127

675a Ps 66 αργ This psalm has a clear meaning and does not require many words for interpretation. For it proclaims the incarnation of the Word of God and the saving epiphany and the salvation of all nations; whence it is inscribed "To the end." And since the accomplishments are not human works, it is inscribed not "In encomiums" or "praises" but "In hymns"; for it is God's to be hymned, but man's to be extolled through praises. Accordingly, the divine hymn, being a Psalm of a song by indicating both the actions of the Savior and their greatest contemplation, is not placed in any ordinary number but in one containing beauty; for 66 has its perfection both in units and in tens. 676a Ps 66,2 Men are filled with mercies and blessings, when he reveals his face to those praying to obtain this. And the face of the creator of all is revealed, when the character of his substance visits, having become man, and manifests himself to the worthy, as he says concerning the one who keeps his commandments, "I will manifest myself to him." Since he who says these things is the image of the invisible God, he who approaches him with a pure mind sees the Father; for he says, "He who has seen me has seen the Father." In this way, with the divine face being revealed, those who receive benefits are pitied and blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 677a Ps 66,3 When your face has appeared, the way that leads to you, the Father, is known. And who is this but he who said, "I am the way, and no one comes to the Father except through me"? And in accordance with the way of God and his salvation being known on the earth, being no other than the way, it will be known among all the nations, with the fulfillment of "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." It is possible to take the way of God being made known on earth as his commandments, according to "I have run the way of your commandments." The salvation made known to all nations in harmony with this way is the salvation he has come to provide. 678a Ps 66,4 Formerly one people, that of the Hebrews, confessed to God who says, "I am he who blots out your sins; therefore declare your sins first (confessing them in a way of repentance), that you may be justified"- the holy one, taking on the persona of this people, says to God, "I have made known my iniquity, and my sin I have not concealed"; but since the sojourn of the Savior, all the peoples who comprise the believing nations are called to repentance, in order that by confessing to God they might obtain forgiveness of sins. And how is it not fitting for all the peoples to confess thankfully, when the face of God has appeared to them? 679a Ps 66,5 When the way on the earth and the salvation of God among all the nations has been made known, the nations, having been freed from all malice and polytheistic deceit, rejoice in achieving moral virtue and exult in receiving knowledge of God, having learned also that the Lord will judge peoples in uprightness and will guide nations on the earth. "Peoples" and "nations" are either the same in parallel, or "peoples" are those of the circumcision, and "nations" are those from the Gentiles. 680a Ps 66,6.7 For how was not all the earth, that is, the people on it, about to be filled with praise and to bear the fruit of piety, when in every place incense and a pure offering were brought among the nations, and the name of the Lord was magnified according to what is stated in one of the Twelve Prophets? 681 Ps 67,2 It is a prayer sent up, uttered in imperative verbs; for instead of "may he arise" it is written "let him arise," and instead of "may they flee," "let them flee." For this form is found very frequently in the scriptures, I mean things said imperatively instead of optatively. It is possible to say that the enemies who will be scattered are those who are impious concerning the knowledge of the truth, and those who hate God and flee from his face are those who possess practical wickedness. For if he who loves him keeps

