AN INTRODUCTION THE RICHNESS AND PLEASANTNESS OF TE WORD OF GOD THE PSALM OF THE WORD OF GOD: This is the longest psalm in the Holy Book. It is not related to any particular event concerning the Jewish church or the Jewish nation1. It glorifies the Word of God, and reveals its honor, exaltation, and benefit; proclaims the pleasantness of the law of God, and testifies to the features of the Holy Book of God on several aspects, in a form of a prayer. Reading this psalm reveals to the reader, the prophet David’s concept of the Word of God, which has been the center of his thoughts, interest, love, and meditation, day and night. In the 176 verses of this psalm, only two verses (122, 132) do not speak of the Word of God. Some scholars divide the book of psalms into five divisions corresponding to the five books of the prophet Moses (the Pentateuch). This psalm (119) came in the fifth division, which corresponds to the book of Deuteronomy, the book of the commandments, or of the “divine Word”. According to J.R2. Church: [This psalm came in the fifth division of the book of psalms, corresponding to the fifth book of Moses, namely, the book of Deuteronomy, the Hebrew title of which is ‘Dabar’, meaning (word); after its first verse, saying: “These are the words” (Deuteronomy 1: 1)]. The psalmist divided humanity into two categories: a- The pious who are bound to the Word of God, to perceive and consummate it. They pray unceasingly, seeking the growth in the divine wisdom, the enjoyment of the understanding as a divine gift; as well as keep seeking the grace of God to support them to practice the commandment, in an attempt to reach the life of perfection. Those experience the blessed life, despite the opposition of he wicked; and to them, the Word of God transforms into a joyful song of praise, that bears a special sweetness. 1 Jamieson, Fousset, Brown (The Bethany Parallel Commentory on the O.T., Minnesota, 1985, p. 1155. 2 J. R. Curch, p. 329. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 2 The life of those pious people, with what it bears of holiness and purity, together with enlightenment and wisdom, that reveals the truth and the strength of the Word of God, is a living testimony, and a book readable by all, that translates the Word of God in the believer’s life, and exalts him from glory to glory, until it brings him forth to the perfection of the glorious future. b- The wicked: who reject and oppose the Word of God, and oppress those who abide to it. But their evil plans definitely end with failure, and they are defeated. THE PRAISE OF PRAISES: The fathers of the church consider the book of psalms as the heart of the Holy Book, that introduces to us the Word of God in a language of praise and joy, even in the darkest moments. It translates for us the true fellowship with God, in the language of the heavenlies, in the midst of the bitter actuality in which the believers live. This particular psalm (119), is the song of the soul that enjoys the Word of God, and experiences its activity in its daily life. And through it, it prepares itself to encounter the heavenly Groom. That is why, this psalm occupies a position of prominence in the midnight prayer, by which the soul looks forward to the coming of the Groom In this psalm, the church finds her comfort after the labor of the whole day and night; and sings to the divine Groom “the Word of God”, who comes to carry her with Him to the fellowship of His glory. According to St. Augustine: [Although this psalm is so deep, that I cannot fathom its depth, Yet it needs no interpretation, but only to be read and listened to]. And according to Venn: [This is the psalm to which I used to resort when I lack in my heart the spirit to pray; Eventually, by reading it, a fire would kindle in me, and I could resume praying1]. This palm talks about the divine law as a support for the believer in his sojourn, to find in it: 1- A secret of his comfort in the midst of the sufferings of the wilderness (16, 47, 103). 2- A secret of his praise and the exultation of his soul (54). 3- A secret of his inner riches (72). 4- A leader and a guide to his soul in the midst of the troubles caused by enemies (16, 61, 62) 5- A secret of his life (25) 1 Plumer, p. 1018. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3 6- A secret of his enlightenment (105, 135) 7- Finally, it introduces to the believer the commandment of God in its spirit and depth, with the Person of the Savior, the incarnate Word of God. Hence the psalmist says: “To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless” (96). The commandment carries inside it the Lord Christ; Whoever enters into its depths and lives it by the spirit, will encounter the divine Word Himself. (St. Mark the hermit) Features of the psalm: 1- A model school of prayer that reveals the life of prayer, through the living actuality lived by he psalmist, who says: “I am a man of prayer” (Psalm 109: 4). Through this psalm, we can discover how the psalmist practiced prayer. a- The psalmist does not separate the spiritual law of the Lord, namely, His commandment, or His Word, from his own worship -- his prayer in particular. Beside its essence as a glorification of the divine commandment, this psalm is, as well, a magnificent piece of prayer. It is as though, the goal of the commandment is to enter into a union with God, who is close to us, and even dwelling in us; to debate with Him, and He with us. And as though the goal of payer is to enjoy the beatitude of the perfect obedience of the commandment; For, by prayer we seek from God to grace us with His will working in us. b- In this psalm we discover ‘the unity of man’. The psalmist knows no bilateral tendency in his life; but in him, the body shares with the soul, and the heart is in harmony with the mouth and the tongue. On one aspect, the psalmist cares to have the perfect prayer of the heart, saying: “With my whole heart I have sought You” (10) “Your word I have hidden in my heart” (11) “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law” (34) “I entreated Your favor with my whole heart” (58) “Let my heart be blameless regarding your statutes, that I may not be put to shame’’ (80). “I cry out with my whole heart, Hear me, O Lord” (145) On another aspect, not disregarding the prayer of the mouth and he tongue, so that he body shares it with the soul, the psalmist says: “My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes” (171). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 4 Namely, the psalmist’s his whole being is like a guitar with several strings, that produces a practical symphony of love, through a life of prayer and obedience, in which the body shares with he soul. c- With every breath of his life, the psalmist so raises his heart in prayer, that all the time of his life is sanctified by God’s work in him.. That is why we find him pray, “at all times” (20), “all day” (97), “praises seven times a day” (164), “in the night”, “at midnight”, “through the watches of the night”, “and before dawn” (147). d- Meditating in the Holy Trinity, the psalmist talks about the Father (90, 73), the Son (176), and the Holy Spirit (131). We can summarize the psalmist’s goal by his payers in the following points: That God would reveal His commandments to him. That God would give him the understanding to perceive the depths of the commandment. That he would enjoy the divine grace to find sweetness in the difficult commandment, so as to long for it. That he would practice and grow in the divine commandment. 2- Beside being mainly an educational and instructive psalm, it is, at the same time, a praise and a prayer; It is rather difficult to separate the spiritual teaching from the worshipping aspect. Commenting on this psalm, St John Chrysostom says: [Let the mouth sing, and the mind be instructed, For that would definitely be of value. For once we teach the tongue to praise, the soul would feel shame to walk contradictory to what she praises1]. And according to St. Jerome: [Psalm 118 (119) is alphabetical in form, ethical in features, and includes instructions for our life2]. 3- Some consider this psalm a liturgical psalm, concerning the general worship. 4- According o the scholar Origen, using the whole alphabet at the beginning of each sections in order, refers to its inclusion of “the whole theological literature”. He also says: [According to my knowledge, There is nowhere to find such a comprehensive dealing of the theological literature”]. And according to St. Athanasius the apostolic, this psalm reveals to us the program of the life of saints on three aspects: the spiritual 1 The Epistle to the Romans, hom., 28. 2 St. Jerome: hom. 41. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 5 war, the divine grace, and the enjoyment of the eternal glories. He says: * The warring, the suffering, the temptations, the demonic attacks, and the crawling of thousands of thoughts, nets and snares. *He describes as well everything that allows for victory and conquest: the law, the teaching, the perseverance, and the help coming from high above. *And finally, he describes what would come after the troubles, of rewards an crowns]. 