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of piety they pray that the fear of God come to be in all men, even those who dwell to the ends of the earth; which indeed was fulfilled after the theophany of our Savior, after which the sound of his apostles went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the inhabited world. And concerning these ends of the earth it was said also in the preceding psalms: "Hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off at sea. FOR THE END. A PSALM OF A SONG FOR DAVID. 67. "Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, and let those who hate him flee from his presence." The three in succession before the one at hand proclaimed the calling of the gentiles; of which the 64th was inscribed "A psalm of a song" "For David;" the next, "A song of a psalm;" and the third, "In hymns, a psalm of a song." Therefore it is fitting that the psalm at hand, being evangelical itself, and containing a prophecy not only about the calling of the gentiles, but also about the Savior himself, is inscribed "for the end 23.680 for David," and "a psalm of a song," like those before it. For it was necessary that the words which promised good things should not only be called psalms, but at the same time and in the same way psalms of songs and songs of psalms, and be referred "to the end;" since the things prophesied in them were to be fulfilled after a long time at the consummation of the age. And it is spoken by the prophetic Spirit from the person of the apostles. Therefore, just as in the preceding psalms they prayed for themselves, calling upon God as a helper for the evangelical preaching, in the same way in the present psalm the same ones proceed, saying: "Blessed be the Lord day by day; the God of our salvation will prosper us;" and again: "Command, O God, your strength; strengthen, O God, this which you have wrought for us." For you see how they pray to be prospered by God and to be strengthened so as to complete the course of the Gospel without hindrance. And they clearly mention the evangelical preaching, saying: "The Lord will give a word to those who preach the gospel with great power;" but they also prophesy to whom they were to preach the Gospel in what they say: "Ambassadors shall come from Egypt; Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hand to God." For through these words they clearly evangelize Egypt, alluding to the idolaters; since idolatry began from Egypt. But they also say that Ethiopia will hasten to stretch out her hand to God, indicating the ends of the inhabited world. Then, in order, they call together all the kingdoms of the earth, all the nations being signified in this way. And so that the things prophesied through words might at last also proceed through deeds, the prophetic Spirit, beginning, sends up a prayer through David, saying: "Let the Lord arise, and let his enemies be scattered." For terrible enemies of God formerly tyrannized over all on earth, the wicked demons who established the polytheistic error throughout the entire inhabited world. And there was no one to defend against the evils, not a wise man, not a just one, not a prophet; nor any of the angels or holy spirits, or of the divine powers in heaven. Wherefore he exhorts God himself to arise, and to be roused from his royal throne. For the providence of God is said to be at rest and quiet and as it were reposing, whenever in the richness of his goodness and long-suffering he bears with those who sin and are impious toward him; but to be moved and to arise, whenever he goes forth to execute vengeances upon sinners. Therefore, that the aforementioned might at last cease from their dominions over men
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θεοσεβείας τὸν φόβον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγγενέσθαι πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τοῖς καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων τῆς γῆς οἰκοῦσιν ἐπεύχονται· ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπληροῦτο μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοφάνειαν, μεθ' ἣν εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος τῶν ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν. Περὶ τούτων δὲ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς καὶ διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐλέγετο· «Ἐπάκουσον ἡμῶν, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, ἡ ἐλπὶς πάντων τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς καὶ τῶν ἐν θαλάσσῃ μακράν. ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΤΕΛΟΣ ΤΩ ∆ΑΥΙ∆ ΨΑΛΜΟΣ Ω∆ΗΣ ΞΖʹ. «Ἀναστήτω ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ διασκορπισθήτωσαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ φυγέτωσαν ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ οἱ μισοῦντες αὐτόν.» Οἱ μὲν πρὸ τοῦ μετὰ χεῖρας τρεῖς ἐφεξῆς τὴν κλῆσιν τῶν ἐθνῶν προεφώνουν· ὧν ὁ μὲν ξδʹ «Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς» ἐπεγέγραπτο «Τῷ ∆αυΐδ·» ὁ δ' ἑπόμενος «Ὠδὴ ψαλμοῦ·» ὁ δὲ τρίτος «Ἐν ὕμνοις ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς.» Εἰκότως τοιγαροῦν καὶ ὁ μετὰ χεῖρας, εὐαγγελικὸς ὢν καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ οὐ περὶ τῆς κλήσεως τῶν ἐθνῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος αὐτοῦ προφητείαν περιέχων, «εἰς τὸ τέλος 23.680 τῷ ∆αυῒδ» ἐπιγέγραπται, καὶ «ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς» ὁμοίως τοῖς πρὸ αὐτοῦ. Ἔδει γὰρ τοὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐπαγγελτικοὺς λόγους μὴ μόνον ψαλμοὺς, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ ψαλμοὺς ᾠδῶν καὶ ᾠδὰς ψαλμῶν ὀνομάζεσθαι καὶ «εἰς τὸ τέλος» ἀναπέμπειν· ὡς ἂν μακροῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος μελλόντων πληροῦσθαι τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς θεσπιζομένων. Λέλεκται δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ προφητικοῦ Πνεύματος ἐκ προσώπου τῶν ἀποστόλων. Ὥσπερ οὖν διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἐπηύχοντο ἑαυτοῖς ἀνακαλούμενοι Θεὸν συνεργὸν εἰς τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν κήρυγμα, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον καὶ ἐν τοῖς προκειμένοις οἱ αὐτοὶ προϊόντες, φασίν· «Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ἡμέραν καθ' ἡμέραν· κατευοδώσει ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς τῶν σωτηρίων ἡμῶν·» καὶ πάλιν· «Ἔντειλαι, ὁ Θεὸς, τὴν δύναμίν σου· δυνάμωσον, ὁ Θεὸς, τοῦτο ὃ κατειργάσω ἡμῖν.» Ὁρᾷς γὰρ ὅπως κατευοδωθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ δυναμωθῆναι εἰς τὸ ἀκωλύτως τὸν δρόμον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τελειῶσαι εὔχονται. Μέμνηνται δὲ σαφῶς καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ κηρύγματος λέγοντες· «Κύριος δώσει ῥῆμα τοῖς εὐαγγελιζομένοις δυνάμει πολλῇ·» ἀλλὰ καὶ τίσιν ἤμελλον κηρύττειν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον θεσπίζουσιν ἐν οἷς φασιν· «Ἥξουσι πρέσβεις ἐξ Αἰγύπτου· Αἰθιοπία προφθάσει χεῖρα αὐτῆς τῷ Θεῷ.» Σαφῶς γὰρ διὰ τούτων Αἴγυπτον εὐαγγελίζονται, τοὺς εἰδωλολάτρας αἰνιττόμενοι· ἐπεὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου κατήρξατο ἡ εἰδωλολατρεία. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν Αἰθιοπίαν προφθάσαι χεῖρα αὐτῆς τῷ Θεῷ φασι, τὰ ἔσχατα τῆς οἰκουμένης δηλοῦντες. Εἶθ' ἑξῆς τὰς βασιλείας τῆς γῆς πάσας ἀθρόως συγκαλοῦσι, τῶν ἐθνῶν ἁπάντων τοῦτον σημαινομένων τὸν τρόπον. Ἵνα δὲ τὰ διὰ τῶν λόγων προφητευόμενα ἤδη ποτὲ καὶ δι' ἔργων χωρήσῃ, ἀρχόμενον τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ προφητικὸν, διὰ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ εὐχὴν ἀναπέμπει λέγον· «Ἀναστήτω ὁ Κύριος, καὶ διασκορπισθήτωσαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ.» ∆εινοὶ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατετυράννουν πάλαι πρότερον τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ἁπάντων, οἱ τὴν πολύθεον πλάνην καθ' ὅλης τῆς οἰκουμένης συστησάμενοι πονηροὶ δαίμονες. Οὐδείς τε ἦν ἐπαμύνων τοῖς κακοῖς, οὐ σοφὸς ἀνὴρ, οὐ δίκαιος, οὐ προφήτης· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀγγέλων τις ἢ πνευμάτων ἁγίων, ἢ τῶν κατ' οὐρανὸν θείων δυνάμεων. ∆ιὸ δὴ αὐτὸν ἀναστῆναι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ διεγερθῆναι θρόνου παρακαλεῖ. Ἠρεμεῖν μὲν καὶ ἡσυχάζειν καὶ ὥσπερ διαναπαύεσθαι τὰ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας λέγεται, ἐπειδὰν τῷ πλούτῳ τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ φέρῃ τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀσεβοῦντας· τὸ δὲ κινεῖσθαι καὶ διανίστασθαι, ἐπειδὰν τὰς ἐκδικήσεις ποιῆσαι ἐπεξιὼν τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν. Ἵν' οὖν ἤδη ποτὲ παύσωνται ταῖς κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δυναστείαις οἱ προλεχθέντες