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my I shall never be moved; for by my works I cry out that, if I should be in the aforementioned prosperity, I will be unshaken, not being turned aside by the adversary. 265 Ps 29,8a The beauty of the body appears, consisting in the symmetry and proportion of its members, but that of the soul in the harmony and symphony of the accomplished virtues, all the activities according to reason having symmetry and proportion, or also of the powers of the soul being harmoniously proportionate. Therefore grant this beauty to me, O Lord, by your will. For having done your will and that of the Father in heaven, I received it, since everyone who has been conformed to the image of the Son of God has received beauty from God, being united to the Lord's will. 266 Ps 29,10cδ He who has become dust through doing material things and thinking earthly thoughts, and persisting in sin, will not confess to God, or proclaim his truth, having been tripped up by his morals and knowledge. 267 Ps 29,11b-13 It should be noted that 'Became' does not always signify substantial existence, but sometimes also a relationship to something. If, therefore, such a saying should ever be made about the Savior, it signifies a relationship to something and not substantial existence. You have turned my mourning into joy for me. The word 'mourning' signifies awareness, as the very act of the hands beating the breast represents. He, therefore, who has come to be in awareness of his own sins and has actively stirred up his perception through spiritual hands, having changed from wailing, will receive joy, the fruit of the spirit. 'You have turned' denotes the change from beating the breast and being grieved into joy; but 'I shall not be pierced' means 'I shall not change my mind,' he says. And the glory that he who says these things sings to God is a right way of life and sincere knowledge. Instead of 'For all that happens, not only the pleasant but also the painful, I thank you, Master.'

268 Ps 30,2-3b He who has hoped to attain the end that is laid up for the saints

knows that he will not be put to shame forever, having placed such an expectation on the Lord. In your righteousness, he says, rescue me (which is no other than that of your only-begotten) from those who stand around and deliver me from those who wish to make war against me. And since our cry does not reach your height, Incline your ear to me by condescending to me; for when this has happened, having received my prayer, you will wish to deliver me without delay. 269 Ps 30,3c-4 And here 'Be to me' denotes the relationship of a defender to one defended. And he asks that God become for him a house of refuge for salvation, so that, as if enclosed by an impregnable and invincible fortress, he might be saved, remaining unharmed. And I have often and always experienced this, that You are my strength and my refuge, since your name has been appropriated by me; for I am called your man or servant. Even if I am not worthy to receive what I ask, yet for the sake of your name you will lead me to salvation and you will nourish me, providing your heavenly bread. 270 Ps 30,6 The concern of the good is not so much to have the body unwounded by enemies as the mind and the intellect. Since, therefore, his war is against impostors and those skilled in deceit, and these purposed not to strike the flesh but to wound the mind, he commends his spirit into the hands of God, which are able to preserve it. And the Savior also, when he was hung on the cross, his hands and feet having been wounded and pierced according to the prophetic word, used the words 'Into your hands I will commit'. And the hands of God are to be understood as none other than his providential and protecting powers. It should be noted that the spirit of man is spoken of in many ways. For when he says the virgin is anxious to be holy in spirit and body, by spirit he means the intellect. But in James (Just as the body without the spirit is dead) nothing other than the

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μου Οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· τοῖς γὰρ εργοις βοῶ οτι, εἰ γενοίμην ἐν τῇ προειρημένῃ εὐθηνίᾳ, ἀκλόνητος εσομαι μὴ περιτρεπόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνταγωνιζομένου. 265 Ps 29,8a Τὸ σωματικὸν κάλλος ἐμφαίνεται ἐπὶ συμμετρίᾳ καὶ ἀναλογίᾳ μελῶν συγκείμενον, τὸ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν ἁρμονίᾳ καὶ συμφωνίᾳ τῶν κατορθουμένων ἀρετῶν πασῶν τῶν κατὰ λόγον ἐνεργειῶν συμμετρίαν καὶ ἀναλογίαν ἐχουσῶν η καὶ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεων ἁρμονίως ἀναλογουσῶν. τοῦτ' ουν τὸ κάλλος σύ μου, ω κύριε, τῷ σῷ θελήματι παράσχου. ποιήσας γάρ σου τὸ θέλημα καὶ τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς πατρὸς ἀνέλαβον αὐτό, ἐπεὶ πᾶς ὁ σύμμορφος γεγονὼς τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ κάλλος θεόθεν εσχεν ἑνωθεὶς τῷ κυριακῷ θελήματι. 266 Ps 29,10cδ ̔Ο διὰ τοῦ τὰ ὑλικὰ πράττειν καὶ φρονεῖν τὰ ἐπίγεια χοῦς γεγονὼς καὶ ἐπιμένων τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ οὐδ' ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ θεῷ, η ἀναγγελεῖ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ δι' ἠθῶν καὶ γνώσεως ἐσφαλμένος. 267 Ps 29,11b-13 Σημειωτέον οτι τὸ ̓Εγενήθη οὐκ ἀεὶ οὐσίωσιν σημαίνει ἀλλ' εσθ' οτε καὶ τὴν πρός τινα σχέσιν. ει ποτε ουν καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος τοιαύτη γένοιτο φωνή, σχέσιν τὴν πρός τι καὶ οὐχὶ οὐσίωσιν σημαίνει. Εστρεψας τὸν κοπετόν μου εἰς χαρὰν ἐμοί. ἡ κοπετὸς φωνὴ τὴν συναίσθησιν σημαίνει, ὡς καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ πρᾶξις παρίστησιν τῶν χειρῶν τὸ στῆθος κοπτουσῶν. ὁ ουν ἐν συναισθήσει ἰδίων ἁμαρτημάτων γεγονὼς καὶ ἐνεργητικῶς διὰ χειρῶν πνευματικῶν τὴν αισθησιν αὐτοῦ διεγείρας μεταβαλὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀλοφύρεσθαι χαρὰν τὸν καρπὸν τοῦ πνεύματος ἀναλήψεται. τὸ Εστρεψας δηλοῖ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ κόπτεσθαι καὶ λυπεῖσθαι εἰς χαρὰν μεταβολήν· τὸ δὲ Οὐ μὴ κατανυγῶ ἀντὶ τοῦ οὐ μὴ μεταγνῶ φησιν. δόξα δὲ ψάλλουσα τοῦ ταῦτα λέγοντος τῷ θεῷ ὀρθὴ πολιτεία καὶ γνῶσίς ἐστιν εἰλικρινής. ἀντὶ τοῦ ̓Επὶ πᾶσι τοῖς συμβαίνουσιν οὐ προσηνέσι μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιπόνοις εὐχαριστῶ σοι, δέσποτα.

