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each day he brings on wrath. And this is what it means for him to breathe a spirit of his wrath, because it proclaims beforehand the punishments of wrath: For I will chastise them in the wrath of their affliction. 121 Ps 17,17-19a From many waters, that is, from the turbulent and salty affairs of life, tropically named sea, or from opposing powers, confused and disturbed; but consider if the dogmas of godlessness are also many waters, unable to quench love. But as the mighty enemies from whom God delivers, one must speak of the unseen ones, and perhaps also men in high positions and those who propose to deceive through falsely named knowledge, when they are skilled in sophistry. One would not be wrong to also call one’s own thoughts, when they are displeased with providence or persist in some other impiety, mighty enemies, and he deems it worthy to be delivered from those who hate, when they are strengthened beyond him, but hating in vain; for no one who is hated for being wicked will be bold enough to say this prayer to God, but only when he is hated for Christ’s sake and for the upright life by sinners who detest piety; for they consider the conduct of the just man a reproof of their own way of life. But these who are hateful toward the just man attack especially then, when a time of affliction is at hand. For, being ignorant of the judgment of providence, they suppose that the just man is afflicted for no other reason than for sin, like those who dialogued with Job. For though God subjected him to afflictions so that he might be shown to be just, they claimed that the man had fallen into these things on account of impiety and sin; but also all the sinful demons and the devil are strong against the one who stumbles, so that affliction is now understood as sin. 122 Ps 17,19b For in a day of affliction, whenever someone flees to God, he will have him become his support, that is, supporting him so that he is not shaken and falls. And indeed concerning the perfect soul having the divine Word as a support, those who accept her ascent and brightening say in wonder: Who is this that comes up whitened, leaning upon her brother? 123 Ps 17,20a For the Lord, becoming a support for someone, leads him out of the narrowness of afflictions, bestowing breadth upon him according to, In my distress you have given me relief. But one is given relief in affliction not by getting completely out of the affliction, but by being nobly and reverently disposed toward it. 124 Ps 17,20b-21 He will deliver me from my mighty enemies and from those who hate me, even if they have the greatest power; for he has desired me who do all his will. This is certainly the confidence of one pure and perfect, who condemns himself in nothing, not even the slightest thing, whence those who wish this psalm to be spoken from the person of the Savior also apply this phrase to him who was tempted in all things in like manner, without sin. And by righteousness he means the universal practical virtue, and by cleanness of hands the practical activities that are pure and undefiled because they are accomplished from the best disposition; for in many places one can find hands spoken of for the practical faculties. 125 Ps 17,22 But he says these things not boastfully, as some suppose, but attributing to God the cause of his achievements. And he who walks in his commandments keeps the ways of the Lord, and he does not act impiously away from his God who has correctly understood the dogmas of truth, thinking blamelessly about God and holding holy thoughts about Christ and piously reflecting on the Holy Spirit and glorifying concerning the other dogmas in the way that one must. 126 Ps 17,23a For even if his judgments are unsearchable and like an abyss because they are incomprehensible, it is nevertheless possible for one who has them before him not to be displeased with providence nor to act impiously toward the one who provides. for even if we do not understand, but at least are disposed that by the judgment of God

