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449 Ps 43,20a The place of affliction is the region around the earth and the subterranean region; where those who have experience of the body of death are humbled. 450 Ps 43,22b The impressions in the heart which must also be addressed in what follows. 451 Ps 43,26 If these things were said tropologically, the meaning is such: since we are clothed in dust that is composed of pleasures and the other passions, for this reason 'Our soul has been humbled to the dust,' having become cast to the ground, and also 'Our belly has clung to the earth,' being fed nothing heavenly but like the serpent eating earth all the days of their lives. But if the present text were to be explained allegorically, the soul, entering into the body, will say 'Our soul has been humbled to the dust.' It also, having fallen from the blessed heavenly life, in thinking on things below will say 'Our belly has clung to the earth'; for it is nourished by nothing other than earthly things. 452 Ps 43,27 They say these things, deeming themselves worthy to receive help and redemption for no other reason than for His name. They might say these things also to the Savior who tarried in the heart of the earth at the time of the passion, so that rising up He might provide aid and give His soul as a ransom, a ransom for many. And He does these things for the glory of His name. Ps 44,1 The goal for those who are advancing and changing from one quality to another is to press on to the best of qualities according to which they might be shown incorruptible and immortal. For this end therefore, being 'For those who shall be changed,' that is, those who have been changed and have become virtuous from being wicked, the sons of Korah, changing all things into understanding, bring forth a song about the beloved, singing melodiously. And here the beloved is the only-begotten Son of God. For this beloved, therefore, a victory ode is sung, for those whom He has changed, having given incorruptibility instead of corruption.

453 Ps 44,2a If the person were the Father's, He would say 'Since I alone am good

I am, it is necessary that the Word, having come from my essence, also be good; but if it were the prophet who is speaking, we say 'Since the good man from the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good,' it is necessary also for one who has been nourished with harlot's foods containing much good to utter a good word. For as one who has eaten an apple sends forth a belch smelling of apple, so one who has eaten good things, so as for his soul to delight in good things, sends forth a good word, uttering it. Ps 44,2a Just as, therefore, what happens is according to this quality of foods, so also in the case of spiritual teaching such things were uttered as were also eaten. 454 Ps 44,2c As they also write certain instructions. For as the word of the Gospel, compared to a mustard seed, if it receives cultivation, becomes greater than human words, called herbs because of their temporary nature, so the things which the Word of God writes with his own pen, he opportunely shows them to be beyond the writings of men, touching the thoughts and taking root in the souls. 455 Ps 44,3bc Those who hear the words of Jesus, which are 'Full of grace,' will say the present text. And it has often been shown that 'lips' are said instead of 'words.' And 'Has been poured out' indicates the abundance of grace; in harmony with this is 'I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh,' and 'The love of God has been poured out in our hearts'; for in these also are indicated the abundance of the Spirit and the richness of the love from God. Because of this grace, therefore, poured out on your lips, 'Your God has blessed you,' having testified to your right reason for all eternity. 456 Ps 44,4 Since the matters of generation are activated around the thigh, and shameful desires spring up around these things, there is need of the cutting word called a sword, so that, having been girded around the thigh, it might cut out the licentious pleasures. The Savior, therefore, as a man laying the foundation for a type of the best way of life for the sake of perfect purity girds a sword upon His thigh, having comeliness and beauty because of the

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449 Ps 43,20a Τόπος κακώσεως ὁ περὶ γῆν καὶ ὁ καταχθόνιος χῶρος· ενθα ταπεινοῦνται οἱ πεῖραν εχοντες τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου. 450 Ps 43,22b Τὰς ἐν καρδίᾳ τυπώσεις ας καὶ ἑξῆς προσαγορευτέον. 451 Ps 43,26 Εἰ μὲν τροπικῶς ταῦτα λέγοιτο, τὸ δηλούμενόν ἐστιν τοιοῦτον· ἐπεὶ χοῦν περικείμεθα τὸν ἐξ ἡδονῶν καὶ τῶν αλλων παθῶν συγκείμενον, διὰ τοῦτο ̓Εταπεινώθη εἰς χοῦν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν, χαμαιριφῶν γενομένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ Εἰς γῆν ἐκολλήθη ἡ γαστὴρ ἡμῶν, οὐδὲν οὐράνιον τρεφομένων ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν οφιν γῆν ἐσθιόντων πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς ἑαυτῶν. Εἰ δὲ πρὸς ἀλληγορίαν ἐξηγηθείη τὸ προκείμενον, εἰς τὸ σῶμα ἐμβατεύουσα ἡ ψυχὴ ἐρεῖ ̓Εταπεινώθη εἰς χοῦν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν. αυτη καὶ τῆς μακαρίας ζωῆς τῆς ἐπουρανίου ἐκπεσοῦσα, ἐν τῷ κάτω φρονεῖν ἐρεῖ τὸ ̓Εκολλήθη εἰς γῆν ἡ γαστὴρ ἡμῶν· οὐκ αλλα γὰρ τῶν γηίνων τρέφεται. 452 Ps 43,27 Ταῦτά φασιν βοηθείας καὶ λυτρώσεως τυχεῖν ἀξιοῦντες οὐκ αλλου του χάριν η τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ. λέγοιεν δὲ ταῦτα καὶ πρὸς τὸν σωτῆρα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς διατρίβοντα κατὰ τὸν τοῦ πάθους καιρόν, ινα ἀναστὰς ἀρωγὴν παράσχοι καὶ λύτρα διδοὺς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν. ποιεῖ δὲ ταῦτα ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ. Ps 44,1 Σκοπὸς τοῖς προκόπτουσι καὶ ἐκ ποιότητος εἰς ποιότητα μεταβάλλουσι τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρίστην τῶν ποιοτήτων ἐπείγεσθαι καθ' ην αφθαρτοι καὶ ἀθάνατοι ἀποδειχθεῖεν. ὑπὲρ τούτου ουν τοῦ τέλους οντος ̔Υπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων, τουτέστι τῶν ἀλλαγέντων καὶ ἐκ φαύλων σπουδαίων γεγενημένων, υἱοὶ Κορὲ εἰς σύνεσιν πάντα μεταβάλλοντες ᾠδὴν περὶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ προφέρουσι κελαδοῦντες. ἀγαπητὸς δὲ ἐνταῦθα ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ θεοῦ υἱός. ὑπὲρ τούτου ουν τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ ἐπινίκιος ᾳδεται, ὑπὲρ ων ἠλλοίωσεν ἀφθαρσίαν ἀντὶ φθορᾶς δεδωκώς.

