 14. The wisdom of God is swallowed up by vice, but the righteousness of the Lord destroys vice.

27.2.καὶ πᾶσα ἡ σοφία αὐτῶν κατεπόθη

§14. Σοφίαν θεοῦ καταπίνει κακία· δικαιοσύνη δὲ κυρίου διαφθείρει κακίαν.

[106.] v. 29.2. And its waves are silent

 15. He named the destruction of temptations the silence of the waves .

29.2.καὶ ἐσίγησαν τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς

§15. Σιγὴν τῶν κυμάτων τὴν φθορὰν ὠνόμασε τῶν πειρασμῶν.

[106.] v. 30.2. And he guided them to the port of their choice

 16. Port of the soul - apatheia; port of the nous - knowledge of bodies and incorporeals.

30.2.καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ λιμένα θελήματος αὐτῶν

§16. Λιμὴν μὲν ψυχῆς ἡ ἀπάθεια· λιμὴν δὲ νοῦ γνῶσις σωμάτων καὶ ἀσωμάτων.

[106.] v. 33. He placed the rivers in the desert

 17. These rivers are those of which the Savior spoke in the Gospels, those that destroy the house of the fool who had built on sand. (cf. Mt 7,26-27)

33.  ἔθετο ποταμοὺς εἰς ἔρημον

 17. οὗτοι οἱ ποταμοί εἰσιν περὶ ὧν εἶπεν ὁ  σωτὴρ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις οἱ καταστρεφόντες τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ μωροῦ τοῦ οἰκοδομήσαντος ἐπὶ τῆς ψάμμου. [cf. Pitra 106.33]

[106.] v. 34. The fruit-bearing land into a salty land, because of the vice of its inhabitants

 18. As can be seen from the verse, we learn that the land often does not bear fruit because of the vice of its inhabitants.

34.γῆν καρποφόρον εἰς ἅλμην ἀπὸ κακίας τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν αὐτῇ

§18. Ὅσον ἐκ τοῦ ῥητοῦ, γινώσκομεν ὅτι οὐ καρποφορεῖ πολλάκις ἡ γῆ διὰ τὴν κακίαν τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν αὐτῇ.

[106.] v. 37-38. And they sowed the fields and planted the vines and they made fruit to be harvested. 38.1 And he blessed them, and they multiplied greatly

 19. It is not always those who cultivate sensible fruits who are blessed, but rather those who produce spiritual fruits, for the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, long-suffering, faith, gentleness, abstinence (Gal 5.22).

37.καὶ ἔσπειραν ἀγροὺς καὶ ἐφύτευσαν ἀμπελῶνας καὶ ἐποίησαν καρπὸν γενήματος· 38.1.καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν σφόδρα

§19. Οὐ πάντως οἱ γεωργοῦντες καρποὺς αἰσθητοὺς εὐλογοῦνται, ἀλλ' οἱ ποιοῦντες καρποὺς πνευματικούς· ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, πίστις, πραΰτης, ἐγκράτεια.

[106.] v. 40.2. And he made them wander in an impassable place and not on a path

 20. He let them wander and did not protect them because of their vice. (cf Ps 106.17)

40.2.καὶ ἐπλάνησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀβάτῳ καὶ οὐχ ὁδῷ

§20. Ἐγκατέλιπεν αὐτοὺς πλανωμένους καὶ οὐκ ἀντελάβετο αὐτῶν διὰ τὴν κακίαν αὐτῶν.

[106.] v. 41.2. He made him families like sheep

 21. So we become sheep when the Lord becomes our shepherd. (cf Jn 10.11)

41.2.καὶ ἔθετο ὡς πρόβατα πατριάς

§21. Τότε ἡμεῖς γινόμεθα πρόβατα ὅταν καὶ ὁ κύριος γένηται ἡμῶν ποιμήν.

[106.] v. 42.2. And all iniquity will stop his mouth

 22. He calls the iniquitous “iniquity”.

42.2.καὶ πᾶσα ἀνομία ἐμφράξει τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς

§22. Τὸν ἄνομον ἀνομίαν ὠνόμασεν.

PSALM 107__

v. 2. My heart is ready, God, my heart is ready

 1. He who has rid himself of the passions -  he has made his heart ready for God.

2.ἑτοίμη ἡ καρδία μου, ὁ θεός, ἑτοίμη ἡ καρδία μου

§1. Ὁ ἀποθέμενος τὰ πάθη, οὗτος ἡτοίμασεν τῷ θεῷ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ.

v.3.  Awake, psalter[y] and harp; I will arise at dawn

  2. The symbol of the nous is the psalter[y]; that of the soul, the harp.  And the nous rejecting ignorance awakens, [likewise] the soul [rejecting] vice.  But I call ‘soul’ the portion of the soul subject to passion, which is the thumikon and the epithumetikon.

3.1.ἐξεγέρθητι, ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάρα

§2. Τοῦ νοῦ μὲν σύμβολόν ἐστι τὸ ψαλτήριον, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἡ κιθάρα. Καὶ νοῦς μὲν ἐγείρεται ἀποβάλλων ἄγνοιαν, ψυχὴ δὲ κακίαν· ψυχὴν δὲ λέγω τὸ παθητικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τὸ θυμικὸν καὶ τὸ ἐπιθυμητικόν.

 [͂ Pitra 107·3̔1̓]

v.5 And your truth [reaches]  to the clouds

   3. The reasoning clouds know the truth of God; [and] they are commanded, “do not shower down rain upon the sinners” (Is 5.6).

5.2.καὶ ἕως τῶν νεφελῶν ἡ ἀλήθειά σου

§3. Τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλήθειαν αἱ λογικαὶ νεφέλαι γινώσκουσιν αἷς ἐντέλλεται μὴ βρέξαι ἐπὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ὑετόν.

[Pitra 5]

v. 8.1. God spoke in his holy [place]

 4. The holy [place] of God is the Christ.

8.1.ὁ θεὸς ἐλάλησεν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ

§4. Ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός.

v. 9. To me Gilead and to me Manasseh and Ephraim the protection of my head, Judah my king

 4+. Gilead [means] “repentance of the testimony, of the wise testimony”. Manasseh has been called “calculation”. Ephraim, “growth, bearing fruit.” Judah, “confessing.”

9.ἐμός ἐστιν Γαλαάδ, καὶ ἐμός ἐστιν Μανασσῆς, καὶ Ἐφραῒμ ἀντίλημψις τῆς κεφαλῆς μου, Ἰούδας βασιλεύς μου·

§4b. [Γαλαὰδ μετοικία μαρτυρίας, σοφοῦ μαρτυρίας· Μανασσῆς ἐπιλογισμὸς ἐκλήθη· Ἐφραῒμ αὔξησις, καρποφορία· Ἰούδας ἐξομολογούμενος.]

v. 10.1. Moab, cauldron of my hope

 5. The cauldron is he who is boiling in spirit (cf Ac 18.5; cf Rom 12.11) and puts his hope in the Lord, which hope does not disappoint him who hopes. (Rom 5.5)

10.1.Μωὰβ λέβης τῆς ἐλπίδος μου

§5. Λέβης ἐστὶν ὁ τῷ πνεύματι ζέων καὶ ἐλπίζων ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον, ἥτις ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει τὸν ἐλπίζοντα.

v. 10.2. At Idumea I will spread my sandal

 6. The sandal of Christ is the flesh that the Lord used to come into the lives of men.

10.2.ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν ἐκτενῶ τὸ ὑπόδημά μου

§6. Ἡ σάρξ ἐστι τὸ ὑπόδημα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾗ χρησάμενος ὁ κύριος ἐπεδήμησεν τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

v. 10.3. Strangers have been submitted to me

 7. If the prince of this world has been cast out by the Savior (cf Jn 12,31), how much more the demons who are under his command

10.3.ἐμοὶ ἀλλόφυλοι ὑπετάγησαν

§7. Εἰ ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐξεβλήθη ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἔξω, πόσῳ μᾶλλον οἱ ἀρχόμενοι δαίμονες ὑπ' αὐτοῦ.

v. 13.2. And vain (is) the salvation of man

 8. The salvation of the rational nature is spiritual science. This is why he was right to write that salvation from men is vain.

13.2.καὶ ματαία σωτηρία ἀνθρώπου

§8. Ἡ σωτηρία τῆς λογικῆς φύσεως πνευματικὴ γνῶσίς ἐστι· διὸ καλῶς γέγραπται ὅτι ἡ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρία ματαία ἐστίν.

PSALM 108__

v. 3.1. And they surrounded me with words of hate

 1. He called “words of hatred” either those which are uttered out of hatred, or those which make us hateful before God.

3.1.καὶ λόγοις μίσους ἐκύκλωσάν με

§1. Λόγους μίσους ὠνόμασεν ἤτοι τοὺς ἀπὸ μίσους προφερομένους ἢ τοὺς μισητοὺς ἡμᾶς ποιοῦντας παρὰ θεῷ.

v. 4. In exchange for my love, they slandered me, but I prayed

 2. By this we learn that when we are defamed in something we should pray for our enemies (cf Mt 5.44), so that we do not fall into resentment and become detached from knowledge.

4.ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀγαπᾶν με, ἐνδιέβαλλόν με, ἐγὼ δὲ προσευχόμην

§2. Ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι τι κακηγουμένους ἡμᾶς δεῖ προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἵνα μήποτε μνησικακίᾳ περιπεσόντες ἐκκρουσθῶμεν ἀπὸ τῆς γνώσεως.

v. 6.2. And let the devil stand at his right

 3. Satan stands at the right of those whose right actions he cuts off. But in Zechariah the devil stood at the right of Joshua, not merely [standing], but opposing him. (Zach 1)

6.2.καὶ διάβολος στήτω ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ

§3. Ὧν ἐκκόπτει ὁ σατανᾶς τὰ ἔργα τὰ δεξιὰ τούτων ἕστηκεν ἐκ δεξιῶν· ἐν δὲ τῷ Ζαχαρίᾳ τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἱστήκει ἐκ δεξιῶν ὁ διάβολος, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀντικεῖσθαι αὐτῷ.

v. 7.2. And let his prayer become sin

 4. When we ask for earthly goods and not heavenly goods, our prayer becomes sin.

7.2.καὶ ἡ προσευχὴ αὐτοῦ γενέσθω εἰς ἁμαρτίαν.

