John Chrysostom, On Psalm 118

pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 55.706 And the Lord, having sent the holy apostles as sheep in the midst of wolves into the whole world, said to them: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you. For they both received the evangelical law, and proclaimed it everywhere. For this is what "Great" signifies. And for them there is no stumbling block. For Satan was crushed under their feet. I have hoped for your salvation, O Lord, and I have loved your commandments. Not even when surrounded by misfortunes did I cut off better hopes, but I continued to await your salvation, and following your commandments; since those who love the commandments of God seek a reward for their love and observance, and expect the enjoyment of heavenly goods to be laid up for them. My soul has kept your testimonies, and has loved them exceedingly. I have kept your commandments and your testimonies, for all my ways are before you, O Lord. For knowing that you watch over all things, as one living his life with you as a spectator, not only have I fulfilled your commandments, but I have also done this with a fervent disposition. But the prophet discusses these things for our admonition and exhortation, so that we might keep the commandments of God and his testimonies. Therefore, as many as do good things, not for the sake of trade and shameful gain, nor to be seen and praised by men, these say: All my ways are before you, O Lord. Let my supplication come near before you, O Lord; according to your word give me understanding. 5. Having offered all supplication, he entreats that it be accepted, and that the prayer not be rejected. And he asks to receive understanding, not human, but the knowledge of the divine words. Therefore, he who lives and moves in sins cannot say: Let my supplication come near before you, O Lord. For God said through the prophet: Your sins separate between me and you. So one must first turn from sins, and then say: Let my supplication come near before you, O Lord; since it is not even permitted for a sinner to sing psalms; for it is written: Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner; and, To the sinner God said: Why do you declare my statutes, and take up my covenant in your mouth? But you have hated instruction, and cast my words behind you. And, Sing praises to the Lord, you his saints, not the unholy. Let my petition come before you, O Lord; according to your word deliver me. He calls the supplication "petition." For I have found this also among the other interpreters, so that the meaning is thus: let my supplication and my prayer come before you, O Lord. And since you accept my prayer according to your word, which you promised to repentant sinners, release me from my sins. The prophet, however, using various words, propitiates the Master. My lips will pour forth a hymn, when you teach me your statutes. The pouring forth is appropriate to the food. For learning your statutes, he says, I will offer the hymnody to you, the teacher of such things. Therefore when we accomplish the virtues and the commandments of God, we pour forth this hymn of praise, and we draw in a Spirit of understanding; since living in sins we in no way pour forth a hymn. Let my tongue speak your words, for all your commandments are righteousness. I will dedicate my tongue to the study of your words, knowing your commandments are adorned with all righteousness. And the voice is optative, teaching us to how much condemnation are liable those who utter pornographic songs, those who offer flattery and eulogies to men, those of comedies

