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Scripture accuses. And now the prophet Jeremiah says to the God of all: "You are near in their mouth, and far from their reins;" and now God himself, through Isaiah the prophet, accuses the Jews, saying: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." But those who now supplicate send up their prayer from the depth of the heart. 2. "Lord, hear my voice, let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication." And using words in a human way, he knows the divine is incorporeal; for he has addressed the faculty of hearing and sight. For our eyes have the power of sight, and our ears have been entrusted with the faculty of hearing. But God, with what he hears, he also sees, and with what he sees, he also hears. 3. "If you, Lord, should mark iniquities." The choir of the righteous supplicates the Lord not to measure out punishments according to sins. So also those around the blessed Ananias attributed the transgressions of the people to themselves. "Lord, who shall stand?" For if you should hold the scales of justice rightly, who is able to bear the sentence pronounced by it? for it is necessary for all to endure destruction. 4. "For with you there is forgiveness." You have love for mankind joined with righteousness, and you are more disposed to use the former than the latter. "For the sake of your name I have waited for you, Lord, my soul has waited for your word." Instead of "name," Aquila and Theodotion translated "fear," but Symmachus "law." Nevertheless, the meaning of the saying is clear. For he says, that knowing this goodness of yours (for you have used mercy as a kind of law), I do not give up on better hopes, awaiting the 80.1901 promise of good things. For here he has called the good promise "word"; and he promised love for mankind to those who repent. 5. "My soul has hoped in the Lord, from the morning watch until night." Instead of, throughout the whole day; for the morning watch is the last hour of the night; for the last watchmen keep guard until that time. 6. "From the morning watch let Israel hope in the Lord." The righteous are not content to have only the richness of hope in God, but they also exhort all others to the same possession, and they declare the profit that arises from it. 7. "For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption." [For the Master is compassionate and loves mankind, and he provides salvation to those who repent.] 8. "And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities." The word contains a prophecy concerning the Master. For he is the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Thus also the divine Gabriel said to the holy Virgin: "You shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

INTERPRETATION OF PSALM 130. 1. "A song of ascents." The prophetic teaches humility

word, and it introduces the person of those who love it, praying and beseeching God. "Lord, my heart is not lifted up." The loftiness of heart harms not only the impious, but also the saints. And the history of the Chronicles teaches concerning Hezekiah the pious king, saying, "For he was humbled from the pride of his heart." For this reason also the Lord exhorts his holy disciples, saying: "Everyone who humbles himself will be exalted, and he who exalts himself will be humbled." -"Nor are my eyes raised high." It is characteristic of the proud to raise their eyebrows, and to puff out their jaw, and to look down on everyone. But those who are delivered from this passion do not teach this to the judge as if he were ignorant, but call upon him as a witness who knows. "Neither have I walked in great matters." But Symmachus, in majesties; and Aquila, in greatnesses. "Nor in wonders

