5

lest they introduce and overthrow all things, God has fortified them with the psalms, so that the matter might be at once both pleasure and benefit. For from worldly songs come harm and destruction, and many terrible things might be introduced, the soul becoming more licentious and lawless through these songs, and softer and weaker; but from spiritual songs, great is the gain, great the benefit, great the sanctification, and it could be a foundation for all philosophy, with the words cleansing the soul, and the Holy Spirit hovering over the soul that psalms such things. Let us then sing to the soul the psalms full of philosophy, so that little by little we may be led up to higher things. For when you have learned in the psalms, then you will also know hymns, as a more divine matter. For the psalms contain all things, but hymns, on the other hand, nothing human. For the powers above sing hymns, they do not psalm; For a hymn is not beautiful 55.538, he says, in the mouth of a sinner. Therefore Paul also exhorts, saying: Singing in our hearts to the Lord, not simply with the mouth, but with attention. For this is to sing to God; but the other, to the air; for the voice is simply dispersed. There is no need of place, no need of time, but both in every place, and at every time it is possible to psalm in the mind. Whether you are walking in the marketplace, or are on the roads, or are sitting with friends, it is possible to stir up the soul, it is possible to cry out while silent. Thus also Moses cried out, and God heard. Even if you are an artisan, sitting and working in a workshop, you will be able to psalm. Even if you are a soldier, attending in a court of law, you will be able to do this same thing. For it is possible to psalm even without a voice, with the mind resounding within. For we do not psalm to man, but to God who is able to hear even hearts, and to enter into the secret places of our mind. But since spiritual men, those having the gifts of the Spirit, always pray for their neighbors, and offer up their supplications to God with compunction and groans; let us also do this, and on each day intercede with God, both for ourselves and for our brothers. But how is it possible to intercede with God? By having an upright life and a purified conscience. And it is not possible to accomplish these things from anywhere else, but by meditating on the law of the Lord day and night. And let no one say to me, that "Before the interpretation I did not know the power of the psalms." For even before the interpretation, for anyone at all who wishes to pay attention, even one verse is sufficient to instill much philosophy, and to correct doctrine, and to benefit one's life in the greatest ways. For when you say, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord," and are able to know what it is you are saying, you will emulate not the one in power, not the one who is rich, not the one having splendid houses, not the one who moves about in palaces, not the one himself who wears the diadem on his head, not anyone else, but the one in piety, the one in philosophy, the one who is in the fear of God, not only on account of the things to come, but also on account of the present things themselves. For even here this one is more powerful than that one. Let us then also practice interceding with God; let us learn how one ought to make the intercession. For God does not seek beauty of tongue, nor composition of words, but beauty of soul. And if that soul utters the things that seem good to him, having accomplished everything, it departs. For if one who associates with a wonderful man reaps many things from the association, much more one who is continually with God through earnest prayer. For even if a sinner prays with humility of mind, which is a part of virtue, he will be able to accomplish great things. Just as, then, also the publican (for indeed from a bare word he accomplished everything), since his mind was well-prepared. And how was it prepared? He deemed himself wretched, he beat his breast, he did not endure even to look up to heaven. If you also pray in this way, you will make your soul lighter than a feather. Let the prayer then be gentle, calm, having a graceful and tender countenance with meekness, and not made against enemies. This is the prayer worthy of the heavens, this is the tongue worthy of the angels. For thus also

