Homilies on Psalms 101–107 [Spurious]

^A And he who said, "There is none who does good." Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come unto you. For prayer signifies supplication toward God and entreaty; while petition signifies the request for those things which one desires should be granted to him in his need. He says, then: Accept my supplication, O Master, and stretch forth your help to me as I lament. For Symmachus has called the "cry," a "wailing." Do not turn your face away from me. God turns His face away from certain who pray in several ways: either because they ask for things not fitting for God to grant, and not profitable for them to receive; or because, while it is fitting for God to provide them, they themselves do not have the time to profit from receiving them. There are also those who seek to obtain certain things for the purpose of sinning. The saint, in his entreaty, says: May it not be for me to ask for such things, given that upon seeing them, You turn Your face away from me. I pray, however, not that I may not be afflicted—for that is impossible—but that, being afflicted, I may not be overcome, and that I may rejoice in hope, enduring through the afflictions, boasting in them. In whatever day I am afflicted, incline Your ear to me; in whatever day I call upon You, quickly hear me. These words of the Psalm also signify that it is a prophecy of things to come, and not a narrative of things already passed. For since the saint happened to be in great prosperity and splendor during the reign of the inspired David, the prophet naturally makes use of their person to offer the supplication, and begs to obtain divine guardianship whenever the time for it should arrive.

For my days have vanished like smoke, and my bones have been scorched like a brand. ^B From here, according to his own idiom, he narrates future calamities as if they had already occurred, and says that the time of his life has been consumed like smoke, and that through despondency his body has become a dry stick, as if scorched by the intensity of some fire. For thus also did Aquila interpret: "And my bones, as a burning, were rendered brittle." I have been struck like grass, and my heart has withered. But indeed, I have been cut down like grass, and have lost my former bloom. For I have forgotten to eat my bread; because of the voice of my groaning, my bone has cleaved to my flesh. For I rejected the appetite for all food, and was completely stripped of my former well-being; for the body was consumed by the wasting away of despondency, and my skin lies upon my bare bones. I have been likened to a pelican of the wilderness; I have become like an owl in a ruined house. I have kept watch, and have become like a sparrow dwelling alone upon a roof. He makes use of many parables, wishing worthily to set forth his calamities; and by each of the mentioned birds, he signifies his timidity and the desertion of his guardian. For the sparrow drives away sleep out of anguish, and the owl, fleeing the inhabited houses, runs for refuge to the deserts and the buildings that have fallen into decay. For Symmachus has called the "ruined houses," "ruins." In such a way also does the other bird dwell in the deserts. All the day my enemies reproached me, and those who praised me swore against me. I became a laughingstock to my enemies, and I who was once envied and looked upon with wonder, have now become a curse to those who formerly admired me; for they swear by my calamities: "May I not suffer what those wretches have suffered." For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, because of the face of Your wrath and Your indignation. ^C 2. He said these things also in the sixty-ninth Psalm: "You will feed us with the bread of tears, and will give us to drink of tears in measure"; and he signifies the extremity of pain by these things. For if the time of food was full of pain, there would be no other time free from it. But with these, he says, I am overwhelmed by evils, because, O Master, You have stirred up Your wrath against me. For You have lifted me up and dashed me down. For both the people and the temple were glorified as God dwelt among them; and as much as it was lifted up, so it fell; the people were lead away, and the temple was laid waste together with Jerusalem, in which the law and the worship according to it were performed, having a shadow of good things to come; and these things were also removed from the midst. He speaks also of his own state. ^D For, having shown me to be lofty and conspicuous, You have suddenly cast me away. For he has used the word "dashed down" from the metaphor of those who lift something to a height, and then dash it against the ground. My days have declined like a shadow; and I have withered like grass. I am, he says, at the very sunset of life, and I am like a shadow that is declining and finally coming to an end; and I imitate the dryness of grass, being invited by the hands of the reapers. But You, O Lord, remain forever, and Your memorial to generation and generation. Human things are of such a nature, through wickedness being humbled after their exaltation, and never remaining what they are; but You, having nothing perishable, are both changeless and unalterable, and the promises from You are firm; and he says [it refers] not to the present generation, but to another, concerning which it is said, "It shall be reported to the Lord for the coming generation," and "May this be written for another generation." For the memorial of Your promises will be fulfilled, and You would easily grant some change of the present evils. Wherefore I say confidently that You will raise up Sion; for he adds this: You arising will have mercy on Sion, for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time has come. Grant, he says, a better change to the calamity; for the time demands mercy. He hints through these things at the end of the punishment which had been limited to the seventy years. Thus also the admirable Daniel, having counted the time of the captivity, offers the supplication according to Zechariah, who said: "O Lord Almighty, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem?" The words of the spiritual melody harmonize with these: "For it is time to have mercy on it, for the time has come." And I think that in these he is prophesying the manifestation of the Word of God, the Lord Himself and our Savior Jesus Christ, to men, which would be the cause of the rebuilding of Sion. Since He came there, do not suppose that the city on earth is meant, nor think that the earthly Jerusalem is being signified, but rather the renewal of the commonwealth of piety. For this is the time, concerning which He Himself says through Isaiah: "In an acceptable time I have heard you." And Paul also writes that this time has been fulfilled, when the Savior arrived, saying: "Behold, now is the acceptable time." For Your servants have taken pleasure in her stones, and they will have mercy on her dust. Holy stones are rolled upon the earth, it is said somewhere in the prophets. But also Peter says: "And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood." He calls by this manner those who are taken into the building of the Church of God. For through the connection and harmony toward one another, and through thinking the same things and saying the same things, and walking by the same rule and the same mind, they fashion one house for God. Your servants, therefore—that is, the prophets—took pleasure in these stones. For they, beholding with divine Spirit the stones to be gathered from all nations into the building of the new Sion that was to be built throughout the whole world, took pleasure in them, having been initiated in them. You might say that the "dust" of the Sion we have understood is either those who live more in the manner of the earth, yet who are counted among the stones of the building; whence he asks that they also obtain mercy, those from the nation of the Jews who even now pretend to worship God in a more earthly fashion, and on account of this are named dust. He says they are worthy of pity and mercy. Therefore the servants of God are prophesied to have mercy on these, while the stones of the new building will find favor. Or he calls those who believed in Christ after the resurrection "stones," and "servants," the holy apostles, through whom those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ were saved. And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth Your glory. The cause of these things is the preaching that happened from Sion to the whole inhabited world. And he well said, "They will fear"; for then the nations did not possess His fear; but since He commanded the apostles: "Going, make disciples of all the nations." But indeed also the kings of the earth, not some, but "all"; wherefore they are also called supports of the kings and the righteous, for these are self-appointed; but rather

