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having the shield of faith. 483 Ps 45,11a No one who sins and is at leisure for error is able to know God; For everyone who sins has not seen him nor known him. Therefore, the one who wishes to know God, having renounced all business, will know who God is, as the present saying says, "Be at leisure and know." Therefore, the tyrant of Egypt, understanding this, subjects the Hebrews to tasks, so that they may not be drawn to God, saying "You are at leisure, you are idle; for this reason you say, Let us go and worship our God."
484 Ps 46,2a Since hands are often spoken of in place of actions, and it was doing
the nations different things according to their various customs before the advent, the savior, having come among men, commands a clap to be made, that is, a symphony of the practical powers of the nations, tropically called hands. 485 Ps 46,2bβ A symphony of action is not alone sufficient for salvation, unless there is also a right mind with these things. For this reason he also commands the nations to shout 'With a voice of exultation' along with the clapping. 486 Ps 46,3a And he is terrible also in that he is venerable, so that those who conceive of him have reverence for him. 487 Ps 46,3b It is not doubtful whether he reigns over the things that lie above. But since some doubt concerning the earth, whether he also rules it, the proposed verse is spoken, and especially for those who circumscribe providence to the lunar sphere, not wishing the things under the earth to be under providence. 488 Ps 46,4.5 You will also understand it thus: he subjected to the holy apostles the peoples from the circumcision and the nations under their feet, having ordained them rulers and teachers of all people, choosing for himself his inheritance, being none other than that of Israel and Jacob, the election which he himself, having chosen, loved. And Jacob, he says, is the whole people of the Hebrews. From this is known the impartiality of God, who loved the beauty of Jacob and nothing else; 'For in every nation, the one who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.' 489 Ps 46,6 The shout in which he himself goes up is an indistinct sound of fallen enemies; and he is found ascending above our understanding. The loud voice and piercing nature of the doctrines seems to be called the voice of a trumpet; for also what is manifest and in the Gospel, a trumpet is understood as in the saying, 'But when you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you,' that is, do not make it known. 490 Ps 46,7 Not only sensibly according to the shadow of the law, but also spiritually according to the gospel, sing psalms. Or perhaps by the doubling he commands to do this without interruption and continuously. And the same doubling of 'sing psalms' must be referred to Christ the king; for insofar as he is creator, he is God, and insofar as he is provider, he is king. Therefore, to the same one who is God and king one must sing psalms without interruption. 491 Ps 46,8b The one who sings psalms must also have an understanding of the things uttered in the song. For one must not be primarily occupied with the modulation and melody of the voice, but understand the things being sung. For God rejects those who do not sing thus but only make a sound, saying, 'Take away from me the sound of your songs, and the psalm of your instruments I will not hear.' But he sings with understanding who acts according to the divine teachings and understands them. 492 Ps 46,10a The rulers of the peoples are the apostles or the leaders of the churches, being gathered together with the God of Abraham, that they might bring to him the peoples who are being benefited; for he is also their God, they having become children of Abraham. But pay attention to whether the rulers of the peoples can be angels, concerning whom it is said, 'He set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God,' who are also gathered with the God of Abraham, since through faith the portions of which they happen to be rulers were adopted by Abraham. 493 Ps 46,10b The mighty ones of the earth, the
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εχοντα τῷ θυρεῷ τῆς πίστεως. 483 Ps 45,11a Οὐδεὶς ἁμαρτάνων καὶ πλάνῃ σχολάζων γνῶναι θεὸν δύναται· Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ εγνωκεν αὐτόν. ὁ βουλόμενος ουν γνῶναι θεόν, πάσῃ ἀσχολίᾳ ἀποταξάμενος, γνώσεται τίς ὁ θεός ἐστιν, ῃ φησιν τὸ παρὸν λόγιον Σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε. τοῦτο τοίνυν ὁ τῆς Αἰγύπτου τύραννος νοήσας ἀσχολίαις ὑποβάλλει τοὺς ̔Εβραίους, οπως μὴ ἐπισπῶνται θεόν, Σχολάζετε λέγων Σχολασταί ἐστε· διὰ τοῦτο λέγετε Πορευθῶμεν καὶ λατρεύσωμεν τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν.
