as it is, and for the soul, having been taught to sing, it will be ashamed to desire the contrary. We therefore need the harp of David, that we may sing to the soul these divine incantations, and those that follow, of good works. For if we do only one, and while listening to the song we fight against Him who sings these things through our deeds, the medicine will become a judgment for us, and the madness of the devil will become more fierce. For before hearing, the wicked demon is afraid lest, by hearing, we succeed; but when we remain the same after hearing, even this is taken away. Let us therefore sing the song from deeds, so that we may cast out the sin that is more dangerous than the demon, and draw to ourselves the grace of the Spirit. For nothing, nothing so raises up the soul, and gives it wings, and delivers it from the earth, and absolves it from the bonds of the body, and makes it philosophize, and deride all the things of this life, as the melody of the psalms and the song composed in rhythm. Because God saw A that most men are rather slothful, and did not willingly endure the labor from that source, desiring to make the toil more desirable, and to alleviate the perception of the labor, He moved the tongue of the blessed David to distinguish these psalms, and to mix melody with prophecy, so that all, being guided by the rhythm of the tune, might send up the holy hymns to Him with much readiness. For so our nature has an affinity for songs and melodies and finds them pleasant, just as even infants at the breast, crying and fretful, are thus lulled to sleep. Nurses, therefore, often carrying them in their arms, and often walking about, and singing to them certain childish songs, thus lull their eyelids to sleep. For this reason, also, travelers often driving beasts of burden at midday do this while singing, alleviating the toil of the journey with those songs. And not only travelers, but also farmers treading the winepress, and gathering the vintage, and tending the vines, and doing any other work, often sing; and sailors rowing do this. And indeed, women weaving, and with the shuttle distinguishing the tangled threads, often sing, each by herself, and often all together, in harmony, singing one melody. Women, and farmers, and sailors do this, striving to alleviate the toil of labor with the song; as the soul, if it should hear a melody and a song, is able to bear all things that are troublesome and laborious. Since, therefore, our soul has an affinity for this kind of pleasure, so that the demons, by introducing licentious songs, might not overturn all things, God walled off the psalms for them, so that the object might be both pleasure and profit. For from outward songs there is harm and destruction, and many terrible things would be introduced, the soul becoming more wanton and lawless through these songs, and more effeminate and weaker; but in the case of spiritual ones, the gain is great, and the profit is great, and the sanctification is great, and it would be a subject for every kind of philosophy, both cleansing the soul of its inquiries, and the Holy Spirit flying into the soul that sings such things. Let us therefore sing to the soul the psalms full of philosophy, so that little by little we may be led to higher things. For when you learn through the psalms, then you will sing hymns also, as a more divine matter. For the psalms contain everything, but hymns, on the other hand, contain nothing human B. For the powers above sing hymns, they do not psalm. For "praise is not comely," it says, "in the mouth of a sinner." Therefore also Paul exhorts, saying: "Singing in your hearts to the Lord," not simply with the mouth, but with attention. For this is to sing to God; but that other is to the air, for the voice is simply dissipated. There is no need of place, no need of time, but even in every place, and at every time, it is permitted to sing in the mind. Even if you walk in the marketplace, even if you are in the streets, even if you sit with friends, it is permitted to stir up the soul, it is permitted, while silent, to cry out. Thus also Moses cried out, and God heard. Even if you are a craftsman, sitting in a workshop and working, you will be able to sing. Even if you are a soldier, attending in the law court, you will be able to do this very same thing. For it is permitted even without a voice to sing, by the mind having it within. For we do not sing to man, but to God, who is able both to hear hearts and to enter into the secret things of our mind. But since spiritual men, who have the gifts of the Spirit, always pray for their neighbors, and offer supplications to God with compunction and groans; let us also do this, and let us approach God every day, both for ourselves and for our brethren. How is it possible to approach God? By having a right life, and a cleansed conscience. But these things are not possible to achieve from anywhere else, except from meditating in the law of the Lord day and night. And let no one say to me that before the interpretation I did not know the power of the psalms. For even before the interpretation, to anyone at all who wishes to pay attention, it is sufficient that even a single verse imparts much philosophy, and corrects into doctrine, and profits the greatest things for life. For even when you say, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord," and are able to know what it is that you say, you will emulate not the one who is in power, not the one who is rich, not the one who has brilliant houses, not the one who is going about in royal courts, not the one who has the diadem worn on his head, nor any other, but only the one who is in piety, who is in philosophy, who is in the fear of God, not only for the sake of future things, but also for these present things themselves. For even here this man is more powerful than that one. Let us therefore apply ourselves also to approach God; let us learn how it is necessary to make the approach. For God does not seek the beauty of the tongue, nor the composition of words, but the beauty of the soul. Even if it utters the things that seem good to Him, having achieved the whole, it departs. For if someone being with an admirable man reaps many fruits from the association, much more so the one who is constantly with God through earnest prayer. For if a sinner, praying with humility, which is a part of virtue, will be able to achieve great things. As therefore also the publican (for he achieved the whole from a bare word), because his mind was well prepared. But how was it prepared? He was condemning himself, he was beating his breast, he did not even endure to look up to heaven. If you also pray thus, you will make the soul lighter than a wing. Let therefore the prayer be gentle, calm, having a graceful countenance, and delivered with meekness, and not made against enemies. This prayer is worthy of the heavens, this tongue is worthy of the angels. For thus we also shall be heard on our own behalf, when we offer our supplication to God on behalf of those who are harming and insulting us. If we thus regulate the soul, we shall be able to say also with boldness to God: "Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer," and easily He will incline, and will grant us the kingdom of heaven: which may it be granted to us all to attain, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.