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since there is excess and defect from keeping the mean, you, Lord, guide me, bringing me to its perfection because of my enemies who work wickedness. Acting in excess, standing beside the door of virtue, they take through deceit those who do not pay attention to the difference between the mean and excess. And if you should call the straight path the course of true doctrines, know that if God does not guide, the rulers of this age who lead to the false doctrines that lie beside the truth are enemies, because of whom, so that we may not fall into their deceit, we beseech to be led by the Lord on the straight path. 241 Ps 26,12 Since I have chosen to walk the straight path, all the wicked have set out to afflict me; but you, Lord, caring for me, Do not give me over to their desires; that is, praying not to be given over to them or not to be numbered with the souls which the afflicters had, having chosen this very thing: to be unjust witnesses. But the injustice to which they attached themselves, being inconsistent and uncertain, has deceived itself; for it was not found to be such as it professes to be. For the expression "has deceived" does not always mean the opposite of the truth, as in the prophet, "The threshing floor and wine have deceived them," meaning not as it was promised; each year the threshing floor and wine, being found, deceived by being diminished. 242 Ps 26,13 The land in the promises was called the land of the living with respect to eternal life, since no one in it partakes of the death that follows sin. But this land is established among the things unseen and eternal, and upon it are the truly and properly good things of God. What the saint says, therefore, is this: I believe I will partake of eternal life, so that living according to it I may be transferred to the land of the living, so as to see the good things of the Lord upon it which according to the promises are laid up for those who have lived piously. but it is good to say both "to see" and not "to eat" or "to touch" or something else; for the whole benefit is provided in beholding the divine good things. 243 Ps 26,14 He says this either speaking to himself or to everyone hearing him. but it is also possible that such an exhortation is brought to him from above by the Spirit, "since you have believed that you will see the good things in the age to come, wait for the Lord, or wait for the coming of the Savior here; for through it you will be able to ascend to the vision of the good things." Be courageous, that is, take up courage, not according to the strength of the body but by your heart being strengthened. For thus you will be able to wait for the Lord in all the aforementioned ways.

244 Ps 27,1c The name of the pit also signifies the place that

keeps the condemned. 245 Ps 27,2a Since, therefore, being in need of many things, I knew that these things could be supplied by you, crying out to you, I ask that you hear the voice of my supplication as I pray to no one other than you; for no one else is able to supply the things of which I am in need. 246 Ps 27,2b The temple of God might also be the supracelestial space and the powers in it which contain the presence of God as far as is possible. It might also be the Word of God who says: 'The Father who abides in me does the works.' 247 Ps 27,3b He prays therefore, saying: "Since destruction certainly follows the one who does wrong, grant me justice and do not let me fall into injustice, so that I may not perish with those who practice it." 248 Ps 27,4 The discerning person, approaching matters with knowledge, turns away from evil things as harmful, choosing the good things as being beneficial. But the wicked person, charmed by pleasure, works evil things, not seeing their harmfulness. Since, therefore, he does not rationally perceive the harmful things, the saint prays to repay the wicked person according to his works with painful things, so that at least through the pains he might turn away from the evil things which have become a cause of punishment for him. 249 Ps 27,5 Of the things that a person does, some are his works, and some are of his hands; for he himself works according to disposition. But the active powers, called his hands, accomplish the sins'

