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he calls him an enemy and impious, as one who receives benefits, but who plots the murder of his benefactor. "Because they turned iniquities upon me, and in wrath they were angry with me." Symmachus has said it more clearly, that "They cast impiety upon me, and with wrath they opposed me;" for using an evil mind, they contrive my death. 5, 6. "My heart was troubled within me; and a fear of death fell upon me. Fear and trembling 80.1272 came upon me, and darkness covered me." Seeing this their malevolence, and the devices of their plots, I both shudder and am afraid, and await death. And it is not at all surprising, if David, fleeing and being pursued by many enemies, feared his end, being a man, and living under the law, and seeing the perfection of the gospel from afar. For even the Lord Christ himself, although he had often foretold to the holy apostles and presignified the passion, and had rebuked the divine Peter more sharply for praying that this not happen, at the time of the passion cried out, "Now is my soul troubled;" and the divine nature allowed the human nature to experience such agony, as to sweat clots of blood, and to be strengthened by an angel, and to conquer the fear. For it was necessary that in this also the nature that received the passion should be shown, [and the great long-suffering which the philanthropist had for our race; and he accepts suffering in the flesh, wishing in this to work out our salvation; therefore he says all these humble words, not on account of fear, far from it, but puts them forth for the sake of the economy.] 7, 8. "And I said, Who will give me wings like a dove's, and I will fly away, and be at rest? Lo, I have fled far away, and have lodged in the wilderness." The blessed David did this. For having fled from Saul, and again having seen the malevolence of the foreigners in Gath, he fled into the wilderness, as the history of the first of Kingdoms teaches. And the Lord Christ also, often withdrew to the mountain, and often to the wilderness, avoiding the envy of the Jews. It is worthy to admire the great David, for wishing to receive the wings of a dove and not of another bird. For he is clearly desirous of the spiritual grace which flew down in the form of a dove. 9. "I waited for God, who saves me from faint-heartedness, and from a tempest." For, he says, being overwhelmed by so many waves, and receiving the attacks as it were of certain spirits, or of whirlwinds, I await the divine intervention, and am cheered by the hope of assistance. 10. "Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues 80.1273." Since they have used an evil harmony, dissolve their concord, O Lord. "Because I have seen iniquity and strife in the city. [11.] Day and night will go around her upon her walls." [This the Assyrians, this the Egyptians, and later the dominion of the Romans.] "And iniquity and trouble are in her midst. [12.] And injustice, and usury and deceit have not departed from her streets." I do not think these words are fitting for the blessed David. For Jerusalem was not held by the Jews at that time, nor was any other city considered royal; but he seems to foretell at once the strife and lawlessness of Jerusalem, and to go through the forms of her wickedness: iniquity, injustice, usury, deceit; which they, embracing, did not accept the beneficial laws of the Savior. However, it is fitting to note, that not only the perfection of the new covenant, but also the legal polity, condemns usury, and joins it with iniquity, and with injustice, and with deceit. 13. "Because if an enemy had reproached me, I would have endured it; and if one who hated me had spoken great things against me, I would have hidden from him." [Instead of: If I had known his deceit against me, I would have hidden from him.] But the things done by enemies I consider tolerable and bearable; for these things are done by enemies and foes; and besides, to escape an open war

