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1. "A prayer of David." Being persecuted by Saul, and enduring all sorts of plots, he calls on the God of all for aid. "Hear, O Lord, my righteousness; attend to my supplication; give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips." Here again he says righteousness not as perfect virtue, but the just request. The other interpreters have not added the pronoun; but Symmachus and Theodotion have named God the Lord of righteousness; while Aquila said thus, Hear, O Lord, the just one, instead of justly, and not with long-suffering. And the phrase, "Not with deceitful lips," Symmachus has stated thus, Not through deceitful lips. For with pure lips, he says, I offer my supplication; not thinking one thing and speaking another; but I have a tongue that agrees with my mind. 2. "Let my judgment come forth from your presence, let my eyes behold uprightness." I beseech you to judge the things concerning me; for I know the justice of your sentence. 3, 4. "You have proved my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tried me by fire, and no iniquity was found in me. That my mouth might not speak the works of men." Here he teaches that, having often taken Saul into his power, he did not endure to kill him, but returned injustice with kindness; wherefore he also mentioned the night, in which he did this, saving Saul while he was sleeping at night, and allowing no one to inflict on him the death-bringing blow. Tropically he also calls misfortunes nights, because of the gloom of despondency, just as, again, he names the trial a refining by fire; "For you tried me by fire, he says, and no iniquity was found in me." For as if testing some gold, you found it unadulterated, O Master. For so much did I refrain from harming the enemy, that I also kept my tongue free from railing against 80.968 him, and what he continues to do, these things I did not endure to speak. "Because of the words of your lips I have kept hard ways." This difficult and laborious thing I have done, obeying your commandments. 5. "Establish my steps in your paths, that my steps may not be shaken." I entreat therefore, that my purpose not be turned aside; and this will be, if I might enjoy your support. For he called the impulse of action steps. 6. "I cried out, for you heard me, O God." Not in vain have I used these words, but having experience of your loving-kindness; for you have heard me calling many times. "Incline your ear to me, and hear my words. [7.] Make your mercies wonderful, you who save those who hope in you." Receive therefore my supplication; move many tongues to hymnody. For those who see the wronged man being pitied by you will sing of your providence; for you are accustomed to offer aid to those who trust in you. 8. "From those who resist your right hand, guard me, O Lord, as the apple of your eye." He called those who war against him those who resist the right hand of God. And very rightly so; for he was anointed by God, and from him he had received the royal appointment. Therefore he says, that those who have undertaken the battle against me are opposed to your decree, and he beseeches to receive as much protection as the pupil of the eye; which has the eyelids as certain enclosures; and instead of stakes, the eyelashes. And it has also the projections of the eyebrows, which send the moisture of sweat to the temples, and free the organ of sight from the harm from there. He prays to receive such care. "In the shadow of your wings you will cover me. [9.] From the face of the ungodly who have afflicted me." Again, using another image, he deems it worthy to receive providence. For he also heard the great Moses saying: "Spreading his wings he received 80.969 them, and took them up on his back." And the Lord also said to Jerusalem: "How often I wanted to gather your children together, in the way a bird gathers its young under its wings, and you were not willing?" And wings the swift and brief of the

