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And perhaps also those before the advent, not being able to help themselves, will wait with expectation for the future helper and defender, the savior. And in him our heart will rejoice. Others rejoice in some of the temporary things, diffusing their soul when any of these are present, but we have divine and eternal joy in the Lord, having not a bodily comfort but one of mind and heart. Therefore, we also hope in his holy name, praying to partake of him who will be the cause of our sanctification.

307 Ps 33,4 Just as those who were cast into the furnace in Babylon, because they were not

harmed by the fire, praising God, they took all creation to this end, knowing they were not sufficient for such a great thing (for to praise God is a great thing); so also he who says, "Magnify the Lord with me," desires either all creation or the meek to run with him. To magnify God is not to increase his size (for he is without size; this is a property of bodies, but God is incorporeal), but to think and speak great things about him, not in relation to himself but to us. And those who are perfected with the same mind and the same judgment exalt his name together. And the name of God is exalted by created things, not by being raised from a humble state, but when those who ponder it think nothing groveling but high and heavenly things. For just as they profane the name of God, not by his name being stained, but insofar as it concerns those around them who do and think profane things, so also it is hallowed by our deeds. Hence the Savior, among other things, says this also, teaching in the prayer, "Hallowed be thy name," not that the name itself becomes holy from being unholy. For we must pray that it be hallowed in us who think and act in a holy manner. And so the conception about God, which we hold according to a precise notion of God, is the name of God. We will have this hallowed when we accomplish all things according to holiness. For insofar as some men are in error and ignorance, the name of God is in a way stained, being dragged to things it should not be. Some have even called idols and their own belly gods. 308 Ps 33,5a

Since to "I sought" corresponds "he heard me," it is clear that it means to seek out and to entreat; or since not only with the name does he perform the things of prayer but also with right understanding and a pure life, having sought the Lord through all these things, he had him assenting. 309 Ps 33,5b

And he delivered me from all my tribulations. It is also rendered, "And he delivered me from all my sojournings." 310 Ps 33,6

Since the Lord is the true light, he who comes to him, partaking of him, is enlightened; and having been enlightened, taking on great boldness, he has his face unashamed. And the spirit commands to come to the Lord with volition, so that, the face of our soul having been enlightened, we may cast off all shame. 311 Ps 33,7

Here he calls poor the one not able to save himself from present tribulations. And we all have this poverty, so that he speaks about everyone needing salvation from God. 312 Ps 33,8

If here it means those who fear the Lord, who have the spirit of bondage, these need angels surrounding them to deliver them from those who wish to harm them, just as also the little ones of those who believe in the Savior have angels with them who see the face of the Father in heaven, while the perfect have the God of the angels with them. But if we should understand the perfect as those who fear God, we will say that the angel encamped around them to deliver them is none other than the Angel of great counsel, the Savior God. Consistent with this is also what is said by Jacob: "The angel who delivers me from all my evils." An angel is not able to deliver from all evils, but the Savior who is signified. 313 Ps 33,9a

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τάχα δὲ καὶ οἱ πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας ἑαυτοῖς ἀρήγειν μὴ δυνάμενοι ὑπομενοῦσιν τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τὸν ἐσόμενον βοηθὸν καὶ ὑπερασπιστὴν σωτῆρα. Καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ εὐφρανθήσεται ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν. αλλοι ἐπί τινι τῶν προσκαίρων εὐφραίνονται διαχεόμενοι τὴν ψυχὴν οτ' αν τι τούτων παρῇ, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ τὴν θείαν καὶ αἰωνίαν εὐφροσύνην εχομεν, οὐ σωματικὴν εὐπάθειαν ἀλλὰ νοῦ καὶ καρδίας εχοντες. διὸ Καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ ἐλπίζομεν, εὐχόμενοι αὐτοῦ μεταλαβεῖν ἁγιασμοῦ ἡμῖν αἰτίου ἐσομένου.

307 Ps 33,4 Ωσπερ οἱ ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ βληθέντες ἐν Βαβυλῶνι, ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ

βεβλάφθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς θεὸν ὑμνοῦντες, πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν παρέλαβον εἰς τοῦτο, εἰδότες μὴ αὐτάρκεις ειναι πρὸς τηλικοῦτον (μέγα γὰρ τὸ θεὸν ὑμνεῖν)· ουτω καὶ ὁ λέγων Μεγαλύνατε τὸν κύριον σὺν ἐμοὶ η πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν η τοὺς πραεῖς συνδραμεῖν τούτῳ βούλεται. τὸ δὲ μεγαλύναι τὸν θεὸν οὐκ αὐξῆσαι μέγεθός ἐστιν αὐτοῦ (ἀμεγέθης γάρ· σωμάτων ιδιον τοῦτο, ὁ δὲ θεὸς ἀσώματος), ἀλλὰ τὸ μεγάλα οὐχ ὡς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς φρονῆσαι καὶ εἰπεῖν περὶ αὐτοῦ. ̔Υψοῦσι δὲ τὸ ονομα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ οἱ κατηρτισμένοι τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ. ὑψοῦται δὲ πρὸς τῶν γενητῶν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ προσηγορία οὐκ ἐκ ταπεινοῦ μετεωριζομένη, ἀλλ' οταν οἱ φρονοῦντες αὐτὴν μηδὲν χαμαιπετὲς ἀλλὰ ὑψηλὰ καὶ οὐράνια διανοῶνται. ὡς γὰρ βεβηλοῦσιν τὸ ονομα τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ αὐτοῦ χραινομένου ὀνόματος ἀλλ' οσον ἐπὶ τοὺς περικειμένους βέβηλα πράττοντας καὶ φρονοῦντας, ουτω καὶ ἁγιάζεται ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐνεργημάτων· οθεν ὁ σωτὴρ πρὸς ἑτέροις καὶ τοῦτο λέγει, ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ διδάσκων τὸ ̔Αγιασθήτω τὸ ονομά σου, οὐκ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ὀνόματος καθ' ἑαυτὸ ἐκ μὴ ἁγίου ἁγίου γινομένου. εὐκτέον γὰρ ἁγιασθῆναι αὐτὸ ἐν ἡμῖν ων ἁγίως νοοῦσι καὶ πράττουσι. καὶ ουτως ἡ περὶ θεοῦ διάληψις ην κατ' εννοιαν θεοῦ ἠκριβωμένην εχομεν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ προσηγορία ἐστίν. ταύτην ἁγιαζομένην εξομεν, οταν καθ' ἁγιότητα πάντα ἐπιτελῶμεν. οσον γὰρ ἐν πλάνῃ καὶ ἀγνοίᾳ ενιοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰσίν, ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ προσηγορία τρόπον τινὰ χραίνεται, ἑλκομένη ἐφ' α μὴ δεῖ. θεοὺς γοῦν ἀγάλματα καὶ τὴν σφῶν κοιλίαν ἐκάλεσάν τινες. 308 Ps 33,5a ̓Επεὶ τῷ ̓Εξεζήτησα τὸ ̓Επήκουσέν μου ἀνταπεδόθη, σαφὲς οτι τὸ ἐκζητῆσαι καὶ παρακαλέσαι δηλοῖ· η ἐπεὶ μὴ μόνῳ ὀνόματι ἐπιτελεῖ τὰ τῆς εὐχῆς ἀλλὰ καὶ φρονήσει ὀρθῇ καὶ βίῳ καθαρῷ διὰ πάντων τούτων ἐκζητήσας τὸν κύριον, εσχεν αὐτὸν ἐπινεύοντα. 309 Ps 33,5b Καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων ἐρρύσατό με. φέρεται Καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν παροικιῶν μου ἐρρύσατό με. 310 Ps 33,6 ̓Επεὶ φῶς ἀληθινὸν ὁ κύριος, ὁ προσερχόμενος αὐτῷ μεταλαμβάνων αὐτοῦ φωτίζεται· φωτισθεὶς δὲ πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἀναλαβὼν ἀκαταίσχυντον εχει τὸ πρόσωπον. προστάττει δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα προαιρετικῶς προσελθεῖν τῷ κυρίῳ, ινα φωτισθέντες τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς πρόσωπον πᾶσαν αἰσχύνην ἀποβάλωμεν. 311 Ps 33,7 Πτωχὸν ἐνταῦθα καλεῖ τὸν μὴ δυνάμενον ἐκ τῶν παρουσῶν θλίψεων ἑαυτὸν σῶσαι. πάντες δὲ ταύτην τὴν πτωχείαν εχομεν, ωστε περὶ παντὸς λέγει χρῄζοντος ἐκ θεοῦ σωτηρίας. 312 Ps 33,8 Εἰ φοβουμένους τὸν κύριον τοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς δουλείας εχοντας ἐνταῦθα δηλοῖ, ἀγγέλων ουτοι περικυκλούντων αὐτοὺς δέονται ῥυομένων αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῶν βλάπτειν βουλομένων, ωσπερ καὶ οἱ μικροὶ τῶν πιστευόντων ἐπὶ τὸν σωτῆρα ἀγγέλους εχουσιν συνόντας ὁρῶντας τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς πατρός, τῶν τελείων τὸν θεὸν τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐχόντων συνόντα. εἰ δὲ τελείους ἐκλαμβάνοιμεν τοὺς θεὸν φοβουμένους, παρεμβαλόντα κύκλῳ αὐτῶν αγγελον ἐπὶ τῷ ῥύεσθαι αὐτοὺς οὐκ αλλον ἐροῦμεν η τὸν τῆς μεγάλης βουλῆς αγγελον τοῦ θεοῦ σωτῆρα. τούτῳ ἀκόλουθον καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ ̓Ιακὼβ λεγόμενον· ̔Ο αγγελος ὁ ῥυόμενός με ἐκ πάντων τῶν κακῶν μου· ἐκ πάντων τῶν κακῶν οὐκ οιός τε ῥύεσθαι αγγελος ἀλλ' ὁ σημαινόμενος σωτήρ. 313 Ps 33,9a