65

thus do not represent things of great value, what pardon would they be worthy of who try to curtail even these things? Let us therefore flee their assemblies, and having learned the pre-eternal existence of the Only-begotten, his creative power, his authentic authority, his unchangeableness in relation to the Father, the condescension of the economy, the manifold providence of his care for us—for all these things and more than these the treasure lying in the psalm teaches those who pay close attention—let us maintain the precision of the doctrines, and let us show forth a worthy manner of life, so that we may also obtain the good things to come; of which may we all be deemed worthy, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory unto the ages of ages. Amen. ON THE 9TH PSALM. “To the end, for the hidden things of the son, a psalm of David.” Another, “A song of victory for the death of the son, a song of David.” Another, “Of the youth of the son.” I will give thanks to you, Lord, with my whole heart, I will tell of all your wonderful works. 1. This psalm is long. And this too is of the wisdom of the Spirit. For he made them not all short, nor did he draw them all out to length, but he varied the book also in measure, by length rousing sluggishness, and by brevity giving rest to weariness. I will give thanks to you, Lord, with my whole heart, I will tell of all your wonderful works. The form of confession is twofold. For it is either a condemnation of one’s own sins, or thanksgiving to God. Here, however, it indicates thanksgiving. What then is, With my whole heart? With all eagerness, with zeal, it says. Not for prosperity, but also in contrary circumstances. For this is especially of a thankful person, this of a philosophic soul, to give thanks even in grievous things, to give glory for all things, not only for benefits, but also for punishments. For this is a cause of greater reward. For in giving thanks for good things, you have paid a debt; but for bad things, you have made God your debtor. For one who has been treated well, and is grateful, has paid the debt. But one who has been treated badly, and gives glory, has created a debt. Therefore, in return for this thanksgiving, God gives many other good things, 55.122 both then and now; so that we shall not even have a perception of the terrible things. For no one grieves over those things for which he is thankful to God; so that we shall also reap another gain, the warding off of despondency. For when you are deprived of money and give thanks, the loss is not able to bite you as much as the thanksgiving gladdens you. This is a fatal blow to the devil; this makes the mind philosophic; this establishes a true judgment concerning present affairs. For many people do not have a true judgment concerning things here; for this reason they are also despondent. Thus also madmen fear things that are not fearful, and often dread things that do not exist, and flee shadows. Like these also are those who fear the loss of money. For the fear is not of nature, but of choice. For if the matter were grievous, all who have been deprived ought to grieve; but if we do not all grieve when we fail, it is no longer of the nature of the matter, but of the imperfect mind. For just as in darkness someone has often feared even a rope, thinking it a snake, and suspects everything, and considers friends enemies; so also those who are possessed by irrationality, as if caught in some deep darkness, do not recognize the

