184

to remember sins, but to hide the present piety. "Let thy compassions speedily prevent us, O Lord, for we are brought very low. [9] Help us, O God our Savior." Extend as quickly as possible your invincible might; for we have become destitute of all providence; and we have you alone as a helper and savior. "For the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us; and be merciful to our sins for thy name's sake." They make no mention of their own virtue anywhere, but they entreat to receive divine help on account of the divine name; for, he says, when we fare ill, blasphemy proceeds against your name. We entreat you, therefore, to overlook our trespasses, to change our misfortunes, and to show your power to those who are ignorant. 10. "Lest the nations should say, Where is their God?" But the other interpreters have said this as something that has already happened: Why do the nations say, Where is their God? This, he says, grieves me, this pricks me sharper than any goad, that blasphemy is dared against you by the nations, and that they mockingly say, Where is your God, whom you say scourged Egypt, divided the sea, [and granted you passage, and did all the other] great and much-talked-of things? "And let the vengeance of the blood of thy servants that has been shed be known among the nations in our sight." We entreat, therefore, that these pay the penalty for their blood-guilt, and that all others see with us your just verdict, and your wrath on behalf of your slain servants. 11. "Let the groaning of the prisoners come in before thee; according to the greatness of thy arm, preserve the sons of the slain." I beseech you to look upon also those who are still alive, but are bound in chains, and awaiting death, and not to condemn our race to utter destruction; but to preserve the children of the slain, and to establish a new generation from them. 12. "Render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached thee, O Lord." Bring a manifold punishment for the blasphemy upon our neighbors. For he did not indicate a definite number by what was said, but asked that a very great punishment be brought upon them. Such also is, "The barren has borne seven," instead of many. And he said "bosom" from the metaphor of those who carry something in their bosom, and hold it securely, so that nothing falls out; instead of, Fill them with calamities that are continually pressing upon them. 13. "But we are thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture: we will give thanks to thee, O God, for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations." And we who have been called your people, and are named your flock, will continually offer hymns to you; and we will confess our thanks for your beneficence; and having made these things recorded, we will bring the narration of them to future men; however, he said "we will give thanks in return" instead of "we will confess"; and the name signifies thanksgiving.

INTERPRETATION OF PSALM 79. 1. "To the end, in hymns; for those who shall be changed. A testimony for

Asaph. A Psalm for the Assyrian." The present psalm foretells a change of certain affairs; for "change" indicates this, and it is testified; for this reason "a testimony" is also added. And the grace of the Spirit prophesies the enslavement of the Jews, and their servitude in Babylon. And the psalm is fashioned into a prayer to the God of all, as if offered by them themselves. For the prophetic grace teaches them with what words they must propitiate God, and stir him to mercy. And it also foretells the salvation that is to come for all men through the Lord Christ. 2. "O Shepherd of Israel, give ear." You, O Lord, in the manner of a shepherd

