those who are unworthy, as the Lord. And this appears to be of the same sense as the words spoken in another Psalm: *He who dwells in the high places, and looks down upon the humble* (Ps. 112:5, 6). For here also the prophetic word teaches us that, while the Lord has his throne in heaven, he looks down upon and manages the creation, inasmuch as he is the Creator of all, and King and Master. *Bless the Lord, all you his angels, mighty in strength, who do his word, to hear the voice of his words.* D 4. It is with good reason that he called the invisible powers to a partnership in the hymn. For human nature does not suffice to praise the Benefactor worthily; but the bodiless and holy natures, having a life free of passions, are capable of fulfilling divine commands. The prophet, however, states another concept as well. Those things that depend on you, he says, O soul, are weak for praising God as He deserves; nevertheless, from these parts, let this be done. And know that his angels, being mighty in strength, and unerringly doing his word, and being worthy to hear the voice of his words, fittingly and worthily bless him. And if even among men some are found leading an angelic life, according to the words of him who said, *I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me* (Phil. 4:13), these too should bless him; but let none of those who transgress his word and disobey his voice dare to do this rashly. 21. *Bless the Lord, all you his powers, his ministers, who do his will.* He said "angels," lest he should list piece by piece the orders in heaven, of which Paul spoke in part, saying, *Far above every principality and power and virtue and dominion and every name that is named* (Eph. 1:21); and again, *Whether invisible or visible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers* (Col. 1:16); having grasped everything in one word, he called them "powers." And in calling "ministers who do his will" those who were previously called angels, he distinguished them from the hostile powers that share the name. For he does not call these to the hymn—the principalities of this world and the powers and the world-rulers of this darkness and the spiritual things of wickedness (Eph. 6:12). He called all the heavenly orders "angels" and "powers": "angels" as ministers of divine commands and conveyers of divine words; "powers" as those capable of executing the commanded task, having received the power in their nature from the Maker.
PSALM CIII
1. The grace of the All-Holy Spirit does not only offer moral and dogmatic instruction to men, but also teaches exactly how it is necessary to praise the Maker. For this reason it compiled this Psalm, using the blessed David as a minister, so that all might learn with what hymns it is necessary to repay the Benefactor. He recounts here, however, the common benefits, and shows that God is at once the Creator and Master of all things. *Bless, O my soul, the Lord.* The former blesses man, establishing him in security and making him more radiant, just as [he did with] Abraham; but man does not do so, rather he makes himself more radiant then. For whether God blesses man, or man blesses God, from both sides the profit passes to the man; for the Divine is in need of nothing. He also teaches every disciple of piety to hymn the Benefactor God. *Lord my God, you have been magnified exceedingly.* The "as" here signifies intensity; the "you have been magnified exceedingly" is not indicative of growth, but of boundless magnitude; for so Symmachus interpreted: *Lord my God, you are great exceedingly.* For you were not small and have been magnified; but being great by nature, you have been shown as such to the pious. How then does he become great who is always great, and needs no addition, but is always perfect? How is he magnified? Whenever those who are subject to him display an excellent life, whenever they hymn him through both words and deeds, he is magnified then—not himself taking on anything in terms of magnitude, but being shown as great to those who do not know him, through the greatness of his works, their variety, and his providence. The soul, rejoicing in so much, says, "Lord my God"—for the voice is one of glorification. And in what way he was magnified, he adds: *You have put on confession and majesty.* Symmachus says it thus: *You have clothed yourself in hymn and glory.* For those who enjoy your good things no longer ignore you, nor do they offer your worship to idols, but they hymn you and pay you the debt of doxology. For even if the creation of the angels, the expanse of the heavens, the foundation of the earth, and as many things as the Psalmist added to these are sufficient for the declaration of God’s greatness, more sufficient than these is the Savior’s having become man, and remaining God, and suffering our things, while keeping his own impassibility. Wherefore, although these things are second in order, he placed them before the others, as being first in power. By "confession" he means that which comes from us, since through it he has brought to God the confession on our behalf, so as to cry to the Father: *I confess to you, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent* (Matt. 11:25), and such like; and "majesty," because it behooved him greatly and in a way that exceeds all bounds to save our ruined state. But he also says that he put on this confession and majesty, not as though he were going to put them off again, but so that it might be shown that, having become incarnate, he was not changed into a man, but both remains God and becomes man. *Who wraps himself in light as a garment.* He wraps himself in light as a garment, as one filled with knowledge on all sides, as one having an incomprehensible essence. The light also signifies the most pure knowledge of God: *For he dwells in light,* according to Paul, *unapproachable* (1 Tim. 6:16). For "to dwell" signifies that he is whole as knowledge, since he exists as a thought that is above all thought to intelligible beings; for he called the light "unapproachable." For the Apostle speaks in harmony with these things: *Who alone has immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable.* For such is that light, that no one dares to draw near; for the excess of the radiance turns aside the eyes. For if the sensible sun compels those who try to look at it insatiably to do this, who can be capable of contemplating the unapproachable light? He is, then, himself true light, and he wraps himself in light as a garment, and he dwells in light unapproachable, and *Clouds and darkness are round about him, and he set darkness as his hiding place* (Ps. 96:2), and *He made darkness his secret place* (Ps. 17:11). These things are not contrary to one another; for the unapproachable light is the same thing as the gloom and the dark for those who are unable to see; for it is not possible to discern what is in the one, nor what is in the other; and this, however, signifies the invisibility of the divine nature. Not, however, that John the Theologian also, while narrating concerning the same dispensation, called it light, saying: And the light in the darkness...