§4. Ὅταν αἰτῶμεν ἐπίγεια καὶ οὐκ ἐπουράνια ἡ προσευχὴ ἡμῶν γίνεται εἰς ἁμαρτίαν

v. 8.1. May his days become few

 5. Few days are those produced by the noetic Sun of justice (Ma13.20), for concerning Abraham there is this: Abraham died full of days (Gn 25.8), and in turn David said, Do not take me away in the middle of my days (Ps 101.25).

8.1.γενηθήτωσαν αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ ὀλίγαι.

§5. Ἡμέραι ὀλίγαι αἱ ὑπὸ τοῦ νοητοῦ ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης γινόμεναι· περὶ γὰρ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἔχει ὅτι ἀπέθανεν Ἀβραὰμ πλήρης ἡμερῶν· καὶ πάλιν ὁ Δαυὶδ λέγει· Μὴ ἀναγάγῃς με ἐν ἡμίσει ἡμερῶν μου.

v.8.2. And let another take leadership

 6. Peter applied this verse to Judas in the Acts of the Apostles. (cf Ac 1.20)

8.2.καὶ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λάβοι ἕτερος

§6. Τοῦτον τὸν στίχον ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα ὁ Πέτρος τέθεικεν ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων.

v. 9. May his sons become orphans and his wife a widow

 7. It seems to me that the righteous do not utter a curse, but make a prayer, for the Apostle says: Bless your enemies, bless and do not curse (Rom 12, 14). Therefore, the orphans are the evil [tempting-]thoughts that buried Satan their father, while the widow is the soul that no longer receives seeds from the devil. The sequence is thus respected: for it first cuts off the actual sins, and then also the vile thoughts (noémata) that cause them.

9.Γενηθήτωσαν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ ὀρφανοὶ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ χήρα

§7  [or6?]. Οὐ καταρᾶσθαι ὁ δίκαιος, ἀλλὰ προσεύχεσθαί μοι δοκεῖ· Εὐλογεῖτε γὰρ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν, φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, εὐλογεῖτε καὶ μὴ καταρᾶσθε. Ὀρφανοὶ τοίνυν εἰσὶν λογισμοὶ πονηροὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θάψαντες πατέρα τὸν σατανᾶν· χήρα δὲ ψυχὴ ἡ μηκέτι λαμβάνουσα σπέρματα παρὰ τοῦ διαβόλου. Εὖ δὲ καὶ ἡ τάξις ἔχει· πρότερον μὲν γὰρ περιαιρεῖ τὰς κατ' ἐνέργειαν ἁμαρτίας, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὰ τούτων φαῦλα νοήματα.

v. 12.2. And let no one pity his orphans

 8. No one will pity the shoots [that arise] from the subsequently-sown weeds. (cf. Mt 13.25)

12.2.μηδὲ γενηθήτω οἰκτίρμων τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς αὐτοῦ

§8. Μηδεὶς ἐλεήσει τὰ ἐκ τῶν ἐπισπειρομένων ζιζανίων γεννήματα.

v. 13. May his children be doomed to extermination, may his name be blotted out in a single generation

 9. From Matthew the tax-collector and evangelist there was blotted out in a single generation the evil name (i.e. “tax-collector”) that declared his very bad state, for he had no children to succeed him in his vice.

13.γενηθήτω τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ εἰς ἐξολέθρευσιν, ἐν γενεᾷ μιᾷ ἐξαλειφθήτω τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ

§9. Ματθαίου τοῦ τελώνου καὶ εὐαγγελιστοῦ ἐν γενεᾷ μιᾷ ἐξηλείφθη τὸ πονηρὸν ὄνομα, ὅπερ τὴν χειρίστην κατάστασιν ἐδήλου· οὐ γὰρ ἔσχε τέκνα διάδοχα τῆς κακίας αὐτοῦ.

v. 14.2. And may his mother’s sin not be erased

 10. [Namely, that “sin”] for which, after childbirth, a pair of doves or two young doves are offered - one for the sin and one for the burnt offering. (Lev 12.8; cf Lk 2.24)

14.2.καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐξαλειφθείη

§10. Ὑπὲρ ἧς ἁμαρτίας, μετὰ τὸν τοκετόν, προσφέρει ζεῦγος τρυγόνων ἢ δύο νεωσσοὺς περιτερῶν, τὴν μίαν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας καὶ τὴν μίαν εἰς ὁλοκάρπωσιν.

v. 16. Because he did not remember to give alms and he persecuted the needy and poor man

 11. This verse should be applied to people without mercy.

16.1.ἀνθ' ὧν οὐκ ἐμνήσθη τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἔλεος2.καὶ κατεδίωξεν ἄνθρωπον πένητα καὶ πτωχὸν

§11. Χρηστέον τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνελεήμονας.

v. 17. And he loved the curse, and it will return to him; he did not want the blessing, and it will depart from him

 12. If the curse returns to the one who loves the curse, it is also evident that blessing returns the one who loves blessing; and conversely, if the blessing does not come to the one who does not want the blessing, the curse also does not come to the one who does not want the curse. And who wants the curse to come to him? No one, in a word; but it is by their deeds that they will the curse, because if they did not will it, they would not perform any deeds that deserve the curse. We must remember that the same applies to wanting the blessing, because it is not he who wants the blessing in words who is blessed, but he who makes himself worthy of the blessing in the eyes of the Lord by his good deeds.

17.Καὶ ἠγάπησεν κατάραν καὶ ἥξει αὐτῷ· καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλησεν εὐλογίαν καὶ μακρυνθήσεται ἀπ' αὐτοῦ

§12. Εἰ τῷ ἀγαπῶντι τὴν κατάραν ἔρχεται ἡ κατάρα, καὶ τῷ ἀγαπῶντι δηλονότι τὴν εὐλογίαν ἔρχεται ἡ εὐλογία· καὶ πάλιν, εἰ τῷ μὴ θέλοντι τὴν εὐλογίαν, οὐκ ἔρχεται ἡ εὐλογία, καὶ τῷ μὴ θέλοντι τὴν κατάραν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἡ κατάρα. Καὶ τίς οὖν θέλει ἐλθεῖν αὐτῷ κατάραν; Οὐδεὶς μὲν τῷ λόγῳ, πλὴν δὲ δι' ὧν πράττουσι θέλουσι τὴν κατάραν· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἤθελον, οὐκ ἄν τι τῶν κατάρας ἀξίων κατειργάσαντο. Ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θέλειν τὴν εὐλογίαν νοητέον· οὐ γὰρ ὁ λόγῳ θέλων τὴν εὐλογίαν οὗτος εὐλογεῖται, ἀλλ' ὁ παρέχων ἑαυτὸν ἄξιον τῆς εὐλογίας κυρίῳ δι' ἔργων ἀγαθῶν.

v. 18. And he put on cursing like a cloak

 13. Just as Satan clothes with vices those who have stripped off Christ, so also Christ clothes with the virtues those who have stripped off the curse. (cf Rom 13.14; Gal 3.27)

18.καὶ ἐνεδύσατο κατάραν ὡς ἱμάτιον

§13. Ὥσπερ τοὺς Χριστὸν ἐνδυσαμένους διὰ τῶν κακιῶν ἐκδύει ὁ σατανᾶς, οὕτως καὶ τοὺς κατάραν ἐνδυσαμένους διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐκδύει ὁ Χριστός.

v. 19. And like a belt, which is always girded

 14. This belt designates the irrational burning of the concupiscible part.

19.2.καὶ ὡσεὶ ζώνη ἣν διαπαντὸς περιζώννυται

§14. Αὕτη ἡ ζώνη σημαίνει τὴν τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ ἄλογον πύρωσιν.

v. 20. This is the work of those who slander me before the Lord and who speak evil against my soul

 15. If those who speak evil against the soul of the Savior put on cursing as a cloak (Ps 108.18), and if it is heretics who speak evil against the soul of Christ, arguing against it; then the latter put on cursing as a cloak (Ps 108.18) and their shame as a double cloak (Ps 108.29)

20.τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον τῶν ἐνδιαβαλλόντων με παρὰ κυρίου καὶ τῶν λαλούντων πονηρὰ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς μου

§15. Εἰ ἐνδύονται κατάραν ὡς ἱμάτιον οἱ λαλοῦντες πονηρὰ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος, οἱ δὲ αἱρετικοί εἰσιν οἱ λαλοῦντες πονηρὰ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀναιροῦντες αὐτήν, οὗτοι ἄρα ἐνδύονται κατάραν ὡς ἱμάτιον καὶ διπλοΐδα αἰσχύνην αὐτῶν.

v. 24 My knees are weakened from fasting, and my flesh is changed from [lack of] oil.

 16. The saying is to be directed towards those who are contemptuous of temperance.

24.τὰ γόνατά μου ἠσθένησαν ἀπὸ νηστείας καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου ἠλλοιώθη δι' ἔλαιον

§16. Χρηστέον τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς καταφρονοῦντας τῆς ἐγκρατείας.  [͂PG 12-1568-1569] Αντ 1.18

v. 25. And I became a reproach to them; they saw me, they shook their heads

 17. This happened on the occasion of the cross, for the Jews shook their heads (Mt 27.39) saying: He saved others and he cannot save himself. (Mt 27.42)

25.καὶ ἐγὼ ἐγενήθην ὄνειδος αὐτοῖς· εἴδοσάν με, ἐσάλευσαν κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν

§17. Τοῦτο γέγονε κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ σταυροῦ· ἐκίνουν γὰρ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν λέγοντες· Ἄλλους ἔσωσεν, ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται σῶσαι.

v. 28. They will curse and you will bless

 18. The Lord blesses him whom adversaries curse.

§28. 1.καταράσονται αὐτοί, καὶ σὺ εὐλογήσεις

§18. Τοῦτον εὐλογεῖ κύριος ὃν ἀντικείμενοι καταρῶνται.

