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my, they set forth. But instead of this, Symmachus interpreted it more accurately, saying: That you might take away my sin. For these things, he says, and these I have done, so that these things might happen to me. Not having yet obtained forgiveness, but as one doing everything in order to obtain it, he said these things according to Symmachus. And such an interpretation is reasonable; for if he called others blessed whose iniquities were forgiven, as not yet having obtained forgiveness himself, how could he say here: "And you forgave the impiety of my sin?" Therefore, I say that according to Symmachus it is more accurately stated as, "That you might take away the impiety of my sin." For this every holy one will pray to you in an opportune time. Yet in a flood of many waters they will not come near him. For this reason every holy one, taking an example from what was done concerning me, will most eagerly and boldly pray to you, if ever occasion calls him to come to a prayer similar to mine. And when he has prayed according to my example, you will also hear him, and you will grant him salvation from you, so that he may not be harmed at all, even if countless flooding waters rush against him. For as one who has built his house upon a rock, and has fixed his hopes on you, the great Savior, he will remain unfallen and steadfast; for because of your protection it will not be able even to approach him or to come near. And the interpretation of Symmachus presented this meaning, saying: Concerning this every holy one will pray, instead of, For this every holy one will pray to you, having found an opportune time, so that many flooding waters may not come near him. But if it is said according to the Seventy: For this every holy one will pray, we shall say that, for this, means for the forgiveness that was granted to me. For because of your mercy and the philanthropy shown to me, every holy one will be hopeful of obtaining similar things from you; if ever such a fault should befall him, as a man clothed in flesh, and a time requiring a confession and prayer similar to mine. I will give you understanding and instruct you in this way in which you shall go; I will fix my eyes upon you. What was said through the prophet: "While you are still speaking, I will say: 'Behold, I am here,'" was also fulfilled in the case of David. For as he was praying and sending up his supplication, the divine Spirit deems him worthy of a response, exhorting him to be of good courage. "For I," it says, "will give you understanding and instruct you"; for which Aquila says: "I will make you wise and enlighten you in this way in which you shall go"; and Symmachus: "I will make you understand and will show you the way you shall travel." For it promises to show him the one who said: "I am the way." And this was the Word of God, who leads those who travel to the 23.280 thrice-blessed end, his own Father. And instead of, "I will fix my eyes upon you," Symmachus says, "I will take counsel for you with my eye." For since "the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer"; he reasonably deems the one who has prayed so much worthy of his own eye, so that, being enlightened in his mind by the very illuminating rays sent from the divine eye, he may see the way promised to him. Therefore, the eyes of the Lord are not upon all, but only upon the righteous; for he turns his eyes away from the impious. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous, and boast, all you who are upright in heart. Having described the response to the one who prayed, and having promised him the aforementioned things, the discourse moves on to the common race of men, wishing all to be saved out of an excess of philanthropy. And David himself, having gone through his own confession, and having been deemed worthy of a favorable response and promise, out of exceeding joy also provides the means of benefit to the rest of men. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous, and boast, all you who are upright in heart. Just as for the left rank of sinners the appropriate things