shineth, and the darkness did not embrace it (John 1:5). He clothes himself in this as a garment when, through the infirmity of the flesh, he veils and hides the power of his divinity, in order that he might suffer hunger, thirst, toil, and similar things. He clothes A himself in light, however, when he reveals his divinity, rebuking the sea, shaking the earth, darkening the sun; for then he does not allow his divinity to be overshadowed by his humanity. Extending the heaven as a curtain. For as it is easy for a man to stretch a curtain and build a tent, so God, the God of the universe, stretched out the great expanses of the heavens, using only his Word. 3. Who coverest his chambers with waters. Both this and the blessed Moses taught; for he tells how God said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let it divide between the water which is above the firmament and the water which is under the firmament (Gen. 1:6–7). B Who placest the cloud as thy ascent, who walkest upon the wings of the winds. By these things he declares the providence that pervades all things. For he excels over the winds and the clouds, he himself guides and governs these, and he dispenses what is useful from them at the proper time. He teaches also that the divine nature is present everywhere and governs all things. For since the nature of the winds is the swiftest of all things that are objects of sense (for in a moment it travels from the west to the east, and from the east to the west), since he could not find another more accurate image among objects of sense, he says that God is borne upon the wings of the winds, signifying by these that he is present everywhere. We also find that the God of the universe appeared to the sons of Israel in a cloud, and showed himself through the cloud in the tabernacle. When Solomon also was dedicating the house, a cloud covered the house (c). For C the Master Christ also, on the mountain to the three apostles, showed a light-bearing cloud around him; and when he was being taken up, a cloud took him from their eyes (Matt. 17:5). Who makest his angels spirits, and his ministers a burning fire. He shows that he is the Creator, not only of visible, but also of invisible things: and he called these very same beings both spirits and fire, signifying in both cases their power and speed. For the nature of a spirit is swift: and the activity of fire is powerful. Using, therefore, the angels as ministers, the God of the universe grants rewards to those who are worthy and inflicts punishment upon the unworthy. Therefore he mentioned fire, signifying the power that punishes. 5. Who hast founded the earth upon its stability. Aquila and Symmachus [say]: Upon its seat. What stability, O prophet, where so much water lies beneath, and the immense sea, which carries it upon its back? For elsewhere, showing this, he was saying: Who founded the earth upon the waters (Ps. 135 [136]:6). Because the foundation was not secure, but very unstable, for that reason the Creator placed stability upon it itself. But what is this stability? It is the power of the Creator. For, In his hand are the ends of the earth (Ps. 94 [95]:4). He calls "earth," however, the human being. Therefore he founds this [man] upon the stability of faith, which shall not be inclined unto the age of the age, that is, in the future. "It shall not be inclined unto the age of the age." For founding it upon itself, he gave it immobility: and it remains in the same way as he himself willed. Thus also he says elsewhere: Hanging the earth upon nothing (Job 26:7). 6. The abyss, like a garment, is its covering. He used "his" (autou) for "its" (autes), for the feminine, that is: for thus Aquila and Theodotion interpreted: With an abyss, as with a garment, thou hast covered it. The divine Scripture calls the moist substance "the abyss." Thus also at the beginning of creation the blessed Moses said: The earth was invisible and unformed, and there was darkness upon the face of the abyss (Gen. 1:2). Since, therefore, the earth is circumscribed by water on all sides, and immense and impassable seas are its boundaries, and other navigable seas cut through its middle, he rightly said that the abyss covered the earth like a garment. In another way you will find the abyss used for incomprehensibility in this place: Thy judgments, O Lord, are a great abyss (Ps. 35 [36]:7). For since his judgments are inscrutable and can be comprehended in no way, therefore they are compared not only to an abyss, but to a *great* abyss. God, therefore, D whose judgments are a great abyss, is covered, like a garment, by incomprehensibility, which is called an abyss. Waters shall stand upon the mountains. 7. At thy rebuke they shall flee, at the voice of thy thunder they shall be afraid. 8. The mountains ascend and the plains descend into the place which thou hast founded for them. By all these things he teaches the providence of God, looking out for the creature. For because the sea, while it imitates the summits of the mountains with its waves, will not flood the continent, but as we fear thunder, so it dreads the limit set for it. But that [phrase], "Waters shall stand upon the mountains," you should understand as if [they stand] like mountains; that [phrase] however, "The mountains ascend," is as if [they were] mountains. I think the clouds are meant here, [those] which are above the summits of the mountains. For in those places especially the clouds linger, so that inhabited places are not frequently overshadowed: which, when you will, he says, all take back their proper place, and are dissolved, and are converted into a covering. In another way also he calls the prophets "mountains" because of the sublimity of their contemplation. Upon them stand the waters, by which those who thirst for the water of doctrine are watered. By what rebuke, indeed? That which is against the Jews: for another prophet indicates this when he says: And I will give them, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord (Amos 8:11). For when God is angry, the waters of the prophets are more rare, because they do not have the abundance of them of themselves. By the voice of thunder he refers to the voice of the Gospel, which he himself does not flee, but fears the waters of the prophets because of the eminent sense in them. 9. Thou hast set a bound, which they shall not pass, nor shall they turn to cover the earth. Because it is held back by a divine limit, it is repelled again, and turns backward. Or understand it thus: the prophets do not announce all revelations; but only those which they were commanded to announce, so that they might not cover the earth with their multitude, that is [to say], man, [who is] not able to grasp them: which Paul testifies, saying: I heard secret words, which it is not permitted for a man to speak (2 Cor. 12:4). 