SETTING FORTH TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING According to the Septuagint version, this psalm embraces the two psalms114 and 115. Some believe that the prophet David is the author of this psalm by an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, at the time king Saul was trying to kill him; or when his own son Absalom rebelled against him. He probably suffered once from a severe illness (3, 8); put in bonds (3, 16); But God, the Liberator, and the Grantor of life, does not desire the death of His saints, but allows for their death, according to His divine plan (Psalm 31: 15; 139: 6). Perceiving that all men lied to him (11); Feeling as though he was a captive of death (3) and that the pains of death have encompassed him, the psalmist’s soul was brought low and got filled with trouble and sorrow; But the Lord dealt bountifully with him, and granted him heavenly comforts This psalm is considered as Messianic, for It refers to the sufferings if the Lord Christ, His death, and His conquest. Many saintly fathers, like St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, and St. Jerome, believe that this psalm proclaims a cry-out by every spiritual believer’s heart, longing for the enjoyment of the eternal life, while suffering from temptations and troubles in this life. According to St. Augustine, this psalm is sung by every man, together with the choir of saints; when feeling like a sojourner from the Lord while living in this world; but when the Lord drew him to Himself, his heart kindled with love toward God, who heard His voice and supplication as he was lost and dead, brought him back, restored his life, and made him join the congregation of saints. This psalm is used by the church of England as a prayer of thanksgiving, when a baby is born. Many see it as a joyful psalm of thanksgiving, presented by the believer, when the Lord saves him from an affliction. The psalmist starts it by supplicating to God to incline His ear to him, to hear his cries as the pangs of Sheol took hold of him; And ends it as an exultant being who praises God, give Him thanks, and glorifies Him. 1- The proclamation of the practical faith 1 - 2 2- The affliction and the salvation 3 - 6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 74 3- The return of the soul to her true rest 7 - 11 4- “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” 12 – 15 5- A sacrifice of thanksgiving 16 – 19 1- THE PROCLAMATION OF THE PRACTICAL FAITH: “I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplication” (1) The words “I love” here, refer to the enjoyment of the true pleasure and gladness in getting attached to the Lord, and recognizing His divine will, together with acknowledging His favor, and giving Him thanks for His mercy and compassion. They express, as well, the wish for a continuous attachment to God, and rejoicing in His perpetual presence in the depths of the soul. The soul truly exults and gets filled with joy when she perceives that God, Creator of heaven and earth listens to her, and responds to what is for her edification. Yet, the psalmist does not say: ‘I rejoiced because the Lord heard my voice’, but says “I love the Lord …”; as though, when he meditates in God’s love for him, and His condescension to incline His ear to listen to his voice, and to respond to his supplication, the foremost of all the commandments, “Love the Lord Your God”, would become for him, something easy and natural. According to the Arabic language version, it came as “I loved the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications” (1). According to St. Jerome1, the expression: “I loved” is in the past tense, while the expression: “He hears my voice” is in the present tense, For I love the Lord without waiting to see if He hears my voice and my supplication; although I am sure that, in His designated time, He will respond. Whom does the psalmist love? … he the Lord his God from his whole heart … And as a reward for his love, the Lord will respond to his supplications2. (Pope Athanasius the Apostolic) I rejoice that the Lord responds to my supplication; Namely, that, having gradually progressed from fearing the Lord, to loving Him from my whole heart, He, in turn, responds to my supplication, and grants me my wish. 1 Homily 39 on Psalm 114 (116A). 2 Letter 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 75 (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) ““I loved the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplication”. I wish the soul of man that wanders in sojourn from the Lord, sings this way…. I wish the lost sheep sing this way; … I wish the son who was dead and is alive again (Luke 15: 6, 24) sings this way. … Let us all, together with the saints, sing this way1. (St. Augustine) “Because He inclined His ear to me. Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live” (2) The Holy Book often portrays God condescends to incline His ear toward man (Psalm 17: 6; 31: 2; 40: 1; 78: 1). How great for the believer to perceive the true fatherhood of God; and to feel that He listens to the cry-outs of the poor, and responds to his supplications. The expression: “I will call upon Him”, is used to mean “I will worship Him” (See Genesis 4: 26); particularly through prayers; And is sometimes used, meaning “I will give Him thanks”. According to St. Jerome, the expression “as long as I live”, came to mean “all the days of my life”; for the believer’s whole life is day and light; as according to the apostle Paul, we do not know the night; There is no place for the darkness in our hearts, nor before our eyes, For we are the dwelling place for Christ, the true Light, and are perpetually in His presence. “Because He inclined His ear to me’. Being little, lowly, and unable to lift our eyes up to him, the Lord bows downward toward us in His compassion, and condescends to listen to us. Actually, being human, and cannot be gods, God became Man; according to what is written: “He bowed the heavens, and came down” (Psalm 18: 9). How did the psalmist get such a hope, saying: “Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live”. I love, … because He hears, and he hears because He inclines His ear to me….. How could you know, O human soul, that God has inclined His ear to you, except by saying: “I believed, therefore I spoke” (Psalm 116: 10). He has, therefore those three things bound together: “faith, hope, and love” (See 1 Corinthians 13: 13). As you believe, you hope, and as you hope, you love2. What are “the days of your life” in which you called upon Him? Are they the “fullness of time” when God sent forth His Son (Galatians 1 On Ps. 116 (115). A sermon to the common people. 2 Homily 39 on Ps. 114 (116 A). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 76 4: 4); He who said: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You” (Isaiah 49: 8) … I would rather call my days ‘the days of my misery’, ‘the days of my death’; the days which are, according to Adam, ‘days full of labor and sweat’; the days according to the old corruption, as “I sank in deep mire” (Psalm 69: 2) … In such days I will call upon You1. (St. Augustine) Inclining the ear may refer to God’s compassion upon man, who has no daring to raise his voice up because of his sins; It may also refer to God’s condescension to approach us in flesh. As to saying “all the days of my life”, it means ‘all the days of my sorrow’, or ‘the days, lightened, not by the material sun, but by the “Sun of Righteousness”, namely, the Word of God, and His only begotten Son’. