in irritation towards those who plotted against him, just as the plot of Saul did not lead David astray from defending himself as was fitting. 237 Ps 118,111 He intensified the demonstration of his zeal for the law, when he said the law was established as his own inheritance, not for a time but forever, choosing to live in it not as under some yoke of necessity but holily in gladness of soul. For that which is done with gladness is both permanent and steadfast. 238 Ps 118,113 Although not hateful insofar as they are men, it is not unworthy of God that such men are said to be hateful to God according to "You hated all who work iniquity," so that the greatest proof of loving the law is hating those who have deviated from the law; for which reason also the friendship of Jehoshaphat toward such a man became a reproach through the prophet, because he loved him who was hated by God. 239 Ps 118,118.119 He shows an imitation of God. If everyone who departs from the statutes on account of vain thoughts is despised by God, to him also they appear no more honorable than pressed olives or dung; for which reason he is also stirred up to love the divine ordinances, taking the vanity of the wicked as an incitement to diligence concerning what is good. But the fifth edition has "They were counted as nothing." 240 Ps 118,122 He desires what is lacking to be filled up by the forbearance of God, while he awaits his yet future good work, as if guaranteeing it as something that will be fulfilled, just like those who give surety for debtors so that they do not fall harshly under demands. Symmachus: "Receive me your servant for good," but Aquila and Theodotion have rendered it "Be surety." 241 Ps 118,129 Others, he says, marvel at gold and precious stones, but I, knowing that the divine commands are wonderful and the only good thing, hold to this and guard it more than any treasure. 242 Ps 118,130 The oracles need an opening up; for which reason the Lord also opened the mind of the disciples to understand the scriptures, and the understanding given through the words removes the deceit of pleasure or glory. 243 Ps 118,134 He asks this, because in troubles and sorrows precision concerning sound doctrine is difficult. 244 Ps 118,139 See the enmity which the just have. And this was toward their injustice and forgetfulness of the law. 245 Ps 118,141 According to the history, the text can be referred to David, saying these things about himself. For he was the youngest of all the sons of Jesse but also despised. At any rate, when all his brothers were taken by his father to the feast which Samuel had prepared, David was with his father's sheep, not having been taken to the banquet; but although being younger and despised, he himself received the kingdom by the decree of God, since he had not forgotten the statutes of God. And the one who is instructed in the divine words is also younger and despised for humbling himself, and the people from the gentiles, called after the elder and firstborn Israel, might utter the present saying. For those of the circumcision despise him who keeps the statutes of God with an unceasing memory. 246 Ps 118,162 The saying has something particular to David, that being pursued by Saul in vain and out of envy, he refrained from defending himself out of fear toward God; but it also extends to the general case, that it is not possible to escape the wars of rulers unharmed otherwise than by being guarded by the fear of God. 247 Ps 118,173 After the gift of wisdom, again he asks for salvation from dangers; this too is a reward for his voluntary zeal for the divine law. 248 Ps 118,174.175 Truly, then, he just now said he was expecting eternal salvation, and now, longing for it, he has made this the aim of his meditation on the law. For he says he will live again and praise God, having been helped toward this by His all-wise judgments, which is Christ, descending in place of men into the death that brings salvation to men, and by suffering redeeming those in passions and those
