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from men who have lived rightly, being lifted up by thinking on the things above, by seeking the things above. For these, being greatly lifted up, being raised on high by divine knowledge and virtue, have become of God; for the mighty ones of the earth, having become a possession of God, have been lifted up.

494 Ps 47,3a The joy of all the earth, well-rooted and having good roots

is, perhaps, none other than the one who said, "I am the true vine." For he himself is the joy of all the earth, being the cause and provider of joy. 495 Ps 47,3b I do not know from where some, being moved, supposed that where the Savior suffered is signified by the preceding phrase; for they say that the Savior was crucified on the northern sides of Zion, the place of the skull being there. 496 Ps 47,3b-4 But we say, following many scriptures, that the north is none other than the devil, according to "Awake, O north wind, and come, O south." The sides of this one, therefore, are wicked men, just as they say the bodyguards of a ruler are his sides. Therefore, the wicked men who act as bodyguards for the devil, formerly being his sides, changing to such an extent, excelled in virtue, so as not simply to be called Zion, but to be shown as its mountains. Paul, therefore, when he was a traitor, being a side of the north, changing, was called a mountain of the church which is Zion. And since the woman is called the side of the man, also the souls that became consorts to the devil, being his sides through communion with him, have become mountains of Zion through change, so as to be called a city of him, the great king, Christ. For this is what the text means, calling the former sides of the north mountains of Zion, or of the great king, we understanding "great king" again according to preeminence of power but not of size. And of this city there might also be certain high and great and proper towers, in which God is known when he takes hold of the city. These towers are of the same kind as the house which he who heard and did the words of Jesus builds upon the rock. 497 Ps 47,5-8 In the city the kings, having come and having been gathered into it, being of one accord, perfected in the same mind and in the same judgment; and these are the kings who have reigned according to God, such as Abraham was, to whom some said, although he did not reign in a perceptible way: You are a king from God among us. These, seeing those who were formerly sides of the north having ascended to such a height as to be mountains of Zion, marveled, being astonished at the change occurring in rational nature. And whenever one might see the wicked becoming virtuous and wise, having marveled at the change, if he should consider that the opposite is possible, that the virtuous and wise are able to fall away, having considered this, it will create in those who have greatly advanced in virtue a disturbance and agitation, so that trembling from fear seizes them. In harmony with this is: In the places of the impious, the just groan; when they fall, they become full of fear. There were birth pangs as of a woman in labor. In the city of the great king, it is likely there are souls pregnant by the bridegroom, who, having also formed the seed sown by him, have a time for giving birth, so as also to be in labor in order to become mothers of offspring. But the word "birth pangs" can signify the labors of those who were disturbed and shaken, whom trembling seized. With a violent wind he will shatter the ships of Tarshish. The bodies are called ships of the souls in many places in scripture, as also in "Those who go down to the sea in ships." These bodies, therefore, being corruptible and changeable in substance, are shattered by the divine Spirit violently striking them, that is, they are dissolved, so that at the time of the resurrection they may become incorruptible, strong, glorious, spiritual from being corruptible, weak, dishonorable, and soulish. And not simply, but these ships are "of Tarshish," with Hellas being changed

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ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ὀρθῶς πολιτευσάμενοι, ἐπαιρόμενοι τῷ τὰ ανω φρονεῖν τῷ τὰ ανω ζητεῖν. ουτοι γὰρ σφόδρα ἐπαρθέντες, γνώσει θείᾳ καὶ ἀρετῇ μετεωριζόμενοι, τοῦ θεοῦ γεγένηνται· οἱ γὰρ κραταιοὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ θεοῦ κτῆμα γεγενημένοι ἐπήρθησαν.

