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we live, and move, and have our being." ρνβʹ. "From the beginning I have known from your testimonies, that you have founded them for ever." He calls heaven and earth testimonies. "Go down," he says, "call heaven and earth to witness against them." For this reason also the great Moses, beginning his ode, said: "Give ear, O heaven, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth." In these things the providence of God is seen continually; for all things proceed with great order. From this, he says, I have known precisely, that you are near, and present to what happens, and that nothing of these matters escapes you. ρνγʹ. "Behold my humiliation, and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law." -"He who humbles himself will be exalted," according to the voice of the Lord. And: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." With this the divine Prophet also adorned the other virtues; and putting this forward he proclaims divine help. ρνδʹ. "Judge my cause, and redeem me; for your word's sake, give me life." He reminds the Master of his promises, and from him he asks for salvation, and he entreats him to judge between him and his enemies. ρνεʹ. "Salvation is far from sinners, for 80.1869 they have not sought out your ordinances." Those living together in transgression have deprived themselves, he says, of salvation from you, not having wished to learn what you have legislated to be done. ρνʹ. "Your tender mercies are many, O Lord; according to your judgment, give me life." Great is the wealth of your love for humanity; your vote is just. I ask for salvation from these things. ρνζʹ. "Many are they who persecute me and afflict me; I have not turned aside from your testimonies." Not even when surrounded by many misfortunes, he says, did I endure to transgress any of the things you have legislated. And having stated the hypothesis of the psalm, we said, that the divine David gathered all the things that had happened to him into this psalm; and that some things are fitting for the painful events caused to him by Saul; and others for those by Absalom. It is clear, however, that he said these things while being persecuted by Saul. For at that time he was unacquainted with sin. ρνηʹ. "I saw the foolish, and I was consumed with grief, because they did not keep your oracles." Thus the blessed Paul lamented the Jews; thus the Master himself bewailed Jerusalem; thus the divine Jeremiah mourned the transgression of the people. ρνθʹ. "Behold that I have loved your commandments, O Lord; in your mercy, give me life." He continually makes mention of commandments, and laws, and ordinances, and testimonies, showing his longing for these things. ρξʹ. "The beginning of your words is truth, and all the judgments of your righteousness are for ever." You have promises that are without falsehood; you adorn your promises with truth, you confirm your words with deeds. He calls the promises to Abraham the beginning of the words. For from him the race of the Jews was established. But he fulfilled the promises, and increased the people like the stars of heaven in multitude, and in his seed he blessed all the nations according to the promises. For he indicated this by saying, "All the judgments of your righteousness are for ever." For being a prophet he saw the eternal dominion of Christ. Therefore he said that the beginning of the divine oracles was adorned with truth. ρξαʹ. "Rulers persecuted me without a cause, and my heart was in awe of your words." Those who wage war, he says, and persecute, I did not fear, but I feared your laws. Therefore, finding my enemy sleeping, I did not dare to kill him; and pitying that parricidal and abominable child, I said: "Spare for my sake the young man." 80.1872 ρξβʹ. "I will rejoice at your oracles, as one who finds great spoil." Since he mentioned enemies persecuting, he fittingly also brought in the mention of spoils. And he says, that if I had killed all of them, and having despoiled them had collected very many spoils, I would not have been so gladdened, as I am exulting in your laws. ρξγʹ. "I hated and abhorred iniquity; but I loved your law." This saying is also true. For one who is ardently disposed toward divine things abominates their opposites. ρξδʹ.

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ζῶμεν, καὶ κινούμεθα, καὶ ἐσμέν." ρνβʹ. "Κατ' ἀρχὰς ἔγνων ἐκ τῶν μαρτυρίων σου, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐθεμελίωσας αὐτά." Μαρ τύρια καλεῖ τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν. "Καταβὰς, φησὶ, διαμάρτυρε αὐτοῖς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν." ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας τῆς ᾠδῆς ἀρχόμενος ἔφη· "Πρόσεχε, οὐρανὲ, καὶ λαλήσω· καὶ ἀκουέτω γῆ ῥήματα ἐκ στόματός μου." Ἐν δὲ τούτοις ὁρᾶ ται διηνεκῶς ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόνοια· μετὰ πολλῆς γὰρ ὁδεύει τάξεως ἅπαντα. Ἐντεῦθεν, φησὶν, ἔγνων ἀκρι βῶς, ὡς ἐγγὺς εἶ σὺ, καὶ παρεῖ τοῖς γινομένοις, καὶ λανθάνει σε τῶν πραγμάτων οὐδέν. ρνγʹ. "Ἴδε τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου, καὶ ἐξελοῦ με, ὅτι τοῦ νόμου σου οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην." -"Ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται," κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνήν. Καί· "Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐ τῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν." Ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ θεῖος Προφήτης τὰς ἄλλας ἐκόσμησεν ἀρετάς· καὶ ταύτην προϊσχόμενος τὴν θείαν ἐπαγγέλλει βοή θειαν. ρνδʹ. "Κρῖνον τὴν κρίσιν μου, καὶ λύτρωσαί με διὰ τὸν λόγον σου ζῆσόν με." Τῶν ὑποσχέσεων τὸν ∆εσπότην ἀναμιμνήσκει, καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ τὴν σωτη ρίαν αἰτεῖ, καὶ κρῖναι αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς δυσμενέσιν ἀν τιβολεῖ. ρνεʹ. "Μακρὰν ἀπὸ ἁμαρτωλῶν σωτηρία, ὅτι τὰ 80.1869 δικαιώματά σου οὐκ ἐξεζήτησαν." Τῆς παρὰ σοῦ, φησὶ, σωτηρίας σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐστέρησαν οἱ παρα νομίᾳ συζῶντες, μὴ βουληθέντες καταμαθεῖν τίνα πράττειν ἐνομοθέτησας. ρνʹ. "Οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου πολλοὶ, Κύριε, κατὰ τὸ κρῖμά σου ζῆσόν με." Πολὺς τῆς σῆς φιλανθρω πίας ὁ πλοῦτος· δικαία σου ἡ ψῆφος. Τὴν ἀπὸ τού των σωτηρίαν αἰτῶ. ρνζʹ. "Πολλοὶ οἱ ἐκδιώκοντές με, καὶ θλίβοντές με· ἐκ τῶν μαρτυρίων σου οὐκ ἐξέκλινα." Οὐδὲ πολλαῖς, φησὶ, περιστοιχιζόμενος συμφοραῖς, τῶν ὑπὸ σοῦ νενομοθετημένων ἠνεσχόμην τι παραβῆναι. Καὶ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν εἰρηκότες ἔφαμεν, ὡς πάντα ὁ θεῖος ∆αβὶδ τὰ συμβεβηκότα αὐτῷ ἐν τῷδε συνήγαγε τῷ ψαλμῷ· καὶ ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἁρμόττει τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ προγεγενημένοις αὐτῷ λυπηροῖς· τὰ δὲ τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλώμ. Ταῦτα μέντοι δῆλον ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ διωκόμενος εἴρηκε. Τηνικαῦτα γὰρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπείραστος ἦν. ρνηʹ. "Εἶδον ἀσυνετοῦντας, καὶ ἐξετηκόμην, ὅτι τὰ λόγιά σου οὐκ ἐφυλάξαντο." Οὕτως ὁ μακά ριος Παῦλος Ἰουδαίους ὠδύρετο· οὕτως αὐτὸς ὁ ∆εσπότης τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὠλοφύρετο οὕτως ὁ θεῖος Ἱερεμίας τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ παρανομίαν ἐθρή νησεν. ρνθʹ. "Ἴδε ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἠγάπησα, Κύριε, ἐν τῷ ἐλέει σου ζῆσόν με." Συνεχῶς ἐντολῶν, καὶ νόμων, καὶ δικαιωμάτων μνημονεύει, καὶ μαρτυριῶν, τῶν περὶ ταῦτα πόθον δεικνύς. ρξʹ. "Ἀρχὴ τῶν λόγων σου ἀλήθεια, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶ να πάντα τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου." Ἀψευ δεῖς ἔχεις τὰς ὑποσχέσεις· ἀληθείᾳ τὰς σὰς ἐπ αγγελίας κοσμεῖς, ἔργῳ βεβαιοῖς τοὺς λόγους. Ἀρ χὴν δὲ λόγων καλεῖ τὰς πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγε λίας. Ἐξ ἐκείνου γὰρ τὸ Ἰουδαίων συνέστη γένος. Ἀλλ' ἐπλήρωσε τὰς ὑποσχέσεις, καὶ ηὔξησε τὸν λαὸν ὡσεὶ τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει, καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ ηὐλόγησε κατὰ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. Τοῦτο γὰρ παρεδήλωσεν εἰρηκὼς, "Εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα πάντα τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου." Προφήτης γὰρ ὢν ἑώρα τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ αἰώ νιον κράτος. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ ἔφη κεκοσμῆσθαι τὴν τῶν θείων λογίων ἀρχήν. ρξαʹ. "Ἄρχοντες κατεδίωξάν με δωρεὰν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων σου ἐδειλίασεν ἡ καρδία μου." Τοὺς πο λεμοῦντας, φησὶ, καὶ διώκοντας οὐκ ἐφοβήθην, τοὺς δὲ σοὺς ἔδεισα νόμους. ∆ιὸ καὶ καθεύδοντα τὸν πολέ μιον εὑρὼν, ἀνελεῖν οὐκ ἐτολμήθην· καὶ τὸν πατραλοίαν δὲ ἐκεῖνον καὶ μυσαρὸν παῖδα οἰκτείρων, ἔλεγον· "Φείσασθαί μοι τοῦ παιδαρίου." 80.1872 ρξβʹ. "Ἀγαλλιάσομαι ἐγὼ ἐπὶ τὰ λόγιά σου, ὡς ὁ εὑρίσκων σκῦλα πολλᾶ." Ἐπειδὴ πολεμίων ἐμνημό νευσε διωκόντων, εἰκότως καὶ τῶν σκύλων τὴν μνή μην παρήγαγε. Λέγει δὲ, ὅτι Πάντας εἰ ἀνεῖλον ἐκείνους, καὶ σκυλεύσας πλεῖστα ὅσα συνήγαγον λά φυρα, οὐκ ἂν οὕτως ηὐφράνθην, ὡς τοῖς σοῖς ἐπ αγαλλόμενος νόμοις. ρξγʹ. "Ἀδικίαν ἐμίσησα καὶ ἐβδελυξάμην· τὸν δὲ νόμον σου ἠγάπησα." Ἀληθὴς καὶ οὗτος ὁ λόγος. Ὁ γὰρ θερμῶς περὶ τὰ θεῖα διακείμενος τἀναντία μυ σάττεται. ρξδʹ.