10. Who sendest forth springs in the valleys; the waters shall pass through the midst of the mountains. He declares their use. 11. All the beasts of the field shall drink: the wild donkeys shall await in their thirst. 12. Above them the birds of the air shall dwell; from the midst of the rocks they shall give voice. And this is the greatest argument of divine providence, that he provides for the necessity not only of humans, but also of brute animals. Therefore cutting the mountains, he made exits for the waters, so that not only humans, but also the kinds of land and aerial animals might have the streams of the springs in abundance. The [phrase], "The wild donkeys shall await in their thirst," Symmachus interpreted thus: The wild donkey will refresh its thirst. Concerning providence extending even to these things, the Savior was saying: Behold the birds of the air, that they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them (Matt. 6:26). The beasts of the forest are called demons; but he calls the beasts of the field, that is the world, sinners: because as beasts of the field can become tame, so also sinners can be changed. Wherefore they are watered by the prophetic and apostolic waters. He called those "wild donkeys" who no longer carry the burden of sin, but have been freed from it: wherefore he brought them in thirsting for the spiritual waters. God indicated these things to Job when speaking to him: Who is he who sent the wild donkey free? And who loosened his bonds (Job 39:5)? 13. Watering the mountains from his upper regions; the earth shall be satisfied by the fruit of thy works. Why does he water the mountains? Because they are in need of rains, where herbs and unfruitful trees are. For he does not order the nature of waters to spring up from the earth alone; but he also brings forth irrigation from above through the clouds. He calls the "upper regions" of God the air, speaking of the whole world as of one house, which is the work of God: he mentions rain, however, because the waters are brought back from the sea. 14. Who bringeth forth hay to the cattle, and herb for the service of man.
The fruits are also nourished by A the rains and become ripe, and are offered to men. This is what he said in another Psalm: "Thou wilt save men and beasts, O Lord" (Ps. XXXV, 7). Nevertheless, for the sake of man’s need, even the cattle enjoy this provision. For the earth, he says, becoming fat, restores to all things upon it their suitable nourishment: corn and wine and oil, a meal excellent for man, both noble and honored by God—the one for the strength of the heart, the other for the gladness of the soul, and oil to soften and brighten the body amidst laborious toils. And concerned also for the maintenance of others, he gave hay to the herb-eating cattle; but as for those suited for the service of man, by reason of their tameness and strength, he assigned to them the grass sown and cultivated by men, while granting to the others that which sprouts automatically. Yet it is possible that both grass and hay were given to both. He made no mention of wild beasts or reptiles in these verses, because they use a different sort of food. For some eat the earth, and others eat flesh. "And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, to cheer the face with oil; and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart." 4. Symmachus has spoken more clearly: "Bringing forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the heart of man, and to make the face shine with oil, and bread to strengthen the heart of man." For this reason, he says, God, the Lord of all, continually provides the rains to the earth, so that it may sprout all kinds of fruits; and to strengthen and nourish the nature of men with bread, and to gladden and make life more pleasant with wine, and with oil not only to nourish inwardly, but also to brighten the bodies outwardly, and to gladden and brighten the face of the inner man with the oil that is the nourisher of divine light, differing only in conception from the wine just mentioned. For the Word of God is like a vine, and so too an olive tree. For "I am," he says, "like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God" (Ps. LI, 10). For his teaching, according to a different relation, is both wine, and oil, and bread. "The trees of the plain shall be filled." The Hebrew and the others have inserted, "of the Lord." Having gone through the fruit-bearing trees, he necessarily mentions also the fruit-less ones, as they too provide a necessary service to men. For this reason he also entitled them "of the Lord," as self-grown and not hand-made, but having sprouted by the divine word. And with what shall they be filled? With the knowledge of God, clearly. And how are they filled? By the meditation of the law. Therefore he also called them trees of the Lord, since those who meditate on the law day and night are said to be a tree planted by the outgoings of waters. "The cedars of Libanus, which thou hast planted, there the sparrows will make their nest. The dwelling of the