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"Give your strength to your child; and save the son of your handmaid." For I am your servant, and the son of your handmaid; that is, from above and from my ancestors I am under your dominion; wherefore as a servant I ask for salvation from the Master. 17. "Work a sign with me for good." Some signs are of punishment, as in the case of the Egyptians; others are of salvation, as in the case of the Hebrews. For this reason the prophet also used the distinction, and did not simply ask for a sign, but for a good sign; that is, Work a sign for me bringing salvation, and by a miracle procuring for me an abundance of good things. [He also says for what reason he entreats that this sign be given to him.] "And let those who hate me see, and be ashamed; for you, Lord, have helped me, and have comforted me." For the malevolent, seeing the providence towards me, will be filled with shame, and will become a reproach among all. [Properly, however, God from God granted the cross as a good sign to the nations, by which he routed the common enemy and set up a trophy against demons and passions. Amen.]

INTERPRETATION OF THE 80TH PSALM. 1. "For the sons of Korah, a Psalm of a song." This psalm also foretells the salvation of the nations, and predicts the pious way of life, which the Lord Christ taught when he became man. "His foundations are in the holy mountains." The foundations of piety are the divine teachings; and the holy mountains, on which these foundations are fixed, are the apostles of our Savior. For concerning these the blessed Paul said: "Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone." And again: "Peter and James and John, who seemed to be pillars." And the Lord to Peter, after that true and divine confession: "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it." And again: "You are the light of the world; a city set on a mountain cannot be hidden." Upon these holy mountains the Lord Christ fixed the foundations of piety. 2. "The Lord loves the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob." And what this Zion is, let the divine Paul interpret: "You have come to 80.1564 Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels, in festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven." And again: "But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother." And concerning the patriarch Abraham, speaking in the epistle to the Hebrews, he added these things also: "For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." And again concerning the other saints: "For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. And if they had been mindful of that from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return; but as it is, they desire a better, that is, a heavenly one." We are taught, therefore, that there is a certain heavenly city, also named Jerusalem, not having towers, and enclosures, nor glittering with the sparkle of stones, but made brilliant by choirs of saints, and adorned by an angelic way of life. One would not err in calling the Churches on earth the gates of this city; for through them it is possible to enter into that one. For being instructed and trained in these, we are taught the way of life of that city. The prophetic word said that these gates are most lovely to the God of all, and are preferred to the Jewish tabernacles. 3. "Glorious things have been spoken of you, O city of God." The things prophesied concerning you are wonderful and marvelous, and surpassing all human expectation; and that what has been said in no way fits the lower Zion, what follows testifies. 4. "I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know me; and behold, foreigners and

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"∆ὸς τὸ κρά τος σου τῷ παιδί σου· καὶ σῶσον τὸν υἱὸν τῆς παι δίσκης σου." ∆οῦλός τε γάρ εἰμι σὸς, καὶ σῆς θερα παίνης υἱός· ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐκ προγόνων ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν δεσποτείαν τελῶ· διόπερ ὡς δοῦλος παρὰ ∆εσπότου τὴν σωτηρίαν αἰτῶ. ιζʹ. "Ποίησον μετ' ἐμοῦ σημεῖον εἰς ἀγαθόν." Τῶν σημείων τὰ μέν ἐστι τιμωρίας, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων· τὰ δὲ σωτηρίας, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν Ἑβραίων. ∆ιάτοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ προφήτης τῷ διορισμῷ προσεχρή σατο, καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς σημεῖον, ἀλλ' ἀγαθὸν σημεῖον ἐξῄτησεν· ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ποίησον σημεῖον ἐμοὶ φέρον τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τῇ θαυματουργίᾳ ἐμοὶ πραγματευό μενον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν φοράν. [Λέγει καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀντιβολεῖ δοθήσεσθαι αὐτῷ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦτο.] "Καὶ ἰδέτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντές με, καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν· ὅτι σὺ, Κύριε, ἐβοήθησάς μοι, καὶ παρεκάλεσάς με." Τὴν γὰρ εἰς ἐμὲ πρόνοιαν οἱ δυσμενεῖς θεώμενοι, αἰσχύνης ἀναπλησθήσονται, καὶ ἐπονείδιστοι παρὰ πᾶσι γενήσονται. [Κυρίως δὲ σημεῖον ἀγαθὸν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὁ ἐκ Θεοῦ Θεὸς τὸν σταυρὸν ἐχαρίσατο, δι' οὗ τὸν κοινὸν ἐχθρὸν ἐτροπώσατο καὶ τρόπαιον κατὰ δαιμόνων καὶ παθῶν ἔπηξεν. Ἀμήν.]

