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in the churches, through those who have believed in God, he offers night and day. Some of the copies, however, have, "a sacrifice of praise 80.1053 and of shouting;" but it has the same meaning. For a shout is a war cry, made by the more courageous against the cowardly. Of such a kind is also the singing of hymns; for it is the voice of those who are cheerful, and of those who are hymning God. "For is any among you cheerful?" he says, "let him sing psalms." -"I will sing and I will chant to the Lord." It is clear also from this, that the tense has been changed in what was said before; for he promises that he will sing, and that he will offer the hymn. 7. "Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I have cried out; have mercy on me, and hear me." He asks for mercy, but not an unjust one, but indeed a very just one. 8. "To you," he says, "my heart has said, I will seek the Lord." For I did not use words stripped of truth, but with my mind agreeing with my words, I added the deed. "My face has sought you." And what has already happened will not suffice; but I will do this also for the time to come, "Your face, O Lord," he says, "I will seek." Do not, therefore, cast me away who am longing, nor deprive me of that which is longed for. 9. "Turn not your face away from me; and do not turn away in anger from your servant." This he has set down as a metaphor from those who are angry, and who turn away from those who approach, and who try to turn into another path. "Be my helper, do not cast me off, and do not forsake me, O God my Savior." The phrase, *do not cast me off*, the other interpreters said, *do not reject me*; but the Septuagint have made this term from pagan learning. For "to the crows" was an insult among the ancients, having arisen from a certain myth. 10. "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up." For being persecuted by Saul, he was forced to live far from his parents; but you suffice for me, he says, in place of all, O Master. 11. "Set a law for me, O Lord, in your way; and guide me in a straight path." Instead of, *set a law for me*, Aquila and Theodotion have said *enlighten*; but Symmachus, *show me your way*. Since, he says, I am forced to live far from my kinsmen, be yourself for me both lawgiver and guide, showing me the path that leads to you. "Because of my enemies. [12.] Do not deliver me over to the souls of those who afflict me." These words are the offspring of a humble 80.1056 mind. For he says that I indeed am unworthy of salvation, but nevertheless having in no way wronged those who are now warring, I am unjustly persecuted. Do not, therefore, deliver the wronged one to the wrongdoers. "Because unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity has lied to itself." But Aquila has said this more clearly: False witnesses stood up, and iniquity was made manifest. For they, he says, used slanders against me, but I received no harm from them because of your help; but it was turned back against the unjust, and the arrows sent by them against me it turned back against them again. This is taken from common usage; for we too are accustomed to say concerning those who plot but do not harm: He harmed himself, not me. Thus also the blessed David said: "Iniquity has lied to itself. [13.] But I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living." For not only in the present life shall I be superior to my enemies; but I will also be in enjoyment of the good things that are expected; then he offers an exhortation to all men. 14. "Wait for the Lord." And how could this be possible? "Be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened, and wait for the Lord." The mind, he says, being armed with courage, and through this overcoming the passions that assail it, is strengthened and conquers, and awaits the divine promises, of which it becomes an heir together with the body that cooperated with it; and he calls the expected life the land of the living, as being separate from death, and free from corruption and grief.

INTERPRETATION OF THE 27TH PSALM.