29. Let those who falsely accuse me be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a cloak.

 19. While Samuel was clothed in a cloak (1Sam 2:19) which the Jerusalem above which is our mother (Gal 4:26) made for him, sinners are clothed in [the]  cloak of their own shame [cf Sch. 8 on Ps 118; Sch 5 on Ps 118]

29.ἐνδυσάσθωσαν οἱ ἐνδιαβάλλοντές με ἐντροπὴν καὶ περιβαλέσθωσαν ὡσεὶ διπλοΐδα αἰσχύνην αὐτῶν

§19. ὁ μὲν Σαμουὴλ ἐνδύεται διπλοΐδα ἣν πεποίηκεν αὐτῷ ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν· οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐνδύονται διπλοΐδα αἰσχύνης αὐτῶν. [.῾cf. P29-31̔2̓̓ ]

v. 31. Because he stood at the right [hand] of the needy

 20. If someone is the right [hand], he also always stands at the right [hand] of the just, but if someone stands at the right [hand] of another, it is not in always at the right [hand]. And indeed it is said: Let the devil stand at his right [hand], that is, of Judas. (Ps 108, 6)

31.1.ὅτι παρέστη ἐκ δεξιῶν πένητος

§20. Εἴ τις ἐστὶ δεξιός, οὗτος πάντως καὶ ἐν δεξιᾷ παρίσταται τῷ δικαίῳ· εἴ δέ τις ἐν δεξιᾷ παρίσταταί τινι, οὗτος οὐ πάντως ἐστὶ καὶ δεξιός. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ διάβολος, φησί, στήτω ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι τοῦ Ἰούδα.

PSALM 109__

v. 1.2. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right [hand]

 +1. None of the fathers ever called his own son his Lord, but David called Christ his Lord, so Christ is not David’s son.

1.2.εἶπεν ὁ κύριος τῷ κυρίῳ μου· κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου

§+1 Οὐδεὶς τῶν πατέρων τὸν ἴδιον υἱὸν κύριον ἑαυτοῦ εἶπέν ποτε, ὁ δὲ Δαυὶδ τὸν Χριστὸν κύριον ἑαυτοῦ εἶπεν, οὐκ ἄρα ὁ Χριστὸς υἱός ἐστι τοῦ Δαυίδ.

v. 3,1. With you is the beginning in the day of your strength

 1. If the beginning of the son is the father, while the beginning was with the Christ; then it is well said in the Gospels: “Not I alone, but I and the Father Who sent me.” (Jn 8.16)  Day of power means the day of the cross or the day of the Incarnation.

3.1.μετὰ σοῦ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου

§1. Εἰ ἀρχὴ τοῦ υἱοῦ ὁ πατήρ, ἡ δὲ ἀρχὴ ἦν μετὰ Χριστοῦ, ὁ πατὴρ ἦν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καλῶς τοίνυν λέγει ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις τό οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πέμψας με πατήρ. Ἡμέραν δὲ δυνάμεως εἶπεν τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ σταυροῦ ἢ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως.

v. 3.3. From the womb, before the Morning Star I fathered you

 2. Instead of: “before all reasoning nature I fathered you”. Indeed, to scrutinize more deeply the begetting of Christ and that of the Morning Star (Lucifer?) is beyond our reach, for the logos concerning this subject is abundant and difficult to contemplate.

3.3.ἐκ γαστρὸς πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ἐξεγέννησά σε

§2. Ἀντὶ τοῦ πρὸ πάσης λογικῆς φύσεως ἐγέννησά σε· τὸ γὰρ βαθύτερον περιεργάζεσθαι τὴν γέννησιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἑωσφόρου οὐ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐστὶ δυνάμεως· πολὺς γὰρ ὁ περὶ τούτου λόγος καὶ δυσθεώρητος.

v. 6.1. He will judge among the nations, he will complete [the number of] corpses

 3. He completes the [number of] corpses of the old man corrupted by deceitful desires. (Eph 4.22)

6.1.κρινεῖ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, πληρώσει πτώματα

§3. Πληροῖ πτώματα τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ φθειρομένου κατὰ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης.

v. 7.1. he will drink from the torrent by the wayside, that’s why he will lift up his head

 4. If Christ lifted up his head because he had drunk water from the torrent by the wayside, perhaps torrent designates his death in this life: [namely,] the one he calls “cup” in the Gospels when he says, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass me by (Mt 26. 39). And again, When I am lifted up, says the Savior, I will draw all things to myself. (Jn 12.32)

7.ἐκ χειμάρρου ἐν ὁδῷ πίεται· διὰ τοῦτο ὑψώσει κεφαλήν

§4. Εἰ διὰ τοῦτο ὑψώσει τὴν κεφαλὴν αὑτοῦ ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τοῦ χειμάρρου τοῦ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἔπιεν ὕδωρ, τάχα ὁ χείμαρρος τὸν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ θάνατον αὐτοῦ σημαίνει, ὃν ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ποτήριον ὀνομάζει, πάτερ λέγων εἰ δυνατόν, παρελθάτω τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο· καὶ πάλιν· Ὅταν ὑψωθῶ, φησὶν ὁ σωτήρ, πάντας εἱλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν.

PSALM 110__

v. 2.1. Great, the works of the Lord

 1. He calls the works of the Lord “great” because of the wisdom stored up in them.

2.1.μεγάλα τὰ ἔργα κυρίου

§1. Μεγάλα τὰ ἔργα κυρίου διὰ τὴν ἀποκειμένην ἐν αὐτοῖς σοφίαν ὠνόμασεν.

v. 3.2. And his justice remains unto the ages of the ages

 2. If his justice endures unto the ages of ages, and the just are called just because of justice, then they also endure unto the ages of ages. Paul, too, was therefore right to say, But we will always be with the Lord. (cf 1Thes 4.17)

3.2.καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος

§2. Εἰ ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, οἱ δὲ δίκαιοι διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὀνομάζονται δίκαιοι, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἄρα μένουσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Καλῶς οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος εἶπεν· Ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντοτε σὺν κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα.

v. 5.1. He gave food to those who fear him

 3. The food of those who fear the Lord is the wisdom of God, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (cf Ps 110.10; Pr 1.7, 9.10)

5.1.τροφὴν ἔδωκεν τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτὸν

§3. Ἡ τροφὴ τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν κύριον ἡ σοφία ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ· Ἀρχὴ γὰρ σοφίας φόβος κυρίου.

v. 6.1. He announced the strength of his works to his people

 4. He calls the contemplation of beings “strength of his works”, but science is called “strength” because it deposits a force in rational nature.

6.1.ἰσχὺν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ἀνήγγειλεν τῷ λαῷ αὐτου

§4. Τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν γεγονότων ἰσχὺν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὀνομάζει· ἰσχὺς δὲ εἴρηται ἡ γνῶσις διὰ τὸ ἰσχὺν ἐντιθέναι τῇ φύσει τῇ λογικῇ.

v. 7. The works of his hands are truth and judgment, all his commandments are faithful

 5. Truth is seen in right doctrines, and judgment in practice. He calls the commandments “faithful”, instead of “trustworthy”, because what they promise they also do. Now to those who keep them they promise the purification of the reasoning soul.

7.ἔργα χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀλήθεια καὶ κρίσις· πισταὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ

§5. Ἡ μὲν ἀλήθεια ἐν τοῖς ὀρθοῖς δόγμασι θεωρεῖται, ἡ δὲ κρίσις ἐν τῇ πρακτικῇ. Πιστὰς δὲ εἶπεν τὰς ἐντολὰς ἀντὶ τοῦ πίστεως ἀξίας· ὃ γὰρ ὑπισχνοῦνται, τοῦτο καὶ ποιοῦσιν· ὑπισχνοῦνται δὲ κάθαρσιν ψυχῆς λογικῆς τοῖς φυλάττουσιν αὐτάς

v. 10.1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, good understanding for all who practice it

 6. Good understanding is given to those who practice it: [namely,] the beginning of wisdom.

10.1.ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος κυρίου,2.σύνεσις ἀγαθὴ πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσιν αὐτήν

§6. Σύνεσις ἀγαθὴ δίδοται τοῖς ποιοῦσι δηλονότι τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς σοφίας.

PSALM 111__

v. 1.3. In his commandments he will delight ("will") greatly

 1. He delights (“wills”) greatly in his commandments, who keeps them with all precision.

PSALM 111
1.3.ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ θελήσει σφόδρα

§1. Οὗτος θέλει ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ σφόδρα ὁ μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας φυλάσσων αὐτάς.

v. 3.1. Glory and wealth in his house

 2. The wisdom of God, insofar as it generously lavishes contemplation, is called “wealth”: insofar as it prepares men to glorify him who possesses it, is called “glory.”

3.1.δόξα καὶ πλοῦτος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ

§2. Ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, καθὸ μὲν παρέχει ἀφθονίαν θεωρημάτων, πλοῦτος καλεῖται, καθὸ δὲ παρασκευάζει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους δοξάζειν τὸν κεκτημένον αὐτήν, ὀνομάζεται δόξα.

v. 4.1. He caused a light to arise in the darkness for the upright

 3. In the Gospels, the Savior tells His disciples: What you have heard in the darkness, speak in the light. (Mt 10.27)

4.1.ἐξανέτειλεν ἐν σκότει φῶς τοῖς εὐθέσιν

§3. Ὁ σωτὴρ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς φησιν· Ὃ ἠκούσατε ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, εἴπατε ἐν τῷ φωτί.

