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reproaches in silence; but he who lives the pleasant way, refutes those who wrongly reproach. "For I have hoped 80.1836 in your words." For I depend on your promise, and on this hope I journey. 43. "And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in your judgments." The Prophet teaches us to love the truth, and to ask for it from the God of all with great eagerness. 44. "And I will keep your law continually, forever and ever." For thus I will become more eager about the keeping of your laws. Through the phrase, "Forever, and forever and ever," he indicated the future life, in which the pure and unadulterated keeping of the divine laws will be given to all. 45, 40. "And I walked at liberty, for I have sought your commandments. And I spoke of your testimonies before kings, and was not ashamed." Journeying, he says, with much ease, and living according to your commandments, I did not fear even royal power, but with great boldness I held discourse with them. For the lawful life is a creator of boldness. And of this the great David is a witness. For before the sin, he converses with Saul with great boldness; but after the sin, and fleeing his parricidal son, he was walking, bowing to the earth and covering his head. And Elijah, very confident in his righteousness, reproved the impiety of Ahab. Thus the divine Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar: "And now, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and atone for your iniquities with alms, and your sins with compassion for the poor." Thus the divine Paul spoke to Agrippa, and Festus, and Felix. Thus the gloriously triumphant martyrs despised the impious kings. 47, 48. "And I meditated on your commandments, which I loved exceedingly. And I lifted up my hands to your commandments, which I loved." For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power; and he who has done and taught, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For this reason indeed the divine Prophet has placed action before meditation. For having said, "I meditated on your commandments, which I loved exceedingly," and having shown his fervent longing, he added: "And I lifted up my hands to your commandments, which I loved." For what I was taught through the divine words, these things I pursued through deeds. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, says the divine Apostle, but the doers of the law will be justified. "And I would muse on your statutes." For I made a continual meditation of these things. 80.1837 49. "Remember your words to your servant, in which you have made me hope." God, in giving the law, both promised his own favor to those who keep the law, and punishment to the transgressors. Therefore, he beseeches God to remember his own promises. For in those, he says, you taught me to hope; and showing the usefulness of hope, he added: 50. "This has comforted me in my affliction, for your word has given me life." For this I had as a consolation in my misfortunes; and carried by this I sailed over the waves. 51. "The proud have transgressed exceedingly, but from your law I have not turned aside." He calls proud Saul, Absalom, the king of the Ammonites, who did those unlawful things to the messengers sent by him. But they, he says, embraced an unlawful life; but I followed your laws. And the gloriously triumphant martyrs might also say these things, having suffered those terrible and grievous things from inhuman and impious tyrants. 52. "I remembered your judgments from of old, O Lord, and was comforted." For I took into my mind the things concerning Abel, the things concerning Abraham, the things concerning Isaac, the things concerning Jacob, the things concerning Joseph, the things concerning Job, the things concerning Moses, how they were allowed to fall into various temptations, and how you later made them illustrious and conspicuous, from this I procured sufficient encouragement for my soul. 53.

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ὀνείδη σιγῶν· ὁ δὲ τὴν θυμήρη βιοτεύων ὁδὸν, διελέγχει τοὺς κακῶς ὀνειδίζοντας. "Ὅτι ἤλπισα 80.1836 ἐπὶ τοὺς λόγους σου." Τῆς γὰρ σῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐξήρτημαι, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτης ὁδεύω τῆς ἐλπίδος. μγʹ. "Καὶ μὴ περιέλῃς ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου λό γον ἀληθείας ἕως σφόδρα, ὅτι ἐπὶ τοῖς κρίμασί σου ἐπήλπισα." Ἐρᾷν ἡμᾶς τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ Προφήτης διδάσκει, καὶ ταύτην αἰτεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων σὺν προθυμίᾳ πολλῇ. μδʹ. "Καὶ φυλάξω τὸν νόμον σου διαπαντὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος." Οὕτω γὰρ προθυμότερος περὶ τὴν τῶν σῶν νόμων γενή σομαι φυλακήν. ∆ιὰ μέν τοι τοῦ· "Εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος," ἐδήλωσε τὸν μέλ λοντα βίον, ἐν ᾧ καθαρὰ καὶ ἀκραιφνὴς δοθήσεται ἅπασι τῶν θείων νόμων ἡ φυλακή. μεʹ, μʹ. "Καὶ ἐπορευόμην ἐν πλατυσμῷ, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐξεζήτησα. Καὶ ἐλάλουν ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις σου, ἐναντίον βασιλέων, καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχυνό μην." Μετὰ πολλῆς, φησὶν, ὁδεύων εὐκολίας, καὶ κατὰ τὰς σὰς ἐντολὰς βιοτεύων, οὐδὲ βασιλικὴν ἔδεισα δυναστείαν, ἀλλὰ σὺν παῤῥησίᾳ πολλῇ τὴν πρὸς αὐ τοὺς ἐποιούμην διάλεξιν. Ἡ γὰρ ἔννομος ζωὴ, παῤ ῥησίας δημιουργός. Καὶ τούτου μάρτυς ὁ μέγας ∆α βίδ. Πρὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, μετὰ πολλῆς τῷ Σαοὺλ διαλέγεται παῤῥησίας· μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἁμαρ τίαν, καὶ τὸν πατραλοίαν ἀποδιδράσκων υἱὸν, κύ πτων εἰς γῆν, καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν καλύπτων, ἐβάδιζεν. Καὶ Ἡλίας ὁ πάνυ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ θαῤῥῶν, τοῦ Ἀχαὰβδιήλεγχε τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Οὕτως ὁ θεσπέσιος ∆ανιὴλ τῷ Ναβουχοδονόσωρ ἔλεγεν· "Καὶ νῦν, βασιλεῦ, ἡ βουλή μου ἀρεσάτω σοι, καὶ τὰς ἀνομίας σου ἐν ἐλεημοσύ ναις ἀπόλουσαι, καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐν οἰκτιρμοῖς πενήτων." Οὕτως ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος πρὸς Ἀγρίπ παν, καὶ τὸν Φῆστον, καὶ τὸν Φήλικα διελέγετο. Οὕ τως οἱ καλλίνικοι μάρτυρες τῶν δυσσεβῶν κατεφρό νησαν βασιλέων. μζʹ, μηʹ. "Καὶ ἐμελέτων ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς σου, αἷς ἠγάπησα σφόδρα. Καὶ ἦρα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ἃς ἠγάπησα." Οὐ γὰρ ἐν λόγῳ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐν δυνάμει· καὶ ὁ ποιήσας, καὶ ὁ διδάξας, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασι λείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ θεῖος Προφή της τῇ μελέτῃ τὴν πρᾶξιν προτέθεικεν. Εἰρηκὼς γὰρ, "Ἐμελέτων ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς σου, αἷς ἠγάπησα σφό δρα," καὶ τὸν θερμὸν ἐπιδείξας πόθον, ἐπήγαγεν· "Καὶ ἦρα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ἃς ἠγάπησα." Ἃ γὰρ διὰ τῶν θείων λόγων ἐδιδασκό μην, ταῦτα διὰ τῶν ἔργων μετῄειν. Οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ τοῦ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, φησὶν ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος, ἀλλὰ ποιηταὶ τοῦ νόμου δικαιω θήσονται. "Καὶ ἠδολέσχουν ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασί σου." Ἐνδελεχῶς γὰρ τὴν τούτων ἐποιούμην μελέτην. 80.1837 μθʹ. "Μνήσθητι τῶν λόγων σου τῷ δούλῳ σου, ὧν ἐπήλπισάς με." Νομοθετῶν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοῖς φυλάτ τουσι τὸν νόμον τὴν οἰκείαν εὐμένειαν ἐπηγγείλατο, καὶ τοῖς παραβάταις τὴν τιμωρίαν. Μνησθῆναι τοί νυν τὸν Θεὸν τῶν οἰκείων ὑποσχέσεων ἱκετεύει. Εἰς ἐκείνας γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλπίζειν ἐδίδαξάς με· καὶ δει κνὺς τῆς ἐλπίδος τὸ χρήσιμον, ἐπήγαγεν· νʹ. "Αὕτη με παρεκάλεσεν ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει μου, ὅτι τὸ λόγιόν σου ἔζησέ με." Ταύτην γὰρ ἔσχον παραψυχὴν ἐν ταῖς συμφοραῖς· καὶ ταύτης ὀχούμε νος ὑπερέπλευσα τῶν κυμάτων. ναʹ. "Ὑπερήφανοι παρηνόμουν ἕως σφόδρα, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ νόμου σου οὐκ ἐξέκλινα." Ὑπερηφάνους καλεῖ τὸν Σαοὺλ, τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, τὸν τῶν Ἀμμανιτῶν βασιλέα, τὸν τὰ παράνομα ἐκεῖνα εἰς τοὺς ἀπο σταλέντας παρ' αὐτοῦ πεποιηκότα. Ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν, φησὶ, παράνομον ἠσπάσαντο βίον· ἐγὼ δὲ τοῖς σοῖς ἠκολούθησα νόμοις. Ταῦτα δὲ εἴποιεν ἂν καὶ οἱ καλ λίνικοι μάρτυρες, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπανθρώπων καὶ δυσσεβῶν τυράννων τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ χαλεπὰ πε πονθότες. νβʹ. "Ἐμνήσθην τῶν κριμάτων σου ἀπ' αἰῶνος, Κύριε, καὶ παρεκλήθην." Ἔλαβον γὰρ εἰς νοῦν τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἄβελ, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰακὼβ, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ,τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰὼβ, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Μωσῆ, ὅπως καὶ ποικίλοις περιπεσεῖν συνεχωρήθησαν πειρασμοῖς, καὶ περιφανεῖς αὐτοὺς ὕστερον καὶ περιβλέπτους ἀπέφηνας, ψυχαγωγίαν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποχρῶσαν ἐπορι σάμην. νγʹ.