308

they had God propitious; for there was no lack of grain among them, no famine, or pestilence, no untimely death, nor anything else of such things, as are accustomed to happen to men, but all things flowed to them as from springs, the hand of God correcting the weakness of human affairs. This, then, he says here, that You promised to bless her provision, that is, to provide an abundance of necessities with much security. I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice with rejoicing. There will I make a horn to spring forth for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. I will clothe his enemies with shame; but upon him shall my sanctification flourish. See prosperity 55.384 composed from all sides, from lacking none of the necessities, from the priests being in security, from the people being in gladness, from the king being in strength. For here by "lamp" he means either the king, or help, or salvation, or light; and with these, the greatest form of prosperity. What is this? That the enemies be covered in shame, and that there be no one to destroy these good things. And he did not simply say destruction, but shame, wishing that while living they be covered in shame, and sink down, and to testify through what they suffer to the strength and prosperity of this nation. But upon him shall my sanctification flourish. What is, But upon him? Upon the people. "The sanctification"—another said, "The horn." Another, "His portion." Another, "That which is set apart for him." What then is that which is said? It seems to me he means well-being, security, strength, the kingdom. The things which from the beginning I set apart for him, these will remain flourishing, he says, abounding, not withering, nor falling down; but all these things will be, the previously mentioned ordinance remaining. What is this? If your sons shall keep my covenant. For the promises of God alone do not provide good things for us, if we do not also do our part, nor should one, by paying attention to these, become remiss and supine. For God does not bring about many of the good things which He promised, when those who received the promises are found unworthy; just as He does not carry into effect the evils which He threatened, when those who provoked him afterwards change and avert His wrath. Knowing these things, therefore, let us neither be negligent on account of the promises, lest we fall, nor despair on account of the threats, but let us change. For thus we will be able to attain the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. ON THE 132ND PSALM. Behold, what is good, or what is pleasant—another, Behold what is good, and what is pleasant—but for brothers to dwell together in unity? Many things are good, but do not have what is pleasant; others again have pleasure, but are deprived of what is best; but for both to come together is not very easy. But in this which is spoken of, both these things have come together, both pleasure, and what is best. For love especially possesses this; with what is beneficial it also has what is easy, and sweet. This, at any rate, he hymns here. For he did not simply speak of dwelling, nor of being confined in one small house, but of dwelling together in unity, that is, with unanimity and love; for this makes the soul to be one. Then, having said good and pleasant, more clearly