heron is the leader of them." As necessary things, he mentions the fruit-less ones after the fruit-bearing ones. And by the conspicuous mountains of Libanus and the cedars thereof, he has signified the rest of the mountains and trees of the earth. These trees build houses for men, but receive the habitations of birds. Aquila has issued: "There sparrows will nest; for the heron, the fir trees are their house." And one of the Fathers said: "For the heron, every place is suitable for dwelling, and it arrives everywhere as if to a prepared house." For this is what "he is the leader of them" means. By sparrows he calls those souls who are pursued by the devil and his agents because of piety, but were able to escape his snares, about whom David said: "Our soul has been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the hunters" (Ps. CXXIII, 7). And B you would not be wrong in calling Peter the heron, since he followed Christ continuously, just as the heron is said not to wish to be separated from its owners. This bird is the leader of the sparrows; for it shows them how one must leap over the snares of the hunters, and he himself, having been snared by the denial, escaped the snare through repentance. "The high mountains to the stags; a rock as a refuge for the hares." He does not overlook, he says, even the small animals through his Providence, but to the stags he gave the peaks of the mountains as a dwelling, and to the smaller animals the dens of the rocks. And therefore nothing has C been made in vain by you, O God; for if these did not exist, the weak ones among the animals would easily be caught by the stronger ones in the plain, and would have perished sooner, being hunted especially during the time of sleep. By the rocks, he signifies both caves and dens, into which hares and hedgehogs flee for protection. For the genus of stags is indeed hostile to the genus of serpents. Such indeed are all the disciples of Christ, possessing the power against the intelligible serpents, according to that which was said by Christ: "Behold, I have given to you the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy" (Luc. X, 19). But Symmachus has issued: "The hares and the hedgehogs," which are ranked among the unclean and weak animals. Moses, therefore, says: "The camel and the coney and the hare, which is the hare, you shall not eat" (Lev. XI, 4-8). Through these, therefore, David hints at the nations. For these have the intelligible rock, the Church, as a refuge, by which they are strengthened and purified. But as for the stags, since they happen to be clean animals according to the law, they are necessarily the souls of the righteous, as many as have kept the law. "He made the moon for seasons." Having gone through everything on earth, and having shown the creation of the invisible natures, and having indicated the making of the heavens, he makes mention of the luminaries, which were made on the fourth day, and he speaks of the creation of the moon as having been made for the instruction of seasons. For its changes cause time to be measured. For it makes the measure of the month, increasing and waning in so many days. By the moon here he speaks of the synagogue of the Jews, which he set until the times of the law and the prophets; but by the sun, Christ; for thus also Malachi spoke of him: "There shall arise to you who fear the name of the Lord the Sun of Righteousness, and healing is in his wings" (Mal. IV, 2), who knew his own sunset. For he knew the time during which it was necessary to dispense the passion; so that before it came, he was saying: "My hour has not yet come, that the Son of man might be glorified" (Joan. II, 4). The sun knew his sunset. Not being a living soul, nor using reason, but moving according to the divine decree, thus he makes the day by appearing, and the night by being hidden, and runs his own course, and keeps the measures. "Thou hast appointed darkness, and it became night." There is a necessary use for this too, both being established by the withdrawal of the light, and providing a rest for men. D And he clearly speaks of the time of the cross. For then darkness occurred from the sixth hour until the ninth, which is taken for a whole night for the sake of the mystery of the three-day resurrection. "In it all the beasts of the wood shall go about. Young lions roaring for their prey and to seek their food from God." 5. For the night provides rest for men, but gives license to the wild beasts, so that they might fill their hungry bellies. And the phrase, "to seek their food from God," is equivalent to, "and for these too, divine providence provides what is needed." For the part of asking from God belongs to rational beings; but the seeking, even of the irrational. Yet nevertheless, God provides the necessary nourishment even for these. And by the beasts of the wood and the young lions, he indicates the demons, who were roaring at the time of the Lord’s cross, thinking that then they had a time for hunting. For they saw Judas having betrayed, Peter denying, the other apostles scattered. They were roaring therefore to snatch and to seek their food from God: first to snatch; but not having succeeded in the snatching, to seek. For they do not hesitate in their shamelessness to demand the righteous from God for trials. Or did not the devil seek out Job? (Job I). And he sought out the apostles from Christ, so that the Lord said: "Simon, Simon, how often has Satan sought to sift you as wheat? But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not" (Luc. XXII, 31, 32). "The sun arose, and they were gathered together, and they shall be laid down in their dens." As the sun arises, the one part departs to its own hideouts; but men, having laid aside the toil of the day before yesterday, gladly incline again to their daily works.
A And thus God assigned this work to us.
The providence of God is praised. The Word of God is Christ. The grace of baptism is great.
