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For longing brings forth eagerness; and eagerness prepared to commend the straight path, but detested the way of injustice. 129. "Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul has sought them out." He showed that it was not in vain that he loved these things. For they are admirable, he says, and sufficient to charm, and to stir to love those who are able to perceive them. And from where did you learn their virtue? 130. "The declaration of your words will give light and give understanding to the simple." Being enlightened, he says, by your light I received this knowledge; and your law fills with understanding all those possessed by ignorance, and who are like infants. 131. "I opened my mouth, and drew in breath, because I longed for your commandments." Here he calls the eagerness of the mind a mouth. For this draws in the grace of the spirit. For elsewhere he says, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." And the divine Apostle asked that in the opening of the mouth speech might be given. And the Prophet himself said in another psalm, "The Lord will give a word to those who proclaim good tidings with great power." This he also said here, "I opened my mouth, and drew in breath, because I longed for your commandments." For seeing me craving your commandments, you deemed me worthy of your grace. 132. "Look upon me, and have mercy on me, according to the judgment of those who love your name." He beseeches to obtain the divine good will, not simply, but as you are accustomed, he says, to grant mercy to those who love you. For this he said, "According to the judgment of those who love your name;" instead of, I ask to receive the same verdict as these. 133. "Direct my steps according to your word; and let no iniquity have dominion over me." For when we bring forth our eagerness, and God provides his help, and directs our course, the dominion of sin has no place. 134. "Redeem me from the false accusation of men, and I will keep your commandments." And the Lord Christ called those who are reproached and falsely accused 80.1864 zealous and blessed; but he also instructed to pray not to enter into temptation. Thus the Prophet's prayer agrees with the laws of the Gospel. 135. "Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes." The Divine is indeed incorporeal, and simple, and uncompounded. But holy Scripture speaks of it in a more corporeal and gross manner, measuring its words to the nature of men. Therefore, the shining of the divine face must be understood as the release from sorrows, and the provision of good things. 130. "My eyes have sent forth streams of water, because I did not keep your law." This is also an apostolic law, "For if one member suffers," he says, "all the members suffer with it," he says. The Prophet therefore pursues evangelical perfection, bewailing the transgressions of others. And he called the multitude of tears streams of water, instead of, I shed tears in torrents, seeing the transgressions of men. 137, 138. "You are just, O Lord, and your judgments are right. You have commanded righteousness in your testimonies, and truth exceedingly." You arrange all things justly, O Master, both caring for men, and wishing to show them to be workers of righteousness. And you have given a law, and you testify to the transgressors what penalties they will pay, and you promise to those who keep it good rewards, and you confirm your promises with deeds. For this is what "truth exceedingly" signifies. 139. "Your zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words." And the Prophet laments those who live with transgression, and seeing the lawgiver despised, is justly indignant. This zeal proclaimed Phinehas. This made the great Elijah renowned. Being inflamed with this, [the triumphant] Stephen refuted the unbelief of the Jews. Carrying this within himself, the divine Paul cried out, saying, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn?" And the blessed Luke also says of him, that in Athens his spirit was provoked within him when he saw