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κατηγο ρεῖ Γραφή. Καὶ νῦν μέν φησιν ὁ προφήτης Ἱερε μίας πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεόν· "Ἐγγὺς εἶ στόμα τος αὐτῶν, καὶ πόῤῥω ἀπὸ τῶν νεφρῶν αὐτῶν·" νῦν δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς διὰ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου Ἰουδαίων κατηγορεῖ λέγων· "Οὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσί με τιμᾷ, τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ' ἐμοῦ." Οἱ δὲ νῦν ἱκε τεύοντες ἀπὸ τοῦ βάθους τῆς καρδίας τὴν εὐχὴν ἀνα πέμπουσι. βʹ. "Κύριε, εἰσάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς μου, γενηθήτω τὰ ὦτά σου προσέχοντα εἰς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς δεήσεώς μου." Καὶ ἀνθρωπίνως τοῖς λόγοις χρησάμενος, οἶδε τὸ θεῖον ἀσώματον· τὴν γὰρ ἀκουστικὴν ἐνέρ γειαν καὶ ὀπτικὴν προσηγόρευσεν. Ἡμῶν γὰρ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τὴν ὀπτικὴν ἔχουσι δύναμιν, τὰ δὲ ὦτα τὴν ἀκουστικὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐπιστεύθη. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ἧ ἀκούει, ταύτῃ καὶ βλέπει, καὶ ᾗ βλέπει, ταύτῃ καὶ ἀκούει. γʹ. "Ἐὰν ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃς, Κύριε." Ὁ τῶν δικαίων χορὸς ἱκετεύει τὸν Κύριον μὴ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις μετρῆσαι τὰς τιμωρίας. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν μακάριον Ἀνανίαν τοῦ λαοῦ τὰς παρανομίας τῷ προσώπῳ ἑαυτῶν περιέθεσαν. "Κύριε, τίς ὑποστή σεται;" Ἐὰν γὰρ δικαίως τὰ τῆς δίκης κατάσχῃς ζυγὰ, τίς ἱκανὸς τὴν ὑπὸ ταύτης ἐκφερομένην ψῆ φον ὑπενεγκεῖν; ἀνάγκη γὰρ πάντας ὑπομεῖναι τὸν ὄλεθρον. δʹ. "Ὅτι παρὰ σοὶ ὁ ἱλασμός ἐστιν." Ἔχεις φιλ- ανθρωπίαν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ συνεζευγμένην, καὶ ταύτῃ μᾶλλον πέφυκας, ἢ ἐκείνῃ κεχρῆσθαι. "Ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ὑπέμεινά σε, Κύριε, ὑπέμεινεν ἡ ψυχή μου εἰς τὸν λόγον σου." Ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος, ὁ μὲν Ἀκύλας καὶ ὁ Θεοδοτίων φόβον ἡρμήνευσαν, ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος νόμον. ∆ήλη δὲ ὅμως τοῦ ῥητοῦ ἡ διάνοια. Λέγει γὰρ, ὅτι Ταύτην εἰδώς σου τὴν ἀγα θότητα (οἷον γάρ τινι νόμῳ κέχρησαι τῷ ἐλέῳ), τὰς χρηστοτέρας ἐλπίδας οὐκ ἀπαγορεύω, ἀναμένων τῶν 80.1901 ἀγαθῶν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. Λόγον γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἀγαθὴν ὑπόσχεσιν κέκληκε· φιλανθρωπίαν δὲ τοῖς μετανοοῦσιν ὑπέσχετο. εʹ. "Ἤλπισεν ἡ ψυχή μου ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον, ἀπὸ φυλακῆς πρωΐας μέχρι νυκτός." Ἀντὶ τοῦ, διὰ πά σης ἡμέρας· φυλακὴ γὰρ πρωΐα ἡ τελευταία ὥρα τῆς νυκτός· οἱ γὰρ τελευταῖοι φύλακες μέχρι ἐκεί νου φυλάττουσι τοῦ καιροῦ. ʹ. "Ἀπὸ φυλακῆς πρωΐας ἐλπισάτω Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον." Οὐκ ἀρκοῦνται οἱ δίκαιοι μό νον τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἐλπίδος ἔχειν τὸν πλοῦτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας ἐπὶ τὴν ὁμοίαν κτῆσιν προτρέπουσι, καὶ τὸ ἐντεῦθεν φυόμενον δηλοῦσι κέρδος. ζʹ. "Ὅτι παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸ ἔλεος, καὶ πολλὴ παρ' αὐτῷ λύτρωσις." [Φιλοικτίρμων γὰρ καὶ φιλ άνθρωπος ὁ ∆εσπότης, καὶ τοῖς μεταμελομένοις παρέχει τὴν σωτηρίαν.] ηʹ. "Καὶ αὐτὸς λυτρώσεται τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν αὐτοῦ." Πρόῤῥησιν ὁ λόγος ἔχει τὴν κατὰ τὸν ∆εσπότην. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἔφη Γαβριὴλ πρὸς τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον· "Τέξῃ υἱὸν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν, ὅτι αὐτὸς σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν."

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΡΛʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν." Ταπεινοφροσύνην ὁ προφητικὸς ἐκπαιδεύει

λόγος, καὶ τῶν ταύτης ἐρα στῶν εἰσάγει τὸ πρόσωπον προσευχομένων, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν λιπαρούντων. "Κύριε, οὐχ ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία μου." Τῆς καρδίας τὸ ὕψος οὐ μόνοις τοῖς δυσσε βέσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις λυμαίνεται. Καὶ διδάσκει τῶν Παραλειπομένων ἡ ἱστορία περὶ τοῦ Ἐζεκίου τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς λέγουσα βασιλέως, "Ὅτι ἐταπεινώθη ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς καρδίας αὑτοῦ." ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἱεροῖς αὑτοῦ παραινεῖ μαθηταῖς λέγων· "Πᾶς ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται, καὶ ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυ τὸν ταπεινωθήσεται." -"Οὐδὲ ἐμετεωρίσθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου." Ἴδιον τῶν ὑπερηφάνων τὰς ὀφρῦς ἐπαίρειν, καὶ τὴν γνάθον φυσᾷν, καὶ πάντων ὑπερ φρονεῖν. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ πάθους ἀπηλλαγμένοι, οὐχ ὡς ἀγνοοῦντα διδάσκουσι τοῦτο τὸν κριτὴν, ἀλλ' ὡς εἰδότα καλοῦσιν εἰς μαρτυρίαν. "Οὐδὲ ἐπορεύθην ἐν μεγάλοις." Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, ἐν μεγαλειότησιν· ὁ δὲ Ἀκύλας, ἐν μεγαλωσύναις. "Οὐδὲ ἐν θαυ μασίοις