24. "How magnified are your works, O Lord: you have made all things in wisdom." The prophet, considering the foregoing items one by one, and having been taught the great providence of God, uttered a hymn in the midst of his narrative, saying that all the works of God are wondrous and truly stupendous and full of wisdom. B For he found the night, attacked by certain impious calumnies, to be most useful; and fruitless wood, suitable for another use; and the kinds of wild beasts, advantageous to man in many things. For the word "How" expresses admiration; and the Lord is the wisdom by which he made all things: for Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24). "How," as being supereminent and quite hidden, none of the princes of this age has known. For if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8), as Paul says. "The earth is filled with your possession": as if he were saying, You have filled it with all kinds of goods; that is, with restoration and renewal. For "if any one is a new creature in Christ" (2 Cor. 5:17). But why "the earth"? Because He who inclined the heavens descended into it. And how did He renew it? Through waters: just as He produced it from the beginning; through the waters, namely, of baptism, as is clear from what follows.
25. "This sea is great." Great is the grace of baptism, as it contains great mysteries; and spacious, as it contains the whole force and operation of the Spirit. He calls the sinners "reptiles," because they creep toward earthly things, and they are rightly said to be without number because of the multitude C of them, or also because it is appropriate that only the just be numbered: for He says, "But your friends, O God, are greatly honored to me. I will count them and they shall be multiplied more than the sand." "This sea, great and spacious: there are reptiles without number. Small animals with great" (Ps. 103:25-26). And this too is a sign of divine providence, that the small kinds of animals dwell with the great, and are not at all consumed by them. He compares human life to the sensible sea, because of the instability and volatility of the things pertaining to it. The genus of reptiles, however, is an innumerable multitude of men of various species and form, that variety being considered according to the variety of the affections. For the nature is indeed the same for all, and the origin is not different: but the mind is very varied, and the heart in us is different. A certain person, being aware of this, said: "As faces are not like to faces, so neither are the minds of men" (Prov. 27:19). We say that the ships traversing this sea are the holy Churches of our Savior, which are in the world indeed, but above the world: just as we see cargo ships in the waters, but above the waters. The Churches, therefore, in place of ships sailing in this spiritual sea, receive the faithful and carry them over to another, as it were, land or region, namely the kingdom of heaven, placing their hope in Christ and in the sanctification of the Spirit, and in the homeland of the saints, namely virtue. For since they are "strangers and pilgrims upon the earth" (Heb. 11:13), they have not here a permanent city, but they hasten to that "whose builder and creator is God" (Heb. 11:10).
26. "There ships shall pass." This also is a very great advantage to men. For through the nautical art and the science of steering we communicate the necessary things to one another, we share the fruits that grow among us with others, and we receive others even from others. "This dragon, whom you have fashioned to play in it." D They are accustomed to wander in the great sea; to play in it, that is, in the sea itself. The Hebrew and the Syrian, however, call it by the masculine gender. Thus, he says, it is so great that it contains infinite kinds of fish, and the greatest whales swim in it without fear. But if it seems to anyone appropriate to take the dragon allegorically, because in Isaiah "a great, holy and strong sword is turned against the dragon" (Is. 27:1), that winding serpent in the sea, we will not depart from this opinion; since we find even at Job God speaking thus: "Will you," he says, "draw out the dragon with a hook?" (Job 40:20). This one, having been formed by God, and having been lifted up against his Creator, was delivered up to be played with: concerning whom God again addresses Job: "There is nothing on earth like him, made to be played with by the angels" (Job 41:24), namely by the just. For these, having been assumed into the order of angels through virtue, play with him who through wickedness has fallen from that order. And the Lord gave power to his disciples "to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). And elsewhere he says: "You have crushed the heads of the dragons in the waters" (Ps. 73:14). Deservedly, certainly, when having a discourse about the sea, he made mention of this, since our whole life is a sort of saltiness which is tossed on all sides and agitated by enormous billows.
27. "All expect from you that you give them food in season." From you, he says, the necessary things are provided to all at the proper time. For the brute animals seek food, but they are ignorant of the provider; yet they receive it from the Creator, and each one plucks those things that are suitable for itself. "When you open your hand, all shall be filled with benefit." He signifies the ease of the supply of goods by these things. For just as it is easy for one who has inclined his palm to extend his fingers, so it is easy for God to bestow an abundance of all goods. By the opening of the hands, however, one ought to understand their extension made on the cross, from which all things were filled with goodness, that is, love toward men: since through the cross, pardon was given for every sin. You fill with pleasure those who enjoy your goods, when you supply them placidly: just so, when you avert yourself, all things are filled with perturbation and fear. "You will take away their spirit and they shall faint, and they shall return into their dust." For when you will it, the separation of the soul from the body takes place, after which the body is handed over to corruption and is resolved into the dust from whence it arose. He calls the soul "spirit" here.
30. "You will send forth your spirit and they shall be created, and you will renew the face of the earth." Here he clearly foretold to us the resurrection, and life received anew through the most holy Spirit. So too that great Elias raised the widow's son, when he had breathed into the boy three times, reducing him to life through the indwelling grace of the Spirit; and Elisha also restored to life the son of the Shunamite, using a spiritual breath, and by a life-giving Spirit performing the life (4 Reg. 4:34). Thus, having demonstrated the operation of divine power, he transfers his tongue to hymns.