παντὶ θλιβό μενοι, ἀλλ' οὐ στενοχωρούμενοι· ἀπορούμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐξαπορούμενοι· διωκόμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐ κατα λιμπανόμενοι· καταβαλλόμενοι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀπολ 55.706 λύμενοι. Καὶ ὁ Κύριος δὲ τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀποστόλους ὡς πρόβατα ἐν μέσῳ λύκων εἰς πᾶσαν ἀποστείλας τὴν οἰ κουμένην, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτούς· Εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν ἀφίημι ὑμῖν. Αὐτοὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν νόμον ἔλαβον, καὶ πανταχοῦ ἐκήρυξαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, Πολλή. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς σκάνδαλον. Συνετρίβη γὰρ ὁ σατανᾶς ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν. Προσεδόκων τὸ σωτήριόν σου, Κύριε, καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἠγάπησα. Οὐδὲ συμφοραῖς περιστοιχιζόμενος ἀπέκοψα τὰς χρηστοτέρας ἐλπίδας, ἀλλὰ τὴν σὴν ἀναμένων σωτηρίαν διετέλεσα, καὶ ταῖς σαῖς ἑπόμενος ἐντολαῖς· ἐπειδήπερ οἱ ἀγαπῶντες τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀντάμειψιν ζητοῦσι τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ τῆς φυλακῆς, καὶ προσδοκῶσιν ἀποκεῖσθαι αὐτοῖς τὴν τῶν οὐρανίων ἀγαθῶν ἀπόλαυσιν. Ἐφύλαξεν ἡ ψυχή μου τὰ μαρτύριά σου, καὶ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὰ σφόδρα. Ἐφύλαξα τὰς ἐντολάς σου καὶ τὰ μαρτύριά σου, ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοί μου ἐναντίον σου, Κύριε. Εἰδὼς γὰρ ὡς ἅπαντα ἐφορᾷς, ὡς ὑπὸ σοὶ θεατῇ πολιτευόμενος, οὐ μόνον ἐπλήρωσά σου τὰς ἐντολὰς, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ θερ μῆς τοῦτο δέδρακα διαθέσεως. Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ προφήτης πρὸς ἡμετέραν νουθεσίαν καὶ παράκλησιν διαλέγεται, ἵνα φυλάττωμεν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ. Ὅσοι οὖν οὐ δι' ἐμπορίαν καὶ αἰσχροκερδίαν, οὐδὲ διὰ τὸ θεαθῆναι καὶ ἐπαινεθῆναι παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώ πων, ἀγαθὰ ποιοῦσιν, οὗτοι λέγουσι· Πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοί μου ἐναντίον σου, Κύριε. Ἐγγισάτω ἡ δέησίς μου ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε· κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου συνέτι σόν με. εʹ. Πᾶσαν τὴν ἱκετείαν προσενεγκὼν, ἀντιβολεῖ δεχθῆ ναι, καὶ μὴ ἀποῤῥιφῆναι τὴν δέησιν. Καὶ παρακαλεῖ σύν εσιν λαβεῖν, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνην, ἀλλὰ τῶν θείων λόγων τὴν γνῶσιν. Ὁ οὖν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ζῶν καὶ ἀναστρεφόμενος οὐ δύναται εἰπεῖν· Ἐγγισάτω ἡ δέησίς μου ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε. Ἔφη γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν διιστῶσιν ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν. Ὥστε ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων πρῶτον ἐπιστρέψαι δεῖ, καὶ τότε εἰπεῖν· Ἐγγισάτω ἡ δέησίς μου ἐν ώπιόν σου, Κύριε· ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ ψάλλειν ἁμαρτωλῷ ἔξεστι· γέγραπται γάρ· Οὐχ ὡραῖος αἶνος ἐν στόματι ἁμαρ τωλοῦ· καὶ, Τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἵνα τί σὺ ἐκδιηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου, καὶ ἀναλαμβάνεις τὴν διαθήκην μου διὰ στόματός σου; Σὺ δὲ ἐμί σησας παιδείαν, καὶ ἐξέβαλες τοὺς λόγους μου εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω. Καὶ, Ψάλατε τῷ Κυρίῳ, οἱ ὅσιοι αὐ τοῦ, οὐχ οἱ ἀνόσιοι. Εἰσέλθοι τὸ ἀξίωμά μου ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε· κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου ῥῦσαί με. Ἀξίωμα τὴν ἱκεσίαν καλεῖ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις εὗρον ἑρμηνευταῖς, ἵνα ᾖ ἡ ἔννοια οὕτως· εἰσέλθοι ἡ ἱκεσία καὶ ἡ δέησίς μου ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ προσδέχῃ τὴν δέησίν μου κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου, ὃ ἐπηγγείλω μετανοοῦσιν ἁμαρτωλοῖς, λῦσαί με τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου. ∆ιαφόροις μέντοι χρώμενος λόγοις ὁ προφήτης, τὸν ∆εσπότην μειλίσσεται. Ἐξερεύξονται τὰ χείλη μου ὕμνον. ὅταν διδάξῃς με τὰ δικαιώ ματά σου. Κατάλληλος ἡ ἐρυγὴ τῇ τροφῇ. Τὰ γὰρ σὰ, φησὶ, μανθάνων δικαιώματα, σοὶ τῷ τῶν τοιούτων δι δασκάλῳ προσοίσω τὴν ὑμνῳδίαν. Ὅταν τοίνυν τὰς ἀρε τὰς καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ κατορθώσωμεν, τοῦτον ἐξερευγόμεθα ὕμνον αἰνέσεως, καὶ ἑλκύομεν Πνεῦμα συνέσεως· ἐπεὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ζῶντες οὐδαμῶς ἐρευγό μεθα ὕμνον. Φθέγξαιτο ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὰ λόγιά σου, ὅτι πᾶσαι αἱ ἐντολαί σου δικαιοσύνη. Εἰς μελέτην τῶν σῶν λογίων τὴν γλῶτταν ἀφιερώσω, εἰδὼς πάσῃ δι καιοσύνῃ κεκοσμημένας τὰς ἐντολάς σου. Καὶ ἡ φωνὴ εὐ κτικὴ, διδάσκουσα ἡμᾶς, ὅσης κατακρίσεως ὑπεύθυνοι γί νονται οἱ τὰ πορνικὰ ᾄσματα φθεγγόμενοι, οἱ κολακείας καὶ εὐφημίας ἀνθρώποις προσφέροντες, οἱ κωμικὰς