[111]: v.5. Kindly is the man that shows mercy and lends;
He will steward his words with judgment,

 4. This saying is to be directed towards those who thoughtlessly disclose the mysteries of the sacred scriptures without discernment: and so Paul says, ‘Let a man thus account us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.’ (1Cor. 4:1).

5.χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ ὁ οἰκτίρων καὶ κιχρῶν οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει

§4. Χρηστέον τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἀπερισκέπτως ἐκφέροντας τὰ μυστήρια τῆς θείας γραφῆς ἀδιακρίτως. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· Οὕτως ἡμᾶς λογιζέσθω ἄνθρωπος ὡς ὑπηρέτας Χριστοῦ καὶ οἰκονόμους τῶν μυστηρίων θεοῦ.  [͂Pitra 111·5̔2̓; cf PG 12.1572]

v. 7.1. he will not be afraid of evil tidings

 5. “Tiding” instead of “rumor”, as it is also written in the Gospel: The tiding which he made spread throughout all Syria (Mt 4.24) , and again. You will hear wars and tidings of wars, instead of “rumors of wars”. (Mt 24.6)

7.1.ἀπὸ ἀκοῆς πονηρᾶς οὐ φοβηθήσεται

§5. Ἀκοῆς ἀντὶ τοῦ φήμης, ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται· Ἐξῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅλην τὴν Συρίαν· καὶ πάλιν· Μέλλετε ἀκούειν πολέμους καὶ ἀκοὰς πολέμων, ἀντὶ τοῦ φήμας πολέμων

v. 9.3. His horn will be lifted high in glory

 6. Satan fears nothing so much as a nous that has been lifted high in the knowledge of God.

9.3.τὸ κέρας αὐτοῦ ὑψωθήσεται ἐν δόξῃ

§6. Οὐδὲν οὕτω φοβεῖται ὁ σατανᾶς ὡς νοῦν ὑψωθέντα ἐν γνώσει θεοῦ.

v. 10.3 The desire of sinners will disappear

 7. If the desire of sinners will disappear and the desire of sinners is vice, then the vice of sinners will disappear.

10.3.ἐπιθυμία ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀπολεῖται

§7. Εἰ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀπολεῖται, ἡ δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐπιθυμία ἡ κακία ἐστίν, ἡ κακία ἄρα ἀπολεῖται τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν.

PSALM 112__

v. 3. From sunrise to sunset, praise the name of the Lord

 1. The sunrise are the noetic natures on whom the Sun of justice rises (Ma13.20), and the sunset, are the souls of men on whom the spiritual and celestial sun once set.

3.ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου μέχρι δυσμῶν αἰνεῖτε τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου

§1. Ἀνατολαὶ μέν εἰσι αἱ φύσεις αἱ νοεραὶ ἐν αἷς ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος ἀνατέλλει, δυσμαὶ δὲ αἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψυχαὶ ἐν αἷς ἔδυ ποτὲ ὁ πνευματικὸς καὶ ἐπουράνιος ἥλιος.

v. 5-6. Who is like the Lord our God, who is dwelling in the heights and is looking upon the low [things] in heaven and on the earth

 2. For God dwells in the holy powers: he exercises providence over lowly human beings, so that ‘his will may be done, as in heaven, so also on the earth.’ (Mt 6:10).

5.τίς ὡς κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν6.καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῃ

§2. Οἰκεῖ μὲν ὁ θεὸς ἐν ταῖς ἁγίαις δυνάμεσι, προνοεῖται δὲ τῶν ταπεινῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἵνα γένηται τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς.  [͂PG 12.1572]

v. 7.1. He who raises the poor from the earth

 3. God raises the soul from vice to virtue and moves the nous from ignorance to knowledge.

7.1.ὁ ἐγείρων ἀπὸ γῆς πτωχόν

§3. Ψυχὴν μὲν ἐγείρει ἀπὸ κακίας ἐπ' ἀρετὴν ὁ θεός· νοῦν δὲ ἀπὸ ἀγνωσίας εἰς γνῶσιν προτρέπεται.

v. 9. He who takes into his home the barren, rejoices the mother of children

 4. Rejoice, barren, you who do not give birth, lift up your voice and cry, you who do not know the pains of childbirth, for the children of the forsaken are more than those of the one who has a husband (Is 54.1; Gal 4.27) And the soul becomes barren when abandoned by God; but [it becomes] a mother when He is active.

9.ὁ κατοικίζων στεῖραν ἐν οἴκῳ μητέρα τέκνων εὐφραινομένην

§4. Εὐφράνθητι, στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα, ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον, ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα, ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.Καὶ στεῖρα μὲν ἐγκαταλιπόντος τοῦ θεοῦ γίνεται ψυχή, μήτηρ δὲ ἐνεργοῦντος.

PSALM 113__

v. 2 Judea became his sanctuary, Israel his authority.

 1. If Judea is God’s sanctuary and the word “Judea” is translated as “confessing”, every soul who confesses is God’s sanctuary. He named “authority” Israel, which is subject to his authority. And indeed, we call “royalty” both the dignity itself, the subjects of a king and the country in which the subjects of a king live.

2.ἐγενήθη Ἰουδαία ἁγίασμα αὐτοῦ, Ἰσραὴλ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ.

§1. Εἰ ἁγίασμα τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ Ἰουδαία ἐστίν, ἡ δὲ Ἰουδαία ἐξομολογουμένη ἑρμηνεύεται, πᾶσα ἐξομολογουμένη ψυχὴ ἁγίασμά ἐστι τοῦ θεοῦ. Τὸν δὲ ἐξουσιαζόμενον Ἰσραὴλ ἐξουσίαν ὠνόμασεν. Καὶ γὰρ βασιλεία λέγεται καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ἀξίωμα καὶ οἱ βασιλευόμενοι καὶ ἡ χώρα ἐν ᾖ διάγουσιν οἱ βασιλευόμενοι.

v. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like lambs of the flock.

 2. The mountains and the hills are noetic natures that rejoice at the salvation of Israel.  For if those in heaven rejoice at one [sinner] who repents (Lk 15.10), how much more at the many myriads who journey from vice to virtue, and from ignorance to knowledge of God? [cf. KG 6.19;  Ll 15.7-10]

4.τὰ ὄρη ἐσκίρτησαν ὡσεὶ κριοὶ καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ ὡς ἀρνία προβάτων

§2. Τὰ ὄρη καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ νοεραὶ φύσεις εἰσὶ χαίρουσαι ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· εἰ γὰρ χαίρουσιν οἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἐπὶ ἑνὶ μετανοοῦντι, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τοσαύταις μυριάσιν ὁδευούσαις ἀπὸ κακίας πρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀπὸ ἀγνωσίας ἐπὶ γνῶσιν θεοῦ.

 [PG 12.1572]

v. 1. Of the one who turned the rock into sheets of water

 3. According to the story, he changed the rock only once in the desert and gave drink to Israel (Ex 17.6; Num 20.7), but according to the spirit, He always changes the rock — which is Christ — (cf 1Co 10.4) and [always] gives drink to Israel.

8.1.τοῦ στρέψαντος τὴν πέτραν εἰς λίμνας ὑδάτων

§3. Ὡς πρὸς μὲν τὴν ἱστορίαν ἅπαξ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ στρέψας τὴν πέτραν ἐπότισε τὸν Ἰσραήλ· ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα ἀεὶ στρέφει τὴν πέτραν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός, καὶ ποτίζει τὸν Ἰσραήλ.

v. 1. Where is their God?

 4. Insofar as there is a “where?”, there is also [the question] “when?”; because one signifies place, the other time. But if time [can]not be said of God - because he is the author of times - the question “where?” thus [can]not be said of him either; because He is also the creator of places, if it is also true that “place” itself pertains to corporeal nature.

10.2.ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς αὐτῶν;

§4. Ἔνθα τὸ ποῦ λέγεται, ἐκεῖ καὶ τὸ ποτέ· Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τόπου ἐστὶ σημαντικόν, τὸ δὲ χρόνου. Εἰ δὲ χρόνος οὐ λέγεται ἐπὶ θεοῦ, ποιητὴς γὰρ χρόνων ἐστίν, οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ τὸ ποῦ ῥηθήσεται ἐπ' αὐτοῦ, δημιουργὸς γὰρ καὶ τόπων ἐστίν, εἴγε καὶ ὁ τόπος αὐτὸς τῆς σωματικῆς ἐστι φύσεως.

v. 1. Everything he willed, he did

 5. From this we learn that whatever God wills He is also capable [of doing] , for it states, “Everything that God willed, he has done”; but it is not the case that He wishes [to do] everything of which he is capable. He is able to raise the dead now, but He does not wish to; and he could become incarnate again, but He does not wish to.

11.3.πάντα ὅσα θέλησεν ἐποίησεν

§5. Ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ὅσα βούλεται ὁ θεός, ταῦτα καὶ δύναται· πάντα γάρ, φησίν, ὁ θεὸς ἃ ἠθέλησεν ἐποίησεν· οὐκ εἴ τι δὲ δύναται, τοῦτο πάντως καὶ βούλεται. Νεκρῶν μὲν ἀνάστασιν δύναται ποιῆσαι νῦν, οὐ βούλεται δὲ καὶ πάλιν ἐνανθρωπῆσαι, ἀλλ' οὐ βούλεται.

v. 12-15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of men's hands. ¹³They have a mouth, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see: ¹⁴ they have ears, but they cannot hear; they have noses, but they cannot smell; ¹⁵ they have hands, but they cannot handle; they have feet, but they cannot walk: they cannot speak through their throat.