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αὐτὸν ἐχθρὸν καλεῖ καὶ ἀσεβῆ, ὡς εὐεργετούμενον μὲν, τὸν δὲ τοῦ εὐεργέτου κατασκευάζοντα φόνον. "Ὅτι ἐξέκλιναν ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἀνομίαι, καὶ ἐν ὀργῇ ἐνεκότουν μοι." Σαφέστερον ὁ Σύμμαχος εἴρηκεν, ὅτι Ἐπέῤῥιψαν κατ' ἐμοῦ εἰς ἀσέβειαν, καὶ μετ' ὀργῆς ἠναντιώ θησάν μοι· πονηρᾷ γὰρ χρησάμενοι γνώμῃ, τὸν ἐμὸν τυρεύουσι θάνατον. εʹ, ʹ. "Ἡ καρδία μου ἐταράχθη ἐν ἐμοί· καὶ δειλία θανάτου ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ' ἐμέ. Φόβος καὶ τρό 80.1272 μος ἦλθεν ἐπ' ἐμὲ, καὶ ἐκάλυψέ με σκότος." Ταύτην αὐτῶν τὴν δυσμένειαν, καὶ τὰς τῶν ἐπιβουλῶν θεώμενος μηχανὰς, καὶ φρίττω, καὶ δέδια, καὶ προσμένω τὸν θάνατον. Καὶ θαυμα στὸν οὐδὲν, εἰ ὁ ∆αβὶδ ἀποδιδράσκων, καὶ ὑπὸ πολλῶν διωκόμενος πολεμίων, ἐδεδίει τὴν τελευτὴν, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ὢν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῷ νόμῳ πολιτευόμε νος, καὶ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν πόῤῥωθεν ὁρῶν τελειότη τα. Καὶ αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ ∆εσπότης Χριστὸς, καίτοι πολλάκις προειπὼν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀποστόλοις, καὶ προ σημάνας τὸ πάθος, καὶ τῷ θεσπεσίῳ δὲ Πέτρῳ γε νέσθαι τοῦτο ἀπευξαμένῳ σφοδρότερον ἐπιπλήξας, παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πάθους ἐβόα, "Νῦν ἡ ψυχή μου τετάρακται·" καὶ τοσαύτην ἀγωνίαν συνεχώρησεν ἡ θεία φύσις τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν λαβεῖν, ὡς ἱδρῶσαι μὲν αἵματος θρόμβους, ὑπ' ἀγγέλου δὲ στηριχθῆναι, καὶ νικῆσαι τὸ δέος. Ἔδει γὰρ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ δειχθῆ ναι τὴν φύσιν τὴν δεχομένην τὸ πάθος, [καὶ τὴν πολλὴν μακροθυμίαν ἣν ἔσχε παρὰ τὸ ἡμέτερον γέ νος ὁ φιλάνθρωπος· καὶ καταδέχεται πάθος σαρκὶ, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τὴν ἡμετέραν βουλόμενος πραγματεύ σασθαι σωτηρίαν· ἅπαντα γοῦν ταῦτα τὰ τῶν ῥη μάτων λέγει ταπεινὰ, οὐ δειλίας ἕνεκεν, ἄπαγε, ἀλλ' οἰκονομίας χάριν προβάλλεται.] ζʹ, ηʹ. "Καὶ εἶπα, Τίς δώσει μοι πτέρυγας ὡσεὶ περιστερᾶς, καὶ πετασθήσομαι, καὶ καταπαύσω; Ἰδοὺ ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων, καὶ ηὐλίσθην ἐν τῇ ἐρή μῳ." Τοῦτο ὁ μακάριος πεποίηκε ∆αβίδ. Φυγὼν γὰρ τὸν Σαοὺλ, καὶ πάλιν τῶν ἐν τῇ Γὲθ ἀλλοφύλων τὴν δυσμένειαν θεασάμενος, εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἀπέδρα, ὡς ἡ πρώτη τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορία διδάσκει. Καὶ ὁ ∆εσπότης δὲ Χριστὸς, πολλάκις μὲν εἰς τὸ ὄρος, πολλάκις δὲ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπεχώρησε, τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων φθόνον ἐκκλίνων. Θαυμάσαι δὲ ἄξιον τὸν μέγαν ∆αβὶδ, περιστερᾶς καὶ οὐκ ἄλλου ὀρνέου πτέ ρυγας λαβεῖν ἐθελήσαντα. ∆ῆλος γάρ ἐστι τῆς πνευματικῆς χάριτος ἐφιέμενος τῆς ἐν εἴδει περι στερᾶς ἐπιπτάσης. θʹ. "Προσεδεχόμην τὸν Θεὸν, τὸν σώζοντά με ἀπὸ ὀλιγοψυχίας, καὶ ἀπὸ καταιγίδος." Τοσούτοις γὰρ, φησὶ, περικλυζόμενος κύμασι, καὶ οἷόν τινων πνευμάτων, ἢ στροβίλων ἀνέμων δεχόμενος προσ βολὰς, τὴν θείαν προσμένω ῥοπὴν, καὶ τῇ τῆς ἐπι κουρίας ἐλπίδι ψυχαγωγοῦμαι. ιʹ. "Καταπόντισον, Κύριε, καὶ καταδίελε τὰς γλώσ 80.1273 σας αὐτῶν." Ἐπειδὴ κακῇ κέχρηνται συμφωνίᾳ, διάλυσον αὐτῶν, ∆έσποτα, τὴν ὁμόνοιαν. "Ὅτι εἶδον ἀνομίαν, καὶ ἀντιλογίαν ἐν τῇ πόλει. [ιαʹ.] Ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς κυκλώσει αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς." [Τοῦτο μὲν οἱ Ἀσσύριοι, τοῦτο δὲ οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ χρόνον ὕστερον καὶ ἡ τῶν Ῥω μαίων δυναστεία.] "Καὶ ἀνομία καὶ κόπος ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς. [ιβʹ.] Καὶ ἀδικία, καὶ οὐκ ἐξέλιπεν ἐκ τῶν πλατειῶν αὐτῆς τόκος καὶ δόλος." Τῷ μακαρίῳ ∆αβὶδ οὐκ οἶμαι ἁρ μόττειν ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ Ἱερουσαλὴμ κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων κατείχετο, οὐδὲ ἄλλη τις βασιλικὴ ἐνενόμιστο πόλις· ἀλλ' ἔοικε τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν ἀντιλογίαν καὶ παρανο μίαν προλέγειν ὁμοῦ, καὶ τῆς πονηρίας αὐτῆς διεξιέναι τὰ εἴδη, τὴν ἀνομίαν, τὴν ἀδικίαν, τὸν τό κον. τὸν δόλον· ἅπερ ἀσπαζόμενοι, τοὺς ἐπ ωφελεῖς τοῦ Σωτῆρος οὐκ ἐδέχοντο νόμους. Ἐπιση μήνασθαι μέντοι προσήκει, ὡς οὐ μόνον τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης ἡ τελειότης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ νομικὴ πολιτεία, τοῦ τόκου κατηγορεῖ, καὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ, καὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, καὶ τῷ δόλῳ τοῦτον συζεύγνυσιν. ιγʹ. "Ὅτι εἰ ἐχθρὸς ὠνείδισέ με, ὑπήνεγκα ἄν· καὶ εἰ ὁ μισῶν με ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἐμεγαλοῤῥημόνησεν, ἐκρύβην ἂν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ." [Ἀντὶ τοῦ τὸν παρ' αὐτοῦ κατ' ἐμοῦ δόλον εἰ ἔγνων, ἐκρύβην ἂν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ.] Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν παρὰ τῶν δυσμενῶν γινόμενα οἰστὰ ἡγοῦμαι καὶ φορητά· ὑπὸ γὰρ ἐχθρῶν ταῦτα δρᾶ ται καὶ πολεμίων· ἄλλως τε καὶ τὸν προφανῆ πόλεμον διαφυγεῖν