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he says, you have deemed worthy of help and providence. 4. "Let all the kings of the earth confess to you, Lord, for they have heard all the words of my mouth." And then, indeed, all having learned of that greatest victory, marveled at the power of the God of all things. But especially after the incarnation of our God and Savior, both kings and rulers hymn the Creator of all. In that victory, however, they did not hear words, but they witnessed an extraordinary deed; but now they have also heard words, and they enjoy the evangelical proclamations. 5. "And let them sing in the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord." He speaks of things to come in the optative mood, and foretells the change of affairs; that all will marvel at the providence and economy of God. For he calls the economies "ways". ʹ. "For the Lord is high, and he beholds the humble." This he also said in another psalm: "He who dwells on high, and beholds the humble." And he says that, being by nature high and ineffable, he does not neglect even the small things, but deems these too worthy of his own providence. "And the lofty he knows from afar." For he knows all things before their creation; and seeing from afar those in power, he offers to each suitable remedies. 7. "If I walk in the midst of affliction, you will give me life." The voice of sincere faith. I am confident, he says, that even if I am overwhelmed by misfortunes from all sides, I will be stronger than the difficulties, and I will reap life from your help. "Against the wrath of my enemies you stretched out your hands, and your right hand saved me." For being angered against my foes, you delivered them to punishment, but deemed me worthy of salvation. And from this it is clear that he calls "hand" the energy, and "right hand" the good energy. For he joined the "hand" with the punishment of the enemies, but the "right hand" with the benefit to himself. 8. "The Lord will repay on my behalf." I, he says, being a man, and wallowing in sins, am not able to repay the benefactions; but the Lord himself, who became the provider of these things for me, having become man, and having taken up my nature, will pay my debt. The divine Apostle also agrees with these things, saying that the Lord Christ erased 80.1933 the handwriting that was against us. "O Lord, your mercy is forever; do not despise the works of your hands." Since therefore your mercy is immeasurable, and extends with the age, grant swift salvation to your creations. And the Prophet offered this, having learned by the grace of the most holy Spirit, how the Creator of nature will pay the debt of nature.

INTERPRETATION OF THE 138TH PSALM. 1. "For the end; a Psalm of David." In some copies is added,

"Of Zacharias in the dispersion." This I found neither in the Hebrew, nor in the Septuagint, nor in the other interpreters; but someone, having understood the psalm as he wished, made the addition to the inscription. The psalm, however, contains a prophecy of Josiah the king. For he, having sprung from an impious father, and being the offspring of such a grandfather, detested their impiety, but he walked in all virtue, and being kindled with divine zeal, he speared all the priests of the idols; and those who embraced piety he deemed worthy of all honor. The psalm foretells these things. And the prophetic word introduces him praying, and being astonished at the foreknowledge concerning him. "Lord, you have tested me, and you have known me." A test of virtue is not only poverty and despondency, but also kingship and prosperity. For just as we are tested in distressing things, whether we are able to bear nobly the sorrows that befall us; so also in prosperous times we are exercised, and we are shown, whether we are carried away with good fortune, or whether we understand its nature. The blessed Josiah, therefore, having been entrusted with the kingdom, and with piety it