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μου, ἐξέθεντο. Ἀντὶ δὲ τούτου ἀκριβέστερον ὁ Σύμμαχος ἡρμήνευσεν εἰπών· Ἵνα σὺ ἀφέλῃς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου. Τάδε γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ τάδε διεπραξάμην, ἵνα τάδε μοι γένωνται. Οὐκ ἤδη τετυχηκὼς τῆς ἀφέσεως, ἀλλ' ὡς πάντα πράττων, ἵνα αὐτῆς τύχῃ, ταῦτ' ἔλεγε κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον. Καὶ ἔχεταί γε λόγου ἡ τοιαύτη ἑρμηνεία· εἰ γὰρ ἑτέρους ἐμακάριζεν, ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι, ὡς μηδέπω αὐτὸς τετυχηκὼς τῆς ἀφέσεως, πῶς ἐνταῦθα ἐδύνατο λέγειν· Καὶ σὺ ἀφῆκας τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου; ∆ιόπερ κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον ἀκριβέστερον εἰρῆσθαί φημι τὸ, Ἵνα σὺ ἀφέλῃς τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου. Ὑπὲρ ταύτης προσεύξεταί σοι πᾶς ὅσιος ἐν καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ. Πλὴν ἐν κατακλυσμῷ ὑδάτων πολλῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐγγιοῦσι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πᾶς ὅσιος ὑπόδειγμα λαβὼν ἐκ τῶν κατ' ἐμὲ πεπραγμένων προθυμότατα καὶ εὐθαρσῶς προσεύξεταί σοι, εἴ ποτε καιρὸς αὐτὸν καλῇ ἐπὶ τὴν ὁμοίαν ἐμοὶ προσευχὴν ἐλθεῖν. Προσευξαμένου δὲ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα τὸ ἐμὸν, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπακούσεις, παρέξεις τε αὐτῷ τὴν παρὰ σοῦ σωτηρίαν, ὥστε μηδὲν αὐτὸν βλαβῆναι, κἂν μυρία κατακλύζοντα ὕδατα κατ' αὐτοῦ φέρηται. Ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ πέτραν οἰκοδομήσας αὑτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ ἐπὶ σὲ τὸν μέγαν Σωτῆρα ἀναρτήσας ἑαυτοῦ τὰς ἐλπίδας, ἄπτωτος καὶ ἑδραῖος μενεῖ· διὰ γὰρ τὴν σὴν φυλακὴν οὐδὲ πλησιάσαι αὐτῷ, οὐδὲ ἐγγὺς γενέσθαι δυνήσεται. Καὶ ταύτην γε τὴν διάνοιαν ἡ τοῦ Συμμάχου παρέστησεν ἑρμηνεία, φήσασα· Περὶ τούτου προσεύξεται πᾶς ὅσιος, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ∆ιὰ τοῦτο προσεύξεται πᾶς ὅσιός σοι καιρὸν εὑρὼν, ὥστε ἐπικλύζοντα ὕδατα πολλὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν μὴ ἐγγίσαι. Ἐὰν δὲ κατὰ τοὺς Ἑβδομήκοντα λέγηται· Ὑπὲρ ταύτης προσεύξεται πᾶς ὅσιος, ἐροῦμεν, ὅτι, ὑπὲρ ταύτης, δηλαδὴ τῆς ἀφέσεως τῆς ἐμοὶ γενομένης. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τὸν σὸν ἔλεον καὶ τὴν εἰς ἐμὲ γενομένην φιλανθρωπίαν πᾶς ὅσιος εὔελπις ἔσται, τῶν ὁμοίων παρὰ σοῦ τυχεῖν· εἴ ποτε αὐτῷ γένοιτο, ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ σάρκα περικειμένῳ, τοιοῦτό τι σφάλμα καὶ καιρὸς δεόμενος ὁμοίας ἐμοὶ ἐξομολογήσεως καὶ προσευχῆς. Συνετιῶ σε καὶ συμβιβῶ σε ἐν ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ᾗ πορεύσῃ· ἐπιστηριῶ ἐπὶ σὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου. Τὸ λεγόμενον διὰ τοῦ προφήτου· Ἔτι λαλοῦντός σου, ἐρῶ· Ἰδοὺ πάρειμι, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ ἐπληροῦτο. ∆ιότι εὐχομένου καὶ τὴν δέησιν ἀναπέμποντος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ θεῖον ἀποκρίσεως αὐτὸν ἀξιοῖ, θαρσεῖν αὐτῷ παρακελευόμενον. Ἐγὼ γάρ σε, φησὶν, συνετιῶ καὶ συμβιβῶ σε· ἀνθ' οὗ ὁ Ἀκύλας φησίν· Ἐπιστημώσω σε καὶ φωτίσω σε ἐν ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ᾗ πορεύσῃ· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος· Συνετίσω σε καὶ ὑποδείξω σοι ὁδὸν ἣν ὁδεύσεις. Ἐπαγγέλλεται γὰρ δεῖξαι αὐτῷ τὸν εἰπόντα· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδός. Ἦν δὲ οὗτος ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος, ὁ τοὺς ὁδεύοντας ἄγων ἐπὶ 23.280 τέλος τὸ τρισμακάριον, τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Πατέρα. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, Ἐπιστηριῶ ἐπὶ σὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, ὁ Σύμμαχος, Βουλεύσομαι, φησὶ, περὶ σοῦ τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ μου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν· εἰκότως τὸν τοσαῦτα ηὐγμένον καταξιοῖ τοῦ ἰδίου ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὅπως, ἐκ τῶν φωτιστικῶν αὐτῶν τῶν ἐκ τοῦ θείου ὀφθαλμοῦ πεμπομένων φωτισθεὶς τὴν διάνοιαν, τὴν ὁδὸν θεάσηται τὴν ἐπηγγελμένην αὐτῷ. ∆ιόπερ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου οὐκ ἐπὶ πάντας, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ μόνους τοὺς δικαίους· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀποστρέφει τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ὀφθαλμούς. Εὐφράνθητε ἐπὶ Κύριον καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, δίκαιοι, καὶ καυχᾶσθε, πάντες οἱ εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Περιγράψας ὁ λόγος τὴν πρὸς τὸν εὐξάμενον ἀπόκρισιν, ἐπαγγειλάμενός τε αὐτῷ τὰ προλελεγμένα, μεταβαίνει ἐπὶ τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, δι' ὑπερβολὴν φιλανθρωπίας πάντας βουλόμενος σωθῆναι. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ ∆αυΐδ, προσδιελθὼν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐξομολόγησιν, αἰσίας τε ἀποκρίσεως καὶ ἐπαγγελίας καταξιωθεὶς, ἐξ ὑπερβαλλούσης χαρᾶς καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀνθρώποις προξενεῖ τὰ τῆς ὠφελείας. Εὐφράνθητε ἐπὶ Κύριον καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, δίκαιοι, καὶ καυχᾶσθε πάντες οἱ εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Ὥσπερ τῷ ἀριστερῷ τάγματι τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τὰ κατάλληλα