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 2- THE AFFLICTION AND THE SALVATION: The pains of death encompassed me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow” (3) The troubles of the body, however immense, could not be compared to the troubles of the soul, which would sometimes make man, wish for death, and not find it. Do not marvel to know that the psalmist, the man of God, sometimes felt as though not standing on a high mountain, but moans because he walks in the valley of the shadow of death. By “the pains of death”, and “the pangs of Sheol”, here, the psalmist means to express the state of affliction, sorrow, and bitterness, which he suffers. St. Augustine compares between the days of man, sojourning from the Lord, and lost in vanity, which he counts as “the days of his life”, and his days, when the Lord came in the fullness of time to restore us to Him, which he calls “the days of the Lord” . “The days of man”, he spends enjoying the pleasures of this world. Then, without being aware, he falls into the snares of Sheol, and the eternal death. Whereas in “the days of the Lord” the believer enjoys the new life, and becomes liberated from the pangs of Sheol. My days are different from the days of the Lord … I call “my days”, those in which I dared to set for myself by myself; and in which I deserted God … I became worthy of prison; namely, worthy to receive the darkness of ignorance and the pains (chains) of death … 1 On Ps. 116 (115). A sermon to the common people. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 77 In those days of mine, “The pains of death encompassed me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me”, that would not happen if I had not gone astray from You1. (St. Augustine) It seems to me that the “pains of death”, are the evil and corrupt thoughts that lead the soul to long for sin, which when realized, would entail instant death. … If we always have to encounter sin on our way, let us then, run as swiftly as we can, lest it would catch up with us. “I found trouble and sorrow”. A saint would not seek comfort, but would rather seek suffering; for he knows that, “suffering produces endurance; and endurance produces character; and character produces hope; and hope does not disappoint us” (Romans 5: 3-5) … “Your (bitter) word are to me the joy and rejoice of my heart” (See Jeremiah 15: 16). In this world, I seek nothing but suffering. So that I would be worthy to earn the happiness and comfort in the world to come … On their exodus from the land of Egypt, the people of God came to ‘Marah’, meaning (bitterness); and from ‘Marah’, they came to ‘Sinai’, meaning (temptation); … Again Jeremiah says: “I sat alone for You have filled me with indignation” (Jeremiah 15: 17) 2. (St. Jerome) “The pains (the labor) of death”, are the evil desires of the soul to commit sin; for according to the apostle James, brother of the Lord, in his epistle: “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1: 15). Moreover, Sheol has pangs and gates; Its pangs are the fantasies that draw sin; while its gates are the sin itself. (Father onesimus of Jerusalem) “Then I called upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul” (4) In the midst of severe suffering, the believer will find no true support to help him, other than to resort to God. According to St. Augustine, the psalmist, perceives that he is in trouble and sorrow, not only because of the labors of life, but even because of its pleasures and possessions; on account of that, once he gets something temporal, he would tend to fear losing it eventually, and hence, sorrow would dwell over him. He therefore calls upon the name 1 On Ps. 116 (115). 2 Homily 39 on Ps. 114 (116 A). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 78 of the Lord to deliver his soul from trusting in any human help, and from tending to enjoy temporal pleasure.. … It is befitting of the holy people of God to call upon the name of God to make them enjoy such freedom; So that when the pagans see that, and would discover how they live in trouble and sorrow, they will, as well, call upon the name of the Lord. Once I realized that I live in trouble and sorrow, “I called upon the name of the Lord” … I previously assumed that I would rejoice and exult in the vain human help; but when I heard my Lord say: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5: 4), I did not wait until I loose those temporal benefits for which I would rejoice, then I would most probably mourn; but I started to care for my misery itself, that made me rejoice for such things, which I fear to loose, although I could not keep … “Then I called upon the name of the Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul1”. (St. Augustine) “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes our God is merciful” (5) The word “righteous” here, concerning God, refers to His Justice, in which there is no oppression. If God hears the voice of my supplications, inclines His ear to me, as a Father, compassionate toward his child, and intends to deliver him from the snares of death; He is a gracious and righteous (just), . and merciful as well. In His compassion, He is righteous (just); And in His justice, He chastises, yet He is merciful. His justice could not be separated from His mercy. God is indeed just, and no one can be justified before Him; Yet He is gracious and merciful; His justice is surrounded by graciousness and mercy; namely, preceded by graciousness, and proceeded by mercy; on the right and on the left…. Together with our appreciation of His justice, we are committed to resort to His graciousness and mercy by repentance. In His graciousness, God is longsuffering on man, and when he does not repent, he will chasten him; Yet in His chastisement, God anticipates man’s return to receive him as a son. According to St. Augustine: [He starts by graciousness, then He chastens, to receive again. “He scourges every son He receives” (Hebrews 12: 6). His scourges on me are not bitter, as long as His graciousness is sweet2]. 1 On Ps. 116 (115). 2 On Ps. 116 (115). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 79 A victor is he who hopes for the grace of God, and not he who trusts in his own strength. For, why would you not trust in the grace, when you have a such a merciful Judge? “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous. Yes, our Lord is merciful” (5 LXX). Graciousness (mercy) is referred to, twice, while righteousness (justice) is referred to, once; Justice in the middle, surrounded by mercy on both sides. As there are an abundance of sins, so should mercy be. … Righteousness (justice) should not be without practicing mercy; Hence it is written: “Do not be overly righteous” (Ecclesiastes 7: 16). Anything beyond the proper measure, could not be endured, even if it is good. Stick to the proper measure, to gain according to it1. (St. Ambrose) Yes, O sinner, The Lord is “merciful” indeed; But beware, for in the words to follow, he says that He is “righteous”, meaning ‘just’. He is equally merciful and just; He is merciful to good, and just to the sinners. (St. Jerome) “The Lord preserves the simple. When I was brought low, He saved me” (6) According to the Septuagint and the Coptic version, it came as: “The Lord preserves the children; When I was brought low, He saved me”. The word “preserve’ here, does not stop at protection and guarding, but it also means compassion and divine care. And the word “the simple”, that came three times in the psalms, 13 times in the proverbs, and once in the book of Ezekiel, implies (simplicity), although it came once implying (foolishness, stupidity, or ignorance) in Proverbs 9: 6. According to some, it refers to children or kids, unable to manage their affairs on their own, or to protect themselves; and according to others, it refers to those too mentally weak, to take care of their own life. Actually, if everyone of us meditates in himself, he will perceive that he would easily be put among the “simple”, those helpless to realize their longings on their own, without a divine help. The word “saved me”, means (rescued or helped me), which suits those who go through illness, poverty, oppression, temptation, nervous break down, or a spiritual darkness. 