184

ἁμαρτημάτων μνησθῆναι, κρύψαι δὲ τὴν παροῦσαν εὐσέβειαν. "Ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν ἡμᾶς οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν σφόδρα. [θʹ] Βοήθησον ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν." Ὄρεξον ὅτι τάχιστα τὴν ἄμαχόν σου ῥοπήν· πάσης γὰρ ἔρημοι προνοίας γεγόναμεν· σὲ δὲ μόνον ἐπίκουρον ἔχομεν καὶ σω τῆρα. "Ἕνεκεν τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματός σου, Κύριε, ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς· καὶ ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου." Οὐδαμοῦ τῆς σφετέ ρας μνημονεύουσιν ἀρετῆς, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα τῆς θείας ἐπικουρίας ἀντιβολοῦσι τυχεῖν· ἡμῶν γὰρ, φησὶ, κακοπραγούντων, κατὰ τοῦ σοῦ ὀνόματος ἡ βλασφημία χωρεῖ. Ἀντιβολοῦμεν τοίνυν, παριδεῖν μὲν σὲ τὰ πλημμελήματα· μετα βαλεῖν δὲ τὰς συμφορὰς, καὶ τὴν σὴν δύναμιν ὑπο δεῖξαι τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι. ιʹ. "Μήποτε εἴπωσι τὰ ἔθνη, Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν;" Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι ἑρμηνευταὶ ὡς γεγενη μένον τοῦτο εἰρήκασιν· Εἰς τί λέγει τὰ ἔθνη, Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν; Τοῦτό με, φησὶν, ἀνιᾷ, τοῦτό με κεντεῖ πάσης ἀκίδος ὀξύτερον, τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν κατὰ σοῦ τὴν βλασφημίαν τολμᾶσθαι, καὶ ἐπιτωθάζοντας λέγειν, Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, ὃν λέγετε μαστιγῶσαι τὴν Αἴγυπτον, διῃρηκέναι τὴν θάλατταν, [ὑμῖν δὲ δωρῆσαι διάβασιν, καὶ τ' ἄλλα πάντα δεδρακέναι] τὰ μεγάλα καὶ πολυθρύλ λητα; "Καὶ γνωσθήτω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐνώπιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῶν ἡ ἐκδίκησις τοῦ αἵματος τῶν δούλων σου, τοῦ ἐκκεχυμένου." Ἀντιβολοῦμεν τοίνυν, τού τους μὲν τῖσαι τῆς μιαιφονίας ποινὴν, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἅπαντας ἰδεῖν σὺν ἡμῖν τὴν δικαίαν σου ψῆφον, καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀνῃρημένων σοῦ θεραπόντων ὀργήν. ιαʹ. "Εἰσελθέτω ἐνώπιόν σου ὁ στεναγμὸς τῶν πεπεδημένων· κατὰ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην τοῦ βραχίονός σου περιποίησαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν τεθανατωμένων." Ἀπιδεῖν ἱκετεύω σε καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἔτι μὲν περιόν τας, δεσμὰ δὲ περικειμένους, καὶ προσδεχομένους τὸν θάνατον, καὶ μὴ πανωλεθρίαν τοῦ ἡμετέρου κατα ψηφίσασθαι γένους· ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀνῃρημένων περισῶ 80.1509 σαι τοὺς παῖδας, καὶ νεολαίαν ἐξ αὐτῶν κατα στῆσαι. ιβʹ. "Ἀπόδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν ἑπταπλασίονα εἰς τὸν κόλπον αὐτῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτῶν, ὃν ὠνείδισάν σε, Κύριε." Πολλαπλασίαν τοῖς ὁμόροις τῆς βλασφημίας τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπάγαγε. Οὐ γὰρ ὡρισμένον ἀριθμὸν διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐδήλωσεν, ἀλλὰ μεγίστην αὐτοῖς ἐπαχθῆναι τιμωρίαν ἐξ ῄτησε. Τοιοῦτο καὶ τὸ, "Στεῖρα ἔτεκεν ἑπτὰ," ἀντὶ τοῦ πολλά. Τὸν δὲ κόλπον εἴρηκεν, ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τῶν ἐν τῷ κόλπῳ τι φερόντων, καὶ ἀσφαλῶς συν εχόντων, ὥστε μηδὲν ἐκπεσεῖν· ἀντὶ τοῦ, Πλήρωσον αὐτοὺς συμφορῶν ἐπικειμένων διηνεκῶς. ιγʹ. "Ἡμεῖς δὲ λαός σου, καὶ πρόβατα νομῆς σου· ἀνθομολογησόμεθά σοι, ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἐξαγγελοῦμεν τὴν αἴνεσίν σου." Ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ λαὸς σὸς χρηματίσαντες, καὶ ποίμνιον ὀνομαζόμενοι σὸν, ἐνδελεχῶς σοι τοὺς ὕμνους προσοίσομεν· καὶ τὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ὁμολογήσομεν χάριτας· καὶ ἀναγράπτους ταύτας πεποιηκότες, τοῖς ἐσομένοις ἀνθρώποις προσοίσομεν τὴν τούτων διήγησιν· τὸ μέντοι ἀνθομολογησόμεθα, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐξομολογησόμεθα εἴρηκε· τὴν εὐχα ριστίαν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα δηλοῖ.

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΟΘʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ἐν ὕμνοις· ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιω θησομένων. Μαρτύριον τῷ

Ἀσάφ. Ψαλμὸς ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἀσσυρίου." Μεταβολήν τινων πραγμάτων ὁ παρὼν προλέγει ψαλμός· ἡ γὰρ ἀλλοίωσις τοῦτο δηλοῖ, καὶ μαρτύρεται· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μαρτύριον πρόσκειται. Προθεσπίζει δὲ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Πνεύμα τος τὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀνδραποδισμὸν, καὶ τὴν ἐν Βαβυλῶνι δουλείαν. Ἐσχημάτισται δὲ εἰς εὐχὴν ὁ ψαλμὸς τῷ Θεῷ τῶν ὅλων, ὡς ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἐκείνων προσφερομένην. ∆ιδάσκει γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡ προφητικὴ χάρις, ὁποίοις δεῖ τὸν Θεὸν ἱλεώσασθαι ῥήμασι, καὶ εἰς ἔλεον διεγεῖραι. Προλέγει δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐσομένην πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις διὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου Χριστοῦ σω τηρίαν. βʹ. "Ὁ ποιμαίνων τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, πρόσχες." Σὲ, ∆έσποτα, τὸν ποιμένος δίκην