453 Ps 44,2a Εἰ τοῦ πατρὸς ειη τὸ πρόσωπον, λέγοι αν ̓Επεὶ μόνος ἀγαθὸς

ὑπάρχω, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἐμῆς οὐσίας λόγον γενόμενον ἀγαθὸν ειναι· εἰ δ' ὁ προφήτης ειη ὁ λέγων, φαμὲν ̓Επεὶ ὁ ἀγαθὸς ανθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ τῆς καρδίας προφέρει τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸν τραφέντα τροφαῖς πορνικαῖς πολὺ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐχούσαις ἐρεύγεσθαι ἀγαθὸν λόγον. ὡς γὰρ ὁ μῆλον φαγὼν ἐρυγὴν ἐκπέμπει μήλου πνέουσαν, ουτως ὁ φαγὼν ἀγαθὰ ὡς ἐντρυφῆσαι ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀγαθὸν ἐκπέμπει λόγον ἐρευγόμενος αὐτόν. Ps 44,2a Ωσπερ ουν ἐπὶ ταύτης τῶν σιτίων ποιότητός ἐστι τὸ γινόμενον, ουτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασκαλίας τοιαῦτα ἠρεύγετο οια καὶ ἐσιτεῖτο. 454 Ps 44,2c Γραφόντων καὶ αὐτῶν παιδεύσεις τινάς. ὡς γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου κόκκῳ σινάπεως παραβαλλόμενος, εἰ γεωργίας τύχοι, μείζων γίνεται τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων λόγων λαχάνων διὰ τὸ πρόσκαιρον ὀνομαζομένων, ουτως α γράφει ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος καλάμῳ ἰδίῳ καιρίως ἐπιδείκνυται αὐτὰ παρὰ τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων συγγραφὰς τῶν λογισμῶν ἐφαπτόμενα καὶ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐνιζάνοντα. 455 Ps 44,3bc Οἱ ἀκούοντες τῶν ̓Ιησοῦ λόγων, τυγχανόντων Πλήρης χάριτος, ἐροῦσιν τὸ προκείμενον· πολλάκις δὲ ἀντὶ λόγων τὰ χείλη λέγεσθαι ἀποδέδεικται. τὸ δὲ ̓Εξεχύθη τὴν δαψιλείαν δηλοῖ τῆς χάριτος· συνᾴδει τούτῳ τὸ ̓Εκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ ̔Η ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκκέχυται ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν· καὶ ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἡ δαψιλεία τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς ἐκ θεοῦ ἀγάπης δηλοῦται. διὰ ταύτην ουν τὴν ἐκχυθεῖσαν χάριν ἐν χείλεσί σου Εὐλόγησέν σε ὁ θεός σου, εὐλογιστίαν σοι μαρτυρήσας ἐπὶ πάντα τὸν αἰῶνα. 456 Ps 44,4 ̓Επεὶ περὶ τὸν μηρὸν ἐνεργεῖται τὰ γενέσεως πράγματα, φύονται δὲ περὶ ταῦτα αἰσχραὶ ἐπιθυμίαι, χρεία τοῦ τμητικοῦ λόγου ῥομφαίας ὀνομαζομένου, ινα περὶ τὸν μηρὸν ζωσθεὶς ἐκτέμνοι τὰς ἀκολάστους ἡδονάς. ὁ σωτὴρ ουν κατὰ τὸν ανθρωπον τύπον ἀρίστης πολιτείας καταβαλλόμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτοτελοῦς ἁγνείας περιζώννυται ῥομφαίαν ἐπὶ τὸν μηρὸν αὐτοῦ, ὡραιότητα εχων καὶ κάλλος διὰ τὴν