^A kings are those who are appointed by God, because they rule over their appetites and preserve the royal image. 17. *Quia aedificabit Dominus Sion, et videbitur in gloria sua* (For the Lord shall build up Sion, and he shall appear in his glory). Because those who were ignorant of God's dispensation supposed that the servitude of the Jews and the desolation of Jerusalem argued that God was weak, he rightly calls the new construction of the city the glory of God: as if to say, When Sion shall have been built up, all shall behold the God of the universe in his former glory. When he stood in the midst of the choir of the apostles, then his glory appeared from the signs of his torments; for he says to Thomas: "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands" (John 20:27), and so on. He calls his torments glory, because through them he subjected the world. One may also understand in another way that *The Lord shall build up Sion*. For the Word of God became flesh, and dwelt among us, and built the Church, which in a spiritual manner is called Sion. *He shall appear in his glory*, when, after he has dwelt among us, we shall see his glory, "glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). 18. *Respexit in orationem humilium, et non sprevit precem eorum* (He hath looked upon the prayer of the humble, and hath not despised their petition); but he accepted their supplication and bestowed liberation. He calls those "humble" who are humble in sentiment, concerning whom the Lord said: "Upon whom shall I look, if not upon the meek and quiet and him who trembles at my words?" (Isa. 66:2). He indicates the apostles. Or he calls the prayer that of the prophets who humbled themselves, concerning whom it was said, "The prayer of the poor"; and concerning the petition he said: "When he shall have poured out his petition before the Lord" (Ibid. v. 1), on account of which he will again build up Sion, and will perform those things that have been said. 19. *Scribatur haec in generatione altera; et populus qui creabitur laudabit Dominum* (Let this be written for another generation; and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord). The prayer sent forth through the psalm, and the prophetic promise concerning the nations, as if inscribed upon a pillar, was given to the Jews, so that they might preserve it for the new people, and for the generation that was in the time of Christ, in which the nations were created through faith; concerning whom the blessed Paul says: "If there be any new creature in Christ" (II Cor. 5:17). And the admirable David himself also says in the twenty-first Psalm: "A generation to come shall be announced to the Lord, and the heavens shall announce his justice to the people that shall be born, whom the Lord hath made" (Ps. 21:32). Indeed, in Christ himself two peoples are created, that from the nations and that from the circumcision, into one new man. For "creation" denotes a change now, not a substance: as is also that which says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God" (Ps. 50:12); and, "The Lord created me the beginning of his ways for his works" (Prov. 8:22). For the person who speaks was not simply created, but into the beginning of the ways of the Lord for his works. For the beginning of some things signifies the creation of a condition, not a change. Therefore, the people who shall be so created ^B shall praise the Lord, coming to the knowledge of one God. For if he had signified created substance, not "he who shall be created" would have spoken, but "he who has been created." For we cannot insist on that which is substance, but on that which has received a change. Thus the people, created according to the old and according to new things, sends forth a hymn fitting to the Savior God. 20. *Quia prospexit de excelso sancto suo, Dominus de caelo in terram aspexit* (For he hath looked forth from his high holy place, the Lord from heaven hath looked upon the earth). The Savior is said to "look forth from on high" at the time of the incarnation, as one remaining above and appearing on earth. For this is proper to those who look forth from on high. He looked so that he might see the earth, that is, that he might visit it. But since the Lord is an incorporeal and intellectual substance, nay rather superior to these, being nowhere terminated, he is not circumscribed by place; but by his power he pervades the whole creation. For "He was in the world, and the world was made by him" (John 1:10). And he is said to dwell in the better parts of the world according to that which says: "Who dwelleth in the heavens" (Ps. 2:4); and, "Our Father, who art in the heavens" (Matt. 6:9), not that he is contained, but that he is present to his works by an ineffable power. When therefore he is thus said to be in heaven, because he provided for the earth, he looked upon it. 21. *Ut audiret gemitus compeditorum, ut solveret filios interemptorum* (That he might hear the groans of those in chains, that he might release the children of the slain), 22. *ut annuntient in Sion nomen Domini, et laudem ejus in Jerusalem* (that they may announce in Sion the name of the Lord, and his praise in Jerusalem). He expounds for us the call of the nations. And this is the advent of the Savior, which he exhibited by bowing the heavens. For who are the "compediti" (those in chains), if not those whom the hater of the good, the demon, bound with the chain of sins? The "children of the slain" were those who were from the nations, who, after their parents had died in their sins, were still worshipping idols, each one constricted by the chains of his sins: whose conversion Isaiah, announcing, said to God: "And those bound with fetters shall follow thee: and they shall pray to thee and adore thee" (Isa. 45:14). ^C The rest of the psalm contains the prophecy, and explains how God, having visited, pervaded the earth. For "From Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and he shall judge in the midst of many nations" (Isa. 2:3, 4). 23. *In conveniendo populos in unum, et reges ut serviant Domino* (In the gathering of the peoples together into one, and the kings that they may serve the Lord). 24. *Respondit ei in via virtutis suae: Paucitatem dierum meorum nuntia mihi* (He answered him in the way of his virtue: Declare unto me the fewness of my days). 25. *Ne revoces me in medio dierum meorum* (Recall me not in the midst of my days). He calls the way of his virtue his advent onto the earth. For he came that he might bind the strong man. He desired, indeed, to know whether his life was to be prolonged until those days in which the Only-begotten, having become man, was to be seen on the earth. For meanwhile in the present, while I proclaim these things, and foresee what things are to come, I seem in part to have said that God already remains, so that I might see with my own eyes those things which have been proclaimed: which if I attain, I shall receive my perfect life: but if I do not attain what I desired, I am like those who in the half of their days lose an imperfect and untimely life. And it seems to me that for such voices of the prophets the Savior said: "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them" (Matt. 13:17). *In generatione generationum anni tui* (In generation of generations are thy years). He turns his speech again to the Lord. His years, indeed, in which he lived in the flesh, were in the generation of generations, as one who had obtained a perfect and absolute institution: wherefore Paul, so that he might signify those who dwell in perfection, said: "That we may all meet into a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). ^D *Tu autem idem ipse es* (Thou, however, art the same), *et anni tui non deficient* (and thy years shall not fail). 26. *Initio tu, Domine, terram fundasti: et opera manuum tuarum sunt caeli* (In the beginning, O Lord, thou foundedst the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands). 27. *Ipsi peribunt, tu autem permanes* (They shall perish, but thou remainest). There are some who say that the earth is the element of all, since all things are made from it, and nothing would be prior to it. For it seems to be not a beginning, but that according to certain devised principles, its foundation exists. But it was said to Job by the Lord himself, as if he himself had founded the earth: "Where wast thou when I founded the earth?" (Job 38:4). But the Lord, through whom all things were made, founding the earth itself, it was also said concerning the Father: "God in wisdom founded the earth" (Prov. 3:19). And when it is said concerning God, "Hanging the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7), it is signified that it occupied a place in the middle of the universe. *Et omnes sic ut vestimentum veterascent* (And all shall grow old like a garment). *Et sicut opertorium volves eos, et mutabuntur* (And like a covering thou shalt roll them up, and they shall be changed). For all visible things shall wax old, and shall imitate the age of a garment: thou, however, shalt change and renew them, and shalt make them incorruptible from corruptible things. This the divine apostle also said: "Because the creature itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21). 28. *Tu autem idem ipse es, et anni tui non deficient* (Thou, however, art the same, and thy years shall not fail). As you will, you change the creature, O Lord; you, however, have an immutable nature, and one that is exempt from change. These things the divine apostle certainly describes concerning the property of the Son in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 1:10-12). Yet in the Son we see the Father. For whatever things he did, these the Son also does in like manner, and the identity of nature is known in both. For we know one operation of the Trinity. 29. *Filii servorum tuorum habitabunt, et semen eorum in saeculum dirigetur* (The children of thy servants shall dwell, and their seed shall be directed forever). For that word, "Shall be directed," Symmachus put, "Shall remain." It signifies those, however, who have been liberated from servitude, shall inhabit Jerusalem.

and their seed. For this seed shall endure unto the ages. For being united to the Word of God, it possesses a life that cannot be destroyed, and it bestows life upon those who believe, according to the voice of the Lord Himself: for He says, *He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, shall live for ever* (John 6:54), in Christ the Lord Himself, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

IN PSALM CII

This Psalm seems to follow the preceding one and to be of the same subject. In that one, those who were mourning the calamities in Babylon were entreating God that they might return; here, having obtained what they asked for, they praise their Benefactor. I, however, consider this hymn suitable for all men who have been delivered from a more bitter slavery and have been deemed worthy of a greater freedom. The meaning of the words will also show that this subject is more true than the other.