127

675a Ps 66 αργ Ουτος ὁ ψαλμὸς σαφῆ τὴν διάνοιαν εχει καὶ πολλῶν λόγων

εἰς ἑρμηνείαν οὐ δεῖται. προκηρύττει γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν καὶ τὴν σωτήριον ἐπιφάνειαν καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων τὴν σωτηρίαν· οθεν Εἰς τὸ τέλος ἐπιγέγραπται. καὶ ἐπεὶ μὴ ἀνθρώπινα εργα τὰ κατορθωθέντα, οὐκ ἐν ἐγκωμίοις η ἐπαίνοις ἀλλ' ̓Εν υμνοις ἐπιγέγραπται· θεοῦ γὰρ τὸ ὑμνεῖσθαι, ἀνθρώπων δὲ τὸ δι' ἐπαίνων ἐγκωμιάζεσθαι. ἀμέλει γοῦν ὁ θεῖος υμνος Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς τυγχάνων τῷ καὶ πράξεις δηλοῦν τοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ θεωρίαν αὐτῶν μεγίστην οὐκ ἐν τῷ τυχόντι ἀλλὰ κάλλη περιέχοντι ἀριθμῷ τέτακται· ὁ γὰρ ΞΣ τὸ τέλειος ειναι εχει καὶ ἐν μονάσι καὶ ἐν δεκάσιν. 676a Ps 66,2 Οἰκτιρμῶν καὶ εὐλογιῶν πληροῦνται οἱ ανθρωποι, ἐπιφαίνοντος τὸ πρόσωπον ἑαυτοῦ τοῖς τυχεῖν τούτου εὐχομένοις. ἐπιφαίνεται δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πάντων δημιουργοῦ, οταν ἐπιδημήσῃ ὁ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ ανθρωπος γεγονὼς καὶ ἐμφανίσῃ ἑαυτὸν τοῖς ἀξίοις ῃ φησι περὶ τοῦ τηροῦντος τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ̓Εμφανίσω αὐτῷ ἐμαυτόν. τούτου ὑπάρξαντος ἐπεὶ εἰκών ἐστι τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου ὁ ταῦτα λέγων, ὁ αὐτῷ προσβάλλων νῷ καθαρῷ ὁρᾷ τὸν πατέρα· ̔Ο ἐμὲ γάρ φησιν ἑωρακὼς ἑώρακε τὸν πατέρα. τῷ τρόπῳ τούτῳ τοῦ θεϊκοῦ προσώπου ἐπιφανέντος, οἰκτείρονται οἱ εὐεργετούμενοι καὶ εὐλογοῦνται πάσῃ εὐλογίᾳ πνευματικῇ ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις ἐν Χριστῷ ̓Ιησοῦ. 677a Ps 66,3 ̓Επιφάναντος σοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον, γινώσκεται ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ πρὸς σὲ αγουσα τὸν πατέρα. τίς δὲ αυτη η ὁ εἰπὼν ̓Εγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ οὐδεὶς ερχεται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εἰ μὴ δι' ἐμοῦ; συμφώνως δὲ τῷ γνωσθῆναι ἐν τῇ γῇ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ, οὐχ ετερον ον τῆς ὁδοῦ, γνωσθήσεται ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς εθνεσιν, πληρωθέντος τοῦ Οψεται πᾶσα σὰρξ τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ. ∆υνατὸν δὲ ὁδὸν τοῦ θεοῦ γνωριζομένην ἐν τῇ γῇ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ λαβεῖν, κατὰ τὸ ̔Οδὸν ἐντολῶν σου εδραμον. σωτήριον ἁρμωνίως ταύτῃ τῇ ὁδῷ γνωσθὲν πᾶσι τοῖς εθνεσιν ἡ σωτηρία ἐστὶν ην ἐλήλυθε παράσχειν. 678a Ps 66,4 Πάλαι ἑνὸς λαοῦ τοῦ τῶν ̔Εβραίων ἐξομολογουμένου τῷ λέγοντι θεῷ ̓Εγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐξαλείφων τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου· διὸ λέγε πρῶτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου (ἐξαγορεύων αὐτὰς μετανοίας τρόπῳ), ινα δικαιωθῇς- τούτου τοῦ λαοῦ πρόσωπον φέρων ὁ αγιος τῷ θεῷ φησι Τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγνώρισα καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου οὐκ ἐκάλυψα· ἀφ' ου δὲ ἡ ἐπιδημία τοῦ σωτῆρος, πάντες οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν πιστευόντων ἐθνῶν συμπληρούμενοι λαοὶ ἐπὶ μετάνοιαν καλοῦνται ἐπὶ τῷ ἐξομολογησαμένους θεῷ ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν τυχεῖν. πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἀκόλουθον εὐχαρίστως ἐξομολογεῖσθαι πάντας τοὺς λαούς, ἐπιφανέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ; 679a Ps 66,5 Γνωσθείσης τῆς ὁδοῦ ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς εθνεσιν, ἐλευθερωθέντα πάσης κακίας καὶ πολυθέου ἀπάτης τὰ εθνη εὐφραίνεται κατορθοῦντα ἠθικὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶται λαβόντα θεοῦ γνῶσιν, μαθόντα καὶ ὡς ἐν εὐθύτητι κρινεῖ λαοὺς καὶ ὁδηγήσει εθνη ἐν τῇ γῇ ὁ κύριος. λαοὶ δὲ καὶ εθνη η ἐκ παραλλήλου οἱ αὐτοὶ η λαοὶ μὲν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς, εθνη δὲ οἱ ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν. 680a Ps 66,6.7 Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ εμελλε πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, τουτέστιν οἱ ἐπ' αὐτῆς ανθρωποι, αἰνέσεως πληροῦσθαι καὶ καρπὸν εὐσεβείας φέρειν, ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ προσαγομένου θυμιάματος καὶ θυσίας καθαρᾶς ἐν τοῖς εθνεσιν, μεγαλυνθέντος τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου κατὰ τὸ φερόμενον ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν ΙΒ προφητῶν; 681 Ps 67,2 Προσευχή ἐστιν ἀναπεμπομένη ῥήμασι προστακτικοῖς ἐξενεχθεῖσα· ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ ἀνασταίη τὸ ἀναστήτω καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ φύγοιεν φυγέτωσαν ἐγράφη. συνεχέστατα γὰρ ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς εὑρίσκεται τοῦτο τὸ ειδος, λέγω δὴ ἀντὶ τοῦ εὐκτικῶς προστακτικῶς λεγόμενα. ∆υνατὸν δὲ εἰπεῖν ἐχθροὺς σκορπισθησομένους τοὺς περὶ τὴν γνῶσιν τῆς ἀληθείας ἀσεβοῦντας, μισοῦντας δὲ θεὸν καὶ φεύγοντας ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ τοὺς περὶ πρακτικὴν κακίαν εχοντας. εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὸν τηρεῖ