494 Ps 47,3a Τὸ πάσης τῆς γῆς ἀγαλλίαμα ευριζον καὶ ἀγαθὰς ῥίζας εχον

ἐστίν, τάχα οὐχ ετερον ον τοῦ εἰπόντος ̓Εγώ εἰμι ἡ αμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή. αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἀγαλλίαμα πάσης τῆς γῆς, αιτιος καὶ χορηγὸς τυγχάνων ἀγαλλιάσεως. 495 Ps 47,3b Οὐκ οιδ' ὁπόθεν κινηθέντες τινὲς ᾠήθησαν ενθα πέπονθεν ὁ σωτὴρ σημαίνεσθαι ἐκ τῆς προκειμένης λέξεως· φασὶ γὰρ τὸν σωτῆρα ἐσταυρῶσθαι ἐν τοῖς βορείοις πλευροῖς τῆς Σιών, ἐκεῖσε τυγχάνοντος τοῦ κρανίου τόπου. 496 Ps 47,3b-4 ̔Ημεῖς δέ φαμεν, ἑπόμενοι πολλαῖς γραφαῖς, τὸν βορρᾶν οὐκ αλλον ειναι η τὸν διάβολον κατὰ τὸ ̓Εξεγείρου, βορρᾶ, καὶ ερχου, νότε. τούτου ουν πλευρὰ οἱ πονηροὶ ανθρωποι, ωσπερ καὶ αρχοντος πλευρά φασιν τοὺς δορυφόρους αὐτοῦ. οἱ πονηροὶ ουν ανθρωποι οἱ δορυφοροῦντες τὸν διάβολον, πλευρὰ αὐτοῦ πρότερον οντες, εἰς τοσοῦτον μεταβάλλοντες κατ' ἀρετὴν διέπρεψαν, ὡς μὴ ἁπλῶς τὴν Σιὼν χρηματίσαι ἀλλ' ορη αὐτῆς ἀποδειχθῆναι. Παῦλος ουν οτε προδότης ην πλευρὸν τυγχάνων τοῦ βορρᾶ, μεταβαλλόμενος ορος τῆς ἐκκλησίας τυγχανούσης Σιὼν ἐχρημάτισεν. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡ γυνὴ πλευρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς λέγεται, καὶ αἱ γενόμεναι ψυχαὶ σύζυγοι τῷ διαβόλῳ, πλευρὰ αὐτοῦ τυγχάνουσαι διὰ τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον κοινωνίας, ορη τῆς Σιὼν διὰ μεταβολῆς γεγένηνται, ὡς καὶ πόλιν αὐτοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως Χριστοῦ χρηματίσαι. Αυτη γὰρ ἡ λέξις τοῦτο βούλεται, ορη λέγουσα Σιὼν τὰ πάλαι πλευρὰ τοῦ βορρᾶ η τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου, μέγαν πάλιν βασιλέα καθ' ὑπεροχὴν δυνάμεως ἀλλ' οὐ μεγέθους νοούντων ἡμῶν. ταύτης δὲ τῆς πόλεως ειεν καὶ βάρεις τινὲς ὑψηλαὶ καὶ μεγάλαι οἰκεῖαι ἐν αις ὁ θεὸς γινώσκεται οταν ἀντιλαμβάνηται τῆς πόλεως. αυται αἱ βάρεις ὁμογενεῖς εἰσιν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ην οἰκοδομεῖ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν ὁ τοὺς ̓Ιησοῦ λόγους ἀκούσας καὶ ποιήσας. 497 Ps 47,5-8 ̓Εν τῇ πόλει οἱ βασιλεῖς ἐληλυθότες καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν συναχθέντες, ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ γεγενημένοι καταρτισθέντες τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ· εἰσὶν δὲ οἱ βασιλεῖς ουτοι οἱ κατὰ θεὸν βασιλεύσαντες, οιος ην ̓Αβραὰμ πρὸς ον ειπόν τινες καίτοι οὐκ αἰσθητῶς βασιλεύοντα· Βασιλεὺς παρὰ θεοῦ σὺ ει ἐν ἡμῖν. Ουτοι ἰδόντες τοὺς πάλαι πλευρὰ οντας τοῦ βορρᾶ εἰς τοσοῦτον υψος ἀναβάντας ὡς ειναι τῆς Σιὼν ορη ἐθαύμασαν, ἐκπλαγέντες τὴν περὶ τὴν λογικὴν φύσιν γινομένην τροπήν. οτ' αν δὲ καὶ ἐκ φαύλων σπουδαίους καὶ σοφοὺς γινομένους ιδοι τις, θαυμάσας τὴν μεταβολὴν εἰ σκοπήσοι οτι ἀνάπαλιν ἐνδέχεται γενέσθαι τοὺς σπουδαίους καὶ σοφοὺς μεταπεσεῖν δυναμένους, τοῦτ' ἐννοηθεὶς καὶ τοῖς πάνυ προκόψασιν κατ' ἀρετὴν τάραχον ἐμποιήσει καὶ κλόνον, ὡς τὸν ἐκ δέους τρόμον ἐπιλαβέσθαι αὐτῶν. τούτῳ συνῳδὸν τὸ ̓Εν τόποις ἀσεβῶν στένουσιν δίκαιοι· ἐκείνων πιπτόντων κατάφοβοι γίνονται. ̓Εκεῖ ὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης. ἐν τῇ πόλει τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου εἰκὸς ειναι ψυχὰς ἐγκύμονας ἀπὸ τοῦ νυμφίου γεγενημένας, αι καὶ μορφώσασαι τὰς παρ' αὐτοῦ καταβεβλημένας γονὰς καιρὸν εχουσιν ἀποτέξεως, ὡς καὶ ὠδινῆσαι ἐπὶ τῷ μητέρας γεννημάτων γενέσθαι. δύναται δὲ τὸ τῶν ὠδίνων ονομα πόνους σημαίνειν τοὺς περὶ τοὺς ταραχθέντας καὶ σαλευθέντας, ων ἐπελάβετο τρόμος. ̓Εν πνεύματι βιαίῳ συντρίψει πλοῖα Θαρσεῖς. πλοῖα τῶν ψυχῶν τὰ σώματα πολλαχοῦ τῆς γραφῆς λέγεται ωσπερ καὶ ἐν τῷ Οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς θάλασσαν ἐν πλοίοις. ταῦτ' ουν τὰ σώματα φθαρτὰ καὶ μετάβλητα κατ' οὐσίαν οντα ὑπὸ τοῦ θείου πνεύματος σφοδρῶς προσβάλλοντος αὐτοῖς συντρίβεται, τουτέστιν διαλύεται, ινα κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως καιρὸν αφθαρτα ἰσχυρὰ ἐπίδοξα πνευματικὰ ἐκ φθαρτῶν ἀσθενῶν καὶ ἀτίμων καὶ ψυχικῶν γένηται. οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ἀλλὰ Θαρσεῖς ἐστιν τὰ πλοῖα ταῦτα, μεταβαλλομένης ̔Ελλάδι