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Expositiones in Psalmos

INTERPRETATION OF THE 4TH PSALM. When I called, the God of my righteousness heard me. 1. The Prophet does not say these things so that we may simply learn that he was heard, but so that we may be taught how we too, when we call upon God, can be heard quickly, and receive our request before the end of the prayer. For he did not say, "After I called, he heard me," but, "When I called." For 55.40 God himself makes such a promise somewhere, saying to the one who calls upon him: "While you are still speaking, I will say, 'Behold, I am here.'" For a multitude of words is not accustomed to persuade God, but a pure soul and a demonstration of good works. To those, then, who live in wickedness, but expect to importune him by the length of their words, see what he says. When you make many prayers, I will not listen to you. If you stretch out your hands, I will turn my eyes away from you. Therefore, before all else, the one who prays must have confidence, and the things requested will surely follow. For this reason, the Prophet did not say, "He heard me," but, "of my righteousness," showing his confidence before God, and how with this he always approached him. But let no one think he is boasting when he says these things. For he says these things not wishing to exalt himself, but introducing a certain teaching and common exhortation that has great profit. For lest someone say, "He was heard because he was David, but I will not be heard because I am small and insignificant," he shows that He does not simply hear him, nor does He ignore you idly and at random, but is everywhere an exact observer of deeds. And if you have these things which can advocate for you, you will certainly be heard. Just as if you do not have them, not even if you were David, will you be able to persuade God. And just as lovers of money look neither to worthiness nor to anything else, but only to those who have silver, and go to them as if they will accomplish all things; so too God, since he is a lover of righteousness, whoever comes to him with this will not go away empty, just as one without it, and sullied by its opposites, even if he should entreat ten thousand times, will accomplish nothing more, not having persuasion with him. Therefore, if you wish to accomplish something with God, take this with you and go. But here, do not consider righteousness to be a part of virtue, but the whole and universal. Thus Job too was righteous, possessing every human virtue; not abstaining from this evil, while clinging to another. So too we call that a just weight which is everywhere equal; not if it can weigh gold equally, but lead contrariwise, but that which provides equality in all substances; and a measure again, that which is everywhere equal. Thus Job too was righteous, being everywhere equal. For he did not only keep this equality in money, but also in all other things, nowhere transgressing the measure. Nor could anyone say that he loved equal value in money, but in his dealings with his neighbors he transgressed the measure, being boastful and contemptuous. For he also fled from this with much diligence. Wherefore he also said: "But if I have despised the judgment of my male or female servant when they disputed with me; or were they not formed in the same way I was formed?" Therefore, this too is a very great injustice, to be boastful and arrogant. 2. For just as we call a man greedy who wishes 55.41 to take what belongs to others, and is not content with his own; so too do we call a man boastful, when he demands more than is owed him from his neighbor; when someone places himself in all honor, but dishonors another. But this