1. *Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, his holy name.* Being in the middle, the soul draws the body toward pleasures, but draws the spirit toward God, commanding it to bless Him—which is to theologize and glorify Him always. Paul also mentioned these three, saying: *And may the God of peace sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept* (1 Thess. 5:23). This is understood as the spirit of man which is within him, concerning which he again says: *I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also* (1 Cor. 14:15). Moses also remembers the body in the passage, *God took dust from the earth, and fashioned man* (Gen. 2:7); and the soul in, *Let us make man according to our image* (Gen. 1:26); and the spirit, saying: *And God breathed into his face the breath of life* (Gen. 2:7). The spirit calls upon all the powers of the soul to bless God—as the intellectual, the rational, the concupiscent, the irascible, the opinionative, the imaginative, the sensible; and when he said "all," Paul explains it, saying: *Whether you eat or drink, do everything to the glory of God* (1 Cor. 10:31). And the things inside the body also provide a hymn to God; but he also moves the active, vital powers of the soul toward a hymn through the organic parts of the body. And those who say the soul belongs to the spirit do not say this as if it were ensouled by it, but as being under its care. He says the rational power is "within," just as the Saviour also said the kingdom of heaven is "within us" (Luke 17:21). And the powers of the soul, when resting in the good things they are able to do, are said to be "within," but when they are moved by their activities toward absurd things, they go out from within. These, then, he now rouses to a hymn of God. It is therefore fitting for all to say, *Bless the Lord, O my soul.* For those who are disposed with gratitude regarding divine graces rouse themselves to a hymn, repaying the Benefactor as much as they are able. It is possible to hymn Him always, and to carry about the memorial of His benefits. These also consecrate all that is "within," and rouse every thought into the divine hymn. For he called thoughts, ruminations, and all the movements of the soul "within." *Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his repayments.* Again, the soul is taught to rouse itself, to drive away the cloud of forgetfulness, and to renew the memory of benefits. For he who remembers divine benefits does not cease hymning Him. Symmachus, however, called "repayments" benefits. Then he details these one by one. *Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.* For He has granted the forgiveness of sins, He has bestowed the healing of diseases. The paralytic enjoyed these. For he heard: *Thy sins are forgiven thee* (Matt. 9:2), and, *Take up thy bed, and go into thy house* (Mark 2:11; Luke 7:47). Thus the sinful woman obtained her healing and forgiveness; thus the thief, thus the tax collectors, thus all who have believed. *Who delivereth thy life from corruption.* Those who were led captive to Babylon he freed from slavery, but he did not deliver them from this corruptible life; to us, however, he has granted the hopes of the resurrection, and gave the earnest of the Spirit, and clothed us in the tunic of incorruption. *Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassions.* *By grace you have been saved,* cries the divine Apostle; *and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, that no one might boast* (Eph. 2:8-9); and again, *Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first; but I obtained mercy, that in me first Christ Jesus might show all his long-suffering for an example to those who are about to believe in him for eternal life* (1 Tim. 1:15-16). Therefore, the crown is one of grace and philanthropy. Thus also the wondrous Isaiah cries out from the person of the bride: *Let my soul rejoice in the Lord; for he hath clothed me with a garment of salvation, and put a tunic of gladness around me; as a bridegroom he has put a mitre on me, and as a bride he has adorned me with ornaments* (Isa. 61:10); and after a little: *And thou shalt be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God* (Ibid. 62:3). But all these are the dowry and gifts of the bridegroom. For the bride has brought only faith. *Who filleth thy desire with good things.* Since there is a shameful desire, which the divine law also forbids, he rightly added "with good things"; for the Master fills our good desires. *For ask,* he says, *and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened* (Matt. 7:7-8). And seek the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you (Ibid. 6:33). *Thy youth shall be renewed as the eagle's.* This renewal the Master indeed granted to us through the all-holy baptism, and, having scraped away the old age of sin, he made us young instead of aged. Closely joined to this is what God says through Isaiah the prophet: *But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall sprout wings as eagles* (Isa. 40:31). For since we were created, we received divine and royal characters, then, having defaced and corrupted these with the manifold machinations of sin, the prophetic Word promises us the recovery of that royalty. For this bird is royal, and believed to be the king of birds. He also teaches us the manner of divine generosity, so that we are renewed by putting off the old man, and taking up the new man, which is being renewed into the knowledge of Him who created him. And thus, he says, thy youth shall be renewed, so as to remain always in the state of being young in the immortal life. Since the eagle is the most royal and highest-flying of all birds, and the only one able to look into the rays of the sun's light and gaze steadily at them, he rightly compared the renewal of the soul, and its flight from earth to heaven, and its life that is to be in the highest light, to the nature of the eagle. *The Lord doing acts of mercy, and judgment for all them that are oppressed.* 2. For it was not because of the righteousness that we had done, but according to His great mercy that He saved us through the laver of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Tit. 3:5). And having seen us oppressed by the devil of injustice, the enemy of truth, He opened the fountains of mercy to us, and passed the just sentence against that one. For as a compassionate father and the only one who is good, delivering the souls of those oppressed by Satan from injustice and usury, and taking away the handwriting that was against us and nailing it to the cross, He showed us to be free.

For by holding fast to this, the devil kept us as debtors, having made it for ourselves through our own evil deeds. This judgment God makes for us who are wronged, cleansing us by the blood of His Son from those things which we had unjustly committed and were unjustly suffering from the devil. Wherefore Paul taught us to suffer wrong rather than to do it (1 Cor. 6:7). For God exercises judgment through blessings in the case of those who suffer wrong; but in the case of those who inflict it, He does so through judgment, so that they fall away from the promise. For the unjust, he says, shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9).

The Sea is a Type of Baptism

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.

For what hindered him, having learned about the famine, to release him, while managing the grain affairs with his own princes? But he did not care so much for the preservation of the fruits as for the spiritual benefit of those princes and elders who were to be saved by him, and to be made wise by him—through whom it was necessary that the subjects also become better. For having become famous before the king through the interpretation of his dreams, and having received authority, he led others to the knowledge of God, not only using words, but also drawing them to the same piety through his deeds.

And Israel went into Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. The sons of Noah are Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And the son of Ham is Canaan; and of him is Mesraim, who is interpreted as Egypt, from whom the land also gets its name. Since, therefore, Jacob went into Egypt, it was likely that Ham, being the grandfather of Mesraim, dwelt in Egypt, while Canaan dwelt in the land called Palestine. By "Israel" and "Jacob," ^A however, it is shown that he went into Egypt, and his children with him. "In seventy souls, Israel went down into Egypt," says the Scripture. It is also published otherwise: This, he says, was the cause for the patriarch's journey into Egypt. He calls Egypt the land of Ham, since Mesraim was the second son of Ham; for Ham, he says, begat Chus the firstborn, and Mesraim his brother. The divine Scripture calls Chus Ethiopia, and Mesraim Egypt; and it calls the same person both Jacob and Israel: for the one name he received from his fathers, while the other God imposed upon him, declaring through the appellation the divine manifestation that occurred to him. For God remembered His promise to Abraham. For when Abraham said, "How shall this be?" He added: "Know that thy seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they shall enslave them and afflict them for four hundred years" (Gen. XV, 13). ^B And He increased His people exceedingly, and strengthened them against their enemies. The history of the Exodus teaches this also. For the more the Egyptians afflicted them, he says, the more numerous they became, and the land caused them to multiply (Exod. I, 12). He shows, therefore, that it was not a matter of nature, but of His promise. For when they ought to have become fewer, driven by taskmasters, with their children being thrown into the river, with nature being abused, then they increased all the more, so as even to become very fearful to those dwelling there—so that Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, said: "Behold, the nation is now multiplying, and is stronger than we" (Exod. I, 9). And they would not have been increased and strengthened had they not obtained the protection of Joseph and the favor of Pharaoh. He turned their heart to hate His people, to deal deceitfully with His servants (Ps. CIV, 25). Since they had progressed from being honored by the Egyptians into the same idolatry, for this reason He caused them to hate them and to impose grievous works upon them, so that being afflicted they might flee to God, and the promise made to Abraham ^C might find room to be fulfilled. For just as He glorified Joseph after testing him, having appeared worthy through the trial, so now with the people: having been tested, they groaned and cried out to their God. Wherefore now the honor they had among the Egyptians was turned into hatred for them. For when they were at ease and held in honor among the Egyptians, they forgot the God of their fathers, and became partakers of their idolatry, as Joshua the son of Nun says: "And now fear the Lord," he says, "and serve Him in uprightness of righteousness, and remove the foreign gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt." He turned the heart of the Egyptians, not by forcing it, but by yielding to their free will. They dealt deceitfully, at one time ordering the midwives to kill the males of the Hebrews, at another commanding them to cast them into the river. But even so, the race escaped the engines of death.

He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He chose for Himself. He set among them the words of His signs, and of His wonders in the land of Ham. ^D 4. He puts the critical narratives of the history. For having summarized, he says that, having punished them sufficiently according to their deserts, He sends these men through whom He wrought wonders, punishing the Egyptians, while instructing the Hebrews toward His own knowledge. He revealed the causes of the signs only to those around Moses, having shown a rational comprehension as to those who were alone rational, so that they might know for what cause He sometimes changed the waters of the Egyptians, and [the reason for] each individual thing, and why it happened in such an order, and the images or symbols of what these were. For since not all are able of themselves and by themselves to depart from harmful things, God sends such as are able to those who are so weak, as guides and leaders of the path that leads to good things. And these are God's law, Moses, and the high-priestly word, whose symbol is Aaron. And those men moved their tongue and loaned their mouth to God and poured forth the words; but the power was sent in its entirety from Him. He sent darkness and made it dark, because they provoked His words (Ps. CIV, 28). And the wonderful servants did not contradict the divine commands, but did what was ordered, and brought upon them the longest and three-day night, or rather a darkness more shadowy than night. For the night, even if it be moonless, is tempered by the brilliance of the stars; but that darkness the divine Scripture calls "tangible." For God, the guardian of the people, did not punish the Egyptians through great things—for the almighty hand did not lack the power to send upon them sudden wrath, lions, bears, famine, or pestilence, or death—but He punished [them] through the things He spoke, calling them gently to repentance; and the greatest affliction of the people was not through mud and brick-making merely, but through the turning away to the worship of idols. Therefore, little by little, He punished those who led them into error, bringing even them to a knowledge of the Lord of all, through the things by which creation was serving the scourges. The air into darkness, the water into blood, the earth into frogs, and fire was paradoxically carried together with rain and hail; and the darkness, he says, being sent from God, did not provoke His words, but obeyed willingly, having been woven over Egypt alone. The Scripture says, at any rate, "To the sons of Israel there was light" (Exod. X, 23). For if it were over the whole world, how does it say that it remained for three days and nights? For what was it that defined days and nights, there being only one extended night? In order that no one might say that the event was an eclipse, nor a course of nature, the Hebrews dwelling in the same land did not perceive this plague; which is also what happened in the case of the other plagues. He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish (Ps. CIV, 29). For He changed not only the color of the waters, but the very quality of their taste, so that all the kinds of fish were destroyed. The earth brought forth frogs in the chambers of their kings (Ps. CIV, 30). Because they delivered the infants of the Hebrews to the river, He turned the water of the river into blood, reproving the murder that had been committed therein, and He caused frogs to bubble up from there, creeping, like the slain infants, and entering into the houses and advancing even into the bedchambers of the king. He mentioned the royal chambers, so as to declare the magnitude of the miracle, that neither a multitude of servants nor of soldiers, which it is likely reside in the palaces, could drive away the frogs. He spoke, and the dog-fly came, and lice in all their borders (Ps. CIV, 31). For they followed the words to those around Moses.