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ Πʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορὲ, Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς." Τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ οὗτος ὁ ψαλμὸς

προαγορεύει τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τὴν εὐσεβῆ πολιτείαν προλέγει, ἣν ὁ ∆εσπότης Χρι στὸς ἐνανθρωπήσας ἐδίδαξεν. "Οἱ θεμέλιοι αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τοῖς ἁγίοις." Θεμέλια τῆς εὐσεβείας, τὰ θεῖα παιδεύματα· Ὄρη δὲ ἅγια, ἐφ' ὧν ταῦτα πέ πηγε τὰ θεμέλια, οἱ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀπόστολοι. Περὶ τούτων γὰρ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος· "Ἐποικοδομηθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ὄντος ἀκρογωνιαίου αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χρι στοῦ." Καὶ πάλιν· "Πέτρος καὶ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ δοκοῦντες στύλοι εἶναι." Καὶ ὁ Κύριος τῷ Πέτρῳ, μετὰ τὴν ἀληθῆ καὶ θείαν ἐκείνην ὁμο λογίαν· "Σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς." Καὶ αὖθις· "Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη." Ἐπὶ τούτων τῶν ἁγίων ὀρῶν ὁ ∆εσπότης Χριστὸς κατέπηξε τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας θε μέλια. βʹ. "Ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος τὰς πύλας Σιὼν, ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ σκηνώματα Ἰακώβ." Τίς δὲ αὕτη ἡ Σιὼν, ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος ἑρμηνευέτω· "Προσεληλύθατε 80.1564 Σιὼν ὄρει, καὶ πόλει Θεοῦ ζῶντος, Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπ ουρανίῳ, καὶ μυριάσιν ἀγγέλων, πανηγύρει καὶ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐ ρανοῖς." Καὶ πάλιν· "Ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν, ἥ τίς ἐστι μήτηρ ἡμῶν." Καὶ περὶ τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἀβραὰμ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους διαλεγόμενος, καὶ ταῦτα προστέθεικεν· "Ἐξεδέχετο γὰρ τὴν τοὺς θεμελίους ἔχουσαν πόλιν, ἧς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεός." Καὶ αὖθις περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων· "Οἱ γὰρ τοιαῦτα λέγοντες ἐμφανί ζουσιν, ὅτι πατρίδα ἐπιζητοῦσι. Καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐκείνης μνημονεύουσιν, ἀφ' ἧς ἐξῆλθον, εἶχον ἂν καιρὸν ἀνα κάμψαι· νῦν δὲ κρείττονος ὀρέγονται, τουτέστιν ἐπ ουρανίου." ∆ιδασκόμεθα τοίνυν εἶναί τινα πόλιν ἐπ ουράνιον, καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὀνομαζομένην, οὐ πύρ γους ἔχουσαν, καὶ περιβόλους, οὐδὲ λίθων μαρμαρυ γαῖς ἀποστίλβουσαν, ἀλλὰ χοροῖς ἁγίων λαμπρυνο μένην, καὶ ἀγγελικῇ πολιτείᾳ καλλυνομένην. Ταύτης τῆς πόλεως οὐκ ἄν τις ἁμάρτοι πύλας προσ αγορεύσας τὰς ἐπὶ γῆς Ἐκκλησίας· διὰ τούτων γὰρ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς ἐκείνην δυνατόν. Ἐν ταύταις γὰρ παιδευόμενοι καὶ προγυμναζόμενοι, ἐκείνης τῆς πό λεως διδασκόμεθα πολιτείαν. Ταύτας ἔφη τὰς πύλας ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος ἐπεράστους εἶναι τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαικῶν σκηνωμάτων προτετιμῆσθαι. γʹ. "∆εδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περί σου, ἡ πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ." Θαυμαστά τινα καὶ παράδοξα τὰ περὶ σοῦ θεσπιζόμενα, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην ὑπερβαίνοντα προσδοκίαν· ὅτι δὲ οὐδαμῶς τῇ κάτω Σιὼν ἁρμόττει τὰ εἰρημένα, τὰ ἐπαγόμενα μαρτυρεῖ. δʹ. "Μνησθήσομαι Ῥαὰβ καὶ Βαβυλῶνος τοῖς γινώσκουσί με· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