5- The distinguishing feature of this psalm, is the deep conviction that, keeping the commandments of God, is not set upon the human effort, but requires the grace of God, that grants the holy will, and the ability to execute it; and would, as well, give the children of God an unutterable sweetness to enjoy His word. Hence, this psalm has amazingly realized -- through the grace of God, granted to us in the new covenant -- to have the commandment inscribed on our hearts (See Jeremiah 31: 31-33). The commandment is not merely instructions written in a book, or heard in a sermon, but it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, who, alone, can inscribe it in our depths, to be experienced as spirit and life, and get in touch of its activity in our depths. The commandment, being actually an experience of the “resurrected life”, the psalmist often uses the expression: “According to Your words, I live” … This is the gift of the Spirit of God, who gives us the fellowship with Christ, risen from he dead, to say: “God raised us up with Christ” (Ephesians 2: 6); Namely, grants us the new resurrected life. 6- This psalm, according to some, suits all believers in all eras; as it represents a cry-out of the soul, thirsty for God, to have His word work in her, and to protect her against the temptations of the enemy who fights her on the inside, as well as on the outside. Some others, though, believe that it rather suits the youth who seek from God to grant them e inner enlightenment, and strength to work and strive by His rich grace, under the leadership of His sweet Word. 7- Some believe that the law, or the Word of God here, occupies the place of God Himself. Actually, from verse 4 on, except for verse 115, every verse is a prayer presented to God, using every kind of supplication. We glorify the divine law, for it expresses God Himself, and proclaims His will to man. It would be difficult to separate “the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 6 Word of God” from Him, being a divine Person, One with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in the same essence of the divine nature. What the psalmist confirms here is that, the closer we approach the divine Word, the closer we approach God Himself; And the more we live in it, the more we live with God. 8- This psalm bears a meditating nature, by which the feelings and emotions of the psalmist appear in the form of prayers and supplications. 9- According to Clark: [Many of the old scholars -- the Greek in particular -- consider it a parade of David’s life, in which all the situations through which he has passed are shown, including all the trials, the persecutions, the helps, and the encouragements he has got. Whereas, according to the Latin fathers, this palm includes all the principles of behavior concerning the gospel; and it controls man’s behavior in all situations of life1]. Some believe that David did not write this psalm in a certain situation, but it is rather like a daily2 diary or memoir, that he stared in his early youth, and continued until his old age. All believers are invited to meditate in it, in order that, in it, everyone would somehow find himself, meditating in the precious value, sweetness, and glory of God’s Word, In these memoirs, David concentrated on that, the Word of God is the subject of his support and sweet meditation since his youth until his old age; And here, he presents it to us, to receive the Word of God, being: “the Alpha and Omega” (Revelation 1: 8), the First and Last, in our whole life. 10- Some believe that it is the Lord Christ who talks in this psalm. J. R. Church says: [This psalm refers by the spirit of prophecy to our Lord Jesus Christ, introduced in the gospel of St. John as “The Word of God”]. He also says: [Another reason why I think that, by the spirit of prophecy, it refers to our Lord Jesus Christ, is that there are 8 verses in each of the 22 sections (stichon or Stanza), of this psalm; the figure 8 is the only figure for the ‘new beginning’ (the first day of the week); referring to that, there is no one else but Jesus Christ; For the name “Jesus” in the Greek language, corresponds to the figure 888; contrary to that of the Antichrist – 666, mentioned in the book of Revelation 13: 18]. 1 Plumer, p. 1018. 2 Erlig C. Otsen: Mediations on the Book of Psalms, N. J, 1985. P. 835. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 7 And Arno C. Gaebelein says: [The figure 8 here refers to ‘life from death’; As the Lord Christ has risen, not on the seventh day, but on the eighth day; which provides us with the key to this book]. And according to the scholar Origen, the use of the figure 8, has its special significance. As the psalm includes 22 sections; and each section begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order, to embrace the whole “Theological literature”; the use of the letter eight times means the entrance into the perfection of purity and knowledge; for the defilement continued seven days, in which the world was counted as uncircumcised; until the Lord Christ came, and was circumcised on the eighth day, when, in Him, we enjoyed the purity. This purity was realized by the work of the resurrection of the Lord Christ, who was risen on the eighth day, namely the first day of the new week. The scholar Origen says: [All of us, without exception, were purified in the circumcision of the Lord Christ; We, who, according to the apostle (Romans 6: 4) 1, “ were buried and were raised together with Him” 2]. It is to be noticed that this psalm is alphabetical, including 22 stichons (sections), according to the number of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stichon includes 8 verses, all begin with one letter; the letters came in alphabetical order in Hebrew. Author of the psalm: Some recent scholars believe that this psalm is written by Ezra the scribe, who cared for collecting the books of the Old Testament. After the return from captivity; he recorded this psalm to express the activity of the Word of God in the life of believers. Yet, both the Hebrew, as well as the Christian tradition refer it to the prophet David, a view which was also adopted by several of the recent scholars. The guidance words (the key of the book) 3: This psalm uses several synonyms for ‘the divine proclamation’, that describe the Word of God; counted by some as eight; while some add to them the two synonyms: “the Lord’s Way”, and, “the Lord’s Truth”. They are not mere literal language synonyms, but refer to specific features of the Word of God, referring to its several exaltation and perfections: 1 J. R. Curch, p. 330. 2 Arno C. Gaebelein, p. 439. 3 Plumer, p. 1019-1022; Nelson: A New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, p. 487-8; Seripture Union: Bible Study Books, Psalms, o. 98, 99; Henry and Scott: A Commentary upon the Holy Bivle- Job to Solomon's Song, p. 339. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 8 (1) The law (Or the torah); a Hebrew word that refers more to the five books of Moses. It came 25 times in this psalm, found in every one of its 8 stichons (or sections), with the exception of stichon B. The literal meaning of the word “torah” is (teaching); namely, the teaching delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai; translated by the Helenic Jews, with Greek thought, as “Nomos”, namely, “law” 1. The word came derived from a verb, meaning (to direct, lead, guide, or aim ahead). That is how the Word of God, His law, guides us, or leads us to recognize God’s holy will, to bind us to the blessed life (see psalm 1: 1), and to grant us the divine peace and truth, through obeying Him. We are committed to abide to His law, being our King who guides our life by the law of His kingdom; by which He seeks no authority over us, but proclaims His will, to carry it in us, for our edification and sanctification. This psalm tells us about the state of beatitude in which those who dwell in the law of the Lord live. Who are they, but those who unite with the Lord Christ – the Head, who, alone, is without blame, and capable of granting His body, obedience to His law; not on the level of the deadly letter, but of the Spirit who edifies?! … Obedience to the law of the Lord, here, does not mean the literal execution of its statutes, but its consummation in Jesus Christ, by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, the Spirit of Christ. … As no man, on his own, can consummate the law of the Lord, all became in need of the work of the Lord Christ which He consummated for the sake of those who are under the curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which is written in the book of the law, to do them” (Galatians 3: 10). Here you see how he proves that those who attach to the law are all under curse; for it is impossible for them to consummate all of it (Galatians 3: 10, 11); Then how faith came bearing this power of justification. … Christ came to replace this curse by another curse: “Cursed is everyone hanged on a tree” … Christ did not take the curse of non-piety, but the other curse, to take away the curse from the others; although “He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53: 9). By His death He saved the dead from death; namely, by carrying the curse in Himself, He saved them from it2. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 The Jewish Encyclopedia, col. 12, p. 196. 2 In Gal., ch. 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 9 The law was not given to heal the weak, but to reveal and expose their weakness (Galatians 3: 19)… They got the law which they were not able to consummate. They recognized their ailment, and sought the help of the Physician; they longed to be healed, for they were in agony; something that they could not recognize, except when they were unable to consummate the law they have got1. (St. Augustine) (2) The testimonies (edoth): Meaning God’s testimony about His will, or revealing it, so that the believer would walk according to it. According to some fathers, it means the divine testimony about the true love toward man, which was perfectly realized when the Lord Christ gave the good testimony before Pilate Pontos, delivering His life for the sake of man. These testimonies are also realized by us when we receive this love and respond to it by our love; and “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God” (Romans 12: 1) The Holy Book is called “A testimony or covenant of God”; for it includes a testimony of God’s mind and will; as well as a testimony of God’s promises to His people, and its consummation through the cross. Here, there is also a reference to the ark of the testimony or of the covenant . Whoever does not keep the commandments of God would not be counted as a keeper of His covenant with him, but its breaker (3) The precepts or commands (Piqqudim): It came 21 times in this psalm, in all stichons, except for three of them. It came as well in three other locations in the Holy Book; meaning a commitment to a specific duty. Some believe that the Hebrew word is derived from a word meaning “a commitment by a faithful and a trustworthy man”; Namely, when man is committed, and responsible to fulfill divine things that concern him, through a motive of his inner conscience and faithfulness. While others believe that it is derived from a word, meaning (to notice), (to care for something), (to listen), or (to evaluate something); as the divine precepts are meant to care for the way of man through God, who cares for him, and listens to him, being the object of His appreciation. At the same time, the commandments proclaim our duty, and guide us to live and walk as is befitting to God’s appreciation of us. (4) The statutes (chuqqim): It came in all the stichons, except for four of them. It came in the feminine tense in verse 16; and 19 times in verses 5 to 171. 