 6. The organ of sense is not the same thing as sensation nor is the one who senses the [same as the thing] sensed. For sense is the power by which we lay hold of matters; the sense organ is the member in which the sense resides; the one who senses is the living being who possesses the senses; the [thing] sensed is what is apprehended by the senses. But it is not thus with the idols, for they are deprived of all these: they possess only an imitation of the organs of sense, such as eyes and ears, and noses, and so forth. [= KG 1.36]

12.τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον, ἔργα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων·13. στόμα ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐ λαλήσουσιν, ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐκ ὄψονται, 14.ὦτα ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐκ ἀκούσονται, ῥῖνας ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐκ ὀσφρανθήσονται, 15. χεῖρας ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐ ψηλαφήσουσιν, πόδας ἔχουσιν καὶ οὐ περιπατήσουσιν, οὐ φωνήσουσιν ἐν τῷ λάρυγγι αὐτῶν

§6. Οὐ ταὐτὸν αἴσθησις καὶ αἰσθητήριον οὐδὲ αἰσθητικόν τε καὶ αἰσθητόν. Αἴσθησις μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις καθ' ἣν εἰώθαμεν ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι τῶν ὑλῶν· αἰσθητήριον δὲ τὸ ὄργανον ἐν ᾧ καθίδρυται αὕτη· αἰσθητικὸν δὲ τὸ ζῷον αὐτὸ τὸ κεκτημένον τὰς αἰσθήσεις· αἰσθητὸν δὲ τὸ πεφυκὸς ταῖς αἰσθήσεσιν ὑποπίπτειν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως ἐπὶ τῶν εἰδώλων· πάντων μὲν γὰρ τούτων ἐστέρηνται, μόνα δὲ ἔχει τὰ τῶν φυσικῶν αἰσθητηρίων μιμήματα, οἷον ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ ὦτα καὶ ῥῖνα καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς.

v. 1. He blessed those who fear the Lord, the little with the great

 7. It is not the great who are blessed with the little, but the little with the great, so that they too may become great. Here it is necessary to realize that littleness and greatness are not external but internal.

21.εὐλόγησεν τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν κύριον, τοὺς μικροὺς μετὰ τῶν μεγάλων

§7. Οὐχ οἱ μεγάλοι μετὰ τῶν μικρῶν εὐλογοῦνται, ἀλλ' οἱ μικροὶ μετὰ τῶν μεγάλων, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ γένωνται μεγάλοι. Τὸ δὲ μικρὸν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὸ μέγα οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐκτός, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐντὸς νοητέον.

v. 1. The heaven of heaven is the Lord’s, but he gave the earth to the sons of men

 8. While the noetic and holy powers have knowledge of the Lord as Lord, men also know the Lord as man.

24.οὐρανὸς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ, τὴν δὲ γῆν ἔδωκεν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

§8. Τὸν μὲν κύριον ὡς κύριον αἱ νοεραὶ καὶ ἅγιαι δυνάμεις ἐπίστανται, τὸν δὲ κύριον ὡς ἄνθρωπον γινώσκουσι καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι.

v. 1. It’s not the dead who will praise you, Lord

 9. The dead cannot praise the Life who said: I am the Life (Jn 11.25; 14.6)

25.1.οὐχ οἱ νεκροὶ αἰνέσουσίν σε, κύριε

§9. Οὐ δύναται νεκρὸς αἰνέσαι τὴν ζωὴν τὴν εἰποῦσαν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ζωή.

v. 1. Nor all who descend into Hades

 10. He did not say “those who have descended”, but “those who descend”.

25.2.οὐδὲ πάντες οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς ᾅδου

§10. Οὐκ εἶπεν οἱ καταβάντες, ἀλλ' οἱ καταβαίνοντες.

v. 1. But we the living will bless the Lord

 11. And Paul continues, We are the living who shall remain. (1Thes 4.15)

26.1.ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες εὐλογήσομεν τὸν κύριον

§11. Καὶ Παῦλος ἔπειτα· Ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι.

PSALM 114__

v. 1. And in my days I will invoke

 1. He who invokes the Sun of Righteousness (Ma13.20), let him invoke it by conducting himself in the days of this sun.

2.2.καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου ἐπικαλέσομαι

§1. Ὁ τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐπικαλούμενος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τούτου τοῦ ἡλίου διάγων ἐπικαλείσθω.

v. 1. And I called on the name of the Lord [...] 51 The Lord (is) merciful and just

 2. For it is said: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”. Therefore let the merciful call on the Mercy and the just on Justice, for in us justice is a kind of echo of the first Justice, which occurs through reflection.

4.1.καὶ τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου ἐπεκαλεσάμην [...] 5.1.ἐλεήμων ὁ κύριος καὶ δίκαιος

§2. Πᾶς γάρ, φησίν, ὃν ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται. Τοιγαροῦν ὁ ἐλεήμων ἐπικαλείσθω τὸν ἐλεήμονα, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὁ δίκαιος· ἠχὼ γὰρ ὥσπερ τίς ἐστιν ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν δικαιοσύνη τῆς πρώτης δικαιοσύνης, κατὰ ἀνάκλασιν ἡμῖν ἐπισυμβαίνουσα.

v. 1. Return, my soul, to your rest

 3. As the sick person returns to health, so too the soul returns to its rest. But if this is so, then the soul was once at rest. And indeed the sick person was once in good health. It is similar to what the Apostle also says: I want to depart and be with Christ (Phil 1.23). Indeed, departure is the return [of those who return] to their first place.

7.1.ἐπίστρεψον, ψυχή μου, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου

§3. Ὥσπερ ὁ νοσῶν ἐπιστρέφει πρὸς τὴν ὑγίειαν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτῆς. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, ἦν ἄρα ποτὲ ἐν τῇ ἀναπαύσει αὐτῆς ἡ ψυχή· Καὶ γὰρ ὁ νοσήσας ἐν τῇ ὑγιείᾳ ὑπῆρχέν ποτε. Τοῦτο τοιοῦτο καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγει τὸ θέλω ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι. Ἡ γὰρ ἀνάλυσις τῶν ὑποστρεφόντων ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον αὐτῶν τόπον ἐστίν.

PSALM 115__

v. 1. I had faith, that is why I spoke

 1. “Faith is the reasonable assent of a soul that has free will.” (Clem.Alex., Strom.V.3.2)

1.2.ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα

§1. Πίστις ἐστὶ ψυχῆς αὐτεξουσίου λογικὴ συγκατάθεσις.

v. 1. Every man is a liar

 2. And if David is a man, then he is also a liar. If he is a liar, he lies by calling himself a liar. If he lies while claiming to be a liar, he is not a liar, but he is truthful. If he is truthful, he is truthful in calling himself a liar as a man. If he is truthful in calling himself a liar as a man, he is lying. The discourse has therefore been circumscribed to one or the other case: namely, that he is truthful if he is a man and that he is a liar. And this discourse is called among dialecticians an aporia.

2.2.πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης

§2. Εἰ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι καὶ ὁ Δαυίδ, ψεύστης ἐστίν. Εἰ δὲ ψεύστης ἐστίν, ψεύστης ἐστὶν λέγων ἑαυτὸν ψεύστην. Εἰ δὲ ψεύστης ἐστὶν λέγων ἑαυτὸν ψεύστην, οὐκ ἔστι ψεύστης, ἀλλ' ἀληθευτής ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθευτής ἐστιν, ἀληθευτής ἐστι λέγων ἑαυτὸν ψεύστην ἄνθρωπος ὢν. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθευτής ἐστι λέγων ἑαυτὸν ψεύστην ἄνθρωπος ὤν, ψεύστης ἐστίν. Περιεγράφη ἄρα ὁ λόγος εἰς ἀμφότερα, καὶ εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἀληθευτὴν ἐὰν ἄνθρωπος ᾖ, καὶ εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν ψεύστην. Καὶ καλεῖται ὁ λόγος οὗτος παρὰ τοῖς διαλεκτικοῖς ἄπορος.

 2b. Insofar as one is a man, one is a liar, but if one abandons the fact of being a man, one is no longer a liar, but truthful. Indeed the name “man” sometimes indicates the essence, and sometimes the very bad condition, as in these passages: There was a man in the land of Ausitisa (Jb 1.1), and again: I said: you are gods and all of you sons of the Most High; but as men you die and as one of the rulers you fall’ (Ps 81.6-7). The first passage signifies the essence, the second indicates the very bad state.

§2b.Ἐφ ὅσον ἄνθρωπός τίς ἐστι, ψεύστης ἐστίν· ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθῆται τὸ εἶναι ἄνθρωπος, οὐκέτι ψεύστης, ἀλλὰ ἀληθευτής ἐστι. Τὸ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος ὄνομα ποτὲ μὲν οὐσίαν δηλοῖ, ποτὲ δὲ χειρίστην κατάσταιν, οἶον· Ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν ἐν χώρᾳ τῇ Αὐσίτιδι· καὶ πάλιν· Ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου πάντες, ὑμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνῄσκετε καὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων πίπτετε. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ πρότερον οὐσίαν σημαίνει, τὸ δὲ δεύτερον ἕξιν κακίστην δηλοῖ.

PSALM 116__

NO SCHOLION.

PSALM 117__

v. 1. I will not fear what man will do to me

 1. Scripture calls the devil “man” because an enemy man sowed weeds over him. (Mt 13.25)

6.2.οὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μοι ἄνθρωπος

§1. Ἄνθρωπον λέγει ἡ γραφὴ τὸν διάβολον, ὅτι ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐπέσπειρε τὰ ζιζάνια.

v. 10. All the nations surrounded me and by the name of the Lord I pushed them back

 2. Among the demons, some surround it as ascetic [practitioner], others as a contemplative. And he repels the former with justice, the latter with wisdom.