31. "Let the glory of the Lord be forever." It is right, he says, that He be celebrated by all always. "The Lord shall rejoice in his works." By these things he prophesied the future knowledge of God among men. For when men have been freed from the former fallacy and have received the knowledge of God, God rejoices, not that He might be worshiped, but that He might see them having obtained salvation. He touches the mountains, and they smoke. He rightly added these things, so that he might teach that the divine nature is in need of nothing. For when He is worshiped, He is delighted not because He needs it, but because He desires our salvation; He shows the truth, and though He can punish, He does not bring on the penalty; even if by His mere presence He shakes the earth and fills the mountains with fire and smoke. He did this also on Mount Sinai: for by His coming He showed the whole mountain smoking (Exod. 19:18). "As long as I am." He rightly added these things too. "For in death there is no one who is mindful of you, and in hell who shall confess to you?" (Ps. 6:5). Thus the gate of the bridechamber was closed to the foolish virgins, who spent the time of carrying their lamps in the purchase of oil (Matt. 25:10). He calls praise "colloquy": for he who sings psalms addresses God. Symmachus translates "eloquium" as "allocutio"; Aquila, "colloquium." I pray, he says, that this celebration of hymns be deemed most sweet and most pleasant. "But I will be delighted in the Lord." Things having been done thus, he says, I will pluck joy from this. 35. "Let sinners fail from the earth and the iniquitous, so that they be not." [index: entries preserved]
⟨...⟩ for, having displayed His own manifestation, He showed the whole mountain smoking. "I will sing to the Lord in my life, I will chant to my God as long as I exist." And he reasonably added these things. For there is no one who remembers Him in death; and in Hades who shall confess to Him? Thus the door of the bridal chamber was shut against the foolish virgins, because they spent the season of carrying their lamps in buying oil. "May my meditation be pleasant to Him." By meditation, he means praise; for he who chants, converses with God. But Symmachus called the meditation, "discourse"; and Aquila, "conversation." I pray, he says, that this hymnody of mine may appear most sweet and most pleasant. "But I will be glad in the Lord." For when this happens, he says, I shall reap the cheerfulness that comes from it. "Let sinners fail from the earth, and the lawless, so that they may not exist." Having gone through the divine beauty and the ineffable wealth as much as human nature could, he desires that all men partake of the same knowledge, and he entreats the company of sinners to fail utterly—not praying that they be destroyed, but begging that they be transformed and that their dense crowd may cease, as they change their station and learn the divine things. Should anyone wish to understand these words differently—as if the prophet were subjecting those living in impiety to curses—he will find the prophecy in agreement with the apostolic teaching in this way as well. For even the blessed Paul, writing to the Corinthians, says: "If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus, let him be anathema." For it is characteristic of those who love warmly. For we were all in sins, the earth was full of lawlessness; but since the only-begotten Word of God appeared, and became man, the sinners have failed, those existing in lawlessness have passed away. How, or in what way? For He justified all, He delivered them from their transgressions. Therefore, the sinners have become few, but the justified are very many. "Bless the Lord, O my soul." Those, then, who do not wish to hymn the Giver of so many goods, let them suffer what I have said; but you, O soul, incessantly hymn your Creator and Savior.
PSALM CIV. Alleluia.
This psalm, too, encourages us to hymn the God of all. And the inscription also declares this. For "Alleluia" is interpreted as "Praise the Lord." It reminds us, moreover, of the promises made by God to the patriarchs, and of the goods provided by Him through them to their descendants; for the memory of both these things is sufficient to incite and sharpen those who have enjoyed so many goods to a zeal for the virtue of their ancestors. And it teaches at the same time the new people, so that they might not think that He unjustly stripped that ungrateful people of His own care. For since they were called the people of God, and were obviously enjoying divine providence, but later became utterly destitute of it, through the preceding psalms He teaches all men how many good deeds He had done for them, and how ungrateful they had become regarding His benefits; so that all might learn both the justice of the verdict brought against them, and, seeing the wages of ingratitude, might not walk the same path as they, but might travel the straight road. They say that the interpretation of "Alleluia" in these consists of "Praise be to God, Jao"; and as for "Jao," the Hebrews left the name, as it were, of God untranslated. Necessarily, therefore, this precedes the present psalm. For the things in it tend toward the glorification of God, just as they are said, so indeed were they done. The present psalm is therefore the first of those inscribed with "Alleluia." I believe it has this inscription because it is of a strange character compared to the psalms and those concerning the ode. For they all seem to me to contain praises and hymns to God; and reasonably so: for "Alleluia" is interpreted as "Praise the Lord"; they were neither struck on a psaltery, nor spoken through an ode, but are indeed praises and hymns themselves, and contain the benefits of God toward men. 1. "Confess to the Lord and call upon His name." In this psalm the Holy Spirit commands the holy apostles, for the people from the nations, to make manifest all the miracles which the Lord has performed in His presence. And Symmachus interpreted "call upon" as "preach." The word commands us to offer a hymn of thanksgiving, and to recount the divine benefits. "Announce among the nations His works." It is evident and clear that He arranges profit not only for the Jews, but also for all the nations. "Sing to Him, and chant to Him; narrate all His wonderful works." Sing, indeed, by providing tongues for the utterance of hymns; and chant, by understanding what is chanted, and reward Him with hymns and melodies, and teach those who are ignorant of the