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917 Ps 93,1bc The God of vengeances, being such, has spoken freely in the very act of avenging. For by knowing precisely the affairs of those being judged and the very intention of those who do them, he brings on vengeances with boldness, while other judges are at times mistaken, so as not to inflict punishment in proportion to the quantity and quality of the sins committed; for which reason it happens that the judge is ashamed for not having duly rebuked those caught in wickedness, while only the one who says, ‘With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you,’ speaks freely in avenging; for he repays each one according to his works. 918 Ps 93,2 Let all these things also be referred to the coming of Christ. For then he spoke freely, having become a sinless man, although he was the Lord God of vengeances, but he also judged the earth, showing it to be full of sin, he himself having committed no sin nor known sin; wherefore he also repaid the Pharisees who were arrogant toward him and the unseen enemies who were puffed up in crucifying him. 919 Ps 93,13b In many places the pit is spoken of instead of punishment, as it is said, 'And he will fall into the pit he has made.' But since the phrase 'Until it is dug' is stated indefinitely (for it is not said by whom), it is shown from other scriptures that the pit being dug for the sinner is not dug by another but by the very one who will fall into it; For 'They dug a pit before my face and fell into it'; and 'He who digs a pit for his neighbor will fall into it'; and 'But the foolish man digs evils for himself,' calling evils the punishments into which those who sin through foolishness fall. 920 Ps 93,20 You, being our creator, care for and are mindful of us, O Master; whence if we have any good thing, we know it is yours and from you. But since we see certain wicked men murdering the just and condemning the innocent, we cry out to you, lest another throne of a kingdom is with you or will be with you, because these things are done against your servants, but a throne of iniquity is not with you; for you have shown the law to be king of all things, according to which everything is administered. Even if, then, the devil, having become an apostate from your commands, should attempt to rule lawlessly, he is not and will not be with you, but having apostatized and become far from you, he tyrannizes like a robber chief over those who have chosen to be under his cruelty. For a throne of iniquity is rule with tyranny; for a tyrant is nothing other than a lawless rule. Wherefore, being most cruel and burdensome, he commands heavy and toilsome things, preparing labor for his commands. But your commandments, O God, are not burdensome, according to John, whence they are also uplifting, raising and elevating the one who partakes of them. 921 Ps 93,20.21 It is also possible to understand the text thus: While you, O Master, command light and easy things, the throne of iniquity devises toils upon your commands, instilling cowardice and contrary things to those appointed in their mind. For while right reason exhorts toward justice as beneficial, it opposes injustice, proposing the gains and profits from it; again, while reason calls to poverty and freedom from care, he also devises toil upon such a command, sending a thought of cowardice and the disease of fear of lacking necessities when sickness and old age overtake. Likewise also concerning the other commands of God which are not burdensome, he devises toil, instilling an illusion of burden. But it should also be read thus: O Master, who devises toil upon your commands so that they may not be despised for their ease; for you wish those who approach them to achieve them with sweat and toil. For thus it happens that they acquire steadfastness and endurance; wherefore salvation also follows; 'For he who endures to the end will be saved.' A tyrannical throne will not be with you; therefore, prevent them from their most cruel impulse against us, by which they deceitfully hunt for