^A And the fire was liquefying the frozen water of the hail, and the water was not extinguishing the flame; but, laying aside their natural conflict, they combined by mutual agreement to inflict punishment upon the Egyptians, and were rebuking their ferocity, in that, although they were men, they did not reverence nature, but forced those of the same nature into bitter servitude. Because of this, their vines, fig trees, and other trees were utterly destroyed by them.

34. He spoke, and the locust came, and the caterpillar, of which there was no number. 35. And it ate up all the grass in their land, and ate up all the fruit of their land. By the hail and the fire he brought down the trees; by the locust and the caterpillar, he brought down the marshes, the meadows, and the crops. For they consumed not only the fruit, but also their grass. Yet locusts and caterpillars are not accustomed to swarm at the same time; for either the locust, when it appears first, gives birth to the caterpillar, or the caterpillar, having grown, becomes a locust, so that one precedes and the other follows after a certain interval. But because it was a miracle and ^B was happening as a sign by the command of God, both passed through at the same time, and together with the grass they ate the fruit, so that the food of both men and beasts perished.

36. And he struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, the firstfruits of all their labor. For after they were pressing the Jews to depart, every house was filled with mourning and lamentation, as all the firstborn were overcome by sudden death. For he brought the blow upon those who were most dear, striking with sharper stings those who had been affected by no pain from the former blows.

37. And he led them out with silver and gold. Because the Egyptians would not allow the Jews to take their own property, they received the wealth of the Egyptians along with their own, taking away gold and silver as a certain wage for their harsh servitude. For God did not command this to be done unjustly, but so that He might punish those who were doing harm and comfort those who had been harmed. And there was not one infirm among their tribes. For they did not experience the danger ^C of the blows sent upon the Egyptians. For God commanded that they should despoil the Egyptians as ones who had been defeated and who owed a wage for long-term servitude. Moreover, it was a great thing that, from a land which had suffered all the most grievous things, all of them in so many myriads of men went out safe to the last person; for as long as they remained in Egypt, no one suffered from infirmity of body; indeed, Moses recorded this.

38. Egypt rejoiced at their departure, because the fear of them had fallen upon them. So terrified had they been by these various punishments that they considered the freedom of the Hebrews to be a personal benefit.

39. He spread a cloud for their protection, and fire to shine for them through the night. For the cloud itself was as a tabernacle for them by day, and removed the annoyance of the sun's rays; by night, however, providing them with the appearance of fire, it supplied them with the use of light.

40. They asked, and the quail came, and he satisfied them with the bread of heaven. Because they had coveted meat, he provided them with the spontaneous prey of birds, and for those in need, he supplied bread from above through the clouds, giving not water, but food. He says “manna,” not as having fallen ^D from the heaven itself, but from the air, which divine Scripture calls heaven; it bears the image of that bread which is given in mystery in the Church. He cleft the rock, and the waters gushed out; rivers flowed in the waterless places (Ps. CIV, 41). He assuaged their thirst by the unaccustomed birth of a rock: for in a waterless and arid place, he commanded rivers to gush forth. He calls the streams of water flowing from the rock “rivers.” But if it be written "with rivers," you would say that they crossed the Jordan in this manner, but by power also other rivers, as many as impeded their passage.

42. For he was mindful of his holy word, which he had for Abraham his servant. 43. And he led out his people in exultation, and his elect in gladness. Indeed, those things which God promised to Abraham concerning the increasing of his race in number and glory are not liable to falsehood. Moses also says to them in Deuteronomy: Do not say, "Because of my righteousness did God lead me out of the land of Egypt," but because of the oath which he swore to your fathers (Deut. 9:4–5). For God shows mercy to thousands of those who love him (Exod. 20:6), and at the same time he exhorts their descendants to guard his justifications.

44. And he gave them the regions of the nations, and they possessed the labors of the peoples. For not only did he deliver them from Egyptian servitude, but he also gave them the land of the Canaanites and made them masters of the labors of others, justly punishing the former and confirming his own promises.

IN PSALM CV

Alleluia. This psalm also teaches how and for what reason a person is cast out. But in the one hundred and fourth psalm the prophetic discourse rehearsed the benefits; in this one, however, it remembers the benefits and accuses the ungrateful mind of those who were affected by the benefits, and teaches of the punishments variously inflicted upon them. It is composed as if from the person of those who are most pious, lamenting public calamities and asking to obtain pardon. Moreover, this psalm has the same title as the preceding one, because it insists upon the same argument, "for his mercy is for ever." The inscription, which signifies "Praise the Lord," declares that this psalm contains the praise of God. But it teaches now from the beginning that those who are converted from sins ought to approach the Savior as if to a physician, showing their wounds of transgressions by confession—doing this, of course, with the affection of the mind, and not with bare words. For because of his goodness, he says, he is prepared for mercy toward those who repent, knowing that the things of this age have need of mercy, as they are mortal and fleeting. But what is that: "For his mercy is for ever?" He is always merciful, he is always kind toward men. He is always prepared to bestow his own gifts. For there is no time defined for him, but it is situated in your own mind.

2. Who shall speak the powers of the Lord? Shall he make all his praises heard? Whatever God does in us that is above mortal nature, these are the powers of the Lord, which Paul calls operations of powers, saying: "To one, indeed, by the Spirit is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith in the same Spirit, to another operations of powers" (1 Cor. 12:8–10). Again elsewhere: "Are all prophets? Are all powers? Have all the grace of healings?" (Ibid. v. 29). He distinguishes powers from healings. For Jesus was performing the former—perhaps walking upon the sea, and rebuking the winds and the waves, and transfiguring himself upon the mountain; the latter, however, cleansing lepers and healing every infirmity. And in the Old Testament, the blows upon the Egyptians, the sea divided, the Jordan river receding, the sun standing still under Jesus, were powers. Healings, however, were when Moses healed the leprous Miriam, and whatever things Elijah and Elisha performed. But the apostles made all these powers heard throughout the whole earth, along with his praises. For every operation of the Lord is full of praise. Perhaps indeed the powers of the Lord comprise his miracles, but the graces of healing comprise his praises. 3. Blessed are they who keep judgment, and do justice at all times.

leads to the fruit of virtue, or rather, to this blessing. For he who pays the penalty for sin ^B blesses those who have been delivered from it and who order their own lives according to justice. He does not bless the one who has practiced justice only once, but the one who follows its footsteps always and continuously. Remember us, O Lord, in the good pleasure of Thy people; visit us in Thy salvation. Here He hints at the new people and the Church from the Gentiles, which He deemed worthy of salvation, the association of which the Jewish multitude is taught to seize. What "good pleasure," then, or what "visitation" in general is implied here, if not that which the Word of God became for us in the flesh? Whence the angels who appeared to the shepherds also called the mystery "good pleasure," crying out in doxology: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure among men" (Luc. 2. 14). That I may see in the ^C goodness of Thy elect, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation, that I may be praised with Thy inheritance. We entreat, he says, to share in the gladness of this new nation, and to become sharers in the goodness provided to them. By the "goodness of Thy elect," understand the philanthropy from God shown to the elect, being so great that even harlots, tax collectors, sinners, and poor fishermen were admitted to the election. The prophet desired to see this; for the miracle was worthy of being seen. And "to rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation," so that they might enjoy the communion of the mysteries. We have sinned with our fathers; we have done unjustly, we have committed iniquity. For just as if it were some inheritance, he says, we have received from our fathers the transgression of Thy laws. He calls them "fathers," not the holy patriarchs, but those who came after them; for this ^D he made clear through what follows. Our fathers in Egypt understood not Thy wonders, and they were not mindful of the multitude of Thy mercy.