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ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ὀργὴν ἐπάγει. καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ ἐμπνέειν αὐτὸν πνεῦμα τῆς ὀργῆς ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τὸ προαναφωνεῖν τῆς ὀργῆς τὰς κολάσεις· Παιδεύσω γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ τῆς θλίψεως αὐτῶν. 121 Ps 17,17-19a ̓Εξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν, ητοι τῶν ταραχωδῶν καὶ ἁλμυρῶν πραγμάτων τοῦ βίου τροπικῶς θαλάττης ὀνομαζομένων η ἀντικειμένων δυνάμεων συγκεχυμένων καὶ τεταραγμένων· ἐπίστησον δὲ εἰ καὶ δόγματα τῆς ἀθεότητος υδωρ ἐστὶν πολὺ οὐ δυνάμενον σβέσαι τὴν ἀγάπην. δυνατοὺς δὲ ἐχθροὺς ἐξ ων ῥύεται ὁ θεὸς τοὺς ἀοράτους ῥητέον, τάχα δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐν ὑπεροχαῖς ἀνθρώπους καὶ τοὺς ἀπατᾶν προτιθεμένους διὰ ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως, οτ' αν δεινοὶ περὶ σοφιστείαν ωσιν. οὐχ ἁμάρτοι δέ τις καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους λογισμούς, οτ' αν δυσαρεστῶνται τῇ προνοίᾳ η καὶ περὶ αλλην ἀσέβειαν ἐπανέχωσιν, ἐχθροὺς δυνατοὺς λέγων, καὶ ῥυσθῆναι ἐκ τῶν μισούντων, οτ' αν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν κραταιωθῶσιν, ἀξιοῖ, μισούντων δὲ μάτην· οὐδὲ εις γὰρ διὰ τὸ φαῦλος ειναι μισούμενος παρρησιάσεται πρὸς θεὸν ταύτην τὴν εὐχὴν εἰπεῖν, ἀλλ' οτ' αν διὰ Χριστὸν καὶ τὸν ὀρθὸν βίον μισῆται παρὰ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τῶν τὴν θεοσέβειαν βδελυττομένων· ελεγχον γὰρ τῆς ἑαυτῶν πολιτείας ἡγοῦνται τὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἀναστροφήν. ουτοι δὲ οἱ μισητικῶς πρὸς τὸν δίκαιον εχοντες τότε μάλιστα ἐπιτίθενται, οτ' αν κακώσεως καιρὸς ἐνστῇ. τὸ γὰρ κρίμα τῆς προνοίας ἀγνοοῦντες οὐ δι' αλλο τι η δι' ἁμαρτίας θλίβεσθαι τὸν δίκαιον ὑπολαμβάνουσιν ὡς οἱ διαλεγόμενοι τῷ ̓Ιώβ. τοῦ γὰρ θεοῦ θλίψεσιν αὐτὸν ὑποβαλόντος οπως ἀναδειχθῇ δίκαιος, εφασκον ἐκεῖνοι ἀσεβείας καὶ ἁμαρτίας χάριν τούτοις περιπεπτωκέναι τὸν ανδρα· ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τοῦ πταίοντος ἰσχυροὶ πάντες οἱ ἀλιτήριοι δαίμονες καὶ ὁ διάβολος, ὡς νοεῖσθαι νῦν κάκωσιν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. 122 Ps 17,19b ̓Εν ἡμέρᾳ γὰρ κακώσεως οτ' αν τις πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καταφύγῃ εξει αὐτὸν ἀντιστήριγμα αὐτοῦ γινόμενον, τουτέστιν ἀντιστηρίζοντα αὐτὸν ινα μὴ κλονηθεὶς καταπέσῃ. καὶ περὶ τῆς τελείας γοῦν ψυχῆς ἀντιστήριγμα τὸν θεὸν λόγον ἐχούσης θαυμαστικῶς οἱ ἀποδεχόμενοι τὴν ἀνάβασιν καὶ λάμπρυνσιν αὐτῆς φάσκουσιν· Τίς αυτη ἡ ἀναβαίνουσα λελευκανθισμένη, ἐπιστηριζομένη ἐπὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτῆς; 123 Ps 17,20a ̓Αντιστήριγμα γὰρ ὁ κύριος γινόμενός τινι ἐξάγει αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς στενότητος τῶν θλιβερῶν, πλατυσμὸν αὐτῷ δωρούμενος κατὰ τὸ ̓Εν θλίψει ἐπλάτυνάς μοι. ἐν θλίψει δὲ πλατύνεταί τις οὐκ εξω τῆς θλίψεως πάντως γινόμενος ἀλλὰ γενναίως καὶ εὐλαβῶς πρὸς αὐτὴν τεταμένος. 124 Ps 17,20b-21 ̔Ρύσεταί με ἐξ ἐχθρῶν μου δυνατῶν καὶ ἐκ τῶν μισούντων με, καν οτι μάλιστα πλείστην εχωσι δύναμιν· ἠθέλησεν γάρ με πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτοῦ ποιοῦντα. Πάνυ γε καθαροῦ καὶ τελείου ἡ παρρησία, μηδὲν καν τὸ βραχύτατον καταγινώσκοντος ἑαυτοῦ, οθεν οἱ τὸν ψαλμὸν τοῦτον ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ σωτῆρος εἰρῆσθαι θέλοντες καὶ ταύτην τὴν λέξιν προσάπτουσιν αὐτῷ πεπειραμένῳ κατὰ πάντα καθ' ὁμοιότητα χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας. δικαιοσύνην δὲ τὴν καθόλου πρακτικὴν ἀρετὴν λέγει, καθαριότητα δὲ χειρῶν τὰς πρακτικὰς ἐνεργείας καθαρὰς καὶ ἀμολύντους γινομένας τῷ ἀπὸ βελτίστης εξεως ἐπιτελεῖσθαι· πολλαχοῦ γὰρ τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τῶν πρακτικῶν δυνάμεων λεγομένας εστιν εὑρεῖν. 125 Ps 17,22 Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ ἀλαζονικῶς φησιν, ως τινες οιονται, ἀλλ' ἀνατιθεὶς τῷ θεῷ τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν κατορθωμάτων. φυλάσσει δὲ τὰς ὁδοὺς κυρίου ὁ ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ πορευόμενος, καὶ οὐκ ἀσεβεῖ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ ὀρθῶς περὶ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας δογμάτων διειληφώς, ἀμέμπτως περὶ θεοῦ ἐννοῶν καὶ ἁγίως περὶ Χριστοῦ διαλαμβάνων καὶ εὐσεβῶς περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐνθυμούμενος καὶ περὶ τῶν αλλων δογμάτων ον δεῖ τρόπον δοξάζων. 126 Ps 17,23a Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀνεξεύρητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀβύσσῳ ἐοικότα διὰ τὸ ἀκατάληπτον, ἀλλ' ουν δυνατὸν ἐνώπιον αὐτὰ εχοντα μὴ δυσαρεστεῖσθαι τῇ προνοίᾳ μηδὲ ἀσεβεῖν εἰς τὸν προνοούμενον. εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ καταλαμβάνωμεν ἀλλά γε διατεθέντες οτι θεοῦ κρίσει