1 Seromons on N.T. Lessons, 94: 5. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 10 The word is derived from a verb, meaning (to inscribe), being wisdoms of great value, inscribed as signs on the way to be followed; and any perversion from them would bring our life forth to vanity, loss, and perdition. The Lord Christ is the true Wisdom who inscribe His cross in our hearts, as a sign on the royal way; He grants us His Holy Spirit, who does not inscribe commandments or wisdoms on stone tablets, but in our hearts, capable to raise us up to the heavenly life, as though by the wings of a dove. (5) The commandments (mitsvot): It came 22 times in this psalm; in all the stichons, except for three of them. The word bears the meaning of authority; as God gave them to us, being the One with authority, to obey; we know what we receive and what we reject. As God gives them to us as a sign of His appreciation of us; we should pay His love back by our obedience to Him; namely pay love back with love. (6) The judgments (misphatim): It came 23 times in all stichons, except for two of them. It refers to a duty put on the shoulder of man by a divine decree. The word is derived from a verb meaning (to judge), (to condemn), or (to decide). The statutes refer to legal divine decisions, to which all are committed to abide; They control all the actions of man, concerning his thoughts, senses, emotions, feelings, his relationships with his brethren, and with all creation, as well as with God. They control his life, not through literal laws, but through divine spiritual thoughts. They are called ‘judgments’, on account of that they have to become our constitutional way of looking at all things, both hidden and manifest; and through them, as well, God will judge us. (7) and (8) The Word and the oracles: In Hebrew there is distinct discernment between the two terms (imrah, and dabar). The Word came 24 times in this psalm; in all the stichons except for three of them; And the oracles came 19 times, in all the stichons except for four of them. The Holy Book is called “the Word of God”, or “His oracles”, that come out of His mouth, and proclaims them to us. The “word” means God’s proclamation of His thought; The Lord Christ is the Eternal and the Everlasting Word; One with the God in Essence, and Equal to Him; He is His Rational Mind, or Rational Uttering. The Word of God is far from that of man; As, while God’s words are not outside Him, nor separate from Him; the word or the sayings of man, once they come out of him, they disappear. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 11 According to St. Clement of Alexandria: [The Word of God says: “I am the Way” (John 14: 6). In the Word, therefore, the mind meditates1]. The Son, being the Word, proclaims the will of His Father. While the words, literally uttered, have no direct activity in themselves, the Word of God, alone, unutterable, yet having an inner concept, works with activity, living, and has the power of healing. “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrew 4: 12). Do not compare it, therefore to the word coming out of the mouth of man. They foolishly talk, not knowing the difference between the uttered word and the divine Word, the eternal, begotten from the Father. I say that He is begotten, and not only unutterable, but is the perfection of the eternal deity, and the infinite life.. Yes, “Who has seen the Son has seen the (image) of the Father” (John 14: 9-10). Notice what image he talks about. It is the Truth, the Righteousness, and the Power of God. It is not mute, for He is the Word; not rigid, for He is the Wisdom; not vain, for He is the Power; and not dead, for He is the Resurrection2. (St. Ambrose) (9) The Way (dereh): This word came 13 times in this psalm; meaning the foundation on which the care of God is set, as well as our obedience. The Word of God is called “the Way”; for He presents it to us to walk according to it, as though it is a royal ladder, on which we climb to reach the kingdom of heaven. This Way is the incarnate Word of God Himself, who teaches and trains us, and carries us by His Holy Spirit up to the bosom of the Father; granting us His righteousness, to share with Him the glory of his inheritance. `“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14: 6). If I am the Way, you need no one to hold your hands. 1 Stromata 5: 3. 2 Of the Christian Faith 4: 7 (73-75), 4: 9 (102); 1: 7 (50). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 12 If I am the only Authority that brings you forth to the Father, You would not reach Him by any other way1. (St. John Chrysostom) (10) The Truth or Faithfulness (Orach): This Hebrew word came five times in this psalm (30, 75, 86, 90, 138). The incarnate Word of God is called “the Truth”. He, who, alone, has the power and the authority to destroy the vanity of Satan and ignorance, and to reign over our inner life, proclaiming Himself and His secrets, being the eternal Truth, granting us the knowledge as a divine gift. This Truth, is proclaimed to us by the Lord Christ in His gospel, saying: “I am the Truth” (John 14: 6). Therefore, if we are in Christ, and have Christ in us; If we dwell in the Truth, and the Truth dwells in us; let us then, hold fast to those things which are the Truth2. (St. Cyprian) We can summarize the ‘guidance words’ of the divine proclamation as follows: 1- The law: That guides and directs us to recognize the divine will. Yet, we have fallen under the curse of disobedience, until He came, who liberates us from the curse. 2- The testimonies: That testify to the will of God, and reveal His giving love, proclaimed through the cross. 3- The precepts: by which the believer pledges to walk faithfully, in what he is entrusted with. 4- The statutes: Which are divine signs set by God on the ground of the heart. 5- The commandments: God of Authority commands us, and we have to obey. 6- The judgments: The word of God ordains all the behavior of man within himself, with his brethren, and with all creation, as well as with God. 7- The Word: To enjoy the divine Person, the divine Word. 8- The oracles: That brings us forth to the divine oracle which surpasses all human sayings. 9- The Way: The Word of God is the royal Way that brings us forth to the bosom of the Father. 10- The Truth or Faithfulness: We enjoy the divine Truth, so as not to live in ignorance. 1 In Joan. Hom 73: 2. 2 Ep. 73 (Oxford 74): 9. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 13 Psalm 119 (118) and reaching to perfection: According to St. Jerome, directly following psalm 119, come the fifteen psalms of Ascent (120 to 134); by which the believer ascends the seven steps of the outer court, and the eight steps up to the temple. It is as though, by singing this psalm, man enters into the divine sanctuaries1. We can say that the Word of God, the subject of praise of this psalm, would prepare the human soul in the following way: She (the human soul), by the work of the Holy Spirit, ascends to enjoy exaltation above every temporal anguish, and above every oppression of the Truth (psalm 120). She lifts her inner eyes up to the holy mountains, to find the Lord, her keeper (Psalm 121) She dwells together with the Lord in His heavenly dwelling place (122), where she enjoys the higher Jerusalem. the doors of which will be open before her. Then, she will truly sing the praise of eternal conquest: “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, … then they would have swallowed us alive; … Then the swollen waters would have gone over our souls; … The snare is broken, and we have escaped” (Psalm 124); “The Lord has done great things for them; The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (126) This is the work of the divine Word in our life; to grant us the deposit of the heavenly perfection, and the eternal glory. The position of the Torah for the Jews: 1- According to the Rabbins, the Torah was there, even before the creation of the world. The origin of the five books, like everything heavenly, is of fire, written by fiery black letters on a white fiery background2. 2- The Torah is in the bosom of God: Sitting on the throne of His glory, God has the torah in His bosom. 3- The Torah is the daughter of God. 4- The Torah in the life of the world. Whoever separates himself from the Torah will instantly die3; consumed by fire, and go to hell4. 5- In the Medrash, commenting on the book of Psalms, it came that [The truth is the Torah]. 1 Against Jovinianus, Book 2, 34. 2 Yer. Shek 49 a. 3 Ab. Zarah 3b. 4 B.B. 799 (Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 12. P. 197. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 14 6- The Torah raises man above the temporal things: [Hallil used to say: You have to learn that, whoever profits from the words of the law, would draw his life away from the world1]. 7- The Torah is God’s wisdom itself; It had counsel with God in the matter of creation. And it was the first divine proclamation by which God revealed Himself2. 8- The Torah shines its light forever3. 9- The Torah gives glory to whoever studies it: The Gentile who studies the Torah becomes as great as a high priest4. Features of the Word of God: 1- Delightful (14, 16): It provides man with, not just a mental pleasure, but with the pleasure of having a blessed life, and of recognizing and enjoying God’s will. 2- Rich: It is the heritage of the believer (111); more valuable than gold, precious stones (127), and great treasures (162). 3- Lovable: (48) 4- Awesome: (161). 