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917 Ps 93,1bc ̔Ο τῶν ἐκδικήσεων θεὸς ὑπάρχων ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ἐκδικεῖν ἐπαρρησιάσατο. τῷ γὰρ ἀκριβῶς ἐπίστασθαι τῶν κρινομένων τὰ πράγματα καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν πρόθεσιν τῶν ἐνεργούντων αὐτὰ μετὰ παρρησίας ἐπάγει τὰς ἐκδικήσεις, τῶν αλλων κριτῶν εσθ' οτε σφαλλομένων ὡς μὴ κατ' ἀναλογίαν τῆς ποσότητος καὶ ποιότητος τῶν ἁμαρτανομένων ἐπάγειν τὴν τιμωρίαν· ἐφ' ῳ καὶ αἰσχύνεσθαι συμβαίνει τὸν κρίνοντα ὡς μὴ δεόντως ἐπιτιμήσαντα τοῖς ἑαλωκόσι τῷ κακίᾳ, μόνου παρρησιαζομένου ἐν τῷ ἐκδικεῖν τοῦ λέγοντος Ωι μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν· ἀποδιδοὺς γὰρ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ εργα αὐτοῦ. 918 Ps 93,2 ̓Αναχθείη ταῦτα πάντα καὶ εἰς τὴν Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίαν. τότε γὰρ ἐπαρρησιάσατο ἀναμάρτητος ανθρωπος γεγονὼς καίτοι θεὸς ἐκδικήσεων κύριος ων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν γῆν εκρινεν ἁμαρτίας πλήρης αὐτὴν ἀποδείξας, αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίαν οὐ ποιήσας οὐδὲ γνοὺς ἁμαρτίαν· διὸ καὶ ἀνταπέδωκε τοῖς ὑπερφανήσασιν αὐτὸν Φαρισαίοις καὶ τοῖς ἀοράτοις ἐχθροῖς ἐπαρθεῖσιν ἐν τῷ σταυρῶσαι αὐτόν. 919 Ps 93,13b Πολλαχοῦ ὁ βόθρος ἀντὶ τῆς κολάσεως λέγεται, καθὰ ειρηται Καὶ ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς βόθρον ον εἰργάσατο. ἀπαρεμφάτως δὲ εἰρημένου τοῦ Εως ου ὀρυγῇ (οὐ γὰρ ειρηται ὑπὸ τίνος), παρίσταται ἐξ ἑτέρων γραφῶν οτι ὁ ὀρυσσόμενος τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ βόθρος οὐχ ὑπὸ αλλου ὀρύσσεται η ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐμπεσουμένου· Ωρυξαν γὰρ πρὸ προσώπου μου βόθρον καὶ ἐνέπεσον εἰς αὐτόν· καὶ τὸ ̔Ο ὀρύσσων τῷ πλησίον βόθρον ἐμπεσεῖται εἰς αὐτόν· καὶ Οτι ὁ δὲ αφρων ὀρύσσει ἑαυτῷ κακά, κακὰ λέγων τὰς κολάσεις εἰς ας ἐμπίπτουσιν οἱ δι' ἀφροσύνην ἁμαρτάνοντες. 920 Ps 93,20 Σὺ δημιουργὸς ἡμῶν ὑπάρχων κήδῃ καὶ φροντίζεις ἡμῶν, ω δέσποτα· οθεν ει τι πάρεστιν ἡμῖν ἀγαθόν, ισμεν αὐτὸ σὸν καὶ παρὰ σοῦ ειναι. ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ ὁρῶμεν φαύλους τινὰς κατὰ τῶν δικαίων φονῶντας καὶ ἀθῴους καταδικάζοντας, ἀναφθεγγόμεθα πρὸς σὲ μὴ ετερος θρόνος βασιλείας σύνεστί σοι η προσέσται σοι, οτι ταῦτα κατὰ τῶν σῶν θεραπόντων ἐπιτελεῖται, ἀλλ' οὐ πρόσεστί σοι ἀνομίας θρόνος· νόμον γὰρ τῶν πάντων βασιλέα ἀνέδειξας καθ' ον τὸ πᾶν διοικεῖται. καν τοίνυν παρανόμως αρχειν ἐπιχειροίη διάβολος ἀποστάτης τῶν προσταγμάτων τῶν σῶν γεγενημένος, οὐ σύνεστιν οὐδὲ προσέσται σοι, ἀλλ' ἀποστὰς καὶ μακράν σου γεγενημένος λῃστάρχου δίκην τυραννεῖ κατὰ τῶν ἑλομένων ὑπὸ τὴν ὠμότητα αὐτοῦ τυγχάνειν. θρόνος γὰρ ἀνομίας ἡ μετὰ τυραννίδος ἀρχή· οὐδὲν γὰρ ετερόν ἐστι τύραννος η παράνομος ἀρχή. διὸ καὶ ὠμότατος καὶ ἐπαχθὴς ων βαρέα καὶ ἐπίμοχθα προστάττει, φυλάττων τοῖς προστάγμασιν αὐτοῦ κόπον. ἀλλ' αἱ ἐντολαὶ σοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ βαρεῖαι οὐκ εἰσὶ κατὰ τὸν ̓Ιωάννην, οθεν καὶ ἀνωφερεῖς εἰσιν ὑψοῦσαι καὶ μετεωρίζουσαι τὸν μεταποιούμενον. 921 Ps 93,20.21 ∆υνατὸν δὲ καὶ ουτως ἐκλαβεῖν τὴν λέξιν· Σοῦ, δέσποτα, κοῦφα καὶ ἐλαφρὰ προστάττοντος, κόπους ἐπὶ τοῖς σοῖς προστάγμασι πλάττει ὁ τῆς ἀνομίας θρόνος, δειλίαν καὶ τοῖς ταχθεῖσι τἀναντία ὑποβάλλων τῇ διανοίᾳ. τοῦ γὰρ ὀρθοῦ λόγου προτρεπομένου ἐπὶ δικαιοσύνην ὡς ὠφέλιμον, τὴν ἀδικίαν ἀντιτίθησιν κέρδη καὶ πορισμοὺς τὰ ἐκ ταύτης προτείνων· πάλιν τοῦ λόγου ἐπ' ἀκτημοσύνην παρακαλοῦντος καὶ ἀμεριμνίαν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ τοιούτῳ προστάγματι πλάττει κόπον, δειλίας ἐνιεὶς λογισμὸν καὶ φόβου τοῦ μὴ ὑστερηθῆναι τῶν ἀναγκαίων νόσον καὶ γήρως καταλαβόντων. ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν αλλων προσταγμάτων τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ οντων βαρέων πλάττει κόπον βάρους φαντασίαν ὑποβάλλων. ̓Αναγνωστέον δὲ καὶ ουτως· Ω δέσποτα, ὁ πλάσσων ἐπὶ τοῖς σοῖς προστάγμασι κόπον ὡς μὴ διὰ τὸ ευκολον καταφρονῶνται· θέλεις γὰρ τοὺς προσερχομένους αὐτοῖς κατορθοῦν αὐτὰ σὺν ἱδρῶτι καὶ πόνῳ. ουτω γὰρ καρτερίαν καὶ ὑπομονὴν κτήσασθαι συμβαίνει· διὸ καὶ σωτηρία εψεται· ̔Ο γὰρ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, ουτος σωθήσεται. Οὐ συμπροσέσται σοι τυραννικὸς θρόνος· διὸ κώλυσον αὐτοὺς τῆς ὠμοτάτης καθ' ἡμῶν ὁρμῆς, καθ' ην δολερῶς θηρεύουσιν ἐπὶ