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"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except through me."

INTERPRETATION OF THE 85TH PSALM. "A prayer of David." The blessed David, according to the inscription,

offered the prayer to the Lord God, begging to receive some assistance. He prophesies also the attack of the Assyrians against Jerusalem, and the hope of Hezekiah in God. And he foretells the calling of all the nations, and their salvation. 1. "Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and needy." The beginning of the prayer is of a humble mind. For both possessing the wealth of righteousness, both the divine David and the wonderful Hezekiah, did not see this, but looked upon the poverty of their nature, and entreated God to pity it, yoked as it was with poverty. The phrase, "Incline your ear, O Lord," he has put metaphorically, from a sick person who, because of weakness, is unable to speak more loudly, and forces the physician to incline his hearing to his mouth. 2. "Preserve my soul, for I am holy." The Prophet did not say contradictory things, calling himself poor and at the same time holy; but since both this one and that 80.1556 one had unjust and lawless enemies, having been wronged in nothing by them, but who were eager for an unjust slaughter. And he called both himself and Hezekiah holy, as having given no cause to their enemies. And what he says is this: I am poor and needy when judged by myself, and I have no abundance of virtue; however, when compared to my enemies, I will be shown to be holy. For they are impious and lawless; but I have the knowledge of you; and they attack unjustly; but I am receiving the unjust attack. [And he might say these things even up to the present and for all of life, who, contrary to what seems just to him, is warred against by those who wish to do wrong. Rightly therefore having this, he said through the following:] "Save your servant, O my God, who hopes in you." I have hoped in you, Master, save me; give in return for hope, salvation. 3. "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I will cry to you all the day." Grant me, Master, your love for mankind; for I continually proclaim your mercy. For 'all the day' Symmachus has said 'every day.' 4. "Gladden the soul of your servant;" [And for what reason does he say:] "For to you have I lifted up my soul." Release the despondency of the one who embraces your service, and grant gladness to a soul inclining toward you [and awaiting your mercy]. 5. "For you, Lord, are good, and gentle, and of great mercy to all who call upon you." You are by nature good, and a lover of mankind, and you supply the springs of mercy to those in need. And for 'gentle,' Aquila and Theodotion have said 'propitiatory'. And gentleness, therefore, hints at long-suffering. 6. "Give ear, O God, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplication." Since you use, therefore, so much goodness, graciously receive my supplication. [At the same time he also indicated through the following words the time in which he entreated the supplication to be acceptable]. 7. "In the day of my affliction I cried to you, for you heard me." Having experience of your gentleness, I offer my supplication; for already when I entreated you, you granted my request. 8. "There is no one like you among the gods, O Lord, and there is nothing according to your works." Since the impious Rabshakeh used those boastful words: "Were the gods of the nations able, each to deliver 80.1557 his own country from my hand, that the Lord will deliver Jerusalem from my hand?" Therefore the prophecy teaches Hezekiah to cry out: "There is no one like you among the gods, O Lord, and there is nothing according to your works." For they have a name devoid of reality, and having plundered this

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"Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ὁδὸς, καὶ ἡ ἀλή θεια καὶ ἡ ζωή· οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, εἰ μὴ δι' ἐμοῦ."

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΠΕʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. "Προσευχὴ τῷ ∆αβίδ." Ὁ μὲν μακάριος ∆αβὶδ, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν,

