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of the temple. For he called the temple the sanctuary of God. But Symmachus said dwelling for sanctuary. From this the entire hypothesis of the psalm has become clear. For since, upon returning, they rebuilt the temple, and all the legal worship was performed through it; for without it, it was not possible to worship according to the law; and because of their polity according to the law, their neighbors were hostile to the Jews; they made every assault against the temple, so that with it they might also bring an end to the nation and the worship according to the law. 14. "O my God, make them like a wheel." Instead of, "Command them to be spun about in all kinds of calamities, and encompass them with successive evils." "As stubble before the wind." Scatter them like stubble tossed by the wind. 15-16. "As a fire that will burn up a forest, as a flame that will consume mountains, so you will pursue them with your tempest, and in your wrath you will trouble 80.1537 them." In forests a flame is kindled automatically when the trees are moved by a rather strong wind, and are rubbed against each other, and by the friction produce heat, and little by little are set on fire by each other. Similarly, therefore, they beseech that these also be consumed by one another, and be given over to their own transgressions, according to the prophecy which says: "Walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame which you have kindled." 17. "Fill their faces with dishonor; and they will seek your name, O Lord." For having failed in what they wish, and being filled with shame, they will recognize your power. 18, 19. "Let them be ashamed, and let them be troubled for ever and ever; and let them be confounded, and let them perish. And let them know that your name is Lord; you alone are Most High over all the earth." Even while being warred against, they ask for good things for their enemies. For they beseech that they, instead of their insolence, be clothed with shame; and through shame, that they might reap divine knowledge; and be delivered from the error of idols, and learn by experience that he alone is both God and Master, dwelling in the heights, and watching over the lowly, and governing and ruling all creation, [whose salvation was wrought by God from God, the only-begotten Son, after his incomprehensible incarnation.]

INTERPRETATION OF THE 83RD PSALM. 1. "For the winepresses, for the sons of Kore." The prophecy of the psalm is twofold.

For it foretells not only the recalling of the Jews but also the salvation of the entire inhabited world. But winepresses, as we have already said before, it calls the Churches. For in these the spiritual vineyard also offers its proper fruit, and we produce the saving wine, which truly gladdens the hearts of those who have believed. 2, 3. "How beloved are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. My soul longs, and faints for the courts of the Lord." Those living in Babylon were also taught to say these things, so that they might long for the return, and desire the worship according to the law. And indeed we also, who have obtained salvation, and who reap benefit from the divine enclosures. But the prophecy especially pertains to us. For it foretells that there will be many tabernacles, and it names many winepresses, and likewise it makes mention of many altars. But the Jews had one temple, and likewise one altar. 80.1540 Indeed each of the aforementioned words kindles the mind to divine love. For it says that the tabernacles of God are beloved and worthy of love, and not simply to long, but even to faint for the courts of the Lord. And what comes after this is in agreement with these things. "My heart and my flesh have exulted in the living God." And not only does the soul rejoice and exult, but the body also has partaken of the gladness, having received the hope of the resurrection. For the word hints at this. For this reason he also called God living, as of life