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αʹ. "Προσευχὴ τῷ ∆αβίδ." ∆ιωκόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ, καὶ παντοδαπὰς ὑπομένων ἐπιβουλὰς, τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν εἰς ἐπικουρίαν καλεῖ. "Εἰσάκου σον, Κύριε, δικαιοσύνης μου· πρόσχες τῇ δεήσει μου· ἐνώτισαι τὴν προσευχήν μου οὐκ ἐν χείλεσι δολίοις." Πάλιν ἐνταῦθα δικαιοσύνην οὐ τὴν τελείαν ἀρετὴν λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν δικαίαν αἴτησιν. Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ τὴν ἀντωνυμίαν οὐ προστεθείκασιν· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν Σύμμαχος καὶ ὁ Θεοδοτίων Κύριον δι καιοσύνης τὸν Θεὸν ὠνομάκασιν· ὁ δέ γε Ἀκύ λας οὕτως ἔφη, Εἰσάκουσον, Κύριε, δίκαιον, ἀντὶ τοῦ δικαίως, καὶ μὴ μακροθύμως. Τὸ δὲ, "Οὐκ ἐν χείλεσι δολίοις," ὁ Σύμμαχος οὕτως εἴρηκεν, Οὐ διὰ χειλέων δολίων. Καθαροῖς γὰρ, φησὶ, χείλεσι τὴν ἱκετείαν προσφέρω· οὐχ ἕτερα μὲν φρονῶν, ἕτερα δὲ φθεγγόμενος· ἀλλὰ συνομολογοῦσαν ἔχω τῇ γνώμῃ τὴν γλῶτταν. βʹ. "Ἐκ προσώπου σου τὸ κρῖμά μου ἐξέλθοι, οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου ἰδέτωσαν εὐθύτητα." Ἀντι βολῶ σε δικάσαι τοῖς κατ' ἐμέ· οἶδα γάρ σου τῆς ψήφου τὸ δίκαιον. γʹ, δʹ. "Ἐδοκίμασας τὴν καρδίαν μου, ἐπεσκέψω νυκτὸς, ἐπύρωσάς με, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδι κία. Ὅπως ἂν μὴ λαλήσῃ τὸ στόμα μου τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων." Ἐνταῦθα διδάσκει, ὡς πολλάκις λαβὼν τὸν Σαοὺλ ὑποχείριον, ἀνελεῖν οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, ἀλλ' εὐεργεσίᾳ τὴν ἀδικίαν ἠμείψατο· διὸ καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς ἐμνημόνευσεν, ἐν ᾗ τοῦτο δέδρακεν, ἐν νυκτὶ καθεύδοντα τὸν Σαοὺλ περισώσας, καὶ οὐ δενὶ συγχωρήσας ἐπενεγκεῖν αὐτῷ τὴν θανατηφόρον πληγήν. Τροπικῶς δὲ καὶ τὰς συμφορὰς νύκτας καλεῖ, διὰ τὸ ζοφῶδες τῆς ἀθυμίας, ὥσπερ αὖ, καὶ πύρωσιν τὴν δοκιμασίαν αὖθις ὀνομάζει· "Ἐπύρωσας γάρ με, φησὶ, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδικία." Καθάπερ γάρ τινα χρυσὸν δοκιμάσας, ἀκίβδηλον εὗρες, ὦ ∆έσποτα. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέσχον τοῦ λυμήνασθαι τὸν πολέμιον, ὅτι καὶ τῆς κατ' 80.968 αὐτοῦ λοιδορίας ἐλευθέραν τὴν γλῶτταν ἐφύλαξα, καὶ ἃ πράττων ἐκεῖνος διατελεῖ, ταῦτα λέγειν οὐκ ἠνεσχόμην ἐγώ. "∆ιὰ τοὺς λόγους τῶν χειλέων σου ἐγὼ ἐφύλαξα ὁδοὺς σκληράς." Τοῦτο δὲ ὁ δυσχερὲς, καὶ ἐπίπονον δέδρακα ταῖς σαῖς πειθόμενος ἐντολαῖς. εʹ. "Κατάρτισαι τὰ διαβήματά μου ἐν ταῖς τρί βοις σου, ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῇ τὰ διαβήματά μου." Ἱκετεύω τοίνυν, μὴ παρατραπῆναί μου τὸν σκοπόν· ἔσται δὲ τοῦτο, εἰ τῆς σῆς ῥοπῆς ἀπολαύσαιμι. ∆ια βήματα γὰρ τῆς πράξεως τὴν ὁρμὴν προσηγόρευ σεν. ʹ. "Ἐγὼ ἐκέκραξα, ὅτι ἐπήκουσάς μου, ὁ Θεός." Οὐ μάτην τοῖσδε λόγοις ἐχρησάμην, ἀλλὰ πεῖραν τῆς σῆς ἔχων φιλανθρωπίας· ἤκουσας γάρ μου καλοῦντος πολλάκις. "Κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου ἐμοὶ, καὶ εἰσάκουσον τῶν ῥημάτων μου. [ζʹ.] Θαυμάστωσον τὰ ἐλέη σου, ὁ σώ ζων τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπὶ σέ." ∆έξαι τοίνυν τὴν ἱκετείαν· κίνησον πολλὰς γλώττας εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν. Οἱ γὰρ ἐλεούμενον παρὰ σοῦ τὸν ἀδικούμενον βλέπον τες ὑμνήσουσί σου τὴν πρόνοιαν· εἴωθας δὲ τοῖς εἰς σὲ πεποιθόσιν ἐπικουρίαν ὀρέγειν. ηʹ. "Ἐκ τῶν ἀνθεστηκότων τῇ δεξιᾷ σου φύ λαξόν με, Κύριε, ὡς κόρην ὀφθαλμοῦ." Ἀνθ εστηκότας τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεξιᾷ τοὺς πολεμοῦντας αὐτῷ προσηγόρευσεν. Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως· ὑπὸ Θεοῦ γὰρ ἐχρίσθη, καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ τῆς βασιλικῆς χειροτονίας τετύχηκεν. Λέγει τοιγαροῦν, ὅτι Τῇ σῇ ἀντιτάττονται ψήφῳ οἱ κατ' ἐμοῦ τὴν μάχην ἀνα δεξάμενοι, καὶ παρακαλεῖ τοσαύτης φυλακῆς ἀπο λαῦσαι, ὅσης ἡ κόρη τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ· ἥτις καθά περ τινὰς περιβόλους ἔχει τὰ βλέφαρα· ἀντὶ δὲ σκολόπων, τὰς βλεφαρίδας. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ τῶν ὀφρύων τὰς προσβολὰς, τὴν τῶν ἱδρώτων νοτίδα τοῖς κρο τάφοις παραπεμπούσας, καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν λώβης ἀπαλλαττούσας τὸ ὀπτικόν. Τοιαύτης ἱκετεύει κη δεμονίας τυχεῖν. "Ἐν σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων σου σκεπάσεις με. [θʹ.] Ἀπὸ προσώπου ἀσεβῶν τῶν ταλαιπωρησάντων με." Πάλιν ἑτέρᾳ χρησάμενος εἰκόνι προμηθείας τυχεῖν ἀξιοῖ. Ἤκουσε γὰρ καὶ τοῦ μεγάλου Μωσέως λέγοντος· "∆ιεὶς τὰς πτέρυγας αὑτοῦ ἐδέξατο αὐ 80.969 τοὺς, καὶ ἀνέλαβεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν μεταφρέ νων αὑτοῦ." Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ πρὸς τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἔφη· "Ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ὄρνις ἐπισυνάγει τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας αὑτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε;" Πτέρυγας δὲ τὴν ὀξείαν καὶ σύντομον τῆς