1 On the Death of Theodosius 25. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 80 According to father Onesimus of Jerusalem, the psalmist here, refers to the helpless fetus in its mother’s womb, protected by God, even after coming out to the world. So is he who, feeling and perceiving his naturally human weakness and helplessness, would trust in God, who preserves and saves him. How could the Lord not preserve the children, when He scourges the grown-ups, whom He seeks to make heirs; For, “what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” (Hebrew 12: 7). ‘When I was brought low, He saved me’. … The pain caused by the surgeon’s knife is not for punishment, as much as it is for healing1. (St. Augustine) “The Lord preserves the simple”. The Lord does not preserve him who is puffed up with pride; nor shows compassion to him who feels self-greatness2. (St. Jerome) Those who are wise in this world, once they forsake their wisdom, and become through their own choice, as simple as little children, they would come to learn the kind of wisdom not acquired by study3. (St. Isaac the Syrian) Those who are as simple, and of little experience in strife like children, as much as they faithfully seek the Lord, they would never lose their battles against the devil, and would never fall under his yoke; for it is written: “The Lord preserves the simple” (6). Actually the hidden heavenly shield worn by the Christians, is the secret weapon with which they fight their battles within their souls, after which they would resort and settle down in their home, where they enjoy the taste of peace4. (St. Maccarius the Great) Follow reason in every thing. Have your regular meal every evening; except in special circumstances, like illness, when you have to break the designated time to eat, or to eat in certain days of fasting; Do it, though, without feeling guilty, for we are no more under the law, but under the grace. … When you eat, do not fill your stomach, specially by the kinds of food (delicious to the throat), but you should rather 1 On Ps. 116 (115). 2 Homily 39 on Ps. 114 (116 A). 3 Ascetical Homilies, 72. الرسالة الثانیة عشرة للقدیس أنبا مقار إلى أبّا سمعان الناسك في العراق، وإلى إخوة آخرین مقیمین معھ، 2 (فردوس الآباء). 4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 81 prefer the less delicious…. Guard your heart, for it is written: “The sacrifices of God are the broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart – those, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51: 17); and, “I was brought low, and He saved me” (6); and, “On this one will I look, on him who is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word” (Isaiah 66: 2); and, “Commit yourself to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday” (Psalm 37: 5-6). (St. Athanasius the apostolic) A hermit said: [We are, before anything else, in need of humility]. … Why did he say: ‘in need of humility’, and did not say: ‘in need of temperance’, according to the counsel of the apostle, saying: “Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things” (1 Corinthians 9: 25)…. Why did he not say that we need ‘the fear of the Lord’, according to the words of the holy Scripture: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverb 1: 7) … Why did he not say that we need ‘mercy’ or ‘faith’ (truth), according to what is written: “In mercy and truth, atonement is provided for iniquity” (Proverb 16: 6); and also: “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (the Lord)” (Hebrew 11: 6)? Why did the hermit concentrate on ‘humility’ alone, putting aside all the other virtues, despite our need for them? By that he shows to us that it is not possible for the fear of God, mercy, faith, temperance, or any other virtue, to grow without humility. Beside the fact that humility has the ability to nullify all the darts of the enemy. All saints have walked along the way of humility, and strived in it, “Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins” (Psalm 25: 18); and, “I was brought low and He saved me” (6). (Father Dorotheos) 3- THE RETURN OF THE SOUL TO HER TRUE REST: “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (7) We cannot enjoy the salvation of our souls from death, unless we enjoy the true rest, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Many of the believers of the old covenant believed that their rest would be to dwell ultimately in the promised land. But, according to the apostle Paul: “If Joshua had given them rest, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day; there remains, therefore, another rest for the people of God” (Hebrew 4: 8). The true rest for the soul is to https://coptic-treasures.com/ 82 enjoy the fellowship of our Lord Jesus; for He is our satisfaction, joy, and crown. Entering into Him is also realized by Him; as “He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. St. John Chrysostom meditates in how the praise by psalms is used in the ‘funeral rites’, like:: “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (7); and, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23: 4); and, “You are my hiding place, for You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32: 7) Meditate in the meaning of the psalm, saying: … “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you”. … Tell me! Can you say that the Lord has dealt bountifully with you, and you still weep?! … Would this not be hypocrisy?! … If you truly believe in what you say, there would be no place for your grief. … But if you are just acting, Why would those psalms mean to you? … Why would you not drive those who sing them away1?! “Return to your rest, o my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you”. Meaning: Return, O my soul, to paradise; not that you deserve it, but for the sake of the compassion of the Lord. Your exit from paradise was because of your iniquity; Whereas returning to it would be because of the compassion of he Lord. I wish you would say to your soul: Return to your rest, O my soul, … your rest is in our Lord Jesus Christ…. In case you are going through great afflictions, Or your mind is ready to submit to sin, Cry out saying: “Return to your rest, O my soul2”. (St. Jerome) “Return to your rest, O my soul”; not because of your worthiness, but because “the Lord has dealt bountifully with you”. (St. Augustine) Nothing would provide the soul with wings, to take her up from the earth, to release her from the bonds of flesh, and to teach her how to despise the temporal things, like singing praises with harmony3. The soul is sensitive by nature to music; To deny the demons the chance to persuade men to sing the abominable kinds of songs, God set the psalms for them to protect them, on account of that they are 1 In Hebr. Hom 4: 7. 