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Expositiones in Psalmos

ΕΡΜΗΝΕΙΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ∆ʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ. Ἐν τῷ ἐπικαλεῖσθαί με εἰσήκουσέ με ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δικαιοσύνης μου. αʹ. Οὐχ ἵνα ἁπλῶς μάθωμεν, ὅτι ἠκούσθη, ταῦτα φθέγγεται ὁ Προφήτης· ἀλλ' ἵνα παιδευθῶμεν πῶς καὶ αὐτοὶ καλοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν ἀκουσθῆναι δυνησόμεθα ταχέως, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τέλους τῆς εὐχῆς τὴν αἴτησιν λαβεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Μετὰ τὸ ἐπικαλέσασθαί με εἰσήκουσέ μου, ἀλλ', Ἐν τῷ ἐπικαλεῖσθαί με. Καὶ γὰρ 55.40 καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοιαύτη τίς ἐστιν ὑπόσχεσις λέγοντός που πρὸς τὸν ἐπικαλούμενον· Ἔτι λαλοῦντός σου ἐρῶ· Ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ ῥημάτων πλῆθος πείθειν τὸν Θεὸν εἴωθεν, ἀλλὰ καθαρὰ ψυχὴ καὶ ἔργων ἀγαθῶν ἐπίδειξις. Πρὸς γοῦν τοὺς ἐν πονηρίᾳ μὲν ζῶντας, προσδοκῶντας δὲ τῷ μήκει τῶν ῥημάτων δυσωπεῖν αὐτὸν, ὅρα τί φησιν. Ὅταν πληθύνητε τὴν δέησιν, οὐκ εἰσακούσομαι ὑμῶν. Ἐὰν ἐκτείνητε τὰς χεῖρας, ἀποστρέψω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου ἀφ' ὑμῶν. Ἄρα πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων παῤῥησίαν δεῖ τὸν εὐχόμενον ἔχειν, καὶ πάντως ἕψεται τὰ τῆς αἰτήσεως. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Προφήτης οὐκ εἶπεν, Εἰσήκουσεν ἐμοῦ, ἀλλὰ, Τῆς δικαιοσύνης μου, τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ παῤῥησίαν δεικνὺς, καὶ ὡς μετὰ ταύτης αὐτῷ προσῄει διὰ παντός. Μηδεὶς δὲ αὐτὸν μεγαληγορεῖν ἡγείσθω ταῦτα λέγοντα. Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ἐπᾶραι βουλόμενος ταῦτά φησιν, ἀλλὰ διδασκαλίαν τινα καὶ παραίνεσιν κοινὴν πολὺ κέρδος ἔχουσαν εἰσάγων. Ἵνα γὰρ μή τις λέγῃ, ὅτι Ἐκεῖνος ἠκούσθη, ἐπειδὴ ∆αυῒδ ἦν, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ εἰσακουσθήσομαι, ἐπειδὴ μικρὸς καὶ εὐτελής εἰμι· δείκνυσιν ὅτι οὔτε ἐκείνου ἁπλῶς ἀκούει, οὔτε σοῦ παρακούει εἰκῆ καὶ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐστὶν ἀκριβὴς θεωρός. Κἂν ταῦτα ἔχῃς τὰ δυνάμενά σοι συνηγορῆσαι, ἀκουσθήσῃ πάντως. Ὥσπερ ἂν μὴ ἔχῃς, οὐδ' ἂν ∆αυῒδ ᾖς, πεῖσαι δυνήσῃ τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ καθάπερ οἱ φιλοχρήματοι οὔτε πρὸς ἀξίαν, οὔτε πρὸς ἕτερον οὐδὲν βλέπουσιν, ἀλλ' ἢ τοὺς ἀργύριον ἔχοντας μόνον, καὶ ὡς πάντα ἀνύσοντες ἀπίασι πρὸς αὐτούς· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπειδὴ δικαιοσύνης ἐστὶν ἐραστὴς, ὃς ἂν μετὰ ταύτης ἔλθῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἀπελεύσεται κενὸς, ὥσπερ οὖν ὁ ταύτης χωρὶς, καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐμφυρόμενος, κἂν μυρία παρακαλῇ, πλέον οὐδὲν ἐργάσεται, τὸ πείθειν οὐκ ἔχων μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ. Ὥστε εἰ βούλει τι παρὰ Θεῷ ἀνύειν, ταύτην προσλαβὼν ἄπιθι. ∆ικαιοσύνην δὲ ἐνταῦθα μὴ μέρος ἀρετῆς εἶναι νόμιζε, ἀλλ' ὁλόκληρον καὶ καθολικήν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ δίκαιος ἦν, πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἔχων ἀνθρωπίνην· οὐ τούτου μὲν ἀπεχόμενος τοῦ πονηροῦ, ἑτέρου δὲ ἀντεχόμενος. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς δίκαιον στάθμιον τοῦτο λέγομεν τὸ πανταχοῦ ἴσον· οὐκ ἐὰν χρυσὸν μὲν ἐξίσου ἱστᾷν δύνηται, μόλυβδον δὲ ἐναντίως, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν ἁπάσαις ὕλαις τὴν ἰσότητα παρεχόμενον· καὶ μέτρον πάλιν, τὸ πανταχοῦ ἴσον. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ δίκαιος ἦν, πανταχοῦ ἴσος ὤν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν χρήμασι τὴν ἰσότητα ταύτην ἐφύλαττε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν, οὐδαμοῦ τὸ μέτρον ὑπερβαίνων. Οὐδ' ἂν ἔχοι τις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἐν χρήμασι μὲν τὴν ἰσοτιμίαν ἔστεργεν, ἐν δὲ τῇ πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον ὁμιλίᾳ τὸ μέτρον ὑπερέβαινεν, ἀλαζών τις καὶ ὑπεροπτικὸς ὤν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο ἐκ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας ἔφευγε. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν· Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐφαύλισα κρίμα θεράποντός μου ἢ θεραπαίνης κρινομένων πρός με· ἢ οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ ἐγενόμην, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐγένοντο. Ἄρα καὶ τοῦτο ἀδικία μεγίστη, τὸ ἀλαζόνα εἶναι καὶ ὑπερήφανον. βʹ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ πλεονέκτην λέγομεν τὸν τὰ τῶν 55.41 ἄλλων βουλόμενον λαβεῖν, καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις οὐκ ἀρκούμενον· οὕτω καὶ ἀλαζονικὸν λέγομεν, ὅταν πλέον ἀπαιτῇ τῶν ὀφειλομένων αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ πλησίον· ὅταν τις ἑαυτὸν μὲν ἐν πάσῃ καθιστᾷ τιμῇ, ἕτερον δὲ ἀτιμάζῃ. Τοῦτο δὲ