484 Ps 46,2a ̓Επεὶ αἱ χεῖρες ἀντὶ τῶν πράξεων πολλάκις ειρηνται, επραττε δὲ
τὰ εθνη διάφορα κατὰ τὰ ποικίλα πάτρια πρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας, ὁ σωτὴρ εἰς ἀνθρώπους φοιτήσας προστάττει κρότον γενέσθαι, τουτέστιν συμφωνίαν τῶν πρακτικῶν δυνάμεων τῶν ἐθνῶν τροπικῶς χειρῶν ὀνομαζομένων. 485 Ps 46,2bβ Οὐ μόνον ἀπαρκεῖ πρὸς σωτηρίαν πράξεως συμφωνία, εἰ μὴ καὶ φρόνημα ὀρθὸν σὺν τούτοις ειη. διὸ καὶ ἀλάλαξειν ̓Εν φωνῇ ἀγαλλιάσεως μετὰ τοῦ κρότου προστάττει τοῖς εθνεσιν. 486 Ps 46,3a Εστιν δὲ φοβερὸς καὶ τῷ σεβάσμιος ειναι, ὡς εὐλάβειαν εἰς αὐτὸν εχειν τοὺς ἐννοοῦντας αὐτόν. 487 Ps 46,3b Οὐκ ἀμφίβολον εἰ τῶν ὑπερκειμένων βασιλεύει. περὶ τῆς γῆς δὲ ἀμφιβαλλόντων τινῶν, εἰ καὶ αὐτῆς κρατεῖ, λέγεται ὁ προκείμενος στίχος καὶ μάλιστα διὰ τοὺς περιγράφοντας τὴν πρόνοιαν μέχρι τῆς σεληνιακῆς σφαίρας οὐ βουλομένους τὰ ὑπὸ γῆν ὑπὸ πρόνοιαν ειναι. 488 Ps 46,4.5 Νοήσεις δὲ καὶ ουτως· ὑπέταξεν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς λαοὺς καὶ τὰ εθνη ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν, πάντων ἀνθρώπων αρχοντας καὶ διδασκάλους χειροτονήσας αὐτούς, ἐκλεξάμενος τὴν κληρονομίαν ἑαυτοῦ οὐχ ἑτέραν ουσαν τοῦ ̓Ισραὴλ καὶ τοῦ ̓Ιακὼβ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ην αὐτὸς ἐκλεξάμενος ἠγάπησεν. ̓Ιακὼβ δὲ τὸν πάντα λαὸν τῶν ̔Εβραίων φησίν. ἐκ τούτου γνωρίζεται τὸ ἀπροσωπόληπτον τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν καλλονὴν οὐκ αλλο τι τοῦ ̓Ιακὼβ ἀγαπήσαντος· ̓Εν παντὶ γὰρ εθνει ὁ φοβούμενος αὐτὸν καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην δεκτὸς αὐτῷ ἐστιν. 489 Ps 46,6 Φωνὴ δὲ ασημος καταπεσόντων πολεμίων ὁ ἀλαλαγμὸς ἐν ῳ ανεισιν αὐτός· ἀναβαίνει δὲ ὑπεράνω τῆς νοήσεως ἡμῶν εὑρισκόμενος. εοικεν τὴν μεγαλοφωνίαν καὶ τὸ διάτορον τῶν δογμάτων φωνὴ σάλπιγγος ὀνομάζεσθαι· ἐπὶ γὰρ τοῦ φανεροῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ σάλπιγξ λαμβάνεται ὡς ἐν τῷ λέγειν Σὺ δὲ ποιῶν ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ σαλπίσῃς εμπροσθέν σου, ο ἐστιν μὴ φανερώσῃς. 490 Ps 46,7 Μὴ μόνον αἰσθητῶς κατὰ τὴν σκιὰν τοῦ νόμου ἀλλὰ καὶ πνευματικῶς κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ψάλατε. η τάχα διὰ τοῦ διπλασιασμοῦ τὸ ἀδιαστάτως καὶ διηνεκῶς τοῦτο ποιεῖν προστάττει. τὸν δ' αὐτὸν διπλασιασμὸν τοῦ ψάλλειν ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα Χριστὸν ἀνάγειν δεῖ· ῃ μὲν γὰρ δημιουργός, θεός, ῃ δὲ προνοητικός, βασιλεύς ἐστιν. τῷ γοῦν αὐτῷ οντι θεῷ καὶ βασιλεῖ ψάλλειν ἀδιαστάτως δεῖ. 491 Ps 46,8b Τὸν ψάλλοντα δεῖ καὶ νόησιν τῶν προφερομένων ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ εχειν. οὐ γὰρ περὶ τὴν κλάσιν καὶ τὸ μέλος τῆς φωνῆς καταγίνεσθαι προηγουμένως δεῖ ἀλλὰ συνεῖναι τὰ ψαλλόμενα. τοὺς γὰρ μὴ ουτω ψάλλοντας ἀλλὰ μόνον ηχον ἀποτελοῦντας παραιτεῖται θεὸς λέγων Μετάστησον ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ηχον ᾠδῶν σου, καὶ ψαλμὸν ὀργάνων σου οὐκ ἀκούσομαι. ψάλλει δὲ συνετῶς ὁ πράττων κατὰ τὰ θεῖα παιδεύματα καὶ νοῶν αὐτά. 492 Ps 46,10a Οἱ τῶν λαῶν αρχοντες οἱ ἀπόστολοι η οἱ ἡγούμενοι τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν εἰσιν, συναγόμενοι μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ̓Αβραάμ, ινα προσαγάγωσι τοὺς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὠφελουμένους λαούς· καὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν θεός ἐστι τεκνῶν γενομένων τοῦ ̓Αβραάμ. ἐπίστησον δὲ εἰ αρχοντες τῶν λαῶν ειναι δύνανται αγγελοι περὶ ων ειρηται Εστησεν ορια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων θεοῦ, οιτινες καὶ συνάγονται μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ̓Αβραάμ, ἐπεὶ διὰ πίστεως υἱοποιήθησαν τῷ ̓Αβραὰμ αἱ μερίδες ων τυγχάνουσιν αρχοντες. 493 Ps 46,10b Κραταιοὶ τῆς γῆς οἱ