2. For from antiquity, he says, our race has been prone to sin. For even though so many wonders were performed by Him in Egypt on their behalf, they were unwilling to discern His power. Wherefore also the prophet says: "Woe to a sinful nation, a people full of iniquities, an evil seed, lawless children" (Isae. 1. 4). They did not understand, therefore, he says, the wonders wrought in Egypt, even though, while in the midst of the Egyptians, they had not gained a perception of the punishments that occurred; nor, indeed, having been liberated from the Egyptians, did they perceive that it was not because of their own righteousness, but because of divine mercy, that the visitation from there occurred. Now the aforementioned Psalm briefly spoke of these things, and those in the desert, without accusing the people; but the one who now takes up the narrative again brings out how they sinned, and how they provoked Him, ascending at the Red Sea. For having seen the Egyptians pursuing, and the sea obstructing their flight, they were unwilling to wait for Thy aid, but cried out against the great Moses, saying: "Because there were no graves in Egypt, didst thou bring us out to kill us in this desert?" (Exod. 14. 11). Yet nevertheless, even though they showed themselves ungrateful, He deemed them worthy of salvation. For this is what he adds: And He saved them for His name's sake, to make known His power; and He rebuked the Red Sea, and it was dried up; and He led them in the abyss, as in the desert; and He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. For by a word, having stripped bare the bottom of the sea, He showed that great abyss to be horse-traversed for them, and a desert. For since in deserts there is great ease for those running, there being neither plants nor fences to hinder, he has shown the ease of the crossing by the comparison of the desert. The water covered those who oppressed them; not one of them was left. For He made all the Egyptians go under the water. And the same sea brought salvation to the Hebrews, but punishment to the Egyptians. And they believed in His word, and chanted His praise. For Moses the great led the men as they sang, while Miriam the prophetess led the choir of women. And the song is recorded (171). They made haste, they forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel. And they desired a desire in the desert, and tempted God in the waterless land. For having such and so many pledges of the divine power, they did not ask to receive what was needed, nor did they wait for the divine gift, but immediately used revilings against the divine servants. He joined together two sins of the Jews: one, that they desired carnal desire in the desert, in which they ought to have lived philosophically and practiced temperance from all desire; second, that having need of water, they did not ask, but tempted Him. Nevertheless, God did not cease from performing miracles. And He gave them their requests; He sent fullness into their souls. For they did not believe because of what they had already benefited from regarding what was lacking; but they spoke against God, saying. They remembered the meat and the pots in Egypt. He called that desire a "request." For they did not ask, but spoke against Him. Yet He gave them an abundance of meat, and bread not made by hands, and water most sweet and abundant. And they provoked Moses in the camp, the holy one of the Lord. Neither those who provoked Him at the Red Sea, nor those who tempted Him in the desert, did the One who overlooks sin pursue, but He even granted them their desire. But when they provoked Moses—those around Dathan and Abiron, saying: "Has God spoken only to Moses? Is it not also to us?"—He delivered them to the earth, which opened up and received all of them. And Korah and those with him who were about to offer their censers instead of Aaron, a flame went forth from the tabernacle and consumed them. For God does not wish His own servants to be despised, but also having shown goodness, He also shows severity, according to: "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Rom. 11. 22). For these are drugs appropriate to God. The earth was opened, and swallowed Dathan, and covered over the congregation of Abiron. And fire was kindled in their congregation; a flame consumed the sinners. Dathan and Abiron with all their household were swallowed up; while Korah and those with him were consumed by heaven-sent fire. God brought on the punishments, urging the others to be sobered; yet they did not wish to derive any benefit from this. And the explanation of their rash acts reveals this. And they made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the graven thing. Not simply did he mention the mount, but he is teaching the excess of their impiety. For in this the Lord of all was seen; in this He filled them with dread, having appeared with overflowing fire, using trumpets, and striking with thunders, and bringing the legislation with such great fear; and in this they dared their impiety. And "They worshipped the graven thing" is an accusation of another madness of theirs. For what they saw taking form through human art, to this they offered divine worship. And they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass. 3. He describes their insanity quite appropriately in a tragic manner. Instead of the One who worked so many wonders, and granted that paradoxical salvation, and is able to work such things, they honored an image of a calf, whose archetype has need of food. And the food of the calf is not the bread that is offered to rational beings, but hay and grass. And since the nature of the calf is irrational, and grass is its food, and its service is given to men, the image is far more worthless; for it is not only irrational, but also soulless, not even able to act, or to low, or to eat; but yet they preferred such an inert thing to the God of all. Having from Egypt, you see, a fantasy of the Apis, who was in Memphis, and not only this one, but they worshipped many graven things. For having made one calf, they showed many, saying: "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up from the land of Egypt" (Exod. 32. 4). 21. They forgot God, who had saved them, who did great things in Egypt, terrible things in the Red Sea. Nor does he mention this without cause, to show that He was willing to be for them to such an extent until they performed the work of the basest of all, when they refused the grace given to them; for this is why He said: "How often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23. 37).

^A They were not content, he says, with their previous evils; they changed their glory, which was God, into the likeness of a calf. They remembered neither their own salvation, nor the punishment of the Egyptians, nor the great miracle at the sea: but they rejected all things at once.

23. *And He said that He would destroy them: had not Moses His chosen stood in the breach before Him, to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them.* For when the God of all said, "Let me alone, that I may be enraged in my fury and consume them, and I will make of thee a great nation," the blessed Moses said: "If Thou wilt forgive them their sin, forgive; but if not, blot me also out of the book which Thou hast written" (Exod. 32. 10, 31, 32). Here a small question arises. Why does he say, "Had not Moses, etc., they would have perished"? What then? Did Moses accomplish everything, and did He respect him, and, not using His own humanity, appease His wrath? Who would say this? What then is the meaning of what is said? God uses a figure for their benefit, and says He respects him, in order to abate the wrath: "Let me alone, and I shall destroy them." Yet Moses had said nothing, nor had he approached, nor had he supplication to offer; but wishing to lead him to the beginning of prayer, He starts with this. Therefore, according to justice and the foreknowledge of all their wickedness, the definition of ruin was set, so that according to humanity, the concession of salvation might be granted on account of the holiness of the intercessor, who was praying for the world according to His providence, so that the grace of God might not appear imperfect concerning Israel; and because of the promise made to their fathers, which he commemorates in praying.

24. *And they set at naught the desirable land. They believed not His word, 25. and murmured in their tents; they heard not the voice of the Lord.* For this accusation is after the Red Sea, the desert, the madness against Moses, and the calf at Horeb. For the scouts having returned, speaking evil of the land, turned others away, except for Jesus the son of Nave and Chaleph the son of Jephone. For when God had commanded that they should enter the promised land, struck with fear, they openly resisted, saying that the Canaanites were strong men, and that they themselves were unequal in strength to engage with them. This itself was a manifest proof of incredulity. For it was fitting that those who had been spectators of so many and such great miracles should trust in all things in the power of their Savior.

26. *And He lifted up His hand against them, to cast them down in the desert: 27. and to cast their seed among the nations, and to disperse them in the regions.* He wished to subject that contradiction which arose concerning the land—even though it preceded the sedition of Core and Dathan—to the molding of the calf, as being greater and more full of impiety on account of their incredulity toward God. For fear took away from them the hope founded in faith, nor were they strengthened by the experience of things previously done: for which reason they underwent a greater punishment than for the molding of the calf. For whereas then they were chastised only in part, now they all perished root and branch, except for the children, nor were they considered worthy to receive the promises. For God wished to inflict a punishment commensurate with their incredulity, and to bring ruin upon all at once: yet, using His accustomed kindness, He inflicted the punishment only in part. ^B

28. *And they were initiated into Beelphegor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead. 29. And they provoked Him with their inventions.* This is the sixth sin in the book of Numbers. For declining into lasciviousness, and intermingling with the women of the Moabites, they learned their impiety. Beelphegor, moreover, is an idol worshipped by them. Furthermore, the place of the idol was called Phegor: Baal, however, was the idol. This they say is called Kρόνος, that is, Saturn, in Greek: it is also called Bel. He calls those things sacrifices of the dead which among the Greeks are called χοαί, that is, libations, which they are accustomed to offer to the dead; or those things which they performed by means of certain carcasses in the manner of sorcery, or because they contained the monuments of the dead. Hence, no one would be wrong in calling those whom they called gods, "dead." *And ruin was multiplied among them.*

^C The reason for this, through which they fell into impiety and to which gluttony was joined, was the initiation, which proved their impiety. For the sake of this, the law forbade intermixture with foreigners. For affection toward women is wont to stir up to lasciviousness.

30. *And Phinees stood up, and appeased: and the quaking ceased. 31. And it was accounted to him for righteousness unto generation forever.* Symmachus called the "quaking" a plague. The history teaches this, namely, that Phinees, having taken a spear, ran through Zambres fornicating with a Moabite woman, and with the lance killed the woman at the same time (Num. 25. 7 ff.). Approving of his zeal, God indeed extolled him with praises, and impeded the punishment that was to be inflicted upon others. Such power does the righteousness of one man have before God, that it may restrain a common plague.