308

τὸν Θεὸν ἵλεων εἶχον· οὔτε γὰρ σιτοδεία τις ἦν παρ' αὐτοῖς, οὐ λιμὸς, ἢ λοιμὸς, οὐ θάνατος ἄωρος, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν, οἷα συμβαίνειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἴωθεν, ἀλλὰ πάντα αὐτοῖς ὥσπερ ἐκ πηγῶν ἐπέῤῥει, τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χειρὸς τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων τὴν ἀσθένειαν διορθουμένης. Τοῦτο οὖν φησιν ἐνταῦθα, ὅτι Ὑπέσχου τὴν θήραν αὐτῆς εὐλογήσειν, τουτέστι, τὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἀφθονίαν παρέξειν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀσφαλείας. Τοὺς πτωχοὺς αὐτῆς χορτάσω ἄρτων. Τοὺς ἱερεῖς αὐτῆς ἐνδύσω σωτηρίαν, καὶ οἱ ὅσιοι αὐτῆς ἀγαλλιάσει ἀγαλλιάσονται. Ἐκεῖ ἐξανατελῶν κέρας τῷ ∆αυΐδ· ἡτοίμασα λύχνον τῷ χριστῷ μου. Τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ ἐνδύσω αἰσχύνην· ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐξανθήσει τὸ ἁγίασμά μου. Ὅρα πανταχόθεν εὐημερίαν 55.384 συγκεκροτημένην, ἀπὸ τοῦ μηδὲν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐνδεῖν, ἀπὸ τοῦ τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ εἶναι, ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸν λαὸν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, ἀπὸ τοῦ τὸν βασιλέα ἐν ἰσχύϊ. Λύχνον γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἢ τὸν βασιλέα φησὶν, ἢ ἀντίληψιν, ἢ σωτηρίαν, ἢ φῶς· μετὰ δὲ τούτων τὸ μέγιστον τῆς εὐημερίας εἶδος. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Τὸ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι, καὶ μηδένα εἶναι τὸν λυμαινόμενον τοῖς καλοῖς τούτοις. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν ἀπώλειαν ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' αἰσχύνην, βουλόμενος ὥστε ζῶντας ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι, καὶ καταδύεσθαι, καὶ μαρτυρεῖν δι' ὧν πάσχουσι τὴν ἰσχὺν καὶ τὴν εὐημερίαν τῷ ἔθνει τούτῳ. Ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐξανθήσει τὸ ἁγίασμά μου. Τί ἐστιν, Ἐπὶ δὲ αὐτόν; Ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν. Τὸ ἁγίασμαἕτερος Τὸ κέρας εἶπεν. Ἄλλος, Ἀφόρισμα αὐτοῦ. Ἄλλος, Τὸ ἀφωρισμένον αὐτοῦ. Τί ποτ' οὖν ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον; Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τὴν εὐπραγίαν λέγειν, τὴν ἀσφάλειαν, τὴν ἰσχὺν, τὴν βασιλείαν. Ἅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀφώρισα αὐτῷ, ταῦτα μενεῖ ἀνθοῦντα, φησὶ, βρύοντα, οὐ μαραινόμενα, οὐδὲ καταπίπτοντα· ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ἔσται, τοῦ διορισμοῦ τοῦ ἔμπροσθεν εἰρημένου μένοντος. Ποίου δὴ τούτου; Ἐὰν φυλάξωνται οἱ υἱοί σου τὴν διαθήκην μου. Οὐ γὰρ μόναι αἱ ὑποσχέσεις τοῦ Θεοῦ παρέχουσιν ἡμῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ἂν μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν ποιῶμεν, οὐδὲ χρὴ τούτοις προσέχοντας ἀναπεπτωκέναι, καὶ ὑπτίους εἶναι. Πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὧν ἐπηγγείλατο ὁ Θεὸς οὐ ποιεῖ, τῶν τὰς ἐπαγγελίας δεξαμένων ἀναξίων εὑρισκομένων· ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ κακὰ, ἃ ἠπείλησεν, εἰς ἔργον οὐκ ἄγει, τῶν παροξυνάντων αὐτὸν ὕστερον μεταβαλλομένων, καὶ τὴν ὀργὴν ἀποκρουσαμένων. Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδότες, μήτε διὰ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις ῥᾳθυμῶμεν, ἵνα μὴ καταπέσωμεν, μήτε διὰ τὰς ἀπειλὰς ἀπογινώσκωμεν, ἀλλὰ μεταβαλλώμεθα. Οὕτω γὰρ δυνησόμεθα τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΡΛΒʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. Ἰδοὺ δὴ τί καλὸν, ἢ τί τερπνόν ἄλλος, Ἰδοὺ τί ἀγαθὸν, καὶ τί καλόν, ἀλλ' ἢ τὸ κατοικεῖν ἀδελφοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό; Πολλὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐστὶ μὲν καλὰ, τὸ δὲ τερπνὸν οὐκ ἔχει· ἕτερα ἡδονὴν μὲν ἔχει πάλιν, τοῦ καλλίστου δὲ ἀπεστέρηται· ἀμφότερα δὲ συνελθεῖν, οὐ σφόδρα εὔπορον. Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τούτου τοῦ εἰρημένου ἀμφότερα ταῦτα συνδεδράμηκε, καὶ ἡδονὴ, καὶ τὸ κάλλιστον. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα ἡ ἀγάπη κέκτηται· μετὰ τῆς ὠφελείας καὶ τὸ ῥᾷστον ἔχει, καὶ ἡδύ. Ταύτην γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἀνυμνεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς τὴν οἴκησιν εἶπεν, οὐδὲ τῷ ἑνὶ συνέχεσθαι οἰκίσκῳ, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κατοικεῖν, τουτέστι, μετὰ ὁμοφωνίας καὶ ἀγάπης· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιεῖ ψυχὴν εἶναι μίαν. Εἶτα εἰπὼν καλὸν καὶ τερπνὸν, σαφέστερον