10.πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐκύκλωσάν με καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου ἠμυνάμην αὐτοὺς

§2. Τῶν δαιμόνων οἱ μὲν ὡς πρακτικόν, οἱ δὲ ὡς θεωρητικὸν ἐκύκλουν αὐτόν. Καὶ τοὺς μὲν προτέρους τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, τοὺς δὲ δευτέρους τῇ σοφίᾳ ἠμύνατο.

v. 17. I will not die, but I will live and I will tell of the works of the Lord

 3. To tell of the works of the Lord pertains to the living.

17.οὐκ ἀποθανοῦμαι, ἀλλὰ ζήσομαι καὶ ἐκδιηγήσομαι τὰ ἔργα κυρίου

§3. Τῶν ζώντων ἐστὶ διηγεῖσθαι τὰ ἔργα κυρίου.

v.19(1) Open to me the gates of justice.

 4. Just as the gates of justice are opened, so also [those of] prudence and fortitude and love.  For it is through these gates that the nous enters into the Kingdom of Heaven.

19.1.ἀνοίξατέ μοι πύλας δικαιοσύνης

§4. Ὡς ἀνοίγονται πύλαι δικαιοσύνης, οὕτω καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ ἀνδρείας καὶ ἀγάπης· διὰ γὰρ τούτων τῶν πυλῶν εἰσέρχεται νοῦς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

 [PG 12.1581; P.19-20]

v.20(1) This is the gate of the Lord

 5. After entering through the virtues of the praktiké [ascetical virtues] we discover the gate of knowledge, which is the contemplation of corporeal and incorporeal beings.

20.1.αὕτη ἡ πύλη τοῦ κυρίου

§5. Μετὰ τὸ εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῶν πρακτικῶν ἀρετῶν, εὑρήσομεν τὴν πύλην τῆς γνώσεως, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ θεωρία τῶν γεγονότων σωμάτων τε καὶ ἀσωμάτων

 [PG 12.1581]

v. 22. The stone that the builders rejected, it became the cornerstone

 6. The corner[stone] is the teaching of our Savior Jesus Christ Who reconciles what is in heaven and what is on earth. (Col 1.20)

22.λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας

§6. Γωνία ἐστὶν διδασκαλία τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρηνεύουσα.

v. 1. This is the day the Lord has made

 7. This day was not made by the lawmakers, nor was it the prophets who made it, but rather the Sun of Justice Himself (Ma1.3.20). It calls the knowledge of Christ “day”.

24.1.αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα ἣν ἐποίησεν ὁ κύριος

§7. Ταύτην τὴν ἡμέραν οὐ νομοθέται, οὐ προφῆται πεποιήκασιν, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος· ἡμέραν δὲ λέγει τὴν γνῶσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

v. 1. celebrate the feast with thick branches

 8. These are branches furnished with leaves and fruits: the leaves of proper conduct and the fruits of virtues. And indeed their foliage will not fall, and they will bear fruit in their season, because they have become trees planted beside the streams of waters. (Ps 1.3)

27.2.συστήσατε ἑορτὴν ἐν τοῖς πυκάζουσιν.

§8. Οὗτοι πυκάζουσιν οἱ φύλλοις καὶ καρποῖς κομῶντες, φύλλοις μὲν τοῖς καθήκουσι, καρποῖς δὲ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ φύλλον αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀπορρυήσεται καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῶν δώσουσιν ἐν καιρῷ αὐτῶν,διὰ τὸ γεγενῆσθαι αὐτοὺς ξύλα πεφυτευμένα παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὑδάτων.

PSALM 118__

v.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, [who walk in the law of the Lord.]

 1. It is not through being undefiled that a person is called blessed, but rather through the knowledge of God which is acquired through being undefiled: for, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8). .

1.  Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ κυρίου.

 α´. Οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀμωμότητα μακάριος ἄνθρωπος ὀνομάζεται, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ  Θεοῦ, ἢν μέλλει κτᾶσθαι διὰ τῆς ἀμωμότητος· ̧ Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδία, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται. ς [PG 12.1588]

v.3. For those who work lawlessness
  have not walked in His ways

 2. If those who work lawlessness are not those who walk in the ways of God, it follows that those who work justice are those who will walk in the ways of the Lord.  Therefore the ways of the Lord are the contemplations of what has come into being, ‘in which we shall walk, accomplishing justice’. (cf.Ps 14:2)  But if our justice is the Christ  ‘for he has become our wisdom from God, our justice and sanctification and redemption’, (1Cor 1:30) Solomon says well in Proverbs that wisdom is the ‘beginning of the ways’ (Prov. 8:22) of the Lord - [for] this [wisdom] is the Christ.  And I call ‘Christ’ the Lord who, with God the Word, has come among [us].

118.3.  οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν
    ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπορεύθησαν

 2. εἰ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐ πορεύονται, οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι δηλονότι τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ πορευθήσονται. οὐκοῦν ὁδοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσιν αἱ θεωρίαι τῶν γεγονότων ἐν αἷς πορευσόμεθα δικαιοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοι. εἰ δὲ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ̧ ἐγενήθη γὰρ ἡμῖν σοφία παρὰ θεοῦ, δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἁγιασμὸς, καὶ ἀπολύτρωσις, ς καλῶς λέγει ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις ὁ  Σολομὼν τὴν σοφίαν  ̧ ἀρχὴν ς εἶναι τῶν ̧ ὁδῶν ς τοῦ Κυρίου, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός. λέγω δὲ Χριστὸν τὸν μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου ἐπιδημήσαντα Κύριον.῾cf PG 12.1588̓.

v.4 You have commanded that your commandments be diligently kept.

 3. The one who is not sinning in his mind diligently keeps the commandments of God.

4.  Σὺ ἐνετείλω τὰς ἐντολάς σου
φυλάξασθαι σφόδρα

 γ´.Ὁ μὴ κατὰ διάνοιαν ἁμαρτάνων σφόδρα φυλάσσει τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

6. Then I will not be ashamed, when I look attentively at all your commandments.

 4. If one who performs all the commandments “but stumbles in one [of them] becomes guilty of all “(Ja 11:10), then it is well-written, Then I will not be ashamed, when I look attentively at all your commandments.  For one disregarded commandment can result in shame for us.

6. Τότε οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ, ἐν τῷ με ἐπιβλέπειν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς σου, κ. τ. ἑ.

 δ´. Εἰ ὁ πάσας ποιήσας τὰς ἐντολὰς, πταίσας δὲ ἐν μιᾷ γίνεται πάντων ἔνοχος, καλῶς γέγραπται· ̧ Τότε οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ ἐν τῷ με ἐπιβλέπειν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς σου· ς οἶδε γὰρ καὶ μία παραμεληθεῖσα ἐντολὴ αἰσχύνης ἡμῖν γίνεσθαι πρόξενος.

v.7 I will give you thanks, O Lord, in uprightness of heart,
when I have learned the judgments of your justice.

 5. He glorifies God in uprightness of heart - the one who has learned from the Lord the logoi concerning judgment:  the reason why ‘the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord, while the earth he has given to the sons of men’; (Ps 113:16)

7.  ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, κύριε, ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας, ἐν τῷ μεμαθηκέναι με τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου.

 5. οὗτος ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας δοξάζει τὸν Θεὸν ὁ τοὺς περὶ κρίσεως λόγους παρὰ κυρίου μεμαθηκώς, τίνος χάριν ὁ οὐρανὸς μὲν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ, τὴν δὲ γῆν ἔδωκε τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων

v.11 In my heart I have hidden your words, so that I may not sin against you

 6.  It is proper to hide the commandments of the Lord in the heart, on account of the demons snatching at them.

11. ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου,  ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι,

 6. κρύπτειν δεῖ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ κυρίου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ διὰ τοὺς ἁρπάζοντας αὐτὰς δαίμονας· τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ Σολομὼν ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις παραινεῖ· ὑιέ, φησίν, . . .

 (but Gnostikos?)

ΤΗΙΣ ΤΕΧΤ ΙΣ ΝΟΤ̔·̓ ΙΝ ΡΟΝΔΕΑΥ

v.11 In my heart I have hidden your words, so that I may not sin against you,

It is dangerous not only to speak lies, but also the truth when it is not fitting to proclaim everything.  For, “It is not proper to throw pearls before swine, nor to give holy things to the dogs.” (Mt 7:6)

11.Ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι, κ. τ. ἑ.

Κίνδυνος γὰρ οὐ μόνον τὸ τὰ ψευδῆ λέγειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τἀληθῆ, ἐπὰν ὅλως μὴ δεῖ ἀπαγγέλλειν. Οὐ γὰρ δεῖ τοὺς μαργαρίτας βάλλεσθαι ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, οὐδὲ διδόναι τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσί. [PG 12.1589]

v.18 Unveil  my eyes:
 and I will consider wondrous things from your law.

 8. The law’s uncovering indicates: ‘the commandment of the law is clear’. (Ps 18:9)  And law in this instance denotes the spiritual alleorizing of the historical [level] of the Scriptures.  This is what Paul was doing when he wrote in the letter to the Galatians: ‘tell me’ he says, ‘you who wish to be under the law, do you not hear the law?  for it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman’ (Gal 4:21-22).. And so allegorizing, he spiritually elevates the whole historical [meaning] up to the ‘heavenly Jerusalem.’ (Gal 4:26) [In Ps 19 on 108; 5 on 118]

18. ἀποκάλυψον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου,καὶ κατανοήσω τὰ θαυμάσια ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου

 8.  ὁ νόμος ἀποκαλύψεως δεῖται· ἡ γὰρ ἐντολὴ Κυρίου τηλαυγής ἐστιν. νόμον δὲ ἐνταῦθα ὠνόμασε τὴν πνευματικῶς ἀλληγορουμένην τῆς γραφῆς ἱστορίαν· ὅπερ καὶ Παῦλος πεποίηκεν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας ἐπιστολῇ γράφων· ̧ Λέγετέ μοι, φησὶν, οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον θέλοντες εἶναι, τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀναγινώσκετε;  γέγραπται γὰρ, ὅτιἈβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν, ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης, καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας· ς καὶ ἀνάγει πᾶσι τὴν ἱστορίαν πνευματικῶς ἀλληγορῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄνωἹερουσαλήμ.῟PG 12.1592̓

v. 1.