32. *And they provoked Him at the waters of contradiction, and Moses was vexed because of them. 33. Because they embittered his spirit. And he distinguished with his lips.* The seventh sin, in which Moses came to a share of the crime. For when Moses was mourning his sister, they approached with a great tumult and demanded necessities. But he, struck by the grief of mourning and seeing their disorderly violence, seized by wrath and grief, did not obey the divine command with his accustomed decorum; but mixing a certain doubt with his words, he struck the rock and brought forth water. For this is what "He distinguished with his lips" signifies; as if to say, he did not utter the words without doubt: for he says: Moses said to them: "Shall I bring forth water for you from this rock?" (Num. 20. 10). Therefore, the God of all being indignant, He did not give them the land promised to the fathers through him, but ordered him to undergo death, and through Jesus the son of Nave He fulfilled the promise. And indeed the Moderator of all seems to have imposed this punishment upon him: but He accomplished it by contriving other things. For first, when He knew the madness of the Jews, He did not allow the entire promise to have its end through him, lest they should suspect him to be a god. For those who had made an image of a calf for a god, what worship would they not have exhibited to the minister of so many miracles? For this reason, God took care to hide his tomb (Deut. 34. 6). In addition to this, He wished to show that the law was given for a time from those things which happened to the legislator himself. For if the legislator himself could not enjoy the promised land, from this it was easy to understand that they themselves would not long enjoy this providence. Thus, having recounted those things which had happened in the desert, he refutes the iniquity admitted by them in the promised land.

34. *They did not destroy the nations, as the Lord told them. 35. And they were mingled among the nations, and learned their works, 36. and served their graven images, and it became a scandal to them.* For He prohibited commerce to avoid society with impiety, taking away the end from the beginning from the midst, and destroying the fruit with the root, and repressing a worse thing with a lesser evil. Yet they, transgressing the divine law in this also, neither destroyed the impious nations, nor escaped their society, but emulated their wicked mode of life. Therefore, the prophet declaring that God does not teach the hatred of men, but did this so that He might establish them in security, adds, *And it became a scandal to them*, namely this commerce and fellowship; and not a light scandal; for they raved against nature itself, which is brought in by these words:

37. *And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 38. And they shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the graven images of Chanaan. And the earth was infected with blood, 39. and was contaminated by their works.* He left the ultimate climax of impiety. For what mass of impiety does that overlook, to defile the earth with the blood of sons and daughters, and to offer such victims to bloodthirsty demons? For they did not offer to God even those things which the law commanded, but they offered to idols even the slaughter of their sons. *And they committed fornication in their inventions.* Here he calls fornication not only lasciviousness, but also the worship of idols. Because, having been joined to God, they loved their worship, he rightly called that superstition fornication. 40. *And the Lord was angry with fury against His people, and abhorred ^D

their inheritance. 41. And he delivered them into the hands of the nations, and they that hated them ruled over them. 52. And their enemies afflicted them, and they were humbled under their hands.

5. This is taught by the history of the Judges, and moreover by the book of Kings. For at one time He delivered them to the Moabites, at another to the Ammonites, the Amalekites, the Midianites, and the foreigners, procuring their benefit through discipline. But it seems somewhat contradictory that "He abhorred His inheritance" ^A should be said, given what was spoken before: "to see the goodness of Your elect, to be glad in the gladness of Your nation, to be praised with Your inheritance." But He speaks now of the one who was abhorred, having prophesied concerning another inheritance, another people and nation, with which he prayed to be numbered. For first comes the being abhorred, then the being delivered by God, then the being ruled by the enemies. For as long as God rules someone, they cannot be ruled by others. And he adds: 43. Many times did He deliver them. They, however, provoked Him in their counsel, and were humbled in their iniquities. For when He brought the discipline, He again imparted kindness; but they repaid Him with the opposite. And while He was sweet to them out of kindness, they compelled Him to appear bitter to themselves. And again He saved them as their Savior; but they perished, entangling themselves in deeds of destruction, until, having done this many times, they perished in the end. The expression "Many times" is like, "How often have I willed to gather your children?" (Matt. 23:37); and "were humbled in their iniquities" is like, "and you would not." 44. And the Lord saw when they were afflicted, when He heard their supplication. These things the histories also teach, both that they begged God when driven by necessity, and that having begged Him, they were heard. 45. And He remembered His covenant, and repented according to the multitude of His mercy. For because of the promises made to the fathers, He granted mercy. By repentance, he means the cessation of the discipline. For God does not have the passion of repentance, nor is He pleased with these now and those at another time, but as He arranges all things wisely, He both inflicts discipline and offers kindness. 46. And He gave them over to mercies in the sight of all those who had taken them captive. For Ezra says how the Lord God put it into the heart of Cyrus the king, and after him of Darius and Artaxerxes, to behave kindly toward the Jewish people. They are even now in mercies while serving the Romans, because of divine mercies, not because of their own worthiness. Repentance is not a passion of God, but a cessation of discipline. Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name, and to glory in Your praise. These things declare, as the prophetic Word teaches them, how they must appease God and obtain the care that comes from Him. The divine apostle proclaimed the future salvation for the Jews through Elijah the Tishbite: "For the Deliverer will come," he says, "and will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and this is My covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins" (Rom. 11:26, Isa. 59:20). Certainly, one ought not to wait for the building of Jerusalem, according to the myths of the senseless, ^B nor for the worship according to the Law, and the irrational sacrifices, and circumcision, and the sabbath, and shadowy sprinklings after the all-holy baptism; for these are the ravings of drunken old women; but for the calling and knowledge of the truth and faith in the Master Christ, and the conduct of the New Covenant. They are also taught how one ought to pray—which the Jews indeed expect, but we say was fulfilled through the coming of the Savior, with everyone from all sides approaching the saving preaching—a gathering better than those expected for the kingdom of heaven, which being true, is promised as an earth beyond the present one, according to: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5), where those gathered will give thanks for the things of which they were deemed worthy, boasting in the praise of the Savior. 48. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting; and all the people shall say, "So be it, so be it." For the Lord of the All is worthy to be praised regarding all things, He who has been called God of Israel, He who achieved such great things for the sake of human salvation. It is fitting for all the people to add the "Amen" to the voice of those who praise. For a Hebrew calls "So be it, so be it," "Amen and amen"; whence also the custom has remained in the churches, for the people to assent to the priest's doxology through the "Amen," and to offer the communion therefrom, and to receive the blessing, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom is glory forever. Amen.

PSALM CVI. Alleluia.

1. We have often shown that the Old Testament is a shadow of the New; nevertheless, it is easy to learn this also from this Psalm. For it proclaims the liberty of the Jews, and foretells the salvation of all men; and it has much sequence with the preceding ones. For the one hundred and fourth had a narrative of the promises made by God to the patriarchs, and of the gifts provided to their descendants; the one after it taught, along with the benefits, the ingratitude of the Jews, and the punishments brought upon them because of it. But this one announces the deliverance from captivity that came to be because of the ineffable kindness of God. And since in those also our own things have been sketched out, we see also in this Psalm the prophecies of our own salvation; for the greater part of the prophecy applies more to us than to them. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy is eternal. Again, the prophetic word admonishes us to praise the beneficent God; and it says that the cause of the hymn-singing is kindness. These things would be capable of being said by those who have escaped dangers, with the mercy of God alone without any help from us. And such mercy is short for those who obtain some temporary relief, but eternal for those deemed worthy of eternal things. It has been said, "With an eternal mercy have I had mercy on you" (Isa. 54:8), by Him who performs mercy to thousands for those who love Him, preparing for them things that "eye has not seen, nor ear heard"; and he uses the good and the kind as synonyms. 2. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Having declared the rejection of the Jewish nation through the previous Psalm, in which was also "He abhorred His inheritance" (v. 40), he now declares the calling of the nations, gathered from all sides of the inhabited world through the Savior and snatched from the hands of the devil to His holy Church. For vainly do the Jews expect that, having been gathered from the nations, they will dwell in Judea by themselves. For in a thousand years since the captivity in Babylon this ^C has not happened, but the calling of the nations has come to pass through deeds. And He gathered them from the lands, from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the sea. We have not learned that this happened in this way in the case of the Jews; for they live scattered throughout the entire inhabited world, 676 but the Church from the nations He has called and assembled in all segments of the inhabited world, eastern and western, southern and northern, and it is possible to see such assemblies everywhere on earth and the sea. Moreover, in the case of the Jews, this has happened dimly, with those who returned from Babylon, and a few who were gathered at that time from Egypt and the neighboring nations. They wandered in the wilderness, in a waterless [place]. For the life of those from the nations was formerly both waterless and barren; and they wandered, being irrational nations, led away to the mute idols, and strangers to the polity of Israel, failing in soul from famine and thirst, from being deprived of rational food, and from spiritual drink, according to: "Not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord" (Amos 8:11). But Babylon too was a wilderness and waterless. For it was a wilderness of God, and the multitude of the Jews there was deprived of spiritual irrigation; and those who had believed from the nations likewise lived in a wilderness and waterless place. Not having hope and being without God ^D