5

εἰσάγοντες ἅπαντα ἀνατρέπωσι, τοὺς ψαλμοὺς αὐτοῖς ἐπετείχισεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὥστε ὁμοῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ ἡδονὴν καὶ ὠφέλειαν εἶναι. Ἀπὸ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἔξωθεν ᾀσμάτων βλάβη καὶ ὄλεθρος, καὶ πολλὰ ἂν εἰσαχθείη δεινὰ, ἀσελγεστέρας καὶ παρανομωτέρας τοῖς ᾄσμασι τούτοις τῆς ψυχῆς γινομένης, μαλθακωτέρας τε καὶ ἀσθενεστέρας· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν πολὺ μὲν τὸ κέρδος, πολλὴ δὲ ἡ ὠφέλεια, πολὺς δὲ ὁ ἁγιασμὸς, καὶ πάσης φιλοσοφίας ὑπόθεσις γένοιτ' ἂν, τῶν τε ῥημάτων τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκκαθαιρόντων, τοῦ τε ἁγίου Πνεύματος τῇ τὰ τοιαῦτα ψαλλούσῃ ἐφιπταμένου ψυχῇ. Ἐπᾴδωμεν τοίνυν τῇ ψυχῇ τοὺς φιλοσοφίας γέμοντας ψαλμοὺς, ἵνα κατὰ μικρὸν καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλότερα ἀναχθῶμεν. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ψαλμοῖς μάθῃς, τότε καὶ ὕμνους εἴσῃ, ἅτε θειότερον πρᾶγμα. Οἱ γὰρ ψαλμοὶ πάντα ἔχουσιν, οἱ δὲ ὕμνοι πάλιν οὐδὲν ἀνθρώπινον. Αἱ γὰρ ἄνω δυνάμεις ὑμνοῦσιν, οὐ ψάλλουσιν· Οὐ γὰρ ὡραῖος 55.538 ὕμνος ἐν στόματι, φησὶν, ἁμαρτωλοῦ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος παραινεῖ λέγων· Ἄδοντες ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ, μὴ ἁπλῶς τῷ στόματι, ἀλλὰ μετὰ προσοχῆς. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ ᾄδειν· ἐκεῖνο δὲ, τῷ ἀέρι· διαχεῖται γὰρ ἁπλῶς ἡ φωνή. Οὐ χρεία τόπου, οὐ χρεία χρόνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἔξεστι ψάλλειν κατὰ διάνοιαν. Κἂν ἐν ἀγορᾷ βαδίζῃς, κἂν ἐν ὁδοῖς ᾖς, κἂν φίλοις συνεδρεύῃς, ἔξεστι διεγεῖραι τὴν ψυχὴν, ἔξεστι σιγῶντα βοᾷν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Μωϋσῆς ἐβόα, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἤκουε. Κἂν χειροτέχνης ᾖς, ἐν ἐργαστηρίῳ καθήμενος καὶ ἐργαζόμενος, δυνήσῃ ψάλλειν. Κἂν στρατιώτης ᾖς, ἐν δικαστηρίῳ προσεδρεύων, δυνήσῃ τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Ἔξεστι γὰρ καὶ χωρὶς φωνῆς ψάλλειν, τῆς διανοίας ἔνδον ἠχούσης. Οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ ψάλλομεν, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ τῷ δυναμένῳ καὶ καρδίας ἀκοῦσαι, καὶ εἰς τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα τῆς διανοίας ἡμῶν εἰσελθεῖν. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οἱ πνευματικοὶ ἄνδρες, οἱ τὰ χαρίσματα τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔχοντες, ὑπὲρ τῶν πλησίον εὔχονται ἀεὶ, καὶ τὰς ἱκετηρίας ἀναφέρουσι μετὰ κατανύξεων καὶ στεναγμῶν τῷ Θεῷ· τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς ποιῶμεν, καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐντυγχάνωμεν τῷ Θεῷ, ὑπέρ τε ἑαυτῶν, ὑπέρ τε τῶν ἀδελφῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων. Πῶς δὲ ἔστιν ἐντυγχάνειν τῷ Θεῷ; Ἀπὸ τοῦ βίον ἔχειν ὀρθὸν, καὶ συνειδὸς κεκαθαρμένον. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν ἔξεστι κατορθοῦν, ἀλλ' ἢ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου μελετᾷν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός. Καὶ μή μοι λεγέτω τις, ὅτι Πρὸ τῆς ἑρμηνείας οὐκ ᾔδειν τῶν ψαλμῶν τὴν δύναμιν. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸ τῆς ἑρμηνείας παντὶ τῷ ὁπωσοῦν βουλομένῳ προσέχειν ἀρκεῖ καὶ εἷς στίχος πολλὴν ἐνθεῖναι φιλοσοφίαν, καὶ εἰς δόγμα διορθῶσαι, καὶ εἰς βίον ὠφελῆσαι τὰ μέγιστα. Καὶ γὰρ ὅταν εἴπῃς, Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον, καὶ δυνηθεὶς εἰδέναι τί ποτέ ἐστιν ὃ λέγεις, οὐ τὸν ἐν δυναστείᾳ ὄντα, οὐ τὸν πλουτοῦντα, οὐ τὸν οἰκίας ἔχοντα λαμπρὰς, οὐ τὸν ἐν βασιλείοις στρεφόμενον, οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν τὸ διάδημα ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς περικείμενον, οὐκ ἄλλον οὐδένα, ἀλλ' ἢ τὸν ἐν εὐλαβείᾳ, τὸν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ, τὸν ἐν φόβῳ Θεοῦ ὄντα ζηλώσεις, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὰ μέλλοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' αὐτὰ τὰ παρόντα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐνταῦθα οὗτος ἐκείνου δυνατώτερος. Μελετήσωμεν τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐντυγχάνειν Θεῷ· μάθωμεν πῶς δεῖ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἐντυχίαν. Οὐ γὰρ κάλλος ζητεῖ γλώττης ὁ Θεὸς, οὐδὲ ῥημάτων συνθήκην, ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς ὥραν. Κἂν ἐκείνη φθέγγηται τὰ αὐτῷ δοκοῦντα, τὸ πᾶν ἀνύσασα ἄπεισιν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνθρώπῳ τις συγγινόμενος θαυμαστῷ πολλὰ καρποῦται ἐκ τῆς συνουσίας, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεῷ διηνεκῶς δι' εὐχῆς ἐκτενοῦς. Κἂν γὰρ ἁμαρτωλός τις ὢν μετὰ ταπεινοφροσύνης εὔξηται, ὅπερ ἐστὶ μέρος ἀρετῆς, μεγάλα ἀνύσαι δυνήσεται. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ τελώνης (καὶ γὰρ ἀπὸ ψιλοῦ ῥήματος τὸ πᾶν ἤνυσεν), ἐπειδὴ ἡ διάνοια αὐτοῦ καλῶς παρεσκευασμένη ἦν. Πῶς δὲ ἦν παρεσκευασμένη; Ἐταλάνιζεν ἑαυτὸν, τὸ στῆθος ἔτυπτεν, οὐδὲ ἀναβλέψαι εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἠνείχετο. Ἂν οὕτω καὶ σὺ εὔχῃ, πτεροῦ κουφοτέραν ἐργάσῃ τὴν ψυχήν. Ἔστω τοίνυν ἡ εὐχὴ ἥμερος, γαληνὴ, χάριεν ἔχουσα τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἁπαλὸν μετὰ πραότητος καὶ μὴ κατ' ἐχθρῶν γινομένη. Αὕτη τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀξία ἡ εὐχὴ, αὕτη τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀξία ἡ γλῶττα. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