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φησὶν, ἐπικου ρίας καὶ προνοίας ἠξίωσας. δʹ. "Ἐξομολογησάσθωσάν σοι, Κύριε, πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἤκουσαν πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός μου." Καὶ τηνικαῦτα μὲν ἅπαντες τὴν μεγίστην ἐκείνην μεμαθηκότες νίκην, ἐθαύμασαν τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν δύναμιν. ∆ιαφερόντως δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐνανθρώπησιν, καὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἄρχοντες τὸν ἁπάντων ὑμνοῦσι Ποιη τήν. Ἐπ' ἐκείνης μέντοι τῆς νίκης, οὐ ῥημάτων ἤκουσαν, ἀλλὰ πρᾶγμα παράδοξον ἐθεάσαντο· νῦν δὲ καὶ ῥημάτων ἤκουσαν, καὶ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἀπο λαύουσι κηρυγμάτων. εʹ. "Καὶ ᾀσάτωσαν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς Κυρίου, ὅτι με γάλη ἡ δόξα Κυρίου." Εὐκτικῶς τὰ ἐσόμενα λέγει, καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων προλέγει μεταβολήν· ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν πρόνοιαν καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν θαυ μάσουσιν ἅπαντες. Ὁδοὺς γὰρ τὰς οἰκονομίας καλεῖ. ʹ. "Ὅτι ὑψηλὸς Κύριος, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορᾷ." Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ ἔφη ψαλμῷ· "Ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν." Λέγει δὲ, ὅτι φύ σει ὑψηλὸς ὢν καὶ ἄῤῥητος, οὐδὲ τῶν σμικρῶν ἀμε λεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτους τῆς οἰκείας ἀξιοῖ προμηθείας. "Καὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν γινώσκει." Γινώσκει γὰρ πάντα πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν· καὶ πόῤῥωθεν τοὺς ἐν δυναστείαις ὁρῶν, ἑκάστῳ φάρμακα προσφέρει κατάλληλα. ζʹ. "Ἐὰν πορευθῶ ἐν μέσῳ θλίψεως, ζήσεις με." Πίστεως εἰλικρινοῦς ἡ φωνή. Θαῤῥῶ, φησὶν, ὅτι κἂν πανταχόθεν ὑπὸ συμφορῶν περικλύζωμαι, κρείτ των ἔσομαι τῶν δυσχερῶν, καὶ ζωὴν ἀπὸ τῆς σῆς ἐπικουρίας καρπώσομαι. "Ἐπ' ὀργὴν ἐχθρῶν ἐξ έτεινας χεῖράς σου, καὶ ἔσωσέ με ἡ δεξιά σου." Ὀρ γισθεὶς γὰρ κατὰ τῶν ἐμῶν δυσμενῶν, ἐκείνους μὲν τιμωρίᾳ παρέδωκας, ἐμὲ δὲ σωτηρίας ἠξίωσας. Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς χεῖρα μὲν τὴν ἐνέργειαν καλεῖ, δεξιὰν δὲ τὴν ἀγαθὴν ἐνέργειαν. Τῇ γὰρ τιμωρίᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὴν χεῖρα συνέζευξε· τῇ δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν εὐεργεσίᾳ τὴν δεξιάν. ηʹ. "Κύριος ἀνταποδώσει ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ." Ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπος ὢν, καὶ ἁμαρτίαις ἐγκαλινδούμε νος, ἀμείψασθαι τὰς εὐεργεσίας οὐ δύναμαι· αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος, ὁ τούτων μοι γενόμενος χορηγὸς, ἐναν θρωπήσας, καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν φύσιν ἀνειληφὼς, τὸ ἐμὸν ἐκτίσει χρέος. Συμφωνεῖ τούτοις καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος, λέγων, τὸν ∆εσπότην Χριστὸν ἐξαλεῖψαι 80.1933 τὸ καθ' ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον. "Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου μὴ παρίδῃς." Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἀμέτρητός σου ὁ ἔλεος, καὶ τῷ αἰῶνι συνεκτεινόμενος, ταχεῖαν τοῖς σοῖς ποιήμασι παρά σχου τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ταύτην δὲ ὁ Προφήτης προσεν ήνοχεν ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος μεμαθηκὼς χάριτος, ὡς τὸ χρέος τῆς φύσεως ὁ Ποιητὴς ἐκτίσει τῆς φύσεως.

ΕΡΜΗΝ. ΤΟΥ ΡΛΗʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΥ. αʹ. "Εἰς τὸ τέλος· Ψαλμὸς τῷ ∆αβίδ." Ἐν ἐνίοις ἀντιγράφοις πρόσκειται,

"Ζαχαρίου εἰς τὴν διασποράν." Τοῦτο οὔτε παρὰ τῷ Ἑβραίῳ, οὔτε παρὰ τοῖς Ἑβδομήκοντα, οὔτε παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις εὗ ρον ἑρμηνευταῖς· ἀλλά τις ὡς ἠβουλήθη νενοηκὼς τὸν ψαλμὸν, τῆς ἐπιγραφῆς ἐποιήσατο τὴν προσθή κην. Ὁ μέντοι ψαλμὸς τοῦ Ἰωσίου τοῦ βασιλέως πρόῤῥησιν ἔχει. Οὗτος γὰρ ἐκ δυσσεβοῦς βλαστή σας πατρὸς, τοιούτου δὲ καὶ πάππου γενόμενος ἔκ γονος, τὴν μὲν ἐκείνων ἀσέβειαν ἐβδελύξατο, διὰ πά σης δὲ ὥδευσεν ἀρετῆς, καὶ ζήλῳ θείῳ πυρποληθεὶς, τοὺς τῶν εἰδώλων ἱερέας κατηκόντισεν ἅπαντας· τοὺς δὲ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀσπαζομένους πάσης θεραπείας ἠξίωσε. Ταῦτα προλέγει ὁ ψαλμός. Εἰσάγει δὲ αὐ τὸν ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος προσευχόμενον, καὶ τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ πρόγνωσιν ἐκπληττόμενον. "Κύριε, ἐδοκίμα σάς με, καὶ ἔγνως με." Βάσανος ἀρετῆς οὐ μόνον πενία καὶ ἀθυμία, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλεία καὶ εὐπραξία. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἀνιαροῖς δοκιμαζόμεθα, εἰ φέ ρειν γενναίως δυνάμεθα τὰ προσπίπτοντα λυπηρά· οὕτως καὶ ἐν ταῖς εὐημερίαις γυμναζόμεθα, καὶ δει κνύμεθα, εἴτε συνεπαιρόμεθα ταῖς εὐκληρίαις, εἴτε τὴν τούτων ἐπιστάμεθα φύσιν. Βασιλείαν τοίνυν ἐγ χειρισθεὶς ὁ μακάριος Ἰωσίας, καὶ μετ' εὐσεβείας αὐτὴν