miracles that have taken place through Him. "Praise yourselves in His holy name." But Aquila placed "boast" instead of "praise." The word commands us not to think highly of ourselves because of wealth, because of strength, or because of power, but in the knowledge and providence of God. The divine Apostle enjoined this too: "For he who boasts," he says, "let him boast in the Lord." The most wise Anna also recounts these things: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom." "Let the heart of those who seek the Lord be glad." Beginning from confession, he ended in joy. For the beginning of progressing is to confess one's own sins while repenting through good fruits, according to: "Produce fruits worthy of repentance." For then we shall be confident to call upon His name, and we shall obtain the gifts from Him, from which we ourselves have known and are benefiting others; then, having been deemed worthy of the cheerfulness according to God, we shall be able to sing and chant to Him, and henceforth to interpret the mysteries of the divine Scripture. For these are His wonders. For then, as having accomplished so much, we shall be praised in His name. For cheerfulness is the fruit of hope in God. "Seek the Lord, and be strengthened." And teaching how one ought to do this, he added: "Seek His face continually." For it is not once or twice, but throughout all of life that it behooves us to seek the assistance from above, and to reap the benefit; for those who seek will be unconquerable and invincible. "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened." And what is "seeking"? Continual meditation upon Him. For he who seeks has the object of his search in his mind. He excites the heralds of the nations to seek the Lord; for they are strengthened thence, as if being deficient in power to do the things commanded, and having preached to all Greeks and barbarians, according to: "The Lord shall give a word to those who evangelize with great power." Moreover, "to seek continually" is contrasted with that of Moses, to appear before Him three times a year. And just as, according to the history, Samuel while ministering in the tabernacle of testimony saw the face of God, so those who progress in the examination of dogmas and in the practice of virtues always seek His face, wishing to see Him with a pure mind, He who is the character of His substance, being the image of the invisible God; wherefore also he who sees Him, immediately sees the Father. "Remember His wonderful works which He did; His marvels, and the judgments of His mouth." 2. Do not deliver to oblivion the ineffable miracles which the Master performed. For here he called the miracles which were justly performed by God "judgments." Since he makes a narrative of things that happened in Egypt, he pre-teaches the justice of the punishment of the Egyptians. And "mouth" is His word, as if having commanded what was judged by an accurate Lawgiver and Instructor. And it seems to me that he means here the laws in heaven, those on earth, those in the sea, those under the earth, those under heaven. For man did not receive law alone, but all things that are seen; the sea, not to overstep the shores, is likewise governed by its own laws. And all these mountains, the fixed; the earth, to stand; and everything has come to be by command. "Seed of Abraham His servants, sons of Jacob His elect." He calls the same people both this and that, as the former were descendants, and the latter were named sons. And He called them elect, as having been called the people of God above all the nations. And He manifested this also through what follows. Since not all those from ⟨...⟩
A Abraham’s seed are all his children. For even the Saviour said: "You know that you are Abraham's seed," and again: "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham." And yet the term "seed" refers to something else; for strictly speaking, they are "seed" alone. But those who are in this way and that way, they are imitators, and happen to be "elect" and "sons"—that which He said concerning the seed, but that "servants," each of these He now spoke of regarding the disciples. For they are both, both servants and seed, and elect and sons, according to the text, "These twelve Jesus chose," and He named them apostles. And "I have not chosen you twelve?" And by the designation of "elect," consider him as being chosen from the many—"Many are called, but few are elect." The Lord Himself is God our God, B and in all the earth are His judgments. For He, being the God and Lord of all, and ruling over the entire world, called them His own people. On this account He commanded that the judgments of His mouth be declared, because all are subject to His judgments; and therefore He deemed worthy not only the Jews, but all people of the calling. Another will say that the providence of our God administers the whole world with divine judgments.
8. "He has been mindful of His covenant for ever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations." He teaches the firmness and stability of the promises made to Abraham. For the statement is not, as some have suspected, hyperbolic; but it is true and divine. For the God of the universe promised that in his seed He would bless all nations (Gen. 22:18)—the Seed according to the flesh, who has the everlasting power and kingdom that will not pass away. Now this mention of a thousand generations declares this. For it does not signify a number of years, but the multitude of generations adumbrates eternity; C or even because of the affinity [alt-version omitted] which it has with unity, as in the passage: "The thousands of them that rejoice" (Ps. LXVII, 18); and again: "The law of thy mouth is good to me above thousands of gold and silver" (Ps. CXVII, 72).
9. "Which He disposed to Abraham, and His oath to Isaac. 10. And He set it for Jacob for a precept, and for Israel for an eternal covenant." This oath the divine Moses also commemorated in these words. God said to Abraham: "By Myself I have sworn: surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven" (Gen. XXII, 16); and, "In your seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed" (Ibid. 18). This oath He brought to Isaac's remembrance, and confirmed the compacts with Jacob; and, in any case, He fulfilled them, when through Moses He liberated their descendants from the slavery of the Egyptians, and when through Jesus Nave He delivered the promised land, and finally when He completed the end of the promise through the Lord Christ.
