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For it has been said by some saint: I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. and to another God said: I will bring you up to the good things of the earth. 71 Ps 9,38 The desire of the poor was for the one who tyrannically dominated them to fall. Therefore, since this has been accomplished with the breaking of the arm of the sinner and the wicked one, their desire, being an active prayer, has fittingly been made manifest to God who knows the hearts and sees what is hidden. And the Lord heard them, with his ear attending to the preparation of their ruling faculty; for how could those who had the aforementioned desire not have a heart prepared for salvation? 72 Ps 9,39 And here man must be understood in two ways: both as the boastful mortal rational animal, and as the devil who says, "I will grasp the whole world in my hand, and there is no one who will escape me or speak against me." For he will no longer boast, being crushed under the feet of the saints who trample his power, Jesus having granted this.

73 Ps 10,1-2 73 And it should be read thus: In the Lord I have put my trust; how

will you say to my soul, "Behold, the sinners have bent their bow, they have prepared arrows for the quiver," and so on? At these words, he urges his own soul to be lifted up like a sparrow on the wings of virtue, so that having passed over to the high spiritual mountains, it may remain unharmed. But however the punctuation of the reading may be, it is fitting to trust in the Lord. 74 Ps 10,1-2 But according to contemplation: of many visible and invisible enemies sophistically prepared, as if the ruling faculty is already bent, by its readiness resembling a bent bow, but also with ready arrows, and these are persuasive words, in order to shoot you down, you have a refuge in the high mountains, where, having arrived, you will not be wounded. And it is said that the more divine meanings of the scriptures are signified by the name of "mountains"; and in addition to these, also the wise teachers, the apostles and prophets. It is possible to take "Flee to the mountains like a sparrow" as spoken by the Spirit, urging the one who wants to escape the poisonous wounding of the archers to withdraw. But if the invisible powers, being the same as or akin to the archers, should say, "Flee to the mountains like a sparrow," we shall take it as spoken mockingly, by those wanting to intimidate those who trust in God with their whole heart. Then, since the archers prepared to use such sophistry are sons of darkness and of night, they have purposed to shoot down in the moonless night those who have an upright heart. Ps 10,3b The Lord, being righteous, what will he do but rain his snares upon sinners and portion out to them a cup of punishment, so that having drunk it they may be weakened from their impulse to shoot? 75 Ps 10,4-7 Either concerning the Father or the Savior himself: before the incarnation, his holy temple must be taken as the holy and heavenly concept of him. being in his holy temple and having his throne in heaven, reigning divinely and celestially. We noted also in what came before that the throne is taken for the kingdom. But the overseeing and supervising powers of God, called his eyes, coming to the poor man, guard him unharmed from the things ordained concerning him. The eyelids of the eyes of God examine the deeds and thoughts of men. From this is shown the Judge's love for mankind. For if he examined with eyes and not with eyelids, the judgment would be unbearable for men. But to examine their affairs with his eyelids means that he does not observe all the sins of those being judged, nor what magnitude they are. And it is well said: that his eyes are upon the one receiving benefits, even if he is a poor man, but his eyelids are upon the sons; many sons of men, so that the benefits might be abundant

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ειρηται γὰρ πρός τινος ἁγίου· Πιστεύω τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ κυρίου ἐν γῇ ζώντων. καὶ πρὸς αλλον ὁ θεὸς ειπεν· ̓Αναβιβάσω σε ἐπὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς. 71 Ps 9,38 ̓Επιθυμίᾳ τῶν πενήτων ὑπῆρχε τὸ πεσεῖν τὸν τυραννικῶς κατακυριεύσαντα αὐτῶν. ἐπεὶ ουν ὑπῆρκται αυτη συντριβέντος τοῦ βραχίονος τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ πονηροῦ, εἰκότως θεῷ τῷ τὰς καρδίας ἐπισταμένῳ καὶ τὸ κρυπτὸν εἰδότι ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτῶν πεφανέρωται, ἐνεργὴς ουσα προσευχή. εἰσήκουσεν δὲ αὐτῶν ὁ κύριος, προσέχοντος τοῦ ὠτὸς αὐτοῦ τῇ ἑτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ αὐτῶν· πῶς γὰρ οὐχ ἑτοίμην τὴν καρδίαν ειχον πρὸς τὸ σωθῆναι οἱ τῶν προλεχθέντων εχοντες ἐπιθυμίαν; 72 Ps 9,39 ∆ιχῶς καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸν ανθρωπον ἐκληπτέον, εις τε τὸ θνητὸν λογικὸν ζῷον ἀλαζονευόμενον, καὶ εἰς τὸν λέγοντα διάβολον Τὴν οἰκουμένην ολην καταλήψομαι τῇ χειρί, καὶ οὐκ εστιν ος διαφεύξεταί με η ἀντείπῃ μοι. οὐ γὰρ ετι μεγαλαυχήσει συντριβόμενος ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἁγίων πατούντων αὐτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν, ̓Ιησοῦ τοῦτο χαρισαμένου.