προσενήνοχε τὴν προσευχὴν τῷ ∆εσπότῃ Θεῷ, ἐπικουρίας τινὸς ἀπολαῦσαι δεό μενος. Προθεσπίζει δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἀσσυρίων τὴν κατὰ τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ προσβολὴν, καὶ τοῦ Ἐζεκίου δὲ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐλπίδα. Προαγορεύει δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων τὴν κλῆσιν, καὶ σωτη ρίαν. αʹ. "Κλῖνον, Κύριε, τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἐπάκουσόν μου, ὅτι πτωχὸς καὶ πένης εἰμὶ ἐγώ." Ταπεινοῦ φρονήματος τῆς προσευχῆς τὸ προοίμιον. Τῆς γὰρ δικαιοσύνης ἄμφω κεκτημένοι τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος ∆αβὶδ, καὶ ὁ θαυμάσιος Ἐζεκίας, τοῦ τον μὲν οὐχ ἑώρων, εἰς δὲ τὴν τῆς φύσεως πενίαν ἐπέβλεπον, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἠντιβόλουν οἰκτεῖραι ταύ την πτωχείᾳ συνεζευγμένην. Τὸ δὲ, "Κλῖνον, Κύριε, τὸ οὖς σου," ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τέθεικεν ἀῤ ῥώστου τινὸς ὑπ' ἀσθενείας γεγωνότερον οὐ δυναμένου λαλεῖν, καὶ τὸν ἰατρὸν προσκλίνειν τῷ στόματι τὴν ἀκοὴν ἀναγκάζοντος. βʹ. "Φύλαξον τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι ὅσιός εἰμι." Οὐκ ἐναντία ὁ Προφήτης ἐφθέγξατο, πτωχὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ ὅσιον ὀνομάσας· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ οὗτος κἀκεῖ 80.1556 νος πολεμίους εἶχον ἀδίκους καὶ παρανόμους, οὐδὲν μὲν παρ' αὐτῶν ἠδικημένους, ἀδίκου δὲ σφαγῆς ἐφιεμένους. Ὅσιον δὲ καὶ ἑαυτὸν καὶ τὸν Ἐζεκίαν ὠνόμασεν, οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν δεδωκότας τοῖς πολε μίοις. Ὃ δὲ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· Πτωχός εἰμι καὶ πένης κατ' ἐμαυτὸν κρινόμενος, καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἀρε τῆς ἔχω περιουσίαν· τοῖς μέντοι πολεμίοις παρα βαλλόμενος, ὅσιος ἀποφανθήσομαι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δυσ σεβεῖς καὶ παράνομοι· ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν σὴν ἐπίγνωσιν ἔχω· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀδίκως ἐπίασιν· ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν ἄδικον προσδέχομαι προσβολήν. [Ταῦτα δ' ἂν εἴποι καὶ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος καὶ παντὸς βίου ὁ παρὰ τὸ δο κοῦν αὐτῷ τῷ δικαίῳ πολεμούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδικεῖν ἐθελόντων. Καλῶς οὖν ἔχων διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς ἔφησε·] "Σῶσον τὸν δοῦλόν σου, ὁ Θεός μου, τὸν ἐλπίζοντα ἐπὶ σέ." Ἐγὼ ἤλπισά σοι, ∆έσποτα, σῶσον· δὸς τῇ ἐλπίδι τῆς σωτηρίας ἀντίδοσιν. γʹ. "Ἐλέησόν με, Κύριε, ὅτι πρός σε κεκράξομαι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν." Τὴν σήν μοι, ∆έσποτα, φιλαν θρωπίαν παράσχου· διηνεκῶς γὰρ τὸν σὸν ἔλεον ἐπαγγέλλω. Τὸ γὰρ ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν Σύμμαχος καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἴρηκεν. δʹ. "Εὔφρανον τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ δούλου σου· [Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν λέγει.] "Ὅτι πρὸς σὲ ᾖρα τὴν ψυχήν μου." Λῦσον τὴν ἀθυμίαν τῷ τὴν σὴν δουλείαν ἀσπαζο μένῳ, καὶ παράσχου θυμηδίαν ψυχῇ πρός σε νευούσῃ [καὶ τὸν σὸν ἔλεον προσμενούσῃ]. εʹ. "Ὅτι σὺ, Κύριε, χρηστὸς, καὶ ἐπιεικὴς, καὶ πολυέλεος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις σε." Πέφυκας ἀγαθὸς, καὶ φιλάνθρωπος, καὶ χορηγεῖς τοῖς δεο μένοις τὰς τοῦ ἐλέου πηγάς. Τὸ δὲ ἐπιεικὴς Ἀκύλας καὶ Θεοδοτίων ἱλαστὴς εἰρήκασι. Καὶ ἡ ἐπιείκεια τοίνυν τὴν μακροθυμίαν αἰνίττεται. ʹ. "Ἐνώτισαι ὁ Θεὸς τὴν προσευχήν μου· καὶ πρόσχες τῇ φωνῇ τῆς δεήσεώς μου." Τοσαύ τῃ τοίνυν ἀγαθότητι χρώμενος, εὐμενῶς μου δέξαι τὴν δέησιν. [Ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἐσή μανε διὰ τῶν ἑξῆς, ἐν ᾧ ἠντιβόλει τὴν ἱκετείαν δε κτὴν γενέσθαι]. ζʹ. "Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς μου ἐκέκραξα πρὸς σὲ, ὅτι ἐπήκουσάς μου." Πεῖραν ἔχων τῆς σῆς ἡμερότητος, προσφέρω τὴν ἱκετείαν· καὶ ἤδη γὰρ ἀντιβολήσαντί μοι τὴν αἴτησιν ἔδωκας. ηʹ. "Οὐκ ἔστιν ὅμοιός σοι ἐν θεοῖς, Κύριε, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ τὰ ἔργα σου." Ἐπειδὴ Ῥαψάκης ὁ δυσσεβὴς τοῖς ἀλαζονικοῖς ἐκείνοις ἐχρήσατο λόγοις· "Μὴ ἠδυ νήθησαν οἱ θεοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἕκαστος ῥύσασθαι τὴν 80.1557 ἑαυτοῦ χώραν ἐκ χειρός μου, ὅτι ῥύσεται Κύριος τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐκ χειρός μου;" διδάσκει τοίνυν Ἐζεκίαν ἡ προφητεία βοᾷν· "Οὐκ ἔστιν ὅμοιός σοι ἐν θεοῖς, Κύριε, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ τὰ ἔργα σου." Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ πράγματος ἔρημον ἔχουσιν ὄνο μα, καὶ τοῦτο δὲ συλήσαντες