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Ὁ γὰρ πόθος τὴν προθυμίαν ἐργάζεται· ἡ δὲ προθυμία τὴν μὲν εὐθεῖαν παραινεῖν ὁδὸν παρεσκεύαζε, τὴν δὲ τῆς ἀδικίας ἐμυσάττετο τρίβον. ρκθʹ. "Θαυμαστὰ τὰ μαρτύριά σου· διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ηρεύνησε ταῦτα ἡ ψυχή μου." Ἔδειξεν ὡς οὐ μάτην τούτων ἠράσθη. Ἀξιάγαστα γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐστὶ, καὶ ἱκανὰ καταθέλξαι, καὶ εἰς ἔρωτα διεγεῖραι τοὺς κατιδεῖν δυναμένους. Καὶ πόθεν τούτων κατέμα θες ἀρετήν; ρλʹ. "Ἡ δήλωσις τῶν λόγων σου φωτιεῖ, καὶ συνετιεῖ νηπίους." Τῷ σῷ, φησὶ, καταυγαζόμε νος φωτὶ ταύτην ἐδεξάμην τὴν γνῶσιν· καὶ πάντας δὲ τοὺς ἀγνοίᾳ κατεχομένους, καὶ βρέφεσιν ἐοικότας, ὁ σὸς νόμος συνέσεως ἐμφορεῖ. ρλαʹ. "Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα, καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦ μα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐπεπόθουν." Στόμα ἐν ταῦθα καλεῖ τῆς διανοίας τὴν προθυμίαν. Αὕτη γὰρ ἕλκει τὴν χάριν τοῦ πνεύματος. Καὶ γὰρ ἀλλαχοῦ φησι· "Πλάτυνον τὸ στόμα σου, καὶ πληρώσω αὐ τό." Καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόμα τος λόγον δοθῆναι παρεκάλεσε. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Προ φήτης ἐν ἑτέρῳ ἔφη ψαλμῷ· "Κύριος δώσει ῥῆμα τοῖς εὐαγγελιζομένοις δυνάμει πολλῇ." Τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἔφη, "Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα, καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐπεπόθουν." Γλιχόμε νόν με γὰρ τῶν σῶν ἐντολῶν θεασάμενος τῆς σῆς ἠξίωσας χάριτος. ρλβʹ. "Ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ' ἐμὲ, καὶ ἐλέησόν με, κατὰ τὸ κρῖμα τῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸ ὄνομά σου." Τῆς θείας εὐμενείας ἱκετεύει τυχεῖν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ὡς εἴωθας, φησὶ, τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί σε παρέχειν τὸν ἔλεον. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἶπε, "Κατὰ τὸ κρῖμα τῶν ἀγα πώντων τὸ ὄνομά σου·" ἀντὶ τοῦ, Τῆς ἴσης τούτοις ἀπολαῦσαι ψήφου παρακαλῶ. ρλγʹ. "Τὰ διαβήματά μου κατεύθυνον κατὰ τὸ λόγιόν σου· καὶ μὴ κατακυριευσάτω μου πᾶσα ἀνο μία." Ἡμῶν γὰρ προεκφερόντων τὴν προθυμίαν, καὶ Θεοῦ παρέχοντος τὴν βοήθειαν, καὶ τὴν πορείαν εὐθύνοντος, χώραν οὐκ ἔχει τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡ δυνα στεία. ρλδʹ. "Λύτρωσαί με ἀπὸ συκοφαντίας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ φυλάξω τὰς ἐντολάς σου." Καὶ ὁ ∆εσπότης Χριστὸς τοὺς ὀνειδιζομένους καὶ συκοφαντιζομέ 80.1864 νους ζηλωτοὺς καὶ μακαρίους ἐκάλεσεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ εὔξασθαι παρεγγύησε μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρα σμόν. Συμβαίνει τοίνυν τοῖς εὐαγγελικοῖς νόμοις καὶ τοῦ Προφήτου ἡ προσευχή. ρλεʹ. "Τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπίφανον ἐπὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου, καὶ δίδαξόν με τὰ δικαιώματά σου." Ἀσώμα τον μὲν τὸ Θεῖον, καὶ ἁπλοῦν, καὶ ἀσύνθετον. Σωματι κώτερον δὲ καὶ παχύτερον ἡ θεία Γραφὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ διαλέγεται, τῇ φύσει τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων μετροῦσα τοὺς λόγους. Τοιγαροῦν τοῦ θείου προσώπου τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν νοητέον τὴν λύσιν τῶν λυπηρῶν, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν χορηγίαν. ρλʹ. "∆ιεξόδους ὑδάτων κατέδυσαν οἱ ὀφθαλ μοί μου, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξα τὸν νόμον σου." Ἀπο στολικὸς καὶ οὗτος ὁ νόμος, "Εἰ γὰρ πάσχῃ, φησὶν, ἓν μέλος, συμπάσχει, φησὶ, πάντα τὰ μέλη." Τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν τοίνυν ὁ Προφήτης μετέρχεται τελειό τητα, τὰς τῶν ἄλλων παρανομίας ὀλοφυρόμενος. ∆ιεξόδους δὲ ὑδάτων τὸ πλῆθος τῶν δακρύων ἐκάλεσεν, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Κρουνηδὸν ἔφερον τὰ δάκρυα, τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων παρανομίας θεώμενος. ρλζʹ, ρληʹ. "∆ίκαιος εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ εὐθεῖς αἱ κρίσεις σου. Ἐνετείλω δικαιοσύνην τὰ μαρτύριά σου, καὶ ἀλήθειαν σφόδρα." ∆ικαίως ἅπαντα διέπεις, ὦ ∆έσποτα, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κηδόμενος, καὶ δι καιοσύνης ἐργάτας ἀποφῆναι βουλόμενος. Καὶ νόμον ἔδωκας, καὶ διαμαρτύρῃ τοὺς παραβαίνοντας, ὁποίας τίσουσι δίκας, καὶ ὑπισχνῇ τοῖς φυλάττουσι τὰς ἀγαθὰς ἀντιδόσεις, καὶ βεβαιοῖς τὰς ἐπαγγε λίας τοῖς ἔργοις. Τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ Ἀλήθειαν σφόδρα. ρλθʹ. "Ἐξέτηξέ με ὁ ζῆλός σου, ὅτι ἐπελάθοντο τῶν λόγων σου οἱ ἐχθροί μου." Καὶ τοὺς παρανο μίᾳ συζῶντας ὁ Προφήτης θρηνεῖ, καὶ καταφρονού μενον ὁρῶν τὸν νομοθέτην, ἐνδίκως ἀγανακτεῖ. Οὗτος ὁ ζῆλος τὸν Φινεὲς ἀνεκήρυξεν. Οὗτος τὸν μέγαν Ἠλίαν ἀοίδιμον ἀπετέλεσε. Τούτῳ πυρπολούμενος [ὁ καλλίνικος] Στέφανος τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἀπιστίαν διήλεγξε. Τοῦτον ἐν ἑαυτῷ περιφέρων ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος ἐβόα λέγων, "Τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ; τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι;" Καὶ ὁ μακάριος δὲ Λουκᾶς περὶ αὐτοῦ φησιν, ὡς ἐν Ἀθήναις συνείχετο τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ θεω ροῦντι