 9.

v. 1.

 10.

v. 1.

 11.

v. 1.

 12.

v. 1.

 13.

v.32. I have run the way of your commandments, when you widened my heart.

 14. The logoi of the commandments widen the contented heart, preparing the way of the praktike.

32. ὁ δὸν ἐντολῶν σου ἔδραμον
ὅταν ἐπλάτυνας τὴν καρδίαν μου

14. οἱ λόγοι τῶν ἐντολῶν πλατύνοντες τὴν καρδίαν εὔκολον αὐτῇ παρασκευάζουσι τῆς πρακτικῆς τὴν ὁδόν. [PG12.1593=P]

v. 1.

 15.

v. 1.

 16.

v. 1.

 17.

v. 1.

 18.

v. 1.

 19.

v. 1.

 20.

v. 1.

 21.

v. 1.

 22.

v. 1.

 23.

60.  I prepared myself and was not terrified [“disturbed”] at the keeping of your commands.

 24.  Apatheia naturally keeps the heart untroubled, which happens to us through a proper way of life and true teachings.

60.  ἡτοιμάσθην, καὶ οὐκ ἐταράχθην
 τοῦ φυλάξασθαι τὰς ἐντολάς σου

 24. ἡ ἀπάθεια πέφυκε ἀτάραχον τὴν καρδίαν φυλάττειν, ἥτις ἡμῖν προσγίνεται ἐκ πολιτείας ὀρθῆς καὶ δογμάτων ἀληθῶν. [cf. PG 12.1600]

v. 1.

 25.

v. 1.

 26.

[118.] 62.  At midnight I arose to thank you for the judgments of your righteousness.

 27.   This is to be said to those who are neglectful of noctunal prayers.

118·62.  μεσονύκτιον ἐξεγειρόμην τοῦ ἐξομολογεῖσθαί σοι ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου

 27. λεκτέον τοῦτο πρὸς τοὺς ἀμελοῦντας νύκτωρ τῶν προσευχῶν. [͂PG 12.1600]

v. 1.

 28.

v. 1.

 29.

70 curdled like milk is their heart

 30. Just as there was [a time] when the curd was not a curd, so there was [a time] when the demons wer not evil.  For if the milk is older than the curd, this indicates that virtue is older than vice: for David [here] likens the curd to vice.

70.  ἐτυρώθη ὡς γάλα ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν

 30. ὥσπερ ὁ τυρὸς [12.1601] ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν τυρὸς, οὕτω καὶ οἱ δαίμονες ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦσαν πονηροί. εἰ δὲ τὸ γάλα πρεσβύτερόν ἐστι τοῦ τυροῦ, δηλονότι καὶ ἡ ἀρετὴ πρεσβυτέρα τῆς κακίας ἐστίν· τυρῷ γὰρ Δαυῒδ τὴν κακίαν ἀπείκασεν.῾cf  PG 12.1600Δ-1601Ἀ

[118.] 83.  It was good for me that you humbled me, so that I might learn your righteous deeds.

 31. This saying is to be directed towards those who are abandoned by God for the benefit of [their] soul.

118.71 ἀγαθόν μοι ὅτι ἐταπείνωσάς με, ὅπως ἂν μάθω τὰ δικαιώματά σου.

 31. χρηστέον τῷ ῥητῷ τούτῳ πρὸς τοὺς ἐγκαταλειφθέντας παρὰ θεῷ εἰς ὠφέλειαν ψυχῆς·[ Pitra 118·83῾1̓]

v. 1.

 32.

v. 1.

 33.

v. 1.

 34.

v. 1.

 35.

v. 1.

 36.

[118.] 85.  Trangressors told me idle stories, but not according to your law, O Lord.

 37. This saying is to be directed towards those who, from external [secular/exothen] wisdom, profess to teach concerning the knowledge of God.

118·85. διηγήσαντό μοι παράνομοι ἀδολεσχίας
ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ὁ νόμος σου, κύριε

 37. χρηστέον τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας περὶ γνώσεως θεοῦ ἐπαγγελλομένους διδάσκειν.[͂PG 12.1604]

v. 1.

 38.

v. 1.

 39.

v. 1.

 40.

v. 1.

 41.

v. 1.

 42.

v. 1.

 43.

[118.] 100 I have insight beyond elders: for I have sought your commandments.

 44. We should proclaim this saying to those seniors who consider advanced age and apatheia to be an agent of the knowledge of God.

118·100. Ὑπὲρ πρεσβυτέρους συνῆκα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐξεζήτησα, κ. τ. ἑ.

 44. χρησώμεθα τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς γέροντας τοὺς μακρῳ χρονῳ καὶ τὴν ἀπάθειαν νομίζοντας εἶναι πρόξενον τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. [cf PG 12.1608]

v. 1.

 45.

v. 1.

 46.

v. 1.

 47.

v. 1.

 48.

v. 1.

 49.

v. 1.

 50.

v. 1.

 51.

v. 1.

 52.

v. 1.

 53.

v. 1.

 54.

v. 1.

 55.

v. 1.

 56.

v. 1.

 57.

v. 1.

 58.

v. 1.

 59.

v. 1.

 60.

v. 1.

 61.

v. 1.

 62.

v. 1.

 63.

v. 1.

 64.

[118.] 144. Your testimonies [are] an everlasting righteousness: instruct me and I will live.

 65. Intelligence is prior to knowledge, thus the gnostikos is also intelligent: however, the intelligent [one] is not [necessarily] always also a gnostikos.

144. Δικαιοσύνη τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· συνέτισόν με, καὶ ζήσομαι, κ. τ. ἑ.

̔ ξε´. Η σύνεσις προτέρα ἐστὶ τῆς γνώσεως, ὡς εἶναι τὸν γνωστικὸν καὶ συνετόν· τὸν δὲ συνετὸν οὐ πάντως καὶ γνωστικόν.

v. 1.

 66.

v. 1.

 67.

v. 1.

 68.

v. 1.

 69.

v. 1.

 70.

[118.] v. 158. Behold, I have loved your  commandments, O Lord: vivify me in Your mercy.

 72. Let one who loves the commandments put them into practice, and live [either] in them or through them: in them because he learned the logoi of the praktiké, [or] by them because he was judged worthy of wisdom.

Gnost.1,  KG 5.65; Skem.(Refl.) 32, 33, 38, 39; ad Mon.121,

118.159. ἴδε ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἠγάπησα· κύριε, ἐν τῷ ἐλέει σου ζῆσόν με

v. 1.

 73.

v. 1.

 74.

v. 1.

 74.

v. 1.

 75.

[118.] 164. Seven times a day I praised You [for the justice of Your judgments]

 76. Just as the eighth is a symbol of the Age to come, encompassing the power of resurrection, so the seventh is a symbol of this world. (Skem.6)  Perhaps David, knowing the logoi of the just judgments of this present sensible world, [thus] praised the Lord.

In KG 4.44 the six years of praktike correspond to the askesis of human life prior to death; the seventh (sabbath) corresponds to the comparatively restful transformations (judgments) after death; and the eighth year (or day) is the Eschaton. See KG 5.8 and KG 6.66 for significance of the sixth, seventh, and eighth days/years. For symbolic circumcision of the eighth day see KG 6.7; for circumcision on the sixth, seventh and eighth days, KG 5.83. 

118:164. Ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ᾔνεσά σοι· [ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου]

 76. Ὥσπερ ἡ ὀγδόη σύμβολόν ἐστι τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος, δύναμιν ἀναστάσεως περιέχουσα, οὕτως ἡ ἑβδόμη σύμβολόν ἐστι τούτου τοῦ κόσμου. Μήποτε οὖν τοὺς περὶ δικαιοκρισίας λόγους τοῦ κόσμου τούτου τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ γινώσκων ὁ Δαυῒδ, ᾔνει τὸν Κύριον. [=PG 12.1624]

v. 1.

 77.

v. 1.

 78.

[118.] 171. My lips shall utter a hymn, when You will teach me Your just deeds.

 79. Just as it pertains to those who are cheerful to sing psalms, as it is written, Is any cheerful? Let them sing psalms (Jas 5.3), so hymn-singing pertains to those who contemplate the logoi of just deeds.  For while human beings [chant the] harmony of psalms, the singing of hymns pertains to angels or those who have almost [attained] the angelic state.  For the shepherds keeping watch by night thus did not hear the angels singing psalms, but rather singing a hymn, saying Glory to God in the highest and peace to men of good will (Lk 2.14). For cheerfulness is the soul’s apatheia produced by the commandments of God and true teaching, while a hymn is glorification with astonishment at what God has brought into being.

Hymn: sch.5 on Ps.39.4(2);  1 on 148.1;  6 on 148.4(2);  [cf. sch 3 on 70.8];

Psalm: 4 on 9.12;   4 on 12.6;   4 on 46.7;   1 on 48.5;  9 on 70.22;   1 on 137.1;

171. Ἐξερεύξονται τὰ χείλη μου ὕμνον, ὅταν διδάξῃς με τὰ δικαιώματά σου

  79´. Ὥσπερ τῶν εὐθυμούντων ἐστὶ τὸ ψάλλειν, εὐθυμεῖ γάρ τις, φησὶν, ἐν ὑμῖν, ψαλλέτω, οὕτω τὸ ὑμνεῖν τῶν θεωρούντων τοὺς λόγους τῶν δικαιωμάτων ἐστίν. Ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ψάλλειν ἀνθρώποις ἁρμόζει, τὸ δὲ ὑμνεῖν ἀγγέλοις, ἢ τοῖς ἔχουσι σχεδὸν ἀγγελικὴν κατάστασιν· οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἀγραυλοῦντες ποιμένες οὐκ ἤκουσαν ψαλλόντων τῶν ἀγγέλων,  ἀλλ' ὑπνούντων καὶ λεγόντων· Δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις Θεῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἑν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία. εὐθυμία τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἀπάθεια ψυχῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀληθινῶν δογμάτων προσγινομένη· ὕμνος δέ ἐστι δοξολογία  μετ' ἐκπλήξεως ἐπὶ τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῶν γενομένων ὑπὸ Θεοῦ.  

v. 1.