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ναοῦ. Ἁγιαστήριον γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν ναὸν προσηγόρευ σεν. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος τὸ ἁγιαστήριον δίαιταν εἴρη κεν. Ἐντεῦθεν δήλη γέγονε πᾶσα τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ἡ ὑπόθεσις. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐπανελθόντες ἀνῳκοδόμησαν τὸν νεὼν, πᾶσα δὲ ἡ νομικὴ λατρεία διὰ τούτου ἐπετελεῖτο· τούτου γὰρ δίχα λατρεύειν οὐκ ἦν κατὰ νόμον· διὰ δὲ τὴν κατὰ νόμον πολιτείαν ἀπηχθάνοντο πρὸς Ἰουδαίους οἱ ἀστυγείτονες· κατὰ τοῦ ναοῦ πᾶσαν ἐποιήσαντο τὴν ὁρμὴν, ὥστε σὺν τούτῳ καὶ τὸ ἔθνος, καὶ τὴν κατὰ νόμον καταπαῦσαι λα τρείαν. ιδʹ. "Ὁ Θεός μου, θοῦ αὐτοὺς ὡς τροχόν." Ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἐν συμφοραῖς αὐτοὺς παντοδαπαῖς περιστρέφεσθαι κέλευσον, καὶ κακοῖς ἐπαλλήλοις περί βαλλε. "Ὡς καλάμην κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀνέμου." Σκέδασον αὐτοὺς δίκην καλάμης ὑπὸ ἀνέμου ῥιπι ζομένης. ιεʹ ιʹ. "Ὡς πῦρ, ὃ διαφλέξει δρυμὸν ὡσεὶ φλὸξ ἣ κατακαύσει ὄρη, οὕτως καταδιώξεις αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ καταιγίδι σου, καὶ ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ σοῦ ταρά 80.1537 ξεις αὐτούς." Ἐν τοῖς δρυμοῖς αὐτομάτως ἐξάπτεται φλὸξ, τῶν δένδρων ὑπὸ σφοδροτέρου πνεύματος κινουμένων, καὶ ἀλλήλοις συντριβομένων, καὶ τῇ τρίψει τὸ θάλπος ἐργαζομένων, καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν δι' ἀλλήλων ἐξαπτομένων. Παραπλησίως τοί νυν καὶ τούτους ἱκετεύουσιν ὑπ' ἀλλήλων ἀναλωθῆ ναι, καὶ ταῖς οἰκείαις ἐκδοθῆναι παρανομίαις, κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν τὴν λέγουσαν· "Πορεύεσθε τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ πυρὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ τῇ φλογὶ ᾗ ἐξεκαύσατε." ιζʹ. "Πλήρωσον τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ἀτιμίας· καὶ ζητήσουσι τὸ ὄνομά σου, Κύριε." ∆ιαμαρτόντες γὰρ ὧν βούλονται, καὶ αἰσχύνης ἐμπλησθέντες, ἐπιγνώ σονταί σου τὴν δύναμιν. ιηʹ, ιθʹ. "Αἰσχυνθήτωσαν, καὶ ταραχθήτωσαν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος· καὶ ἐντραπήτωσαν, καὶ ἀπολέσθωσαν. Καὶ γνώτωσαν ὅτι ὄνομά σοι Κύριος· σὺ μόνος Ὕψιστος ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν." Ἀγαθὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς αἰτοῦσι καὶ πολεμούμενοι. Ἱκετεύουσι γὰρ αὐτοὺς, ἀντὶ μὲν τῆς θρασύτητος αἰσχύνῃ περι βληθῆναι· διὰ δὲ τῆς αἰσχύνης καρπώσασθαι τὴν θείαν ἐπίγνωσιν· καὶ τῆς μὲν τῶν εἰδώλων πλάνης ἀπαλλαγῆναι, μαθεῖν δὲ τῇ πείρᾳ, ὡς αὐτός ἐστι μόνος καὶ Θεὸς καὶ ∆εσπότης, ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν, καὶ πᾶσαν κυβερνῶν καὶ πρυτανεύων τὴν κτίσιν, [ἧς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἐπραγματεύσατο ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Θεὸς, ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς μετὰ τὴν ἀκατάληπτον αὐτοῦ ἐνανθρώπησιν.]

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΠΓʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν, τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορέ." ∆ιπλῆ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ἡ προφητεία.

Προαγορεύει γὰρ οὐ μόνον τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἀνάκλησιν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ληνοὺς δὲ, ὡς καὶ ἤδη προειρήκαμεν, τὰς Ἐκκλησίας καλεῖ. Ἐν ταύταις γὰρ καὶ ὁ πνευματικὸς ἀμπελὼν τὸν οἰκεῖον προσφέρει καρπὸν, καὶ τὸν σωτήριον κατασκευάζομεν οἶνον, τὸν ἀληθῶς εὐφραίνοντα τῶν πεπιστευκότων τὰς καρδίας. βʹ, γʹ. "Ὡς ἀγαπητὰ τὰ σκηνώματά σου, Κύριε τῶν δυνάμεων. Ἐπιποθεῖ, καὶ ἐκλείπει ἡ ψυχή μου εἰς τὰς αὐλὰς τοῦ Κυρίου." Ταῦτα καὶ οἱ ἐν Βαβυ λῶνι διάγοντες ἐδιδάχθησαν λέγειν, ἵνα ποθήσωσι τὴν ἐπάνοδον, καὶ τῆς κατὰ νόμον ὀρεχθῶσιν λα τρείας. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἡμεῖς, οἱ τῆς σωτηρίας τετυχηκότες, καὶ ἐκ τῶν θείων σηκῶν τὴν ὠφέ λειαν καρπούμενοι. ∆ιαφερόντως δὲ ἡμῖν ἡ προφητεία προσήκει. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἔσεσθαι προλέγει σκηνώματα, καὶ πολλὰς ὀνομάζει ληνοὺς, καὶ θυσια στηρίων ὡσαύτως μνημονεύει πολλῶν. Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ ἕνα εἶχον νεὼν, καὶ ἓν ὁμοίως θυσιαστήριον. 80.1540 Ἑκάστη μὲν τῶν εἰρημένων λέξις εἰς ἔρωτα θεῖον πυρσεύει τὴν γνώμην. Ἀγαπητὰ μὲν γὰρ λέγει, καὶ ἀξιέραστα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ σκηνώματα, οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ ποθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκλείπειν εἰς τὰς αὐλὰς τοῦ Κυρίου. Σύμφωνα δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα. "Ἡ καρδία μου καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου ἠγαλλιά σαντο ἐπὶ Θεὸν ζῶντα." Οὐχ ἡ ψυχὴ δὲ μόνη γάννυται, καὶ ἀγάλλεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ σῶμα κεκοι νώνηκε τῆς θυμηδίας, δεξάμενον τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ λόγος αἰνίττεται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ζῶντα τὸν Θεὸν προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς ζωῆς