11. "Saying, To you will I give the land of Chanaan, the lot of your inheritance." He called the dominion of the land a "cord"; for it is the custom of possessors to subject the land to measurement. 12. "When they were few in number, very few and sojourners in it." These things, he says, He promised to the fathers, who were few and easily numbered. But here he shows the power of Him who promised, that He was able to provide the dominion of so great a land to such few people. For He promised Abraham, because they were few in number, that they were to be multiplied as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and that He would bless all nations in them; and because they were sojourners in the land of Chanaan, that He would constitute them lords of the land: both of which occurred for his descendants, who were multiplied like the sand. But through his seed, in whom the nations were blessed, these also were made equal in multitude to the stars of heaven. For to them it was said: "In whom you appear as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life" (Phil. II, 15, 16).
13. "And they passed from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people." For the patriarchs were pilgrims, not remaining in one place, but transferring their tents now here, now elsewhere. And he mentions the kingdom of Egypt, from whence they departed and passed to the nation of the Chanaanites. 14. "He suffered no man to do them wrong." For He made those stronger than those who wished to inflict injury. "And He reproved kings for their sakes. 15. Touch not my christs, and do no evil to my prophets." This is a just defense of their just reprobation, that they did not even revere the benefits conferred upon them from their ancestors, which nevertheless were of use to the Gentiles. The ancestors, he says, were very few and pilgrims when they were such, even though there was such inhumanity at that time and cruelty of the rulers, yet by God’s providence they passed without damage from one region to another. For Abraham passed from the Chaldeans into Chanaan, from D Palestine into Egypt, and from thence into Gerara, where Isaac dwelt after him. And Jacob passed over from Palestine into Egypt. Furthermore, Moses writes how God, rebuking kings for their sakes, did not allow them to be affected by injury. Thus He rebuked Pharaoh with great and terrible rebukes on account of Sarra, the wife of Abraham. Thus by night He terrified Abimelech, saying: "Behold, you shall die because of Sarra, the wife of Abraham, who is attached to a husband" (Gen. XX, 3). Thus He rendered Isaac venerable to those who were then inhabiting Palestine. Thus He threatened Laban, who was breathing slaughter: "Beware," He says, "lest you speak anything harsh to my servant Jacob" (Gen. XXXI, 24). He calls them "christs," not as being anointed with oil, but as being elect. And God called Abraham a prophet. For He says: "Return the woman to her husband, because he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall be saved" (Gen. XX, 7). Or He calls them "christs" because they received an invisible anointing through the Spirit. For that He Himself was the one who was speaking to them, He declares in these words: "Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad" (John VIII, 56). When did he see it? When, looking up, he saw God standing by him at the oak of Mambre: when Scripture said: "God appeared to Abraham" (Gen. XVIII, 1).
16. "And He called a famine upon the land." For He convicts [their] life, and the conviction of life works a change. He brought in the famine, therefore, because of the unjust life of the men of that time; yet He took care of His own. Now God, by dispensation, managed the famine economically, so that for its sake they might descend, and having been increased, might receive the land of promise. "He broke in pieces all the support of bread": as if to say, He made everything that could nourish them scarce—not only wheat, but also barley and legumes, and other things that sustain the life of men. Now this happens by the wrath of God in the time of famine, so that even men who are eating cannot be sustained. 17. "He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a servant." With one statement He declared both the wickedness of his brothers and his own wisdom. For he made good use of their malice. For he himself did not compel them to sell their brother; but he yielded to their wickedness, and making good use of it, he constituted the king a servant, and procured the descent of his race into Egypt. For it was necessary that they who were to be the people of God should become famous and conspicuous through the miracles done for them. For the providence shown towards them proclaimed their God, and enlightened those who heard with the light of divine knowledge. 18. "They humbled his feet in shackles: his soul passed through iron." For after the calumny of adultery he was in prison; and immediately, as is likely, they bound him with iron chains; for so Symmachus said: "Into iron came his soul"; as if to say, he was endangered even unto death; or he called the straits and magnitude of his temptations "iron," which passed through by the patience of Joseph; and through the constancy of his mind, sad things were turned into a passage for him. 19. "Until his word came: the word of the Lord fired him." He suffered all these things, being proved like gold, not that God, who knows all things before they come to pass, might learn the sincere virtue of Joseph; but that He might set forth his philosophy and an exemplar of truth to men. Certainly the written law had not yet been given; but to each rational being there was an oracle given by God—the natural law, through which we are called rational. But that, "Until his word came," is understood regarding his word which he recounted to his father and brothers, having perceived in visions about the sheaves and the stars. For until those things occurred, he was exercised in evils. 20. "The king sent, and loosed him; the prince of the people, and let him go free. 21. He made him lord of his house, and prince of all his possession." And showing the utility derived from his economy, he added: 22. "To instruct his princes as himself; and teach his elders wisdom." Fired like gold according to the passage, "Prove me, O Lord, and try me" (Ps. XXVI, 2), he commands. Nor does Pharaoh's reasoning seem light.