 80.

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 81.

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 82.

PSALM 121__

4.  For there ascended the tribes,
 the tribes of the Lord as a testimony for Israel

 1. [the text] prophecies concerning the tribes yet to come, ascending to virtue and knowledge of God.  For Israel was at first called up to Jerusalem, and up to the house of the Lord; but now all the tribeswill attain to virtue and to the knowledge of God.

4-5.    ἐκεὶ γὰρ ἀνέβησαν αἱ φυλαὶ,
  φυλαὶ Κυρίου, μαρτύριον τοῦἸσραὴλ

 1. προφητεύει περὶ τῶν μελλουσῶν φυλῶν ἀναβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. πρότερον γὰρ ὁἸσραὴλ ἐκάλει τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον κυρίου, νυνὶ δὲ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τετυχήκασι τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεου. [cf PG 12.1633]

PSALM 122__

1.  To you I have lifted up my eyes,
 who dwell in [the] heaven

 1. God dwells as creator in the corporeal heavens through his ‘richly-diverse wisdom’ (Eph 3:10), and in the noetic (spiritual)[ heavens] as justice and knowledge and wisdom.

1.  Πρὸς σὲ ᾖρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου
 τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ

 1. ὁ θεὸς ἐν μὲν τοῖς σωματικοῖς οὐρανοῖς ὡς δημιουργὸς κατοικεῖ διὰ τῆς πολυποικίλου σοφίας αὐτοῦ, ἐν δὲ τοῖς νοητοῖς ὡς δικαιοσύνη καὶ γνώσει καὶ σοφία. [͂PG 12.1633]

   PSALM_123

PSALM 123__

PSALM 124__

   Psalm 125

PSALM 125__

v.1.  When the Lord [over]turned the captivity of Zion, we became as comforted ones.

 1.  “Captivity” is the change in the reasoning nature from virtue and knowledge to vice and ignorance.

1  Ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέψαι Κύριον τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν  Σιὼν, ἐγενήθημεν ὡσεὶ παρακεκλημένοι, κ. τ. ἑ.

 α´. Αἰχμαλωσία ἐστὶ φύσεως λογικῆς ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς καὶ γνώσεως ἐπὶ κακίαν καὶ ἀνοησίαν μετάβασις.

v.2(b).  Then would they say among the gentiles, the Lord has done great things among them.”

 2.  “Afterwards he showed himself on earth and conversed with men.” (Baruch 3:38)

22. Τότε ἐροῦσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν·Ἐμεγάλυνε Κυριος [1641] τοῦ ποιῆσαι μετ' αὐτῶν.

 β´. ̧ Μετὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη.ς

v. 5.  Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

3.  Those who labor at the praktike with painful effort and tears are sowing in tears; those who effortlessly receive a share in knowledge are reaping with rejoicing. One must additionally note in this saying that we  come into [this] life posessing all the seeds of the virtues.  And  Just as [tears] fall with the seeds, so with the sheaves there is joy.

5. Οἱ σπείροντες ἐν δάκρυσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσιν.

 3. οἱ μὲν τὴν πρακτικὴν μετὰ πόνου καὶ δακρύων κατεργαζόμενοι ἐν δάκρυσι σπείρουσιν· οἱ δὲ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόνως μεταλαμβάνοντες ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσι. πλὴν τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ προσεκτέον ὅτι πάντες ἔχοντες σπέρματα τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐπιδημοῦμεν τῷ βίῷ. καὶ ὥσπερ ἕπεται τοῖς σπέρμασι δάκρυα, οὕτω τοῖς δράγμασιν ἡ χαρά. [cf PG 12.1641]

PSALM 126__

v. 1 Unless the Lord build the house
in vain do they labor who build it;
unless the lord keeps watch over the city
in vain do the watchers keep vigil.

 1. Useful is this saying for the [tempting-] thought of pride.

126.1. ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον, εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες· ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος φυλάξῃ πόλιν, εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησεν ὁ φυλάσσων

 1.· χρήσιμον τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ὑπερηφανίας λογισμούς.. [῀ PG  24.20; cf PG 12.1641] Αντ 8.30

 2. Insofar as the soul may be compared to a house, it possesses the Christ within as housemaster; if it then becomes a city it possesses the Christ within enthroned as king. And if it then becomes a temple, it is possible for it to possess the Christ within as God.  For [it is] through the praktiké [that] it acquires him as housemaster, through natural contemplation as king; and finally through theologia as God. And the third requires of necessity the [first] two, just as the second [requires] the first: but the first does not necessarily [result in] the second and the third.

 2. ἐφ' ὅσον οἶκός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχὴ, οἰκοδεσπότην ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὸν Χριστόν· ἐὰν δὲ γένηται πόλις, ὡς βασιλέα καθεζόμενον ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὸν Χριστόν.  ἐὰν δὲ γένηται καὶ ναός, ὡς Θεὸν ὑπάρχοντα ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν Χριστόν. καὶ διὰ μὲν πρακτικῆς κτᾶται ὡς οἰκοδεσπότην αὐτὸν, διὰ δὲ φυσικῆς θεωρίας ὡς βασιλέα, καὶ πάλιν διὰ θεολογίας ὡς Θεόν. καὶ τῷ μὲν τρίτῳ ἕπεται ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὰ δύο, ὥσπερ καὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ τὸ πρῶτον· τῷ δὲ πρώτῳ νῦν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὸ δεύτερον καὶ τὸ τρίτον. [cf PG 12.1641-1644]

v.2[4] It is vain for you to rise early: you rise up after resting, you who eat the bread of grief; for He gives sleep to His beloved

 3. Just as sleep withdraws sensation from us, in the same way the contemplation of God separates us from sensible things.

2[4] [εἰς μάτην ὑμῖν ἐστιν τοῦ ὀρθρίζειν, ἐγείρεσθαι μετὰ τὸ καθῆσθαι,] [οἱ ἔσθοντες ἄρτον ὀδύνης,] ὅταν δῷ τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς αὐτοῦ ὕπνον.

 3. ὥσπερ ὁ ὕπνος ἀφίστησιν ἡμᾶς τῶν αἰσθητῶν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ θεωρία χωρίζει ἡμᾶς τῶν αἰ̓σθητῶν. [VG 754]

 3(2). Just as during sleep we do not know that we are sleeping, so also while contemplating we do not know that we have entered contemplation.

 3[2] ωσπερ ὑπνοῦντες οὐδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο γινώσκομεν ὅτι ὑπνοῦμεν, οὕτω καὶ οἱ θεωροῦντες οὐδ’ αὐτὸ τοῦτο γινώσκομεν, ὅτι ἐν θεωρίᾳ γεγόναμεν. [= PG 12.1644]

 3(3) If the praktiké has the meaning of bread, while sleep means knowledge, then rightly does [it say] He gives us sleep with the bread of grief: for it is only the knowledge of God that naturally relieves the weary toil of the praktiké.

  3[3] εἰ ἡ πρακτικὴ ἄρτου λόγον ἐπέχει, ὁ δὲ ὕπνος τῆς γνώσεως, καλῶς μετὰ τὴν βρῶσιν τοῦ ἀρτου τῆς ὀδύνης δίδοται ἡμῖν ὁ ὕπνος· μόνη γὰρ ἡ γνῶσις τοῦ θεοῦ πέφυκε λύειν τὸν κάματον τῆς πρακτικῆς.  [VG 754]

PSALM 127__

PSALM 128__

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1.πλεονάκις ἐπολέμησάν με ἐκ νεότητός μου, εἰπάτω δὴ Ἰσραήλ

2.πλεονάκις ἐπολέμησάν με ἐκ νεότητός μου, καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησάν μοι

   1. Τὸν νῦν μάρτυρα καλεῖ τὸν μηδέποτε ἡττηθέντα καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Ἰσραὴλ ὀνομαζόμενον.

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3.2.ἐμάκρυναν τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτῶν

   2.Μακρύνουσι τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτῶν οἱ ἐχθροὶ συνεχεῖς πειρασμοὺς ἐπιπέμποντες ἤτοι κατὰ διάνοιαν διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν ἢ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ.

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5.αἰσχυνθήτωσαν καὶ ἀποστραφήτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω πάντες οἱ μισοῦντες Σιών

   3. Αἰσχυνθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ μισοῦντες τὴν σοφίαν ἢ τὸν σοφόν.

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7.οὗ οὐκ ἐπλήρωσεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ὁ θερίζων καὶ τὸν κόλπον αὐτοῦ ὁ τὰ δράγματα συλλέγων, 8.1.καὶ οὐκ εἶπαν οἱ παράγοντες· εὐλογία κυρίου ἐφ' ὑμᾶς

   4.Ταῦτα τὰ δράγματα τῶν ζιζανίων ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ πληροῖ τὸν νοῦν· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσι πληρουμένου· διόπερ καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι οὓς παράγοντας εἶπεν τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον οὐκ εὐλογοῦσι τοὺς τὰ δράγματα ταῦτα συνάγοντες· ἐστὶ γὰρ δράγματα κακίας καὶ ἀγνωσίας.

PSALM 129__

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1.ἐκ βαθέων ἐκέκραξά σε, κύριε

   1. Ὁ τὰ βάθη ἐρευνῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗτος ἐκ βαθέων κράζει πρὸς κύριον.

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