5- Settled in heaven forever (89) 6- Grants beatitude (1); spacious and widely-open heart; liberation from sufferings (133); enlightenment (130); Life (93); peace (165); great rejoice (162); and brings forth the mercies of God (41); ... Hence it is the foundation of hope (43). The general frame: 1- Beatitude of obedience with an indivisible heart (1-8) 2- The commandment … A hidden treasure (9-16) 3- The commandment … comfort in sojourn (17-24) 4- Revive me according to Your Word (25-32). 5- Make me walk in the path of Your commandments (33- 40). 6- Testimony to the Word of God (41-48). 7- Your Word is my comfort in my affliction (49-56). 8- I entreated Your favor (Your face) with my whole heart (57-64). 9- It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes (65-72). 1 Mishnah: Abot 4: 5. 2 Jewish Encyclopedia, vol 12, p. 197. 3 Ibid. 4 B. k. 38a (Jewish Encyclopedia, p. 197. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 15 10-Your judgments are right (73-80). 11-Hope in the midst of darkness (81-88). 12-Your Word is settled in heaven (89-96). 13-How sweet are Your words to my taste (97-104). 14-Your Word is a lamp to my feet (105-112). 15-Uphold me according to Your Word (113-120). 16-Do not leave me to my oppressors (121-128). 17-Your testimonies are wonderful (129- 136). 18- The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting (137- 144). 19-You are near, O Lord (145- 152). 20- Salvation is far from the wicked (153- 160). 21-Great peace have those who love Your law (161- 168). 22-Give me understanding; deliver me; seek Your servant (169-176). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 16 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 LET ME COME CLOSE TO YOUR WORD, TO COME CLOSE TO YOU Your divine Word proclaims to me the greatness of Your love; It reveals to me Your divine will; It supports me to consummate it. To become a living icon of You; With every breath of my life, it motivates me toward perfection; My life, with all its strife would become a sweet praise of conquest; It turns me into a gospel readable by everyone; That testifies to the truth of Your Word, and proclaims its power. Who are the wicked, but those who reject Your Word? To oppose it in me, so poor and weak! They will definitely fail; But as for me, I will enjoy the strength of Your Word. At midnight, I will sing this psalm (119); For it is the song of the church anticipating the coming of her Groom; watching with the spirit of joy and exultation; I praise the Word of God which fills my soul with the comforts of the spirit in the journey of my sojourn; It turns the worries and troubles of the world into a joyful praise; It drives the love of the world away from my depths, to make the Word of God my gold and treasure; It leads my mind, emotions, and feelings, like a pillar of light in the midst of the wilderness; It grants life to my heart, which has become a dark grave; It gives light to my mind by the divine secrets; and scatters the darkness of ignorance surrounding me; And above all, it presents to me the incarnate Word of God, a Savior, and a personal Friend. This psalm remains a school of prayer, through which I meditate in You, O my Lord; In it, I become a student all the days of my life; In it, I learn the inner prayer from all my heart; Of which my mouth, tongue, and my whole being partake; Like a harp on which Your Holy Spirit plays a magnificent symphony; I beseech You to reveal to me Your divine commandment; To give me understanding to enter into new depths of Your Word; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 17 Your grace to grant me the good will, and the ability to consummate, and to grow in Your commandment. Let me, O Lord, come near to Your word, to come near to You; Let me live in Your commandment, to live in, and by You; Let me, O Christ, the Word of God, see You, hidden behind the letters of the psalm; I wish to get to know You, to encounter You, To see You, O the Secret of my whole love. What do I see in Your Word, O my Lord? It is Your law which I have broken, to fall under the curse; Then Your Christ came to carry the curse on my behalf; He entered into the circle of the curse, not by breaking Your law, but by being hanged on a tree; He carried me from the circle of the curse, and brought me forth into Your divine bosoms; They are Your testimonies, that testify to Your giving love; Grant me to testify by shedding my blood; to pay Your love back with love; They are the precepts given to me, as though to faithful hands; They are the statutes, or the wisdom, like signs You put on the way; To keep me from perverting to the right or to the left, off the royal path; Until I enter into heaven itself; They are the commandments to which I am committed, as a son abiding to his father’s commands; They are the judgments that control the hidden movements of my soul, and my manifest behavior; They are for me, a constitution that control my relationship with You, O my God; as well as with the heavenlies and the earthlies. It is the divine Word; which is not talk and letters, but spirit and life; They are Your oracles; not like my sayings that disappear, once they come out of my mouth; Being one with You, I will acquire it to acquire You; It is the royal Way, that brings me forth into Your bosoms; It is the Truth that scatters my ignorance, and takes away from me the vanities of the devil. By what could I praise Your Word, O my Lord? It is sweeter than honey; It is a treasure that surpasses gold and precious stones; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 18 It is so awesome, that it nails Your holy fear in my flesh; It is so lovable, that it brings me forth into Your heart, flaring with love for me; It is settled forever, bringing me forth to Your heavens; It grants beatitude, spaciousness of heart, and width of mind; It is a lamp to my feet; leading me to You, O who dwells in an unapproachable light; It is satisfying to my soul; grants me the new life, together with great joy, and exalted peace; Yes, Your Word opens for me the gates of hope; And brings me forth to the fellowship of Your heavenly glories. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 19 1 (ALEPH) BEATITUDE OF OBEDIENCE WITH AN INDIVISIBLE HEART (1 to 8) If the sermon on the mount -- the heart of the New Testament, begins with beatitude; The book of psalms – the heart of the Old Testament, begins, as well with beatitude (Psalm 1: 1). And here, psalm 119 – the heart of the book of psalms, namely the heart of heart, also begins with beatitude. This “psalm of the Torah”, or “psalm of the commandment”, begins with beatitude, for the commandment brings man forth into life without blemish; the believer will always keep the truth, and do righteousness (psalm 106: 3), fear the Lord (psalm 112: 1), and walk in His ways (psalm 128: 1; proverb 8: 32; Luke 11: 28). He enters into the blessed life, namely, he returns to the paradisiacal life, which the first man lost through his disobedience of the commandment. The goal of the commandment is the entrance into the kingdom of joy; that the believer would be prepared for the eternal heavenly wedding; as it is written: “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city” (revelation 22: 14). They return, not to the garden of Eden, where there was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and where Satan and the serpent deceive; but to the higher Jerusalem, where the Lord Christ Himself, the Tree of Life satisfies and glorifies them. Now, How would we enjoy such a beatitude of obedience? 1- Obedience by Christ, our Royal Way 1 2- Obedience of practical behavior1 3- Obedience by searching and keeping His testimonies 2 4- Obedience with the whole heart. 3 5- Obedience of persistence 4 - 5 6- Obedience to all the commandments 6 7- Obedience with joy 7 8- Obedience amid the afflictions 8 1- OBEDIENCE BY CHRIST, OUR ROYAL WAY: “Blessed are the undefiled in the way” (1) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 20 Whether it was the prophet David, or any of the saintly men of God, who wrote this psalm, Would he feel worthy of the divine beatitude, through being “undefiled in the way” ? No one in the old, or in the new covenants, was without sin, or undefiled, except the Lord Christ, “the Lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1: 19) … Hence, we can say that, whoever intends to enjoy the beatitude, is committed to carry the features of his Holy Lord; namely, to become holy by being attached to the Holy Lord, He who alone could say to us: “You are clean” (John 13: 10); for “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us of all sin” (1 John 1: 7); and “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2: 2). Beatitude is not mere happiness or joy, but it is rather an enjoyment of the fellowship with God; when the believer feels that God is his righteousness, joy, and happiness; And when he sees inside himself, that the law or the commandment of God, is his natural law, his life would conform to the will of God, and his depths would be flooded with holiness as a natural fountain! That is the secret of the exultation of the soul, united with God through the Lord Christ, the divine Word, by the Holy Spirit. While the world moans with misery, feeling the need and unsatisfaction; the true people of God rejoice and exult with the enjoyment of the heavenly blessed life. By saying: “the undefiled in the way” (1), he means those who keep the divine commandment, by both its positive and negative aspects together. The blessed man is he who consummates the commandment, by doing good, and by refraining of doing evil. Our Lord Jesus Christ says: “I am the Way” (John 14: 6); In Him we reach “the King’s Highway” (Numbers 20: 17); “the one way” (Galatians 5: 14); “a living way” (Hebrew 10: 19); “the way of love” (1 Corinthians 12: 31); “the Highway of holiness” (Isaiah 35: 8); “the way of righteousness” (2 Peter 2: 21); “of life” (Matthew 7: 14); “of truth” (2 Peter 2: 2); “of salvation” (Acts 16: 17); and “of perfection” (Matthew 19: 21). 