they were held back by all manner of calamities, and had recourse to lamentations and irremediable mourning; for they did not possess the hope of the resurrection, nor did they seek the release from the evils that beset them from the God of all. ^A Yet the Benefactor saw them groaning, and offered mercy. For the angels of God, who were set over them as shepherds of the human flock, cried out to God on behalf of the nations—I said—who were suffering the deprivation of the goods mentioned, that He might send to them a common Savior. And He, being benign, led them into a straight path, which is the salutary and evangelical Word. He Himself led us into the heavenly city, for which reason He urges us to proclaim the wonders of God to all men, so that all, having learned of the grace bestowed upon us, might hasten toward the same salvation. Another says that the Jews, formerly burdened with labors in Egypt, cried out to God; and if they did the same even now, they would attain perfect liberty through Christ. ^B And He led them into a straight path, that they might go into a city of habitation. For to the Jews, He granted the return through Cyrus the Persian; but the nations He led through the holy apostles, and showed them the supernal city having foundations, whose architect and creator is God. Let them confess to the Lord His mercies, and His wonders to the sons of men. Symmachus, however, says: "And His prodigies regarding the sons of men." Certainly, it is not the act of mercy that brings a hymn of thanksgiving to God, nor His wonders, but those who at that time received the goods. The liberty of the Jews is indeed wonderful and amazing; but more wonderful and more spectacular is the salvation of the world, ^C and its transformation for the better, the cessation of error, and the knowledge of truth. Of all these things, divine mercy was the conciliator: "Not for the sake of the justices which we did," says the divine apostle, "but according to His much mercy He saved us through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly." ^D That He might fill the hungry soul with good things; sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in poverty and iron. Since He has liberated those of the Jews who were handed over to servitude and misery and consumed by famine from their calamities, and has nourished the whole nature of humans with divine doctrine; and having liberated it from the gloom of ignorance, He has illuminated it with the light of divine knowledge, and has dispelled the encroaching shadow of death by giving the hope of the resurrection, and has broken the strong bonds of sin. For each one is bound by the chains of his own sins; and, "they who draw their sins as with a long rope, and their iniquities as it were with a heifer's thong." That soul, however, may properly be called empty—whether Greek or Jewish—which is deprived of spiritual food. "For my food is that I should do the will of my Father." Therefore this is food, and the best food; wherefore He said: "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness." And this Christ did, when He sated the whole world with such food. And you would not be in error if you said that the shadow of death is idolatry and the deeds done in impiety; for these are the things which separate us from the true life. In these we formerly lived, in that we would provoke God and irritate the counsel of the Most High. ^A For when it was fitting, from the magnitude and beauty of created things, to contemplate the Maker of the universe, and to understand His eternal power and divinity from the creation of the world, we, as though blind and dwelling in the shadow of death, fettered and blinded according to the rational powers of the soul, exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Because they irritated the oracles of God, and defied the counsel of the Most High. And their heart was humbled with labors: they were weakened, and there was none to help. The cause of all these calamities, both for the Jews and for all men, was sin. For both they were traded into servitude as a punishment for the Babylonians, and all men after the transgression of the precept were subjected to the miseries of labors. For after this, Adam heard: "Cursed is the earth in thy works: it shall bring forth to ^B thee thorns and thistles; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return to the earth, from which thou wast taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Hemmed in by so many calamities, they found no solution for their urgent evils; but He, who had assigned them to such miseries, granted them deliverance from them. And they cried to the Lord when they were troubled, and He saved them from their necessities; and He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds. For He pitied both these and those, snatched the former from impending evils, liberated the latter from the darkness of ignorance, and broke the bonds of servitude. And you shall say that the shadow of death is idolatry, and the works produced in impiety, which formerly sequestered us from true life, when we would provoke God and irritate the counsel of the Most High. ^C For then indeed our heart was humbled in the labors of sin, that rational power innate in us having been dissolved, which no one was restoring: for they were weakened, and there was none to help; but this great work was reserved to be accomplished by the single Word of God. That phrasing, "He broke their bonds," indicates the sudden remission of sins, with which the grace of the Savior condescended to favor us. Let them confess to the Lord His mercies, and His wonders to the sons of men; for He has broken the gates of brass, and snapped the iron bars. "Gates of brass and iron bars" He called inevitable evils. For just as it is not possible for one who is confined within gates and bars to escape, so it was impossible for the Jews to escape the captivity of the Babylonians, and for all men the power of death. Only divine mercy ^D was able to dissolve the power of both the one and the other, and to provide a solution for their miseries. Furthermore, He says the same thing a second time concerning His second benefits. He signifies the fall of human souls even unto death, on account of which there was need of His descent even unto death; when having arrived there, He broke the gates, opened by no mortal—and therefore called iron and brazen. The Lord says in Job: "Hast thou come to the fountains of the sea, or hast thou walked in the tracks of the deep? Are the gates of death opened to thee, and have the porters of hell seeing thee been terrified?" Moreover, He took away our iniquities, on account of which we had reached even to the gates of death. He took them up from the way of their iniquity: for they were humbled because of their injustices. Neither the Jews, nor the whole nature of man fell into evils unjustly, but both the one and the other pay the penalties of their crimes. Yet even so, He deemed both those and these, having been wallowed in so many evils, worthy of salvation. Their soul abhorred all food, and they approached near to the gates of death. Being tortured. The Jews, indeed, overwhelmed by the multitude of evils, abhorred even food itself. For in another Psalm, the prophet spoke as if from them: "Because I have forgotten to eat my bread." But the nations were not even accustomed to pay attention to the teachings of their own philosophers. For which cause, some condemned Socrates to death; others subjected Anaxarchus to unusual torture; others inflicted untimely death upon the followers of Pythagoras, who were cruelly tormented. Yet even to these, the God of the universe prepared immortal food, and persuaded them to hasten to it with all eagerness, and from the gates of death

^A he delivered them. And we shall understand “food” here in another way, as rational nourishment, concerning which the Lord said to the apostles: *Do not work for the food which perishes, but for that which remains to eternal life* (John 6:27). Mankind had loathed every type of this. For they kept neither natural law nor written law, and for this reason: *They drew near to the gates of death* (Ps. 106:18). Now the gates of death are sins, to which they drew near, whereas they ought to have kept far from them. For the closer they drew to these, the further they necessarily became from the gates of life. But Christ, though they were far off, made them near through his own blood. ^B *And they cried to the Lord when they were in distress, and he saved them from their necessities* (Ps. 106:19). God counts as a cry not that which is made with the voice, but the disposition of the mind; since, even when Moses was silent, he said: *Why do you cry to me?* (Exod. 14:15). *He sent his word and healed them, and rescued them from their ruin* (Ps. 106:20). For the God-Word, having become man and having been sent as a man (for as God, he is uncircumscribed, and is present everywhere, and contains all things), healed the myriad wounds of souls and strengthened the ruined thoughts. Thus he healed that sinful woman and encouraged her to have courage; thus he braced the paralytic, saying: *Your sins are forgiven you* (Matt. 9:2); thus he opened paradise to the thief; thus he revealed the tax collectors to be teachers of the inhabited world; thus he renews and cleanses those who approach the all-holy baptism, and relieves them of the wounds of sin. *Let them confess to the Lord his mercies, and his wonders to the sons of men. And let them sacrifice to him a sacrifice of praise, and declare his works in exultation* (Ps. 106:21–22). For all these things, he says, it is right to hymn the philanthropic God, who has used such mercy and bestowed upon us a paradoxical salvation. It is necessary not only to know the divine wonders, but also to teach those who do not know, and to stir up all to hymn-singing. One must note, however, that he commanded the sacrifice of praise to be offered to God here, and not the sacrifices of irrational beasts. Therefore, he casts out the worship according to the Law here as well. And the sacrifice of praise, Aquila called a “sacrifice of thanksgiving.” ^C *Those who descend into the sea in ships, doing work in many waters* (Ps. 106:23). The present prophecy joined the memory of the apostles and those with them very consequently to the presence of the Word of God among men. For they were those who descended into the sea in ships, literally and in word, just as the divine Scripture of the Gospels testifies concerning them. And it commands to perform the new mysteries of the New Covenant, saying: *And let them sacrifice to him a sacrifice of praise*. And it is thus: *Passing by*, he says, *Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee and saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them: Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James and John, mending their nets, and he called them likewise* (Matt. 4:18–21). The discourse, therefore, is about the apostles. For as if someone were asking, “And who are these?” he added, *Those who descend into the sea in ships*, and the rest; and by them the power of the works was being fulfilled. For, the disciples of our Savior sailing with him, *There was a great earthquake*, he says, *in the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; and they, coming to him, said: Lord, save us. And he rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm* (Matt. 8:24–26). This was to see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep. *They saw the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep* (Ps. 106:24). The prophet has placed these things parabolically. He says this, that just as those sailing and crossing the great seas see the divine works in a marked way, falling into terrible swells and yet enjoying salvation beyond all human hope, so also the Jews, having fallen into those calamities and having recovered their liberty, learned of the divine power. And indeed, all men, seeing the strange transformation of things, and the ceasing of the former error, and the calm of souls, and the harbor of the resurrection, wonder at the provider of these things. Here ^D we must understand the sea as our life; the ships, the Churches, in which the apostles wrought salvation, in the multitude of men, that is. And they saw also the works of God, that is, the creations and the wonders—the signs, as many as he set in the deep for the economy of our salvation—that is, in the wisdom with which he manages our affairs. For a deep is the wisdom of God, on account of its being incomparable and immeasurable. *He spoke, and a stormy wind stood, and its waves were lifted up. They ascend to the heavens, and they descend to the abysses* (Ps. 106:25–26). And through these he taught that both grievous things happen and pleasant things come to be, as he nods. He speaks of the temptations which the spirit of the storm raises—that is, the opposing spirit—when God permits it for the exercise and manifestation of the righteous. God himself declares this, when he permitted the devil to tempt, saying to Job: *Think you that I have dealt with you otherwise, than that you might appear righteous?* (Job 40:8). For what fire is to gold, that the temptations are to souls, melting them, not so as to destroy, but so that it might be revealed what brightness they have. *Their soul was melting in evils. They were troubled, they were shaken like one intoxicated, and all their wisdom was swallowed up* (Ps. 106:26–27). 4. He persists in the trope; and he seems to be speaking about those sailing, but through these things he hints at the manifold calamities of the soul, which no one using human wisdom is able to resolve. For not even the helmsmen, being tossed about like those who are intoxicated, when the swell is overwhelming—even bringing in all their art—are able to overcome the terrors. *And they cried to the Lord when they were in distress; and he brought them out of their necessities. And he commanded the storm, and it stood as a breeze; and its waves were silent. And they rejoiced, because they were quiet* (Ps. 106:28–30). And to those who, in their great number, invoke him, he reaches out his own inclination and nods, and immediately the storm is transformed into a gentle breeze, and the sea is relieved of the surge, and those struggling with certain grievous things find through his grace a transformation of their evils. Thus the Jews were liberated from that bitter slavery. *And he guided them to the harbor of his will* (Ps. 106:30). For as soon as he willed, there was a loosening of evils, and instead of the swell, the harbor appeared. And this is more appropriate to us than to them. For he brought us into the harbor of his will by bestowing upon us his divine knowledge—that is, the kingdom which is aptly called a harbor, as it does not possess the waves of temptations, and necessarily the harbor of the will of Christ, of him who says: *Father, those whom you have given to me, I will that where I am, they also may be* (John 17:24). *Let them confess to the Lord his mercies, and his wonders to the sons of men. Let them exalt him in the Church of the people, and let them praise him in the chair of the elders* (Ps. 106:31–32). Consequently, after the apostles, he makes mention of the Church and the presbytery within it. For it was necessary that these things also be added to the gospels of good things. It is necessary, he says, to glorify the God who does paradoxical things in the Church of the nations. For the nations and the Jews have exchanged each other's order. For those who were cast out through wickedness, deprived of angelic appearance and prophetic gifts, both their land and city, which was formerly productive of good fruits, continues to be barren thereafter, from the time of the coming to Christ, not being a metropolis, not having a temple, not holy of holies, not priesthood, not kingship—but having fallen from freedom, they serve gentile laws. But the Church of the nations, formerly waterless, and desolate...