65

οὕτω μεγάλα τὴν ἀξίαν οὐ παρίστησι, τίνος ἂν εἶεν συγγνώμης ἄξιοι οἱ καὶ ταῦτα κολοβοῦν πειρώμενοι; Φεύγωμεν τοίνυν αὐτῶν τοὺς συλλόγους, καὶ μαθόντες τοῦ Μονογενοῦς τὴν προαιώνιον ὕπαρξιν, τὴν δημιουργικὴν δύναμιν, τὴν ἐξουσίαν τὴν αὐθεντικὴν, τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον αὐτοῦ τὸ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, τῆς οἰκονομίας τὴν συγκατάβασιν, τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς κηδεμονίας τὴν πολυειδῆ πρόνοιαν ταῦτα γὰρ ἅπαντα καὶ τούτων πλείονα ὁ θησαυρὸς ὁ ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ κείμενος διδάσκει τοὺς μετὰ ἀκριβείας προσέχοντας, διατηρῶμεν τῶν δογμάτων τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, καὶ πολιτείαν ἀξίαν ἐπιδειξώμεθα, ἵνα καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτύχωμεν ἀγαθῶν· ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀξιωθῆναι, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ Θʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. «Εἰς τὸ τέλος ὑπὲρ τῶν κρυφίων τοῦ υἱοῦ, ψαλ μὸς τῷ ∆αυΐδ.» Ἄλλος, «Ἐπινίκιον ὑπὲρ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ υἱοῦ, ᾆσμα τῷ ∆αυΐδ.» Ἄλλος, «Νεανιότητος τοῦ υἱοῦ.» Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, διηγήσομαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσιά σου. αʹ. Μακρὸς οὗτος ὁ ψαλμός. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τῆς σοφίας τοῦ Πνεύματος. Οὔτε γὰρ πάντας βραχεῖς ἐποίησεν, οὔτε πάντας εἰς μῆκος ἐξήγαγεν, ἀλλ' ἐποίκιλε καὶ τῷ μέτρῳ τὸ βιβλίον, τῷ μὲν μήκει διεγείρων τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν, τῇ δὲ βραχύτητι διαναπαύων τὸν κάματον. Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, διηγήσομαι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσιά σου. ∆ιπλοῦν τὸ τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως εἶδός ἐστιν. Ἢ γὰρ τῶν οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων ἐστὶ κατάγνωσις, ἢ εὐχαριστία εἰς τὸν Θεόν. Ἐνταῦθα μέντοι τὴν εὐχαριστίαν δηλοῖ. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου; Μετὰ προθυμίας ἁπάσης, μετὰ σπουδῆς, φησίν. Οὐχ ὑπὲρ εὐημερίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα εὐχαρίστου, τοῦτο φιλοσόφου ψυχῆς, τὸ καὶ ἐν τοῖς λυπηροῖς εὐχαριστεῖν, τὸ ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων δοξάζειν, μὴ μόνον ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν τιμωριῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ πλείονος μισθοῦ πρόξενον. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀγαθῶν εὐχαριστῶν, χρέος ἀποδέδωκας· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν κακῶν, τὸν Θεὸν ὀφειλέτην κατέστησας. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εὖ παθὼν, καὶ χάριν εἰδὼς, ἀπέδωκε τὴν ὀφειλήν. Ὁ δὲ κακῶς παθὼν, καὶ δοξάζων, ὄφλημα κατεσκεύασεν. Ἀντὶ τῆς εὐχαριστίας οὖν ταύτης πολλὰ ἕτερα ἀγαθὰ ἀποδίδωσιν ὁ 55.122 Θεὸς καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν· ὥστε οὐδὲ αἴσθησιν ληψόμεθα τῶν δεινῶν. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ὑπὲρ ὧν χάριν οἶδε τῷ Θεῷ, ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀλγεῖ· ὥστε καὶ ἕτερον καρπωσόμεθα κέρδος, τὸ διακρούεσθαι τὴν ἀθυμίαν. Ὅταν γὰρ ἀποστερηθῇς χρημάτων καὶ εὐχαριστήσῃς, οὐ τοσοῦτόν σε ἡ ζημία δύναται δάκνειν, ὅσον ἡ εὐχαριστία εὐφραίνει. Τοῦτο τῷ διαβόλῳ καιρία πληγή· τοῦτο ποιεῖ τὴν διάνοιαν φιλόσοφον· τοῦτο τὴν ἀληθινὴν περὶ τῶν παρόντων πραγμάτων ἐγκατασκευάζει κρίσιν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων οὐ τὴν οὖσαν ψῆφον ἔχουσι περὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα· διὸ καὶ ἀθυμοῦσιν. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ μαινόμενοι φοβοῦνται τὰ οὐ φοβερὰ, καὶ τὰ οὐχ ὑφεστῶτα πολλάκις δεδοίκασι, καὶ τὰς σκιὰς φεύγουσι. Τούτοις ἐοίκασι καὶ οἱ χρημάτων ζημίαν δεδοικότες. Οὐ γὰρ τῆς φύσεως ὁ φόβος, ἀλλὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦν λυπηρὸν, πάντας ἔδει ἀλγεῖν τοὺς ἀπεστερημένους· εἰ δὲ μὴ πάντες ἀλγοῦμεν ἀποτυγχάνοντες, οὐκ ἔτι τῆς τοῦ πράγματος φύσεως, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀτελοῦς διανοίας. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐν σκότῳ πολλάκις καὶ σχοινίον τις ἔδεισεν, ὄφιν νομίσας, καὶ πάντα ὑποπτεύει, καὶ τοὺς φίλους πολεμίους ἡγεῖται· οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἀλογίᾳ κατεχόμενοι, ὥσπερ τινὶ σκότῳ βαθεῖ ἁλόντες, οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκουσι τῶν