2 Homily 39 on Ps. 114 (116 A). 3 On Ps. 116 (115). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 83 both useful and amiable. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, the soul, together with the lips, utter the spiritual songs. (St. John Chrysostom) “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (7). The brave contender applies these comfort-giving words to himself; like the apostle Paul who says: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4: 7- 8). With the same sense, the psalmist says to his soul, having faithfully consummated the way of this life: “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you”. … The eternal rest is laid up for those who strive in the present life to keep God’s statutes; not as a pay back of a debt for the sake of our good works, but because of God’s bountiful grace to those who trust Him1. (St. Basil the Great) Sin disturbs and torments the soul; Whereas to avoid and repent it, will cause man’s soul to return to rest and security. “Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) Rejoicing in such medication of death; on account of that it puts an end to iniquity, and not to nature; and that it grants freedom and liberty, the psalmist David says: “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (9). ”The land of the living” concerns the souls, where there are no sins, but the glory of virtues2. David knows for sure that death for the sake of Christ is more glorious than ruling the world; For what is more exalted than to become a sacrifice for the sake of Christ? We often read about the diverse sacrifices offered by David to the Lord, to which he now adds: “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (17). … Notice how he does not say, ‘I offer …’, but says, “I will offer to You the sacrifice …”. By this he means that the sacrifice will be consummate, once man stands before the Lord, free of the bonds of this body, and offers his soul a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Prior to death, his praise would never be consummate, and no one in this life can offer the ultimate praise; on account of that he would not be sure how good will be his works until his death3. 1 Homilies, 22. F. C. vol 46, p. 356-57. 2 Death as a Good, 9: 38-39. 3 Death as a Good, 3: 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 84 (St. Ambrose) “for You have delivered my soul from death; my eyes from tears; and my feet from failing” (8) The psalmist cries out, because evil has surrounded him on all sides, has dwelt upon his soul, and brought her forth into death; because his eyes do not cease to cry, and his feet have failed; But the Savior came to deliver and help in the proper and perfect time; and His grace is bountiful. … The believer would never cease to cry out to his Savior, For he perpetually needs Him to look down on him. He who does not cry in the present world, will shed an abundance of tears in the world to come. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5: 4). “My feet have almost stumbled; My steps have nearly slipped” (Psalm 73: 2). You have delivered my feet from slipping; How? “For my soul returned to her rest1. (St. Jerome) Comparing the future rest to the present misery, he says: [Here, the sorrows of death surround me; whereas there, the Lord delivers my soul from death… Here, my eyes shed tears, because of the multitude of troubles, whereas there, no more tears would darken the eyes of those who exult in meditation in the glory of God, who wipes the tears out of every face2]. (St. Basil the Great) “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (9) According to the Septuagint and the Coptic version, it came as: ‘I shall (bring forth pleasure) to the Lord in the land of the living’. “Walking before the Lord” refers to persistent movement and perpetual growth within the church of Christ, until the departure to the life to come. Life in Jesus Christ is a persistent movement through the grace of God, to enjoy the perpetual growth; and an ascension from glory to glory. The psalmist is preoccupied, not with what the others may say, but with what God may see in him, when he will ultimately stand before God who searches the heart and the mind. [Other people think that I am a righteous man; I, who do no good works; … they think that I am a saint, I, who utter no good words]. … 1 Homily 39 on Ps. 114 (116 A). 2 Homilies on Ps. 114. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 85 So say David, the saints, and the apostles; but never the sinners! … The righteous may say, “Although I do no good works, nor utter good words; people think I am a saint, and commend me; But I know my own conscience, the kinds of thoughts that come over my mind and heart from here and there, and the wild lusts that take hold of me! “I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members”, that is why I cry out: “O, wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7: 24). I intend to confirm the fact that in the present world, no body can be perfectly righteous, neither David, nor the apostles, or any of the saints. “No one is pure of sin, even though his life is just one day on earth”. The apostles and the saints did not dare to say, “We are saints”, or to say, “I bring forth pleasure to the Lord”, but they say “I (shall) bring forth pleasure to the Lord”; the psalmist pledges, as far as the future is concerned, to do what he confesses he did not do in the past, and pledges that he “will bring forth pleasure to the Lord”. Where will he “bring forth pleasure to the Lord?” … “in the land of the living”. The present land, as David knew it, is the “land of the dead”, whereas the other one is “the land of the living”, which is defined by the Lord Himself by saying: “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Matthew 22: 32), who were long dead1. (St. Jerome) “The land of the living” is the time to come, when death has no more dominion on us; and those who enjoy it are said to be: “Those who come out of the great tribulation … They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7: 13; 16-17). (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “I believed, therefore I spoke; I am greatly afflicted” (10) Faith is perpetually proclaimed through the resurrected practical life; as expressed by the apostle Paul, saying: “But since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believe, therefore I spoke’, we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will 1 Homily 39 on Ps. 114 (116 A). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 86 present us with you” (2 Corinthians 4: 13-14). Faith will not stay idle, and a captive inside the heart and mind, but we are committed to proclaim it through talk and practical behavior in Jesus Christ. “I shall bring forth pleasure to the Lord in the land of the living”, that is what I believe, and therefore, I speak. … And who do I say? “I am greatly afflicted”, namely (I became humble). What a very deep understanding of the divine utterance! … He says: “I believe that I shall bring forth pleasure to the Lord”, that I shall be an angel, and go to heaven; … I did not become proud, nor haughty, but “I rather became greatly afflicted”; … Because of the great mercies of God, I shall be in the land of the living; … knowing precisely that I am dust and ashes, I became greatly afflicted; For what could the dust and the ashes be proud of1! (St. Jerome) The psalmist uttered these words when he was in great danger, and there was no possibility of escape, except through the power of God. In similar circumstances the apostle Paul said: “Since we have the same spirit of faith, we shall find comfort” (2 Corinthians 4: 13). By this it obvious that there is great harmony between the old and the new covenants; on account of that it is the same Spirit working in both. Since men of the old covenant were going through the same danger we are going through, We are thus committed to find the solution they found; namely, through faith and hope2. (St. John Chrysostom) Truthfulness in talk should be preceded by good faith; for the nonbeliever would never be truthful in what he says about God; as the beginning of the true teaching and talk is the steadfast and perpetual faith in the heart of the one who talks; Hence the apostle wrote: “Since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke’, We also believe and therefore we speak” (2 Corinthians 4: 13). The spirit of faith said by the apostle is the gift of the Holy Spirit given to the believer; and the perfection of the faith is humility, non-haughtiness, and the lack of pride. The apostle also wrote: “I do not count myself to have apprehended” (Philippians 3: 13); that is why the prophet David says: “I am greatly afflicted (humiliated)”. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 1 Homily 40 on Ps. 115 (116 B). 2 Homilies on Corinth. Homily 9: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 87 The divine Word came so that the desolate earth would bring forth fruit to us. The Word came, followed by the voice; for the word first works inside before the voice follows it; hence David says: “I believed, therefore I spoke” (10) 1 (St. Ambrose) “I said in my haste, ‘All men are liars’’” (11) Amid the afflictions, he felt that all men, even the closest friends, are helpless to give any befitting help. The word ‘liars’ came here to mean (vain). Having lost all hope in men, the psalmist is committed to trust in God; for that is the secure road to salvation from the darkness, and the enjoyment of the true light. The apostle, suffered as well, and said: “All have forsaken me”, although, among his loved ones, he found those who were not ashamed of his chain. Someone of experience say: Although my acquaintances are so many to fill a huge cathedral, yet, no one of them can enter into my depths, and restore to me my peace, but the Lord Christ. According to St. Augustine, man in his haste (in his confusion) says that “all men are liars’. That also happened with the apostle Peter when he trusted in himself, and finally realized that he should trust in no one, even in his own arm. “I said in my haste, ‘All men are liars’”. By “haste” or (confusion), he means the fear caused by the threat of the persecutors, or which come with the sufferings of death.. We may understand it this way, for the voice of the martyrs is heard in this psalm. The confusion may also be caused by an inspiration through a vision2. I was nothing before He created me;…. I was lost, and He searched for me and found me; … I was a captive, and He purchased my freedom and cared for me; … I was a slave, and He made me His brother; … How can I repay the Lord?; … You have nothing to give Him;… You seek everything from Him, So what will you give Him3? (St. Augustine) According to St. Jerome, [“All men are liars”, could mean that when he behaves as man, he lies; but once he is sanctified, and the words apply to him, saying: “I said , ‘you are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High’” (Psalm 82: 6), he will no longer be a liar. 1 Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 2: 67. 2 Cf On Ps. 116 (115). 3 Sermon 25: 6-7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 88 Man of holiness becomes a god, and being a god, he is no longer man, and no longer utters lies1]. “I said in my haste, ‘All men are liars’” … The prophet says:: [I shall bring forth pleasure to the Lord in the land of the living; Yet, when I meditate in the human life, and in all kinds of fault, I find no truth in this world… everything I see and elaborately notice, are lies!] … The word “lies” here is used to mean (shadow) or (illusion); as it is said in another psalm: “Every man walks about like a shadow” (Psalm 39: 6). The present psalm, therefore, carries the same sense and meaning2. (St. Jerome) Saying, “I said in my haste”, means, in my confusion, because of the multitude of my troubles, and when I meditate in the things of this world, and become astonished, I say, ‘All men are liars’”; Meaning that all who submit to human reactions, and all who trust in human thoughts, and do not set their view on the statutes of God, are liars. The word “liar” here means (vain) and (mortal); Namely, that man’s happiness, riches, and knowledge, are all mortal and will soon come to an end. Everything that man has in the present time, will soon turn upside down, whether it is good or bad; Nothing will ever stay stable. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) If “All men are liars”, and it is only God who is true, what should we – the ministers of God – do, except to reject the human faults and lies, and remain in the truth of God, obeying His commandments3. (Cyprian, the martyr) I believe that the great David did the right thing, when he showed the futility of such a work; as he was raised, by the power of the Spirit out of himself, and came to be in a state of spiritual awe before such a limitless and inapprehensible beauty. For once the lusts of his body calmed down, meditated in the spiritual realm, and longed to utter a word befitting to such a scenery, he gave forth that cry-out that echoed everywhere, saying: “All men are liars” (11) 4. (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 1 Homily 40 on Ps. 115 (116 B). 2 Homily 40 on Ps. 115 (116 B). 3 Letters 67: 8. دیر السریان: البتولیة، 1966 ، ص 496 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 89 Even though all men tend to lie before coming to the truth, the true God would remain righteous, holding fast to, and realizing the things befitting of Him1. (Eusabius, bishop of Emsah) God is truth in Himself; and you are a liar in yourself; Whereas, in Him, you can be true2. (St. Augustine) David proclaims: “I said in my haste, ‘All men are liars’” (11). He truly got out of himself to partake of the divine things, and to say that “all men are liars”; For, on account of the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, he is no longer a mere human being3. (St. Didymus the blind) “WHAT SHALL I RENDER TO THE LORD FOR ALL HIS BENEFITS TOWARD ME?”: “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (12) The psalmist did not say: What shall I present to, or give the Lord? For man has nothing to give the Lord, except to render a little of what the Lord has given him. Even the martyrs rendered to Him love for the love He granted them by His Holy Spirit; when they shed their blood back for His blood shed for the sake of their salvation. Before the amazing gifts of God, having granted us our mere existence out of nothing; having granted us to be according to His image, and having incarnated to redeem us, we have nothing to present to Him except a sacrifice of thanksgiving. According to St. Augustine, the psalmist presents thanksgiving to God, not for the sake of His gifts, but for the sake of His benefits or goodness. The psalmist feels that he is doing evil, and the Lord renders his evil with goodness; contrary to what the vinedressers did when they saw Him, saying among themselves: “This is the heir, come, let us kill Him and seize His inheritance” (Matthew 21: 38); rendering His goodness with evil4. With what worthiness shall I render to the Lord? … I am mire, … I am dust;. … He made me a teacher; hence I believed, therefore I spoke. What is befitting of me to present to Him for this benefit and 1 Eusebius of Emesa: Paulim Comm 2 Homilies on, John 1: 6. 