wandering, now full of good things, and fills those who are hungry, and has established the city of habitation. This city is the commonwealth of the Church, having its food and bread in heaven. “He has set the rivers into a desert, and the outgoings of waters to the thirsty,” bringing forth fruit even in the salt-water, from the wickedness of those who dwell in it. This, too, we may see coming to pass in the nations who have believed. ^A For in all places throughout the world the Church, gathered together by the holy priest, celebrates the wonders of the Benefactor of all. And those who have attained salvation hymn Him, seeing the strange transformation. For they who were once watered by many prophetic rivers, and offered ripe fruits to God, are now, through their own wickedness, become completely desert in regard to their former irrigation. “He has set the desert into pools of water, and the dry land into outgoings of water.” For the nations that were formerly desert and had not even a drop of teaching are irrigated, as they receive in abundance the rational currents that surpass their need. See, then, how he sets forth the things concerning the Church in agreement with Isaiah. For he also says: “I will make the desert into pools, ^B and the thirsty land into aqueducts” (Isa. 41:18). “And He caused the hungry to dwell there, and they established cities of habitation.” For those who were formerly perishing of hunger and lacking spiritual food, He settled in those rivers and established a pious way of life. “And they sowed fields, and planted vineyards, and made fruit of produce.” For the heavenly seed, handed down from the apostles in succession, is sown in souls that live in repentance, of which the Savior says: “He who sows went forth to sow his seed; and some fell among thorns, others upon the rock, others by the way, others upon the good and fertile land” (Luke 8:5–8). And vineyards also are planted—the Churches, that is to say, everywhere upon the earth, according to that word: “I have planted thee a fruitful vine, all true” (Jer. 2:21), and, “A vine was made for my beloved in a corner, in a fertile place.” For the vine of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the man of Judah, a newly planted beloved (Isa. 5:1, 7). For just as by these words He indicated the synagogue of the Jews, so now He indicates the Church of the nations. But that the nations have produced the fruit of justice, the Savior says: “The kingdom of God shall be taken away from the former people, and shall be given to a nation producing its fruit” (Matt. 21:43). ^C “And He blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly; and He did not diminish their cattle.”

5. The prophet has spoken these things figuratively. And the Lord used such parables, now calling the apostles reapers, now calling Himself the sower and the husbandman; and the good land those who readily receive the seeds of the word. And the Apostle says: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase”; and again: “You are God’s tillage, you are God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:6, 9). The apostles, therefore, sowed the saving preaching, and planted rational gardens for God, and offered the timely fruit of justice to God. And all who were after them, to whom the teaching was entrusted, persevere in doing this very thing. For “He who sows in blessings, will also reap from blessings” (2 Cor. 9:6), according to the divine apostle. And He calls them cattle who are pastured by Him, whom He Himself has increased, having granted them the power of miracles. A witness to this is blessed Luke in the Acts, saying: “The Lord was increasing daily those who were being saved in the Church” (Acts 2:47). But the Lord Himself calls those who have believed sheep. “My sheep,” He says, “hear my voice” (John 10:27). “And they were few, and were vexed by the affliction of evils and sorrow.” These men, He says, who formerly inhabited the desert and waterless land have obtained such abundance and blessing by believing; but those who formerly obtained the prophetic irrigation, then being deprived of this because of the wickedness of their mind, and remaining completely desert and unfruitful, have fallen into every kind of calamity, and have been dispersed throughout the whole world, so that their populous metropolis came to be inhabited by few. “Contempt was poured out upon their princes.” The facts themselves bring testimony to the prophecy. For those who seemed to be their princes and teachers became of no value: but they who were formerly conspicuous and clear are now completely ignoble, and are held as nought even by those very people. ^D Even though the Jews be multiplied in a bodily way, according to the word: “And the number of the children of Israel was as the sand of the sea” (Osee 1:10); for He says through Isaiah the prophet: “If the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved” (Isa. 10:22); which He now says: “They were few, and they were corrupted by the detention of evil and misery.” But this the common people [understand].

But those who excel in dignity and knowledge have been delivered to contempt, whom “God caused to wander in an untrodden way, and not in a path.” And He caused them to wander in an untrodden way, and not in a path. Symmachus, however, says: “And He will cause them to wander in the vanity of their mind.” But God does not induce error, but leaves those who do not obey Him without a pilot: and those who are without a pilot, being tossed hither and thither, wander. This is what the Jews have suffered; for having abandoned the straight way, they follow their own reasonings. “And He helped the poor from poverty, and set them as sheep, families.” Symmachus: “And you will fortify the poor from affliction.” He calls the people of the nations the poor. “And He set them, as sheep, families.” Aquila: “And He will set, as a flock, kindreds.” Symmachus: “And He will order, as flocks, kindreds.” He speaks, however, of the Churches established through cities and regions. The Savior also says concerning His own people: “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27). And this He says as if of things to come, not of present things. “The upright will see and will rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop its mouth.” For seeing these things, those who use upright thoughts are filled with pleasure; but they who are accustomed to live impiously and unjustly are forced to look to the earth and be silent, restrained by a just sentence. And what shall they see but the change from worse to better? Therefore, to those who saw the end of the prophecies, the Savior was saying: “Blessed are your eyes, because they see those things which many prophets desired to see, and did not see” (Matt. 13:16, 17). Furthermore, by iniquity you may understand the devil, and everyone who acts according to him. “Who is wise, and will keep these things, and will understand the mercies of the Lord?” For the magnitude of them resides in a spiritual mind, and it needs wisdom for understanding. But to know the benign dispensations of the Savior, and to keep the divine laws, is not for everyone, but for him who cries to the Lord: “Reveal my eyes, and I will consider the wondrous things from Thy law” (Ps. 118:18). But when He said, “They will understand,” He referred that knowledge to the Gentiles and to the future: to whom is glory, namely to Christ, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

PSALM CVII