262

He showed power, having gifted us the wealth of the enemy. For not only did he free us from their outrage, but he also transferred their property into our homes. "The works of his hands are truth and judgment." And he did these things not unjustly, but very justly. For having nothing to accuse us of, they tried to destroy us completely. Therefore, he has delivered a true and just verdict against them. 8. "All his commandments are faithful; established for ever and ever, made in truth and uprightness." God, in legislating, promised his own goodwill to those who keep the law. This he also says here, that the promises concerning the keeping of the commandments are true, and those who choose to fulfill these 80.1780 continually enjoy his providence. For we, having genuinely supplicated him, were shown to be stronger than our enemies. For he has shown this through the things that follow. 9. "The Lord has sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for ever." For the promises of God have not only truth, but also endurance. "Holy and fearful is his name." For to those who believe, it is holy, and thrice-desired, and a gushing source of good things; but those who disbelieve, and live in lawlessness, he chastises and punishes. 10. "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord." Therefore it is necessary to fear and tremble before him. For this is the first element of divine teaching. For he calls wisdom not eloquence, but the knowledge of divine things. Therefore, fear is for beginners; for the perfect, the possession of love. "Good understanding have all they that do it." For knowledge is not sufficient for perfection, but contemplation needs action, and it is fitting for one deemed worthy of divine understanding to adorn knowledge with works, and through this to serve the provider of understanding. "His praise endures for ever and ever." He has also added this consequently, teaching that the lover of virtue himself acquires the gain from it. For God, even if no one wishes to praise him, has praise eternal and enduring. They say, however, that this psalm was written for the Hebrews alphabetically, and is composed according to the sequence of the letters. And the one after it is likewise composed.

INTERPRETATION OF PSALM 111. Alleluia. The inscription calls this psalm a hymn as well; a teaching

but it offers a teaching of piety to those who wish it. 1. "Blessed is the man that fears the Lord; he will delight greatly in his commandments." He who is adorned with this reverence, and is clothed in divine awe, turns all his counsel to the fulfillment of the divine oracles, and with all zeal hastens to fulfill them. Then he shows the fruit of such seeds. 2. "His seed shall be mighty upon the earth." For since this seemed most desirable to the men of that time, he promises this gift to those who keep the commandments. And indeed he gave it, through Abraham to Israel, and through David to his descendants, and through Israel to his offspring, and this even when they had become lawless. "The generation of the upright shall be blessed." For those who care for equity and justice will reap the fruits of the divine blessing. 80.1781 3. "Glory and wealth are in his house." And he makes these promises as to those who are still imperfect, and not able to hear of the things that are perfect. For the Lord Christ teaches the perfect the opposite, saying: "Possess neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor a bag for your journey, neither shoes, nor yet a staff." And again: "If any man does not forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. "And: "If you wish to be perfect, sell what you possess, and give to the poor." But nevertheless, while legislating these things, he promises and gives those other things to the imperfect. Thus to Solomon both wealth and

262

ἔδειξε δύναμιν, τὸν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῖν δωρησάμενος πλοῦτον. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἡμᾶς τῆς παρ' ἐκείνων ἠλευθέρωσε λώβης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων περιουσίαν εἰς τὰς ἡμετέρας μετατέθεικεν οἰκίας. "Ἔργα χειρῶν αὐτοῦ ἀλή θεια καὶ κρίσις." Οὐκ ἀδίκως δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν ἐνδίκως ταῦτα εἰργάσατο. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖν ἔχοντες, καταλῦσαι παντελῶς ἐπειράθησαν. Ἀληθῆ τοίνυν καὶ δικαίαν κατ' αὐτῶν ἐξενήνοχε ψῆφον. ηʹ. "Πισταὶ αἱ πᾶσαι ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ· ἐστηριγμέ ναι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, πεποιημέναι ἐν ἀλη θείᾳ καὶ εὐθύτητι." Νομοθετῶν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν οἰκείαν εὐμένειαν τοῖς φυλάττουσι τὸν νόμον ὑπέσχετο. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθά φησιν, ὅτι ἀψευδεῖς αἱ περὶ τῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν φυλακῆς ὑποσχέσεις, καὶ οἱ ταῦτα 80.1780 πληροῦν προαιρούμενοι τῆς αὐτοῦ προμηθείας δι ηνεκῶς ἀπολαύουσι. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς γνησίως αὐτὸν ἱκετεύσαντες κρείττους τῶν δυσμενῶν ἀπεφάνθημεν. Τοῦτο γὰρ διὰ τῶν ἐπαγομένων ἐδήλωσε. θʹ. "Λύτρωσιν ἀπέστειλε Κύριος τῷ λαῷ αὑ τοῦ, ἐνετείλατο εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαθήκην αὑτοῦ." Αἱ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑποσχέσεις οὐ μόνον τὸ ἀψευδὲς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ διαρκὲς ἔχουσιν. "Ἅγιον καὶ φοβερὸν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ." Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ πιστεύουσιν ἅγιον, καὶ τριπόθητον καὶ πηγάζον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν φοράν· τοὺς δὲ ἀπιστοῦντας, καὶ παρανομίᾳ συζῶντας, κο λάζει καὶ τιμωρεῖται. ιʹ. "Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου." Ἀναγκαῖον τοίνυν αὐτὸν δεδιέναι καὶ τρέμειν. Τοῦτο γὰρ πρῶ τον τῆς θείας διδασκαλίας στοιχεῖον. Σοφίαν γὰρ οὐ τὴν εὐγλωττίαν λέγει, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν θείων ἐπίγνω σιν. Εἰσαγωγικοῖς τοίνυν ὁ φόβος· τῶν δὲ τελείων τῆς ἀγάπης ἡ κτῆσις. "Σύνεσις δὲ ἀγαθὴ πᾶσι τοῖς ποιοῦσιν αὐτήν." Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ γὰρ εἰς τελείωσιν ἡ γνῶσις, ἀλλὰ χρῄζει ἡ θεωρία τῆς πράξεως, καὶ προσήκει τὸν τῆς θείας ἠξιωμένον συνέσεως τοῖς ἔργοις τὴν γνῶσιν κοσμεῖν, καὶ διὰ ταύτης θερα πεύειν τὸν τῆς συνέσεως χορηγόν. "Ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος." Ἀκολούθως καὶ τοῦτο προστέθεικε, διδάσκων ὡς ὁ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐραστὴς αὐτὸς τὸ ἐντεῦθεν πορίζεται κέρδος. Ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς, κἂν μηδεὶς ὑμνεῖν ἐθέλει, αἰώνιον ἔχει τὸν ὕμνον καὶ διαρκῆ. Τοῦτον μέντοι τὸν ψαλμὸν κατὰ στοιχεῖόν φασιν Ἑβραίοις γεγράφθαι, καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῶν στοιχείων ἀκολουθίαν συγκεῖσθαι. Καὶ ὁ μετ' αὐτὸν δὲ ὁμοίως σύγκειται.

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΡΙΑʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. Ἀλληλούϊα. Ὕμνον καλεῖ καὶ τοῦτον τὸν ψαλμὸν ἡ ἐπιγραφή· διδασκαλίαν

δὲ εὐσεβείας τοῖς βου λομένοις προσφέρει. αʹ. "Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον, ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ θελήσει σφόδρα." Ὁ ταύτῃ τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ κοσμούμενος, καὶ τὸ θεῖον περικείμενος δέος, πᾶσαν αὑτοῦ τὴν βουλὴν εἰς τὴν τῶν θείων λο γίων ἐκπλήρωσιν μετατίθησι, καὶ σὺν πάσῃ προθυ μίᾳ πληροῦν ταῦτα ἐπείγεται. Εἶτα δείκνυσι τὸν τῶν τοιούτων σπερμάτων καρπόν. βʹ. "∆υνατὸν ἐν τῇ γῇ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ." Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦτο ἀξιέραστον ἐδόκει τοῖς τηνικάδε ἀνθρώποις, τοῦτο τοῖς φυλάττουσι τὰς ἐντολὰς δώ σειν ὑπισχνεῖται τὸ δῶρον. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ἔδωκε, διὰ μὲν τὸν Ἀβραὰμ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, διὰ δὲ τὸν ∆αβὶδ τοῖς ἐξ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διὰ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῖς ἐκγόνοις, καὶ ταῦτα παρανόμοις γεγενημένοις. "Γενεὰ εὐ θέων εὐλογηθήσεται." Οἱ γὰρ ἰσότητος καὶ δικαιο σύνης ἐπιμελούμενοι τῆς θείας εὐλογίας δρέψονται τοὺς καρπούς. 80.1781 γʹ. "∆όξα καὶ πλοῦτος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ." Καὶ ταύτας ὡς πρὸς ἀτελεῖς ἔτι, καὶ τῶν τελείων ἐπαΐειν οὐ δυναμένους, ποιεῖται τὰς ὑποσχέσεις. Τοὺς γὰρ τελείους ὁ ∆εσπότης Χριστὸς τἀναντία διδάσκει, λέ γων· "Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν, μηδὲ ἄργυρον, μήτε χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν, μὴ πήραν εἰς ὁδὸν, μὴ ὑποδήματα, μηδὲ ῥάβδον." Καὶ πάλιν· "Ἐὰν μή τις ἀποτάξηται πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὑτοῦ, οὐ δύ ναταί μου εἶναι μαθητής. "Καί· "Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος γενέσθαι, πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτω χοῖς." Ἀλλ' ὅμως ταῦτα νομοθετῶν, ἐκεῖνα τοῖς ἀτε λέσι καὶ ὑπισχνεῖται, καὶ δίδωσιν. Οὕτω τῷ Σολο μῶντι καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