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παροξυσμῷ τῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας, ὡς οὐκ ἐπλάνησε τὸν ∆αυὶδ ἡ τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἐπιβουλὴ πρὸς τὸ ἀμύνασθαι πρὸς τὸ προσῆκον. 237 Ps 118,111 Ἐπέτεινε τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς περὶ νόμον σπουδῆς, ὁπότε κλῆρον ἴδιον ἔφη τεθεῖσθαι τὸν νόμον, οὐ πρόσκαιρον ἀλλ' εἰς ἅπαν ἐν τούτῳ προσελόμενος ζῆν ὡς οὐχ ὑπό τι ζυγὸν ἀνάγκης ἀλλ' ἁγίως ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ ψυχῆς. τοῦτο γὰρ δὴ καὶ μόνιμον καὶ δυσμετάστατον ὅπερ εὐφροσύνῃ πράττεται. 238 Ps 118,113 Εἰ καὶ μὴ μισητοὶ καθὸ ἄνθρωποι, καθὸ καὶ θεῷ μισητοὺς λέγεσθαι τοὺς τοιούτους οὐκ ἀνάξιον θεῷ κατὰ τὸ Ἐμίσησας πάντας τοὺς ἐργαζομένους τὴν ἀνομίαν, ὥστε ἀπόδειξις μεγίστη τοῦ τὸν νόμον ἀγαπᾶν τὸ μισεῖν τοὺς παρηλλαγμένους τοῦ νόμου· διὸ καὶ τῷ Ἰωσαφὰτ ἡ πρὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον φιλία μέμψις ἐγένετο διὰ τοῦ προφήτου, ὅτι τὸν ὑπὸ θεοῦ μισούμενον ἠγάπα. 239 Ps 118,118.119 Θεοῦ μίμησιν ἐνδείκνυται. εἰ θεῷ τε ἐξευτέληται πᾶς ὁ τῶν δικαιωμάτων ἀποστατῶν ἐπὶ ματαίοις ἐνθυμήμασι, καὶ αὐτῷ καταφαίνονται στεμφύλων ἢ σκωρέας οὐδὲν τιμιώτεροι· διὸ καὶ πρὸς ἀγάπην τῶν θείων διατάξεων ἐπεγείρεται, τὸ μάταιον τῶν φαύλων εἰς προτροπὴν τῆς περὶ τὸ καλὸν ἐπιμελείας λαμβάνων. Ἡ δὲ Ε ἔκδοσις Εἰς οὐδὲν ἐλογίσθησαν. 240 Ps 118,122 Ἀνεξικακίᾳ θεοῦ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον ἀναπληροῦσθαι ποθεῖ, περιμένοντος αὐτοῦ τὴν ἔτι μέλλουσαν ἀγαθουργίαν οἷον ἐγγυωμένου ταύτην ὡς ἐκπληρωθησο μένην, καθάπερ οἱ τοὺς ὀφείλοντας ἐγγυώμενοι πρὸς τὸ μὴ ταῖς ἀπατήσεσι χαλεπῶς ὑποπίπτειν. Σύμμαχος Ἀνάδεξαί με τὸν δοῦλόν σου εἰς ἀγαθόν, ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας καὶ ὁ Θεοδοτίων Ἐγγύησαι ἐκδεδώκασιν. 241 Ps 118,129 Οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι, φησί, χρυσίον θαυμάζουσι καὶ λίθους τιμίους, ἐγὼ δὲ θαυμάσιον καὶ μόνον καλὸν ἐπιστάμενος τὰ θεῖα προστάγματα τοῦτον ἔχομαι καὶ θησαυροῦ παντὸς μᾶλλον διαφυλάττω. 242 Ps 118,130 ∆ιανοίξεως δεῖται τὰ λόγια· διὸ καὶ ὁ κύριος διήνοιξε τὸν νοῦν τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ συνιέναι τὰς γραφάς, καὶ τὴν δι' ἡδονῆς ἢ δόξης ἀπάτην ἀφίστησιν ἡ διὰ τῶν λόγων ἐνδιδομένη σύνεσις. 243 Ps 118,134 Τοῦτο δὲ αἰτεῖ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ δύσκολος ἐν ταραχαῖς καὶ λύπαις ἡ περὶ τὸν ὑγιῆ λόγον ἀκρίβεια. 244 Ps 118,139 Ὅρα τὴν ἔχθραν ἣν ἔχουσιν οἱ δίκαιοι. αὕτη δὲ ἦν πρὸς τὴν ἀδικίαν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν λήθην τοῦ νόμου. 245 Ps 118,141 ∆ύναται μὲν κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀναφέρεσθαι ἐπὶ τὸν ∆αυὶδ τὰ ἐγκείμενα λέγοντα αὐτὰ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ. βραχύτατος γὰρ ἦν πάντων τῶν Ἰεσσαὶ παίδων ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξουδενώμενος. πάντων γοῦν τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ παραληφθέντων ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς εἰς ἣν ηὐτρέπισε Σαμουὴλ ἑστίαν, ὁ ∆αυὶδ ἐν τοῖς προβάτοις τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν οὐ παραληφθεὶς εἰς τὴν εὐωχίαν· ἀλλὰ καίτοι νεώτερος ὢν καὶ ἐξουδενώμενος τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτὸς ἔσχε ψήφῳ θεοῦ, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐπελέληστο τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιώματα. νεώτερος δὲ καὶ ὁ τοῖς θείοις λόγοις στοιχειούμενος καὶ ἐξουδενώμενος διὰ τὸ ταπεινοῦν ἑαυτόν, καὶ ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν δὲ λαὸς κληθεὶς μετὰ τὸν πρεσβύτην καὶ πρωτότοκον Ἰσραὴλ φθέγξαιτο τὸ προκείμενον ῥητόν. ἐξευτελίζουσι γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς ἀλήστῳ μνήμῃ φυλάττοντα τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ θεοῦ. 246 Ps 118,162 Ἔχει μὲν καὶ τὸ ἴδιον τοῦ ∆αυὶδ ὁ λόγος, ὅτι μάτην καὶ κατὰ φθόνον ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ διωκόμενος φόβῳ τῷ πρὸς θεὸν ἐπέσχε τὸ ἀμύνασθαι· διήκει δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ κοινόν, ὅτι τῶν ἀρχοντικῶν πολέμων οὐκ ἔστιν ἑτέρως ἀβλαβεῖς ἀπαλλάττεσθαι μὴ οὐχὶ φόβῳ θεοῦ φρουρουμένους. 247 Ps 118,173 Μετὰ τὴν τῆς σοφίας δόσιν πάλιν αὖ τὴν ἐκ κινδύνων σωτηρίαν αἰτεῖ· μισθὸν καὶ τοῦτο τῆς περὶ τὸν θεῖον νόμον ἑκουσίου σπουδῆς. 248 Ps 118,174.175 Ὄντως ἄρα τὴν αἰώνιον σωτηρίαν ἄρτι μὲν ἔλεγε προσδοκᾶν, νῦν δὲ καὶ ποθῶν αὐτῆς τοῦ νόμου μελέτης ταύτην πεποιῆσθαι σκοπόν. ἀναζήσεσθαι γὰρ δὴ καὶ αἰνέσειν θεὸν λέγει τοῖς πανσόφοις αὐτοῦ κρίμασιν εἰς τοῦτο βοηθηθείς, ὃ δή ἐστι Χριστὸς ἀντ' ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὸν σωτήριον ἀνθρώποις θάνατον καταβαίνων καὶ τῷ παθεῖν ἐξωνούμενος τοὺς ἐν πάθεσι καὶ τοὺς
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