73 Ps 10,1-2 73 ̓Αναγνωστέον δὲ καὶ ουτως· ̓Επὶ τῷ κυρίῳ πέποιθα· πῶς

ἐρεῖτε τῇ ψυχῇ μου ̓Ιδοὺ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐνέτειναν τόξον, ἡτοίμασαν βέλη εἰς φαρέτραν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς; ἐφ' οις εἰρημένοις παρορμᾷ τὴν ψυχὴν ἑαυτοῦ μετεωρισθῆναι δίκην στρουθίου πτεροῖς ἀρετῆς, ινα περάσας ἐπὶ τὰ υψος εχοντα ορη πνευματικὰ ἀβλαβὴς διαμείνῃ. οπως δ' αν εχῃ τὰ τῆς διαστολῆς τοῦ ἀναγνώσματος, πεποιθέναι ἐπὶ κύριον προσήκει. 74 Ps 10,1-2 Κατὰ θεωρίαν δέ· πολλῶν σοφιστικῶς παρεσκευασμένων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ἐχθρῶν ὡς ηδη τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν εχειν τεταμένον, δι' ἑτοιμασίαν τόξῳ ἐντεταμένῳ ἐοικός, ἀλλὰ καὶ βέλη ετοιμα, λόγοι δὲ πειθανοὶ ταῦτα, πρὸς τὸ κατατοξεῦσαί σε, εχεις διατριβὴν ἐν ὑψηλοῖς ορεσιν, ενθα γεναμένη οὐ τρωθήσει. ειρηται δὲ ὡς τὰ θειότερα τῶν γραφῶν νοήματα τῇ τῶν ὀρῶν προσηγορίᾳ σημαίνεται· πρὸς τούτοις καὶ οἱ σοφοὶ διδάσκαλοι ἀπόστολοι καὶ προφῆται. ∆υνατὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος εἰρημένον ἐκλαβεῖν τὸ Μετανάστευε ἐπὶ τὰ ορη ὡς στρουθίον, προτρεπομένου ἀναχωρεῖν τὸν διαδράναι θέλοντα τὴν ἰοβόλον τρῶσιν τῶν τοξοτῶν. εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀόρατοι δυνάμεις αἱ αὐταὶ ουσαι η συγγενεῖς τοῖς τοξόταις λέγοιεν τὸ Μετανάστευε ἐπὶ τὰ ορη ὡς στρουθίον, χλευαστικῶς αὐτὸ εἰρημένον ἐκληψόμεθα, ὑποδειλῶσαι θελόντων τοὺς ἐν ολῃ καρδίᾳ ἐπὶ θεὸν πεποιθότας. ειτ' ἐπεὶ σκότους υἱοὶ καὶ νυκτός εἰσιν οἱ πρὸς τὸ ουτω σοφιστεύειν παρεσκευασμένοι τοξόται, ἐν ἀφεγγεῖ νυκτὶ κατατοξεύειν προτέθεινται τοὺς εὐθείαν καρδίαν εχοντας. Ps 10,3b ̔Ο κύριος δίκαιος ων τί ποιήσει η ἐπιβρέξει ἐπὶ ἁμαρτωλοὺς τὰς παγίδας αὐτοῦ καὶ μερίσει αὐτοῖς ποτήριον κολάσεως ἐπὶ τῷ πίοντας αὐτοὺς ἀσθενῆσαι ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς τὸ τοξεύειν ὁρμῆς; 75 Ps 10,4-7 Η περὶ τοῦ πατρὸς η καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος· πρὸ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως ναὸν αγιον αὐτοῦ ἐκληπτέον τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ἁγίαν καὶ οὐράνιον νόησιν. ων ̓Εν ναῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν θρόνον εχει ἐν οὐρανῷ, θεϊκῶς καὶ ἐπουρανίως βασιλεύων. ἐσημειωσάμεθα καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρότερον ἀντὶ βασιλείας τὸν θρόνον λαμβάνεσθαι. αἱ δὲ ἐποπτικαὶ καὶ εφοροι τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεις ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ καλούμεναι, πρὸς τὸν πένητα γινόμεναι φρουροῦσιν αὐτὸν ἀβλαβῆ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν οἰκονομηθέντων. τὰ βλέφαρα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξετάζει τὰς πράξεις καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ἐκ τούτου παρίσταται τοῦ κριτοῦ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον. εἰ γὰρ ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐξήταζεν καὶ μὴ βλεφάροις, ἀνύποιστος ην ἀνθρώποις ἡ κρίσις. τὸ δὲ τοῖς βλεφάροις ἑαυτοῦ ἐξετάζειν τὰ κατ' αὐτοὺς οὐ παρατηρεῖται πάντα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν κρινομένων οὐδὲ οιου μεγέθους ὑπάρχει ταῦτα. ευ δὲ καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν· τοὺς μὲν ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν εὐεργετούμενον ειναι, καν εις πένης ὑπάρχῃ, τὰ δὲ βλέφαρα ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱούς· πολλοὺς ἀνθρώπων υἱούς, ιν' αἱ μὲν εὐεργεσίαι δαψιλῶς