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ἐκκλησίαις, διὰ τῶν τῷ Θεῷ πεπιστευκότων, νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν προσφέρει. Ἔνια μέντοι τῶν ἀντιγράφων, "θυσίαν αἰνέ 80.1053 σεως ἔχει καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ·" τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ ἔχει διά νοιαν. Ἀλαλαγμὸς γάρ ἐστι πολεμικὴ φωνὴ, ὑπὸ τῶν θαῤῥαλεωτέρων γινομένη κατὰ τῶν δειλιώντων. Τοιουτότροπος δὲ καὶ ἡ ὑμνῳδία· εὐθυμούντων γάρ ἐστιν ἡ φωνὴ, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀνυμνούντων. "Εὐθυμεῖ γάρ τις, φησὶν, ἐν ὑμῖν; ψαλλέτω." -"Ἄσω καὶ ψαλῶ τῷ Κυρίῳ." ∆ῆλον κἀντεῦθεν, ὡς ἐνήλλακται ἐν τοῖς προῤῥηθεῖσιν ὁ χρόνος· ὑπισχνεῖται γὰρ ᾄσειν, καὶ τὸν ὕμνον προσοίσειν. ζʹ. "Εἰσάκουσον, Κύριε, τῆς φωνῆς μου ἧς ἐκέ κραξα· ἐλέησόν με, καὶ εἰσάκουσόν μου." Ἔλεον μὲν αἰτεῖ, οὐκ ἄδικον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μάλα δίκαιον. ηʹ. "Σοὶ, φησὶν, εἶπεν ἡ καρδία μου, Κύριον ζητήσω." Οὐ γὰρ λόγοις ἐχρησάμην ἀληθείας γεγυ μνωμένοις, ἀλλὰ τῆς διανοίας συνομολογούσης τοῖς λόγοις τὸ ἔργον ἐπέθηκα. "Ἐξεζήτησέ σε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου." Καὶ οὐκ ἀποχρήσει τὰ ἤδη γενό μενα· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο δράσω καὶ εἰς τὸν ἔπειτα χρόνον, "Τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, φησὶ, Κύριε, ζητήσω." Μὴ τοί νυν ἀπώσῃ με ποθοῦντα, μηδὲ τοῦ ποθουμένου στερή σῃς. θʹ. "Μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· καὶ μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς ἐν ὀργῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ δούλου σου." Τοῦτο ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τέθεικε τῶν ὀργιζομένων, καὶ τοὺς προσιόντας ἀποστρεφομένων, καὶ εἰς ἑτέραν ὁδὸν ἐκκλίνειν πειρωμένων. "Βοηθός μου γενοῦ, μὴ ἀπο σκορακίσῃς με, καὶ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Σωτήρ μου." Τὸ, μὴ ἀποσκορακίσῃς με, μὴ ἀποῤῥίψῃς με εἶπον οἱ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταί· ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξωθεν δὲ παιδείας οἱ Ἑβδομήκοντα τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα πεποιήκασι. Τὸ γὰρ εἰς κόρακας ὕβρις τις ἦν παρὰ τοῖς πάλαι ἀπό τινος μύθου γεγενημένη. ιʹ. "Ὅτι ὁ πατήρ μου καὶ ἡ μήτηρ μου ἐγκατ έλιπόν με, ὁ δὲ Κύριος προσελάβετό με." ∆ιωκόμενος γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ, πόῤῥω διάγειν τῶν γεγεννηκό των ἠνάγκαστο· ἀρκεῖς δὲ, φησί, μοι ἀντὶ πάντων, ὦ ∆έσποτα. ιαʹ. "Νομοθέτησόν με, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου· καὶ ὁδήγησόν με ἐν τρίβῳ εὐθείᾳ." Ἀντὶ τοῦ, νομοθέ τησόν με, ὁ μὲν Ἀκύλας καὶ ὁ Θεοδοτίων φώτισον εἰρήκασιν· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, ὑπόδειξόν μοι τὴν ὁδόν σου. Ἐπειδὴ πόῤῥω, φησὶ, διάγειν τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἠνάγκασμαι, αὐτός μοι γενοῦ καὶ νομοθέτης καὶ πο δηγὸς, ὑποδεικνύς μοι τὴν πρὸς σὲ φέρουσαν τρίβον. "Ἕνεκεν τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου. [ιβʹ.] Μὴ πα ραδῷς με εἰς ψυχὰς θλιβόντων με." Ταπεινοῦ 80.1056 φρονήματος ἔκγονα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα. Λέγει γὰρ, ὅτι Ἐγὼ μὲν τῆς σωτηρίας ἀνάξιος, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἥκιστα τοὺς νῦν πολεμοῦντας ἠδικηκὼς, ἀδίκως ἐλαύνομαι. Μὴ παραδῷς τοίνυν τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι τὸν ἀδικούμενον. "Ὅτι ἐπανέστησάν μοι μάρτυρες ἄδικοι, καὶ ἐψεύσατο ἡ ἀδικία ἑαυτῇ." Ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας τοῦτο σαφέστερον εἴρηκεν· Ἀντέστησαν μάρ τυρες ψευδεῖς, καὶ ἐξεφάνη ἡ ἀδικία. Αὐτοὶ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, συκοφαντίαις ἐχρήσαντο κατ' ἐμοῦ, ἐγὼ δὲ λώβην οὐδεμίαν ἐντεῦθεν ἐδεξάμην διὰ τὴν σὴν βοήθειαν· ἀντεστράφη δὲ κατὰ τῶν ἀδίκων, καὶ τὰ πεμφθέντα παρ' αὐτῶν κατ' ἐμοῦ βέλη κατ' αὐτῶν πάλιν ἀνέστρεψε. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς κοινῆς εἴληπται χρήσεως· εἰώθαμεν γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς περὶ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων μὲν, οὐ βλαπτόντων δὲ, λέγειν· Ἑαυτὸν ἔβλαψεν, οὐκ ἐμέ. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ μακά ριος ἔφη ∆αβίδ· "Ἐψεύσατο ἡ ἀδικία ἑαυτῇ. [ιγʹ.] Ἐγὼ δὲ πιστεύω τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ Κυρίου ἐν γῇ ζώντων." Οὐ γὰρ μόνον κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον κρείττων ἔσομαι τῶν πολεμίων· ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν προσδοκωμένων ἀγαθῶν ἐν ἀπολαύσει γενήσομαι· εἶτα προσφέρει πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις παραίνεσιν. ιδʹ. "Ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον." Καὶ πῶς τοῦτο γένοιτ' ἂν δυνατόν; "Ἀνδρίζου, καὶ κραταιούσθω ἡ καρδία σου, καὶ ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον." Ὁ νοῦς, φησὶ, τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ καθοπλιζόμενος, καὶ διὰ ταύτης τῶν προσβαλλόντων παθημάτων περιγινόμενος, κρατύνεται καὶ νικᾷ, καὶ τὰς θείας ἐπαγγελίας προσμένει, ὧν μετὰ τοῦ συνεργήσαντος σώματος γίνεται κληρονόμος· γῆν δὲ ζώντων καλεῖ τὸν προσ δοκώμενον βίον, ὡς τοῦ θανάτου κεχωρισμένον, καὶ φθορᾶς καὶ λύπης ἐλεύθερον.

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΚΖʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ.