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a reproach to the prosperous, and contempt to the proud." Reverse the situations, he says, O Master, and to those who are now boastful, because of the good fortune which surrounds them, bring our calamities.

INTERPRETATION OF THE 123RD PSALM. 1. "A Song of Ascents." After the return from Babylon, all the

neighbors, being displeased at the freedom of the Jews, jointly undertook war against them, and gathering barbarian nations, they marched against them at the same time, hoping to extinguish even their very memory. But again the God of all helped his own, and struck down all the enemies. And most of the prophets say these things, both Joel, and Ezekiel, and Micah, and Zechariah, and many others besides them. These things the blessed David also prophesies here. "If it had not been that the Lord was with us, let Israel now say. [2, 3.] If it had not been that the Lord was with us, when men rose up against us. Then they would have swallowed us up alive." Do not, he says, ascribe the victory to your own power, for God has become the 80.1885 provider of it. Say then to one another while dancing, If we had not received divine assistance, with so many enemies gathered against us, we would not even have been deemed worthy of burial, but like wild beasts we would have been swallowed alive. "When his anger was kindled against us." By these words he showed the envy and the ill-will of the neighboring nations. For they were enraged seeing the freedom of the Jews. 4, 5. Then the water would have overwhelmed us. A torrent would have passed over our soul; then our soul would have passed over the irresistible water." He has said all things figuratively. For since he said, "Then they would have swallowed us up alive," he shows the excess of their multitude, attacking like a torrent, and expecting to cover all. And he has fittingly set the image of the torrent. For just as a torrent, gathering from many rains, becomes more violent, so those who then attacked Jerusalem were gathered from many and various nations; but they were destroyed by a just decree. For this the prophet teaches. 6. "Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth." At the same time he showed both their cruelty and God's assistance; for he has set down 'teeth', showing their cruelty. 7. "Our soul has escaped like a sparrow from the snare of the fowlers." Gratefully they confess also their own weakness, comparing themselves to a sparrow, and they proclaim the power of God, showing the strength of the enemies. For they call them fowlers; and he teaches also the manner of their salvation. "The snare was broken, and we have escaped." For not only have we enjoyed salvation, but we have also seen the destruction of the enemies. 8. "Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." For this reason, we despise all human power, having the maker of heaven and earth as our helper, whose name is sufficient for our salvation.

INTERPRETATION OF THE 124TH PSALM. 1. "A Song of Ascents." Those who obtained that victory the triumphal

sing a hymn, and proclaim the strength of hope in God. "Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion." He who is fortified by hope in God will remain untroubled like Mount Zion, and unshaken, conspicuous and visible from all sides. "He who dwells in Jerusalem will not be shaken for ever." He who dwells in 80.1888 Jerusalem must live according to the laws of Jerusalem. For to those who dwell thus, and obey the purpose of the law, the prophet has promised steadfastness. 2. "Mountains are round about

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ὄνειδος τοῖς εὐθηνοῦσι, καὶ ἡ ἐξουδένωσις τοῖς ὑπερηφάνοις." Ἀντίστρεψον, φησὶ, τὰ πράγματα, ∆έσποτα, καὶ τοῖς ἀλαζονευομένοις νῦν, δι' ἣν περί κεινται εὐκληρίαν, τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐπάγαγε συμ φοράς.

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΡΚΓʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν." Μετὰ τὴν ἀπὸ Βαβυλῶνος ἐπάνοδον, ἅπαντες οἱ

πλησιόχωροι, δυσ χεράναντες τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐλευθερίαν, κοινῇ τὸν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀνεδέξαντο πόλεμον, καὶ βάρβαρα ἔθνη συναγαγόντες, κατὰ ταυτὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπεστράτευσαν, ἐλπίσαντες καὶ αὐτὴν αὐτῶν κατασβέσειν τὴν μνή μην. Ἀλλὰ πάλιν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τοῖς μὲν οἰκείοις ἐπήρκεσε, τοὺς δὲ πολεμίους κατηκόντισεν ἅπαν τας. Λέγουσι δὲ ταῦτα τῶν προφητῶν οἱ πλείους, καὶ Ἰωὴλ, καὶ Ἰεζεκιὴλ, καὶ Μιχαίας, καὶ Ζαχαρίας, καὶ ἕτεροι πρὸς τούτοις πολλοί. Ταῦτα καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἐνταῦθα προθεσπίζει ∆αβίδ. "Εἰ μὴ ὅτι Κύριος ἦν ἐν ἡμῖν, εἰπάτω δὴ Ἰσ ραήλ. [βʹ, γʹ.] Εἰ μὴ ὅτι Κύριος ἦν ἐν ἡμῖν, ἐν τῷ ἐπαναστῆναι ἀνθρώπους ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. Ἄρα ζῶντας ἂν κατέπιον ἡμᾶς." Μὴ τῇ σφετέρᾳ, φησὶν, ἐπιγρά ψητε δυνάμει τὴν νίκην, Θεὸς γὰρ ταύτης γεγένηται 80.1885 χορηγός. Εἴπατε τοίνυν πρὸς ἀλλήλους χορεύοντες, Εἰ μὴ τῆς θείας ἐπικουρίας ἐτύχομεν, τοσούτων καθ' ἡμῶν δυσμενῶν συνελθόντων, οὐκ ἂν οὐδὲ τα φῆς ἠξιώθημεν, ἀλλὰ καθάπερ ὑπὸ θηρίων ζῶντες ἂν κατεπόθημεν. "Ἐν τῷ ὀργισθῆναι τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς." Τὸν φθόνον, καὶ τὴν δυσμέ νειαν τῶν ἀστυγειτόνων ἐθνῶν διὰ τούτων ἐδήλωσε. ∆ιεπρίοντο γὰρ τὴν Ἰουδαίων ὁρῶντες ἐλευθερίαν. δʹ, εʹ. Ἄρα τὸ ὕδωρ ἂν κατεπόντισεν ἡμᾶς. Χεί μαῤῥον διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν· ἄρα διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἀνυπόστατον." Τροπι κῶς ἅπαντα εἴρηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν, "Ἄρα ζῶντας ἂν κατέπιον ἡμᾶς," δείκνυσι τὴν τοῦ πλή θους ὑπερβολὴν, χειμάῤῥου δίκην προσβάλλοντος, καὶ συγκαλύψαι ἅπαντας προσδοκήσαντος. Ἁρμο δίως δὲ τοῦ χειμάῤῥου τέθεικε τὴν εἰκόνα. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὁ χειμάῤῥους ἐκ πολλῶν ἀθροιζόμενος ὑετῶν σφοδρότερος γίνεται, οὕτως οἱ τηνικαῦτα τῇ Ἱερου σαλὴμ προσβαλόντες ἐκ πολλῶν καὶ διαφόρων ἐθνῶν συνηθροίσθησαν· ἀλλὰ κατελύθησαν ψήφῳ δικαίᾳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ προφήτης διδάσκει. ʹ. "Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Κύριος, ὃς οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἡμᾶς εἰς θήραν τοῖς ὀδοῦσιν αὐτῶν." Κατὰ ταυτὸν καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ὠμότητα, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐπικουρίαν ἐδήλωσε· τοὺς γὰρ ὀδόντας τέθεικε, δεικνὺς τὴν ἐκείνων ὠμότητα. ζʹ. "Ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν ὡς στρουθίον ἐῤῥύσθη ἐκ τῆς παγίδος τῶν θηρευόντων." Εὐγνωμόνως καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ὁμολογοῦσιν ἀσθένειαν, στρουθῷ σφᾶς αὐ τοὺς ἀπεικάζοντες, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ κηρύττουσι δύναμιν, τῶν πολεμίων δεικνύντες τὸ ἰσχυρόν. Θη ρευτὰς γὰρ ἐκείνους ἀποκαλοῦσιν· διδάσκει δὲ καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τὸν τρόπον. "Ἡ παγὶς συνετρίβη, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐῤῥύσθημεν." Οὐ γὰρ μόνης ἀπηλαύσαμεν τῆς σωτηρίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὸν ὄλεθρον εἴ δομεν ηʹ. "Ἡ βοήθεια ἡμῶν ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, τοῦ ποιήσαντος τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν." Τούτου χά ριν, πάσης ἀνθρωπίνης καταφρονοῦμεν δυνάμεως, τὸν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ποιητὴν ἐπίκουρον ἔχοντες, οὗ καὶ ἡ προσηγορία ἡμῖν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀρκεῖ.

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΡΚ∆ʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν." Οἱ τῆς νίκης ἐκείνης τετυχηκότες τὸν ἐπινίκιον

ᾄδουσιν ὕμνον, καὶ τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἐλπίδος κηρύττουσι τὴν ἰσχύν. "Οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπὶ Κύριον, ὡς ὄρος Σιών." Ὁ τῇ εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἐλπίδι φραττόμενος, ὡς τὸ Σιὼν ὄρος ἀτρεμὴς μενεῖ, καὶ ἀκλόνητος, ἐπίσημός τε καὶ περίβλεπτος. "Οὐ σαλευθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ὁ κατοικῶν Ἱερουσαλήμ." Τὸν κατοικοῦντα τὴν 80.1888 Ἱερουσαλὴμ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ πο-λιτεύεσθαι δεῖ. Τοῖς γὰρ οὕτω κατοικοῦσι, καὶ τῷ σκοπῷ τοῦ νόμου πειθομένοις, τὸ βέβαιον ὁ προφή της ὑπέσχετο. βʹ. "Ὄρη κύκλῳ