3 On Genesis, 230. 4 Cf On Ps. 116 (115). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 90 this compassion? Whatever I present is actually His; I do not give Him, I rather render to Him what is truly His; … I have nothing to give Him except to shed my blood for His sake; to die a martyr for His sake; this is the only thing that I can do; to present my blood for His blood. … Having been saved by the Savior, we shall rejoice in shedding our blood for His sake1. (St. Jerome) Prepare yourselves to go to your Creator; “Rend your hearts and not your garments” (Joel 2: 13); Ask yourselves: “What shall we render to the Lord for all His benefits toward us?” (12) 2. (St. Abba Anthony) If you think you are enlightened, and that your soul is good, you should say: ‘God has worked for me, and gave light to my mind, sunk in darkness’, and say in your heart: “What shall I render to the Lord, for all His benefits toward me?” (12) 3. (Pope Abba Theopheles) What I should render to the Lord, is to shepherd Hid sheep; and even if I do this, it is “not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15: 10) 4. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) Should we not render something to Him who does us good? … Yes it is indeed impossible for us to do it as we should, but it would be an evil thing to receive the gifts and not to recognize their true value. Nature itself testifies to our helplessness, but our will rebukes our denial. Hence, the blessed Paul, standing in awe before the greatness of God’s blessings, he said: “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2: 16). For the world was saved by the blood of the Savior; By His death, He trampled over death, paving the way to the heavenly glories, with no obstacles or hurdles, for those who grow. That is why, recognizing the greatness of God’s grace, and his inability to pay Him back, the psalmist says: “What shall I render to the Lord for His benefits toward me?” (12). For, instead of death, he received life; Instead of bondage, he got freedom; And instead of the grave, he was granted the kingdom of heaven. 1 Homily 40 on Ps. 115 (116 B). 2 Letter 7. رسالة القدیس أنبا ثیئوفیلس إلى الرھبان، 15 (فردوس الآباء) 3 4 Sermon 232: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 91 Since the old time, “death has prevailed from Adam to Moses”, But now, the divine voice says: “Today, you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23: 43). Feeling this grace, the saintly man says: “Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence” (Psalm 94: 17). Feeling his inability to render to the Lord for His benefits toward him; Yet, recognizing the Lord’s gifs, the psalmist says: “I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord; … Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116: 13, 15). (St. Athanasius the apostolic) The Lord Christ suffered at the time Pontius Pilate has been the Governor and the Judge … Who has suffered? Our Lord, God’s onlybegotten Son! … What happened to Him? He was crucified, died, and buried! … For whose sake? For the sake of the wicked and the sinners! … How amazing is this condescension! How amazing is this grace! … “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (12) 1. (St. Augustine) “I will take up the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord” (13) The Jewish priest used to pour wine over the sacrifice, a reference to spiritual joy. Amid the sufferings, we take up from the hand of the Lord, the cup of salvation, namely, the cup of the inner joy, or the divine comfort. The rite of Passover of the Jews was bound to more than one cup, of which those present used to partake, as a sign of the collective joy in the salvation of God; together with singing praise by psalms. Having presented to us that free salvation, and having paid the price on the cross, it would be our pleasure, in turn, to be crucified together with Him, namely, to partake of His passion. Calling upon the name of God, does not stop at supplicating by the lips, but by the heart, as well as by the work. Who would not take up the cup of salvation without the gladness of the soul? … Who would not long, with joy and pleasure, to render to the Lord something of what is actually His? … Who would not, with courage, and without hesitation, accept the death, which is “precious in the sight of the Lord”?; He who looks down from up high, upon عظة للموعوظین عن قانون الإیمان 1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 92 us, who wrestle for the sake of His holy name; …He who supports our will, and helps us in our strife to get the crowns for our perseverance, good works, and love; … He who crowns in us what He has granted us, and honors what He has realized in us1. (Cyprian, the martyr) “I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord” … What is the cup of Jesus? “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26: 39); And, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” (Matthew 20: 22); Then He continued to say: “You will indeed drink My cup” (Matthew 20: 23). … I concentrate on this point for you to perceive that the “cup” is the “cup of salvation”, or “the cup of Jesus”, the sufferings of martyrdom, which is not by my own strength, but by the grace of God; hence, I cannot drink it, unless I call upon the name of the Lord. Jesus is the Victor in His martyr; … In His martyr, Jesus carries the crown2. (St. Jerome) It is obvious that “the cup of salvation”, mentioned in the psalms, is the death of the martyrs. That is why, the verse, saying: “I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord”, is followed by: “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints” (13, 15)…. The precious death will come to us, if we are “the saints of the Lord”, and are worthy to die, not the regular kind of death, but a special kind of death, a Christian, pious, and holy death3. (The scholar Origen) “I will pay my vows to the Lord. Now in the presence of all His people” (14) Some people used to present vows to the Lord when they are passing through affliction. Those vows were either money or sacrifices. When offering a sacrifice, the one who vowed used to take a part of the sacrifice, to hold a banquet to which he invites the widows, the fatherless, and the poor, to share with his household their joy in God who cares for His people, especially in the time of affliction. Singing praises of thanksgiving has been an integral part in such banquets. Here, the psalmist “pay his vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people”, not for the sake of seeking recognition or commendation from 1 Epistle 77: 4. 2 Homily 40 on Ps. 115 (116 B). 3 Exhortation to Martyrdom, 29. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 93 anyone, but to provoke in them the spirit of thanksgiving to God, and of trust in Him. What is our vow to the Lord, but our commitment to walk according to what is befitting of us as the children of God, who granted us the adoption, and His Holy Spirit, to walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. Prayer is called by the Greeks a “vow”. And what came as “I will pay my vows to the Lord”, could be interpreted as (I will fulfill my prayers to the Lord): If you vow something to the Lord, or if you pray a prayer to the Lord, fulfill it; “do not delay it, and do not postpone it from day to day” (Sirach 5: 7; Deuteronomy 23: 21; Ecclesiastes 5: 4, 5). We fulfill our prayer, when we despise this world, bring to death all the worldly works, and promise to minister to the Lord with a true intention from the heart…. We fulfill our prayer, by despising the earthly honor, and the temporal riches, by attaching ourselves to the Lord in the grief of heart, and in spiritual contrition. … We fulfill our prayer when we promise to adopt the greatest purity of our body, and the steadfast perseverance; and when we vow to uproot completely from our hearts the roots of anger, and the origin of sorrow that works for death. … Whereas if we became weak through slothfulness, and return to our old sins, we would fail to fulfill the prayer; in which case we would sin by our prayers and vows, and the following words would apply to us, saying: “It is better not to vow, than to vow and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5: 5) 1. (Father Isaac) “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (15) Nothing, or no one in the world, is equal in the sight of the Lord, to the soul of a pious man; “precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints”, How much more would be the death of the Holy Lord of the saints, for the sake of presenting eternity, non-corruption, and the crown, to His believers! Precious is the death that brings forth eternity, through presenting the blood as its price, and presenting the crown as its reward. How great would be the joy of Christ in it2! 1 Cassian, Conferences 9: 13. 2 Epistle 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 94 I wish no one thinks about death, but rather about eternity; not about the temporal chastisement, but rather about the eternal glory; For it is written, “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints”1. (Cyprian the martyr) There are several kinds of death. Following in his teaching, the tradition of the double death for the Christian: the death of his body, resulting from the sin of Adam2, and the death of his soul, resulting from his own sin3, the scholar Origen actually discerns between three kinds of death: 1- Death in sin – which is evil. 2- Death to sin – which is good. 3- A neutral death, which is neither good nor evil in itself – which we call (the carnal or regular death). Those who died to the world, and denied its affairs, have got an honorable kind of death; as “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints” 4. The saints are those who truly practice virtue; “For they have put to death their members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3: 5); In them, because of their purity and nondefilement, the promise uttered by our Savior will be realized, saying: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5: 8). Those have become dead to the world, and despised its pleasures, acquiring for themselves an honorable death, for “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints” (5). They are able, as well, to follow the lead of the apostle who says: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2: 20). This is the true life, lived by man in Christ; For, although he may be dead to the world, yet he is as though dwelling in heaven, preoccupied with higher issues; saying: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3: 20). (St. Athanasius the apostolic) 1 Epistle 80: 1. 2 In Ezek. Hom. 1: 9; In Jer. Hom. 2: 1. 3 Joanne E. McWilliam: Death and Resurrection (Message of the Fathers of the Church), p. 122- 3. 4 Paschal letters, 7: 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 95 When He was scourged, “He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53: 7); and when He was crucified, He prayed for the sake of those who crucified Him. … ! “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?! I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord”. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (15). The only befitting thing we can do to render to Him for all His benefits toward us, is to present blood for blood. And since we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, it is befitting of us to present our own life to the One who redeemed us. (St. Eronimus) Out of the paradise, a sweet and an amazing fragrance of the blood of the martyrs, start to come, and be presented as a great praise to the Lord, the King of heaven; as prophesied by the prophet, saying: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (15) 1. (Aponius) Although St. Steven was ordained by the apostles, yet he preceded them by His victorious and blessed death. … He, who was of less rank, became foremost in passion and martyrdom2. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) To confirm that nothing could possibly harm a good man, we may draw attention to the fact that good men, generally, and with few exceptions, had their head cut off, were stoned to death, or killed by limitless ways, anonymously buried nowhere, and became martyrs for the sake of the Lord Christ. But no man can dare to say that their death has been without honor; but “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” 3. (St. John Chrysostom) A SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING: “O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds” (16) The psalmist here, confirms the extent of his attachment to the Lord; he is His servant, and the son of His maidservant, attached to the Lord who loosed his bonds of sorrow. 1 Exhortation of Song of Songs 7: 49 (written on 405-415 AD) 2 Sermon 219: 1. 3 Homilies on Gensis, 66: 2-5. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 96 In an eternal and limitless love, Jesus comes forth to carry my sins and yours; He was accused of blasphemy and committing iniquity; was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and opened not His mouth. “Judas, having received a detachment of troops and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons” (John 18: 3). They searched for Jesus to kill Him; and He, giving Himself up to die for our sake, revealed His authority to those who intended to kill Him; “they arrested and bound Him”, He, who could have loosed their bonds. Among them, some might probably have scoffed Him; yet also some might have been saved through believing in Him; those who could say: “You have loosed my bonds” (16) (St. Augustine) Let us abide to every good deed, and say together with the psalmist: “You have loosed my bonds, I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (16) 1. Love of temporal life used to press on our necks under a vicious yoke, and to put bonds and chains around the feet of our souls. To be qualified to have them loosed, let us proclaim, together with the prophet: : “You have loosed my bonds; I will offer You the sacrifices of thanksgiving” 2. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) From this teaching we come to know about death as a loosening of the soul from the (bonds) of the body; (as a kind of separation between the soul and the body) in man. We become loosed from such a bond through our departure from this world3. (St. Ambrose) O, brother Andrew, to whom the Lord said: “Elijah has come already” (Matthew 17: 12); I also tell you that Lazarus in your heart has been risen already, had all his bonds loosed; and the verse saying, “You have loosed all my bonds” (16), was realized in him. You, as well, should offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him who has loosed his bonds, so as not to fall again through slothfulness in his previous bonds; according to the words of the Savior: “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing comes upon you” (John 5: 14). 1 Sermon 134: 7. 2 Sermon186 186: 3. 3 Death as a Good, 3: 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 97 (St. Parsnovius) “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord” (17) The sacrifices will not cease, neither by our departure to paradise, not by our entrance into the eternal wedding, offering Him an eternal praise. And according to St. Justin: [I believe that prayers and thanksgiving, offered by good men, are the only perfect sacrifices, well received by God1]. What kind of sacrifice? Are they goats or oxen? All those were Jewish sacrifices that are no more!.... I offer You the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; the thanksgiving of the martyrs…. As the martyrs praise the Lord with purity in the land of the living, so do monks, day and night with similar purity; for they are in truth, martyrs as well. What the angels do in heaven, is done by the monks on earth2. (St. Jerome) He who, by love, becomes according to God’s image and likeness, would rejoice in goodness for the sake of goodness itself, would have such feeling concerning perseverance and meekness, and would not get angry because of the faults of others, but, with compassion, he would seek for them forgiveness for the sake of their weakness; remembering that he himself, for a long time, was tempted by the thorns and thistles of similar lusts, until he was visited by the mercies of God. … And, having been saved from the carnal attack through the care of God, and not through his own effort, he therefore would not show hate, but mercy toward those who have gone astray, singing with mental peace, saying: “You have loosed all my bonds; I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (16, 17); and, “Unless the Lord has been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence” (Psalm 94: 17). As his mind is perpetually humble, he would be able to perfectly keep the evangelic command, saying: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5: 44); And would be worthy of getting the reward, according to the words of the Lord, saying: “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on 1 Dialogue 117. 2 Homily 40 on Ps. 115 (116 B). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 98 the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” Matthew 5: 45). By such feeling, the blessed John knew what he would get, saying: “that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in the world” (1 John 4: 17) 1. In the Holy Book, we hear the Lord calling us to come to Him by our own free will, saying: “Come to Me all who labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11: 28); And He, Himself, testify to our weakness, saying: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6: 44). To our free will, the apostle refers, saying: “Run in such a way that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9: 24); And to her weakness, St. John the Baptist testifies, saying: “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven” (John 3: 27) 2 (Father Sherimon) When man has a contrite heart and crushed spirit, together with a continuity of strife and weeping, the divine grace will take away from him the remembrance of the past sins, and uproots the stings of the conscience; in which case it would be obvious that he has got the divine pleasure and the reward of forgiveness, and from him the stains of sins he had committed had been taken away. He could then reach to the forgetfulness of sin, through taking away the traces of sins, and the old desires, together with the purity and the perfection of the heart. Such a state would not be reached by the slothful who failed to get the forgiveness of their sins, but would only be reached by those who persisted on sighing and moaning with sorrow, for the sake of wiping away all the traces of their sins; Through goodness of heart, together with strife, each of them would proclaim to the Lord, saying: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden” (Psalm 32: 5); and: “My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42: 3), to be ultimately granted to hear the words: “Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 31: 16); And: “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins” (Isaiah 44: 22) … Hence, having been loosed from the bonds of his sins, by which all 1 Cassian, conferences 11: 9. 2 Cassian, conferences 13: 10 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 99 are bound, he thanks the Lord with the praise: “You have loosed my bonds, I will offer You the sacrifice of thanksgiving” (16, 17) 1. (Father Pinovius) By the resurrection of the Lord Christ, and His ascension to heaven, He loosed the bonds of my heart, liberated it, to rise together with Him up to Heaven. The resurrection of the Lord is our hope; and His ascension is our glory2. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle). “I will pay my vows to the Lord, now in the presence of His people” (18) “In the courts of the Lord’s house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem” (19) By verse 18, he confirms what he said in verse 14. Enjoying salvation, the psalmist put in his heart, not only to pay his vows, but to pay them publicly in the temple before all the people of Jerusalem (18, 19). His heart has indeed been transformed to what is like a joyful wedding, or a spiritual banquet. By such an inner joy he preaches in the temple in the midst of Jerusalem, so that all the believers would partake of the true exultation. 1 Cassian, conferences 20: 7. 2 Sermon 210: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 100 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 116 I BELIEVED, O LORD, AND MY HEART OPENED UP UNCEASINGLY TO PRAISE YOU I believed that You are a Father, who incline Your ear to hear the hidden sighs of my heart; I believed that, being righteous, You do not accept sin; You chasten me, for You, by Your mercy, receive me as Your heir. You surround Your righteousness by graciousness and mercy. I believed that You preserve the simple; To set them as children, sanctified to You. I believed that that You wait for me, to welcome me in Your bosoms; To let me stand before Your throne, hidden in Your righteousness. I believed, and my heart opened up to praise You unceasingly for Your benefits toward me; I believed that, with pleasure, You drank the cup of passion and death for my sake. So that I would receive the cup from Your hand, O the whole love; Passion from Your hand is wholly sweet. I believed that You are risen from the dead; To raise me up with You; and to loose all the bonds of my sin and bondage. I believed, and I testify to Your love and care; I shall fulfill to You my vows of praise and thanksgiving in the presence of all Your people.
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