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ουσης ὑπερβολῆς καὶ ἐλλείψεως τοῦ τηρεῖν τὸ σύμμετρον, σὺ δέσποτα, ὁδήγησον, φέρων με εἰς τὸ τέλος αὐτῆς ενεκα τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου τῶν ἐνεργούντων τὴν κακίαν. καθ' ὑπερβολὴν ἐνεργοῦντες παρὰ θύραν ἱστάμενοι τῆς ἀρετῆς δι' ἀπάτης λαμβάνουσιν τοὺς μὴ ἐφιστάνοντας τῇ διαφορᾷ μεσότητος καὶ ὑπερβολῆς. εἰ δὲ καὶ εὐθείαν ὁδὸν τὴν τῶν ἀληθῶν δογμάτων πορείαν λέγοις, ισθι οτι μὴ ὁδηγοῦντος θεοῦ οἱ τὰ παρακείμενα ψευδῆ δόγματα τῆς ἀληθείας αγοντες αρχοντες τούτου τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐχθροί εἰσιν, ων ενεκα, οπως μὴ ἐμπέσωμεν εἰς τὴν ἀπάτην αὐτῶν, παρακαλοῦμεν ὁδηγηθῆναι ὑπὸ κυρίου τὴν εὐθείαν ὁδόν. 241 Ps 26,12 ̓Επεὶ εἱλόμην ὁδεύειν τὴν εὐθείαν ὁδόν, πάντες οἱ πονηροὶ θλίβειν με προτέθεινται· σὺ δέ, κύριε, κηδόμενός μου Μὴ παραδῷς με εἰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν· ητοι εὐχόμενος μὴ παραδοθῆναι αὐτοῖς η μὴ συναριθμηθῆναι ταῖς ψυχαῖς αις ειχον οἱ θλίβοντες αὐτὸ τοῦτο μάρτυρες αδικοι ειναι ἑλόμενοι. ἀλλ' ἡ ἀδικία ῃ ἑαυτοὺς προσῳκείωσαν ἀσύστατος καὶ ἀβέβαιος ουσα ἐψεύσατο ἑαυτήν· οὐχ οια γὰρ ειναι ἐπαγγέλλεται, τοιαύτη εὑρέθη. ἡ γὰρ ̓Εψεύσατο φωνὴ οὐκ ἀεὶ τὸ ἐναντίον τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σημαίνει, ὡς τὸ ἐν τῷ προφήτῃ Αλων καὶ οινος ἐψεύσατο αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐχ ὡς ἐπηγγέλλετο· κατ' ετος ἡ αλων καὶ οινος εὑρεθέντα ἐψεύσαντο ἐλαττωθέντα. 242 Ps 26,13 Γῆ ζώντων ἐκλήθη ἡ ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις γῆ κατὰ τὴν αἰώνιον ζωήν, ἐπεὶ οὐδεὶς ἐν αὐτῇ μετέχει τοῦ ἑπομένου τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ θανάτου. αυτη δὲ ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς μὴ βλεπομένοις καὶ αἰωνίοις ιδρυται, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἐστιν τὰ ἀληθῶς καὶ κυρίως τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαθά. ο τοίνυν λέγει ὁ αγιος τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· πιστεύω ζωῆς αἰωνίου μετασχεῖν, ινα κατ' αὐτὴν ζῶν μετοικισθῶ εἰς τὴν τῶν ζώντων γῆν, ωστε ἰδεῖν τὰ ἐπ' αὐτῆς τοῦ κυρίου ἀγαθὰ τὰ κατὰ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀποκείμενα τοῖς ὁσίως βεβιωκόσιν. ευ δὲ εἰπεῖν καὶ τὸ ̓Ιδεῖν καὶ μὴ φαγεῖν καὶ αψασθαι η ετερόν τι· τὸ γὰρ ολον ἐν τῷ θεωρεῖσθαι τὰ θεῖα ἀγαθὰ παρέχει τὴν ὠφέλειαν. 243 Ps 26,14 Ητοι πρὸς ἑαυτὸν διαλεγόμενος τοῦτό φησιν η παντὶ ἀκούοντι αὐτοῦ. δύναται δὲ καὶ ανωθεν προτροπὴ αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος φέρεσθαι τοιαύτη, ἐπεὶ ἐπίστευσας τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι ὑπόμεινον τὸν κύριον η ὑπόμεινον τὴν δεῦρο τοῦ σωτῆρος κάθοδον· δι' αὐτῆς γὰρ ἀνελθεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν θέαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν δυνήσῃ. ̓Ανδρίζου τουτέστιν ἀνδρείαν ἀνάλαβε μὴ κατ' ἰσχὺν σώματος ἀλλὰ κραταιουμένης τῆς καρδίας σου. ουτω γὰρ ὑπομεῖναι τὸν κύριον δυνήσῃ κατὰ πάντας τοὺς προειρημένους τρόπους.

244 Ps 27,1c Σημαίνει δὲ τὸ ονομα τοῦ λάκκου καὶ τὸν τόπον τὸν

φυλάττοντα τοὺς κατακρίτους. 245 Ps 27,2a ̓Επεὶ ουν πολλῶν ἐνδεὴς ων εγνων πρὸς σοῦ ταῦτα ἀναπληροῦσθαι δύνασθαι, πρὸς σὲ βοῶν ἀξιῶ εἰσακοῦσαί σε τῆς φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεώς μου ἐν τῷ δέεσθαι οὐ πρὸς αλλον τινὰ η σέ· οὐδὲ γὰρ αλλος ἀναπληρῶσαι δύναται τὰ ων ἐλλειπής εἰμι. 246 Ps 27,2b Ναὸς δὲ θεοῦ ειη αν καὶ ὁ ὑπερουράνιος χῶρος καὶ αἱ ἐν αὐτῷ δυνάμεις χωροῦσαι παρουσίαν θεοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἐφικτόν. ειη δὲ καὶ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ φάσκων· ̔Ο πατὴρ ὁ μένων ἐν ἐμοὶ ποιεῖ τὰ εργα. 247 Ps 27,3b Ευχεται ουν λέγων· ἐπεὶ πάντως τῷ ἀδικοῦντι ἀπώλεια επεται, δικαιοσύνην παρέχων μοι μὴ ἐάσῃς με ἐν ἀδικίᾳ γενέσθαι, οπως μὴ ἀπόλωμαι μετὰ τῶν ἐργαζομένων αὐτήν. 248 Ps 27,4 ̔Ο διορατικὸς ἐπιστημονικῶς τοῖς πράγμασιν προσερχόμενος ὡς βλαπτικὰ τὰ φαῦλα ἀποστρέφεται, αἱρούμενος τὰ ἀγαθὰ ὠφέλιμα οντα. ὁ δὲ φαῦλος ἡδονῇ θελγόμενος ἐργάζεται κακὰ οὐχ ὁρῶν αὐτῶν τὸ βλαβερόν. ἐπεὶ ουν λογικῶς οὐκ αἰσθάνεται τῶν βλαβερῶν, ευχεται ὁ αγιος ἀποτῖσαι τῷ φαύλῳ κατὰ τὰ εργα αὐτοῦ ἐπίπονα, οπως καν διὰ τοὺς πόνους ἀποστραφῇ τὰ κακὰ αιτια κολάσεως αὐτῷ γεγενημένα. 249 Ps 27,5 Ων πράττει ὁ ανθρωπος, τὰ μὲν αὐτοῦ εργα, τὰ δὲ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἐστιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ κατὰ διάθεσιν ἐργάζεται. αἱ δὲ ἐνεργητικαὶ δυνάμεις χεῖρες αὐτοῦ καλούμεναι ἐπιτελοῦσι τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὰ