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ON THE 120TH PSALM. A song of the ascents. Another, A song for the ascents. I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence my help shall come. Another, I lift up my eyes to the mountains, from whence my help shall come. 1. See a soul perplexed and at a loss, as being in the midst of evils, and wishing to obtain consolation, looking to God. This again is an achievement of temptations, and a gain, giving it wings and rousing it, and making it seek the help from above, and cutting it off from all worldly things. For if the Jews, who were coarse and nailed to the earth, from the hardship of captivity became so earnest, and looked to heaven; much more would we be right to do this in our circumstances, and to take refuge in God, we who are required to have a greater exactness than they. For since they were then confined in the midst of their enemies, and had no city, no wall, no tower, no weapons, no human alliance, no abundance of money, nor anything else of the sort, but were captives and slaves living among masters and enemies alike; and pressed by the greatness of their misfortunes they fled to the invincible hand, and being destitute of human things, from this destitution they began to philosophize. Therefore they also said: I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence my help shall come. All things from men have been abandoned, all are gone, all are out of the way; one salvation, he says, is left, that from God. My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Have you seen them seeking God everywhere? From the earth, from the heaven, from the mountains, from the wilderness, imagining him everywhere? have you seen their mind becoming more exalted, and them proclaiming his providence extended everywhere? For he did not simply add, Who made heaven and earth; but reasoning enigmatically and saying this: If he made heaven and earth, he is able also to help in a foreign land, and everywhere, and in a barbarian land to stretch out a hand, and to save those cast out from their fatherland. For if he produced these elements by word alone, much more will he be able to deliver us from the barbarians. Do you see how they philosophize who were more senseless than stones, while living in a foreign land? For no longer do they remember a temple, but heaven and earth. See how they proclaim both the creation and the wisdom of God, and his providence. For they who before this said to the wood, You are my God, and to the stone, You 55.345 begat me, now recognize the creator of the world. My help is from the Lord, not from men, nor from horses, nor from money, nor from allies, nor from walls. Our help is from the Lord; this alliance is unconquerable, this help is invincible; and not only invincible, but also ready and easy. For it is not necessary to walk a long road, nor to flatter doorkeepers, nor to spend money, nor to send an embassy, but while remaining at home it is possible to draw down this support, only if one removes himself from human things, clings to that hope, and has a sharp eye, and looks on high. For this reason also God made the frame of this animal alone upright, and placed the eyes high up in the flesh, teaching also from perceptible things, that it is necessary to look toward the height. For this animal alone is so formed; but the others

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ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΡΚʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Ἄλλος, Ἆσμα εἰς τὰς ἀναβάσεις. Ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου εἰς τὰ ὄρη, ὅθεν ἥξει ἡ βοήθειά μου. Ἕτερος, Αἴρω ὀφθαλμούς μου εἰς τὰ ὄρη, ὅθεν ἥξει ἡ βοήθειά μου. αʹ. Ὅρα ψυχὴν ἀπορουμένην καὶ ἀμηχανοῦσαν, ὡς ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς οὖσαν, καὶ βουλομένην τυχεῖν παραμυθίας πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀφορῶσαν. Τοῦτο πάλιν κατόρθωμα, τῶν πειρασμῶν, καὶ κέρδος πτεροῦν αὐτὴν καὶ διεγεῖρον, καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν ποιοῦν ἐπιζητεῖν ῥοπὴν, καὶ τῶν βιωτικῶν ἀποτέμνον ἁπάντων. Εἰ γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι, οἱ παχεῖς καὶ τῇ γῇ προσηλωμένοι, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ταλαιπωρίας οὕτως ἐγίνοντο σπουδαῖοι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἔβλεπον· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς δίκαιοι ἂν εἴημεν τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἐν ταῖς περιστάσεσι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καταφεύγειν, οἱ πλείονα ἐκείνων ἀκρίβειαν ἀπαιτούμενοι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τότε ἐν μέσοις ἦσαν ἀπειλημμένοι τοῖς πολεμίοις, καὶ οὐ πόλις αὐτοῖς ἦν, οὐ τεῖχος, οὐ πύργος, οὐχ ὅπλα, οὐ συμμαχία ἀνθρωπίνη, οὐ χρημάτων περιουσία, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν, ἀλλ' αἰχμάλωτοι καὶ δοῦλοι μεταξὺ δεσποτῶν ὁμοῦ καὶ πολεμίων ἀνεστρέφοντο· τῷ μεγέθει δὲ τῶν συμφορῶν πιεζόμενοι πρὸς τὴν ἄμαχον κατέφυγον χεῖρα, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐρημωθέντες, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρημίας ταύτης ἐπὶ τὸ φιλοσοφεῖν ἤρχοντο. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἔλεγον· Ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου εἰς τὰ ὄρη, ὅθεν ἥξει ἡ βοήθειά μου. Τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πάντα ἐγκαταλέλειπται, πάντα φροῦδα, πάντα ἐκποδών· μία λοιπὸν ὑπολέλειπται σωτηρία, φησὶν, ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἡ βοήθειά μου παρὰ Κυρίου τοῦ ποιήσαντος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. Εἶδες τὸν Θεὸν πανταχοῦ ἐπιζητοῦντας; ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρημίας, πανταχοῦ αὐτὸν φανταζομένους; εἶδες αὐτῶν τὴν διάνοιαν ὑψηλοτέραν γινομένην, καὶ τὴν πανταχοῦ πρόνοιαν αὐτοῦ ἐκτεταμένην ἀνακηρύττοντας; Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς προσέθηκε, Τοῦ ποιήσαντος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν· ἀλλὰ συλλογιζόμενος αἰνιγματωδῶς τοῦτο καὶ λέγων· Εἰ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν ἐποίησε, δύναται καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ βοηθῆσαι, καὶ πανταχοῦ, καὶ ἐν βαρβάρῳ χεῖρα ὀρέξαι, καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἐκπεσόντας διασῶσαι. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ στοιχεῖα ταῦτα λόγῳ μόνῳ παρήγαγε, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς τῶν βαρβάρων ἀπαλλάξαι δυνήσεται. Ὁρᾷς πῶς φιλοσοφοῦσιν οἱ λίθων ὄντες ἀναισθητότεροι, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀλλοτρίας διατρίβοντες; Οὐκέτι γὰρ ναοῦ μέμνηνται, ἀλλ' οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς. Ὅρα πῶς καὶ τὴν δημιουργίαν ἀνακηρύττουσι καὶ τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν πρόνοιαν. Οἱ γὰρ πρὸ τούτου τῷ ξύλῳ λέγοντες, Θεός μου εἶ σὺ, καὶ τῷ λίθῳ, Σύ με 55.345 ἐγέννησας, νῦν τὸν δημιουργὸν τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐπιγινώσκουσιν. Ἡ βοήθειά μου παρὰ Κυρίου, οὐ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲ παρὰ ἵππων, οὐ παρὰ χρημάτων, οὐ παρὰ συμμάχων, οὐδὲ παρὰ περιβόλων. Ἡ βοήθεια ἡμῶν παρὰ Κυρίου· αὕτη ἀχείρωτος ἡ συμμαχία, αὕτη ἄμαχος ἡ βοήθεια· οὐκ ἄμαχος δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥᾳδία καὶ εὔκολος. Οὐ γὰρ ὁδὸν μακρὰν βαδίσαι δεῖ, οὐ θυρωροὺς κολακεῦσαι, οὐ χρήματα δαπανῆσαι, οὐ πρεσβείαν στείλασθαι, ἀλλ' οἴκοι μένοντα δυνατὸν ταύτην ἐπισπάσασθαι τὴν ῥοπὴν, μόνον ἂν ἀποστήσας τις ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, ἐκείνης ἐξέχηται τῆς ἐλπίδος, καὶ ὀξυδερκὲς ἔχῃ τὸ ὄμμα, καὶ ὑψηλὰ βλέπῃ. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ μόνῳ τῷ ζώῳ τούτῳ τὴν διάπλασιν ὄρθιον ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐν ὕψει κατέθετο τῆς σαρκὸς, διδάσκων καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν αἰσθητῶν, ὅτι δεῖ πρὸς τὸ ὕψος ὁρᾷν. Μόνον γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ ζῶόν ἐστιν οὕτω διαπεπλασμένον· τὰ δὲ