268 Ps 30,2-3b ̔Ο ἐλπίσας τυχεῖν τοῦ τέλους τοῦ ἀποκειμένου τοῖς ἁγίοις

οιδεν μὴ καταισχυνθήσεσθαι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἐπὶ κύριον θέμενος τὴν τοιαύτην προσδοκίαν. ̓Εν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου, φησίν, ῥῦσαί με (οὐκ αλλῃ ουσῃ τοῦ μονογενοῦς σου) ἐκ τῶν περιεστηκότων καὶ ἐξελοῦ ἐκ τῶν προσπολεμεῖν βουλομένων. καὶ ἐπεὶ μὴ φθάνῃ ἡ ἡμετέρα κραυγὴ πρὸς τὸ σὸν υψος, Κλῖνον τὸ ους σου πρός με διὰ τοῦ συγκαταβαίνειν μοι· τούτου γὰρ ὑπάρξαντος δεξάμενός μου τὴν προσευχὴν ἀμελλητὶ ἐξελέσθαι με θελήσεις. 269 Ps 30,3c-4 Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ Γενοῦ μοι σχέσιν δηλοῖ ὑπερασπιστοῦ πρὸς ὑπερασπιζόμενον. ἀξιοῖ δὲ καὶ οικον καταφυγῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῷ γενέσθαι τὸν θεόν, ιν' ωσπερ ὑπὸ φρουρίου δυσαλώτου καὶ ἀκαταμαχήτου περιεχόμενος σωθῇ ἀβλαβὴς διαμείνας. τούτου δὲ πολλάκις ηδη καὶ ἀεὶ ἐπειράθην, ὡς Κραταίωσις καὶ καταφυγή μου ει σύ, ἐπεὶ τὸ σὸν ονομα ᾠκείωταί μοι· σὸς γὰρ ανθρωπος η δοῦλος χρηματίζω. εἰ καὶ μὴ αξιός εἰμι τυχεῖν ων αἰτοῦμαι, ἀλλ' ενεκεν τῆς σῆς προσηγορίας ὁδηγήσεις με πρὸς σωτηρίαν καὶ διαθρέψεις δέ με παρέχων τὸν σὸν οὐράνιον αρτον. 270 Ps 30,6 Σπουδὴ δὲ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἐστιν μὴ τοσοῦτον τὸ σῶμα ατρωτον πρὸς ἐχθρῶν εχειν οσον τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν. ἐπεὶ ουν πρὸς φένακας καὶ δεινοὺς ἀπατῆσαι ὁ πόλεμος αὐτῷ, ουτοι δὲ οὐ σάρκα βάλλειν ἀλλὰ νοῦν τρῶσαι προύθεντο, εἰς χεῖρας τοῦ θεοῦ παρατίθεται τὸ πνεῦμα δυναμένας αὐτὸ διαφυλάξαι. καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ δὲ ἀναρτηθεὶς εἰς τὸν σκόλοπα, τρωθεισῶν αὐτῷ τῶν χειρῶν καὶ τῶν ποδῶν ὠρωρυγμένων κατὰ τὸ προφητικόν, τῷ Εἰς χεῖράς σου παραθήσομαι κέχρηται. χεῖρας δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ αλλας τῶν προνοητικῶν καὶ σκεπαστικῶν αὐτοῦ δυνάμεων ἐκδεκτέον. Σημειωτέον δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου πολλαχῶς λέγεσθαι. οτ' αν γὰρ λέγῃ τὴν παρθένον σπουδάζειν ειναι ἁγίαν πνεύματι καὶ σώματι, πνεῦμα τὴν διάνοιαν λέγει. παρὰ δὲ ̓Ιακώβῳ ( Ωσπερ δὲ τὸ σῶμα χωρὶς πνεύματος νεκρόν ἐστιν) οὐκ αλλο τι η τὴν