2- OBEDIENCE OF PRACTICAL BEHAVIOR: If our Christ is the Royal Highway, by, and in whom we are blessed; it is befitting of us to walk in it ; so that the obedience becomes a practical behavior. Hence the psalmist adds: “Who walk in the law of the Lord” (1) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 21 Here, the psalmist binds the knowledge to the practical life; For the commandment is not just a dry mental knowledge, but it is a practical living experience. That is why the psalm concerning the Word, begins by revealing the undefiled life, and the practical behavior by the commandment. Father Nastorius, in the debates of John Cassian, says: The psalmist did not initially say: “Blessed are those who seek His testimonies”; then adds: “Blessed are those who walk undefiled in the way”; But he begins by saying: “Blessed are the undefiled in the way”; clearly showing that no man would befittingly come to seek the testimonies of God, unless he first walk, undefiled, in the way of Christ, by his practical life. Therefore, those you mentioned do not possess this knowledge, which is not possessed by the defiled; about which the blessed apostle says: “O Timothy, guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6: 20)1. (Father Nastorius). The blessed life proclaimed here by the psalmist, which is desired by every true believer, is a reward given to us for the practical living faith. Faith bears a (promise) of eternal life; on account of that it is a good foundation. The good works also bears the same (promise). The righteous is tested by both his words and his works. Righteousness and knowledge make man blessed. We have already noticed how the beatitude of eternal life is a reward of the good works2. (St. Ambrose) It is befitting of us to look into God’s commandments, when they are read, or when we bring them to memory; the way man looks in a mirror, according to the words of the apostle James (James 1: 23). Such a man intends to look at God’s commandments as though in a mirror, and would not be confused; for he chooses, not just to hear the commandments, but to work according to them as well. That is why he intends to have his ways go toward keeping the law of God. How could he do that? By the grace of God; For otherwise, if he chooses to 1 John Cassian: Conferences 14: 16. 2 Duties of the Clergy 2: 2: 7; 2: 3: 9. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 22 look at them, and not to work according to them, he would not find in the law of God a source of joy, but rather of confusion. (St. Augustine) Now, the way is not prone to fault; Namely, when the Lord Christ says: “I am the way and the life”; this way leads to the Father; for he adds: “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14: 6)1. (St. Agnatius of Antioch) 3- OBEDIENCE BY SEARCHING AND KEEPING HIS TESTIMONIES: “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies” (2) If the Lord Christ is the Royal Way, in which those undefiled walk, to enter into the bosom of the Father by the spirit of obedience to the slain Christ, He, as well, is “The faithful Witness”(Revelation 1: 5), who gave the good confession before Pontius Pilate; and testified to the divine love by readily giving His blood for the sake of mankind. It is therefore, befitting of us, being members of the body of Christ, to seek and to keep His testimonies. As, on our side, having nothing to give, we take from what are His of true testimonies, and present them in His name, saying: “I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies” (168)…. As long as we live in this world, we should sit at the footstool of the incarnate Word of God, to learn from Him, and be trained for the fellowship with Him by His Holy Spirit. By Jesus, the Greatest Martyr, we would be counted as martyrs, when we testify to His gospel, by receiving the afflictions with joy. We should not marvel that the psalmist begins by blessing those undefiled, who walk in the Royal Way; then follows up by blessing those who keep His testimonies. For, as the commandment brings us forth into the undefiled life; This, in turn, brings us forth into a new understanding, and an enlightenment, to get to know the commandment. That is why St. Athanasius the apostolic counsels us, saying: [Beside the study and the enjoyment of the true knowledge of the Holy Books; The perfection of life, the purity of the soul, and the imitation of Christ in virtue, are required … Whoever intends to have a better understanding of the Holy Book, is committed first to get cleansed and purified by the holy life, and to follow the lead of the saints themselves2]. 1 Epistle to Eph., 9. 2 De incarn. Verbi 57. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 23 4- OBEDIENCE WITH THE WHOLE HEART: Beatitude belongs to the simple men who seek God, and no other, with their whole hearts. Simplicity is contrary to complication. The simple heart bears one direction, walks in a single way, and has one goal, which is the love of God. Whereas the complicated heart, would falter between one way and another; between the love of God, and that of the world. “Who seek Him with the whole heart” (2) The heart is the inner insight, by which we can behold God through repentance; for we have lost our enjoyment of beholding Him because of our sins that corrupted our inner insight. He who is sanctified in Jesus Christ as “the Royal Way”, will have his mind preoccupied with His testimonies, and his heart will seek Him. In other words, he will have all his mental and emotional possibilities sanctified. He will have his mind search the testimonies of the Lord, longing to die together with Him every day; and will seek Him with his heart, to unite with Him, and eternally dwell with Him. He will seek Him with all his heart, burning with the fire of the divine love; that no other will have a place in his heart beside God. The believer will seek God with all his heart, will not falter between the two ways; As the world, and the sin, with all their pleasures, and the devil with all his tricks and deceptions, will not be able to crawl into his heart. While the believers seek the Lord with all their hearts, tasting the sweetness of the Lord Christ, their only Way; The non-believers, on the other hand (the Jews), by rejecting Him, deny the prophesies about Him, which are His “ways”, He presented to them along the eras; about which the psalmist says: “They also do no iniquity, they walk in His ways” (3) Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem, discerning between the Lord Christ “the Way”, and the prophets “the ways of the Lord”, says: [In the first verse, the psalmist says: “the Way” in the singular tense; Whereas in the third verse he says: “ways” in the plural tense. The “several ways” are the teachings of the prophets, the apostles, and the teachers, who counsel men toward uprightness. Whereas the “One Way” is our Lord Jesus Christ, who says: “I am the Way and the Truth”, for He leads those who follow Him to His Father]. While those who do iniquity, do not walk in the ways of God, the true believers seek the Lord with all their hearts,; for He is the subject of their love, longing, and pleasure. While the obedience of the righteous to God comes forth out of an inner pleasure and longing for God Himself, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 24 the disobedience of the wicked comes forth out of their dry and cold heart toward God. 5- OBEDIENCE OF PERSISTENCE: Beginning this psalm by proclaiming beatitude for those who encounter the Lord Christ, being “the Way”; “The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 1: 8), the psalmist seeks from God to let him enjoy that way, and to abide to it with uprightness, saying: “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes” (5) It is not enough for us to be called to take the way, to have it; but we should cry out to God to keep us on it, to let our ways be upright through our union with the true Way, who is, alone, without blemish or perversion. The Lord is the Firstborn who lets us start, and who accompanies us until we accomplish our mission by the spirit of persistent strife in the Lord. The words of the psalmist confirm that God did not present to us His commandment, knowing that keeping it is impossible, as some wrongly assume1. The firstfruit (the start of work), and its consummation are the Lord’s. To start walking in the way, I should be called, For “A man’s steps are of the Lord; How then can a man understand his own way?” (Proverb 20: 24). And so as not to pervert from the upright way, and not to take a distorted way, I would say: “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes”. For, I would not keep Your statutes, unless my ways are under Your guidance and leadership. (The scholar Origen) Because our persistence only means our consistent strife by the work of grace in us; we would always cry out together with the psalmist, saying: “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes” (5). As without His grace, we would stumble on the way, and pervert. And as a saintly father says: [As there are several hurdles on the way of virtue, counted as being stumbling blocks obstructing the way of man , thepsalmist prays to God to take those hurdles away, to pave the way before him; according to the words of the Lord: “Prepare the way; take thestumbling bloc out of the way of My people” (Isaiah 57: 14; 62: 10). As an example, for the prophet David, the stumbling block was his lust for a woman, and his miserable look at her (2 Samuel 11: 2); For Isau, it 1 Bethanu Parallel Commentary on O.T., (Adam Clark), p. 1156. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 25 was a cheep meal of lentils (Genesis 25: 34); and for Saul, it was the love of riches and wealth (1 Kings 20). It is the Lord who paves the way, taking away all those stumbling blocks]. According to St. Augustine: [Those things commanded by God will not be consummated except as a gift, and by the help of Him who has presented those commandments; For we would vainly seek them if we could consummate them without the help of His grace1]. If all those who seek riches or lust, would keep on watching day and night, working and searching for every way to realize their goals; This should rather be the way of those who seek God, and who desire to dwell eternally with Him. They should persist on keeping His commandments, and on letting their strife become the material of their perpetual prayers. This way, once they enter into the way, they would long to reach new depths, to forget what is behind, and extend to what is ahead; They would seek the work of the grace of God, which supports them up to their last breath. And by so doing, their life harmonizes with their prayers; and their strife with the abundant and free grace of God. 6- OBEDIENCE TO ALL THE COMMANDMENTS: Persisting on keeping the commandments with an upright heart, we accept the whole law of Christ, and not just a part of it; We receive the new life in Him with its heavenly and spiritual law; We come to understand the secrets of the statutes of the Old and the New Testaments, not on the level of the deadly letter, but on that of the spirit which edifies. By this we can say: “Then, I would not be ashamed when I look into all Your commandments” (6). As long as we say, that the prophets are the ways, Whenever we read the law, the statutes, and the prophets,, we would be walking uprightly in the way by the Lord; understand and perceive His ways; and never be ashamed; as they would be our own ways, to keep all the commandments of God. (The scholar Origen) Whoever keeps one commandment and leaves another, would be denying all the commandments; and would be insulting God who gave them all bound together. For He who said: “do not commit adultery”, also said: “Do not steal”; And if you steal, you would be breaking the whole law. He who is particular on keeping all the 1 On Holy Virginity, 42. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 26 commandments, will not be ashamed in the awesome day of judgment. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) If disobeying the commandment has brought our early parents to shame, when Adam said to God: “I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself” (Genesis 3: 1); The obedience of the Lord Christ on the cross has taken away the curse and the shame from the believers, and opened up the gates of paradise, even before the repentant robber. Whoever disobeys the commandment enters into shame and disgrace; Whereas, whoever seeks the whole, and not the partial obedience to them, will gain the fruit of glory, puts on the wedding garment, and joyfully sings:\: “Then, I would not be ashamed when I look into all Your commandments” (6). … The commandment is a contract with the divine Word, who grants man splendor and glory before the Father, His angels, and His saints; and grants him awe and authority to tread upon the scorpions and serpents, and all the power of the enemy. 7- OBEDIENCE WITH JOY AND PRAISE: “I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments” (7) Sanctifying our ways, the Lord Christ “the Way”, grants us “uprightness of heart”; Then the heart will be flooded with thanksgiving and praise to God. The uprightness of the ways and the heart will not only take away the shame (6), but will also grant us the life of inner joy, that translates to thanksgiving and praise. Without this uprightness, we shall not be able to partake of the praises of the angels, however much we sing praises in the church or in our secret place. He who has not yet got the uprightness of the heart, but has got perversion; would not be able to give thanks or praises to God; and God would not accept his confession. (The scholar Origen) Confessing to God for the sake of His work in his life; granting him the uprightness of the heart, and presenting to him the knowledge of His judgments, the psalmist give Him thanks, and praises Him. Here we do not find confession of sins, but praise; as the Lord Christ Himself -- He who is without sin, says: “I thank You Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Matthew 11: 25). Yes, because my ways became upright, I thank You, for it is You who made them so; This is praise to You and not to me. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 27 (St. Augustine) Having known the judgments of God, the soul of the psalmist exults… The “spiritual knowledge” enjoyed by the believer as a divine gift; that brings him forth into the uprightness of the heart, and the sanctification of the spirit, grants joy; Whereas the “human mental knowledge” would increase sorrow; according to the wise Solomon, who says: “In much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Ecclesiastes 1: 18). There is great difference between the human wisdom and the divine wisdom; or between the human knowledge and the spiritual knowledge. While the human knowledge reveals our weakness, yet does not grant the possibility of reform, The divine knowledge, on the other hand, exposes our weakness, to cover it over with the riches of grace … “that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1: 4). Giving God thanks for the sake of what He granted him of new knowledge, the psalmist opens the door to gain greater and deeper knowledge; as, according to (Mar) Ephram the Syrian: [There is no gift with no increase, but that without thanks]. … Anyway, noticing in this psalm that the psalmist seeks from God more of the divine knowledge and wisdom, he confirms to us that as long as we are still on earth, it is befitting of us to join the school of the Lord Christ, and sit at His footstool to learn from Him1. 8- OBEDIENCE AMID THE AFFLICTIONS: “I will keep Your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly” (8) In order to enjoy beatitude, it is befitting of us to recognize the Lord Christ , the divine Way of Righteousness; hold fast to Him, receive His work in us; submit to his will; and obey His commandments by behavior, talk, and heart; obey them in their wholeness, not obey one of them, and leave the other; but obey them under all circumstances. That was how the psalmist enjoyed them through the uprightness of his heart, which motivated him to keep the statutes of God; as though saying, according to the scholar Origen: [I shall not practice anything contrary to the goals of Your statutes]. Here, the psalmist talks with the language of confidence and peaceful will, saying “I will keep Your statutes”; turning from prayer and supplication to joy and praise for the sake of the riches pf God’s grace, and His work in him. And lest the confidence would turn into self-pride or human boasting, the way the apostle Peter said to the Lord: 1 Matthew Henery, ps. 119. Verses 7-8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 28 “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You” (Matthew 26: 35), the psalmist says: “Do not forsake me utterly” (8); It is as though he trustingly says: [I will keep Your statutes, for I enjoy Your free grace; Therefore, do not forsake me until the end of my strife]. That was the intention of the psalmist, and that was his pledge in Jesus Christ. Yet, because he feared lest he might become weak before any temptation or sin, he asks the Lord not to forsake or reject him utterly, or till the end. For my strength is limited when I go through temptation, do not forsake me utterly. “But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10: 13). He would never forsake us utterly. … He said to those who have forsaken Him: “You have forsaken Me, and therefore, I also have left you” (2 Chronicles 12: 5). But we seek not to be rejected, but to be in His hands, “not forsaken utterly”. And in case He does forsake us, we shall cry out anew to the Lord Jesus Christ. (The scholar Origen) It may so happen that I am forsaken for sometime to be tested in a certain temptation. In case I honorably endure the difficulties, I shall come out from the temptation with benefit…. Yes, I would, by the help of God, be crowned at the end of the struggle…. As my enemies are horrible wrestlers, “Do not forsake me utterly”, lest I would be defeated. (The scholar Origen) “I will keep Your statutes; Do not forsake me utterly”. Namely, the worldly tribulations may keep me from keeping Your statutes; but You will not forsake me to be tempted beyond what I am able to endure, for I am weak. (Father Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) St. John Chrysostom likens God to a compassionate mother raising her little child, and training him to walk; when she puts her hands underneath his little hands, then she draws her hands away from him; and when he falls down, and looks at her in admonishment, she would carry him and kiss him; but would repeat what she did again and again until he learns to walk properly…. That is what God, the Instructor of our souls, does, when He forsakes us for some moments during temptations, to let us experience pain, to grow and become spiritually mature. He would draw His hands from under our hands; yet His eyes https://coptic-treasures.com/ 29 would still be compassionate toward us; and would keep on caring for our life, when we cry out to Him, saying: “Do not forsake us utterly”. We can say that the beatitude of obedience is set upon the following: 1- Obedience in Christ, the Royal Way (1); in whom we faithfully walk, together with continuous growth in the fellowship with Him. 2- Practical obedience in behavior (1).. 3- A whole obedience, searched by the mind, and sought by the heart (2, 3). 4- Obedience of continuous strife (4, 5), in all the commandments, and not in some of them and not the others (6). 5- Obedience that starts by research, together with prayer and supplication; and ends by joy and praise (7) 6- Obedience of trust in the work of grace (8). 7- Obedience with joy and praise amid the afflictions (8). AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 (1 – Aleph) GRANT ME THE BLESSED LIFE, O OBEDIENT SON “Blessed are the undefiled in the way” Who, among us, is undefiled, but You, the True Way? Grant me to unite with You, to be counted as blessed; Without You, I am counted as disobedient, and a breaker of the law; But with You, I would enjoy the spirit of obedience and the consummation of the law; You came as an Obedient Son, even to death -- death on the cross You alone did not break the law, but consummated it by obedience Let me unite with You, to enter into the bosom of Your Father, and to enjoy a unique beatitude. Although You are the Giver of the law, You were pleased to submit to it by obedience; Grant me in You the pleasure to walk by it; To be purified and more to understand Your commandments; I wonder if I can keep Your commandments, to enjoy the gift of understanding them?! Or You grant me to understand them, to be pleased by keeping them, and try to reach perfection therein?! I need of You to give me pleasure in them;. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 30 To grant me the obedience, together with the persistence in the execution; To grant me the holy will, and the exalted understanding My union with You, O Obedient Son, grants me all that. Grant me, O Only-begotten Son, the spirit of obedience; Grant me the holy will and the uprightness of heart; To rejoice in Your commandments, and to walk in them whatever be the cost; Knowing no middle way, I seek all Your commandments; My life turns into a fellowship of praise together with the heavenlies The wrestling enemy would never let me exult in obeying You; But would keep on embittering my life with afflictions; Do not forsake me utterly, O my amazing Savior; Turn my life into a series of unceasing conquests; Let my strife be for my growth, and not for my destruction; Let me grow in You, and exult by You, O Obedient Son. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 31 2 – BETH THE COMMANDMENT IS A HIDDEN TREASURE (9 to 16) In the first ‘stichon’, the psalmist starts his praise concerning the commandment by the beatitude, to proclaim that God is not the Supreme Commander, but rather the ‘The Philanthropic One’ (The Lover of mankind), who seeks for them the blessed life, the paradisiacal, or the fellowship of the eternal glory. In the second ‘stichon’, the psalmist talks to the young man, being the treasure in whom God finds pleasure, in presenting to him His commandment as a hidden treasure. 1- “How can a young man cleanse his way?” 9. 2- The commandment sanctifies the heart of a young man10-11. 3- The commandment and the life of praise 12. 4- The commandment as testified by the young man 13. 5- The commandment is the riches of the young man 14. 6- The commandment and the life of consistent praise 16 . 1-“HOW CAN A YOUNG MAN CLEANSE HIS WAY?”: God created man, not to humiliate or to submit him, but to glorify him with honor (psalm 9: 5). Here He presents to him His commandment as a hidden treasure, to make out of him “the royal daughter”, whose glory is within (psalm 45: 13). Now, revealing the commandment as a hidden treasure, He addresses His talk to the young man; to let us perceive that the commandment is not a secondary thing, presented to the simple child, with little understanding; nor to the elder, broken down by age, but is presented to the young man who looks forward to his future with an optimistic eye, with ambition. If the young man happens to be ambitious for glory, riches, or world knowledge; he should first get in touch with the commandment of the Lord, capable of sanctifying his depths, and of supporting his temporal strife, yet without perversion. The Lord’s commandment is the law of the youth, capable of granting them the spirit of purity and chastity. He, who has become a man for our sake, has passed through the stage of youth, to present to every young man His pure life working in him; dedicating the young life to the account of His kingdom. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 32 This could probably be a counsel concerning the age in which we care more to cleanse our way ; as it is written somewhere else: “My son, gather together for yourself teachings in your youth, to find wisdom when your hair turn gray” (St. Augustine) By presenting the advice first to the young man, the Holy Book honors him, and proclaims God’s appreciation of his life and capabilities. Now, Who is this young man who needs to “cleanse his way by taking heed according to God’s word”? (9): a- All the youth in general. As in this age man moves from the simple stage of infancy to that of the striving adolescence; specially with the burning desires of the flesh. That is why he is in need of the Word of God to reveal to him the holiness of his body, the exultation of his emotions, and the ignition of his talents, without extremes nor perversion. About this the scholar Origen says: [These God’s words sown in the divine Book,if kept, would never let man walk in a perverted way… According to the prophet Jeremiah: “It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentation 3: 27). For he who bears the yoke after his youth has already gone; namely, after committing sins, and not walking in goodness; … Such a man is committed to wipe away all his previous sins (through repentance). Whereas he who bears the yoke in his youth, gains goodness early, and would not be weighed down by the heavy burden of sins, it would not be said to him:“What you did not gather in your youth, how would you find in your old age?” Let us then start our life with the Lord from our youth without postponement, so that, by the Spirit of the Lord, we would gather what would support us in our old age; namely, when we confront a spiritual weakness! b- According to the scholar Origen, many of those who have reached the age of maturity, still walk as though they are still young, inuncontrolled lusts; Whereas there are young men, who walk like experienced elders, with practical spiritual wisdom. c- Who is this young man who should cleanse his ways by heeding the words of God, but the congregation of the Gentiles who received the “Word of the incarnate Lord”; While the leaders of the Jews, who have got the knowledge of the law and the prophecies, rejected the Word of God, and refused to bear the yoke of His cross. Those people who belonged to the Gentiles in their youth, who used to walk in perverted ways before receiving faith; How could they https://coptic-treasures.com/ 33 cleanse their way, except by taking heed according to the “words of God?! (The scholar Origen) The “young man” refers to the Gentiles who believed in Christ, after having walked in a perverted way; which they cleansed by keeping the “Word of God”, who commanded His disciples to teach the believers; saying:: “Teach them to keep all what I commanded you”. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) According to Eusabius of Caesarea, the word “cleanse”, in the translation by ‘Cimachos’ came as “enlighten”. [How would a young man enlighten his way? Here, the psalmist teaches us that the young man, filled with defilement and uncleanness, needs purification and enlightenment; wandering: “How can a young man cleanse his way?”. The answer came as: “by taking heed according to God’s word”] If the sin corrupts the heart, namely, the inner insight; we are, therefore, in need of the Words of God, being the light that scatters the darkness. St. Ambrose binds this verse (9), to the words of the psalmist, saying: “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle” (Psalm 39: 1). [There are ways which we should follow; and there are other ways which we should avoid. We are committed to follow the ways of the Lord; and to guard our own ways, lest they would lead us to sin. Man can guard his way, if he does not hasten to speak; as according to the law: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6: 4). He did not say: “Talk”, but said “Hear”. ‘Eve’ has fallen because she told her man what she did not hear from the Lord her God. … The first word of God was “Hear”. If you hear, you can guard your way; and if you fall, you have to cleanse your way at once; as “How can a young man cleanse his way, but by taking heed according to God’s words?” (9). You should, before anything else, keep quiet, and “Hear”, so as not to fall down with your tongue1]. (St. Ambrose) When the psalmist says: “Let me not wander from Your commandments”, some may wonder: Does God let us wander from His commandments? Or as some interpret it: “Does He lead us astray from them?!”. 1 Duties of the Clergy, Book 1: 2: 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 34 The prophet says: Because I sought You, not apparently, nor superficially, but “I sought You with my whole heart”; You, therefore will reward me by not letting me wander from Your commandments…. Let us now examine this text, and try to conform it to the words: “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matthew 25: 29). We can say that that he, who seeks from his whole heart, will be given by the divine help, what he lacks, according to human nature, until he consummates the commandments of God. Whereas, from him, who does not seek with his whole heart, who slothfully practice God’s work; what he assumes he does of God’s work, will be taken away from him. Indeed God has let the people of circumcision “wander from His commandments”, destroying by this the apparent things of the commandments; … He destroyed the temple, and everything concerning the worship of the Lord according to the law which they have literally kept. (The scholar Origen) Depending upon the translation by Aquila of “Do not let me unconsciously sin”, Apolinarius says: [The psalmist fears that God’s commandments would be misunderstood, as it happens with many, out of lack of sound perception, that make them understand them, contrary to what they actually mean, and accordingly, walk in non-uprightness; as the wise Solomon says: “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverb 14: 12) 2- THE COMMANDMENT SANCTIFIES THE HEART OF A YOUNG MAN: David might have been a young man when he wrote this psalm, or at least the first parts of it. And as a young man he might have perceived his need for the divine commandment; for the Lord to enlighten his insight, to discover its depths, and experience its strength in his life; Hence he cries out, saying: “With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandment” (10) Having perceived the possibility of the commandment sanctifying his heart, the psalmist seeks from the Lord, with his whole inner energies, not to let him wander from His commandment. And at the same time, the more he enjoys the experience of the commandment in his depths, the more the fire in his heart kindles toward seeking God. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 35 … It is a chain of fiery love, in which the young man practices the perpetual supplication, together with the discovery of the divine commandment; each of the two would support the other. It is good for the believer to read the commandment, to listen to it, or to know it by heart; Yet all that would not keep him from evil, unless he seeks it and longs for it by his whole heart… That is why we seek from God to lift up the veil from our hearts, to be able to encounter the Word of God in its depths, to debate with it, and to respond to it, for the sake of our salvation. He, who does not destroy his mind by the temporal things, seeks God with his whole heart; Whereas he, who is preoccupied, sometimes with seeking salvation, and other times with bodily lusts, and with the abhorrent worldly worries, would abide in the later, and becomes far away from understanding God’s commandments. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) As remembering God lets us get away from the demonic snares; And as I have dedicated my whole mind and heart to You, O my God, Therefore I am not worthy of staying away of Your commandment. (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) Delivering his life in the hands of God, the young man seeks from Him not to let him wander from his commandment; Namely, that even if, in some moments of weakness, he longed to forsake the commandment, he seeks from God to stop him by any means, even by firm chastisement. With that same spirit, St. Augustine cries out, in the moments of his repentance: [Even if I say to You, O Lord, let me repent tomorrow; Make me instead repent now!]. It is the true love; that the young man would deliver his will in the hands of God, to direct it according to His good will. It does not stop for the young psalmist, to proclaim his longing that God would not deny him the experience of the commandment, and the perception of the depths of its meanings; but he also confesses that he would receive the commandment from God’s hands as a precious treasure, which he would never trust to deposit except in his own heart, to hide it, lest an enemy would crawl and snatch it away from him. He hides the commandment in his heart to meditate in it for his inner edification, and to testify to it before the others in due time. He does not hide it in his mind, for fear that it may be lost from his memory, but he hides it in his heart, so that by love, it would turn into a joyful work. He hides the commandments in his depths to sanctify them, to keep him from sinning against God. He says: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 36 “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (11) He sins against God, he who thinks that he is worthy to proclaim the hidden words, which should be hidden from the wicked; and only revealed to those who should not know them. The danger is not only set upon telling lies, but is also set upon telling the truth, through revealing it to those to whom it should not be revealed. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine” (Matthew 6: 7). (The scholar Origen) He who does not receive the teachings of God, to hide them in his heart, to cleanse his thoughts, as well as his intentions, to become free of sin before God who sees the hidden things; does not only commit adultery, but every evil lust. This verse conforms to the words: “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding…” (Proverb 2: 1, 2). (St. Dedymus the blind) If we do not hide the words of God in our hearts, like we do with a precious stone, the wicked enemy will come and snatch it away (Matthew 13: 19). (St. Athanasius the apostolic) The psalmist first sought the divine help, lest he would hide the words of God in his heart without fruit, if he does not follow it up with the works of righteousness. That is why he added: “Blessed are You, O Lord, Teach me Your statutes” (12) Because I hide Your words in my heart, so as not to sin against You, who gave me the law; Grant me, as well, the blessing of Your grace, so that, by doing what is upright, I would learn what You command. (St. Augustine) Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem presents the following three categories of those who hide the words of God in their heart: [a- Who hides the words of God in his heart, and is aware not to sin, not only in the manifest work, but also in the hidden thoughts; to avoid, not only the abominations, but also the perversion of lusts andtheir hidden inclinations. b- Who hides in his heart the secrets of faith, and does not reveal them to nonbelievers, according to the saying of the Lord Himself: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 37 “Do not cast your pearls before swine”. c- Who hides the words of God in his heart, lest they would be snatched by the birds of heaven, namely, by the demons falling from heaven; who would rob them through doubt, pride, or an evil thought]. When the believer hides the commandment of God – his valuable treasure – in his heart -- the center of love and life, and the place of security - the wicked enemy cannot rob it from him. By hiding the commandment of God, no sin can crawl into the heart and hide itself; as the darkness would find no place for itself where light is. The psalmist probably hid the commandment in his heart, to meditate in it, to preoccupy himself with it, and to let his spiritual stomach digest it. For, as the undigested food does not benefit the body, so is he, who hears the commandment, and does not meditate in it, or preoccupy himself with it; his soul will not benefit from it. 3- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LIFE OF PRAISE: By acquiring the commandment as a precious treasure which is worthy of hiding in his heart, to carry it along wherever he goes, It brings forth to the young man the spirit of praise, to say: “Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes” (12) He who sought God with his whole heart, and hid His divine words; had success in goodness, and became worthy to give Him thanks, saying: “Blessed are You, O Lord”. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) There is great difference between the praise coming out of the mouth, but not from the heart; and that which comes out through the satisfaction of the heart with the commandment, and its exultation for the work of God in it; when the believer blesses the Lord for the sake of his secret divine words, with which He entrusted him, to prepare his heart to become a throne and a temple for God, where He would dwell, and flood on it with new secrets and divine knowledge. The secret of praise is the transfiguration of the divine Word in the heart, as a Teacher who teach us His statutes; grants us the grace to execute His commandment, and leads us in the life of fellowship with the Father, by His Holy Spirit, to partake of the praises of the heavenlies. By His own mouth, He proclaimed His Word through His many saints, in both the Old and the New Testaments, which the church never cease to utter by her lips along the eras. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 38 (St. Augustine) 4- THE COMMANDMENT AS TESTIFIED BY THE YOUNG MAN: Hiding the commandment in the heart, as a precious treasure, exhorts the spirit of praise and the inner joy; by which the young man sets forth to testify to the commandment before the others, saying: “With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth” (13) How could the psalmist reveal all the judgments of God’s mouth, when he, himself says: “Your judgments are a great deep” (Psalm 36: 6); And, the apostle says: “How unsearchable are His judgments” (Romans 11: 33)?! The scholar Origen answers, saying: [The prophet did not say: ‘With my lips I have declared all Your judgments’, but said: “With my lips I have declared all the judgments (of Your mouth)”. The expression “the judgments of God’s mouth” means those judgments which could be declared, uttered to be proclaimed and distributed. “God’s mouth”, here, are the “prophets” … according to what is written: “The mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1: 20); namely, the words of the lord as uttered by an interpreter]. According to Eusabius of Caesarea: [The hidden teachings and knowledge, I hid in my heart; but those judgments, I declared to all, to be perceived and understood by all mankind; as “All must appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5: 10)]. We understand that there is no Way, faster, more secure, short, and exalted, than Christ, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Hence the psalmist says that he has great gladness in that Way, as in all riches. Those are the testimonies by which the Lord condescended to confirm His love for us. (St. Augustine) 5- THE COMMANDMENT IS THE RICHES OF THE YOUNG MAN: “I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as such as in all riches” (14) The prophet David desired to build the house of the Lord; And having got the promise that his son will be the one to build it, he opened up his storehouses to provide the gold, the silver, and everything of https://coptic-treasures.com/ 39 value, not to boast his wealth, but to prepare for his son all the necessary things to build the temple of God …He might have been denied the honor to build the temple on the Zion Mountain, Yet he was exultant to open up the storehouses of his heart before the abundant riches of the divine commandments, to set a sanctuary for the Lord in his depths, and to turn his life with all its afflictions and troubles, into a testimony to truth for God. We have previously talked about the “testimonies” (the martyrdom). The way of the testimonies would be realized when we give, “not grudgingly or of necessity” (2 Corinthians 9: 7), but out of utter joy, according to the words of the prophet David:; and of those of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians, saying: “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge” (1 Corinthians 1: 4, 5)…. And because riches are diverse, he says: “you were enriched in everything”, namely, in every virtue, by work, and by meditation, when work conforms to perception. He who gets material riches, will rejoice when he gets, not a part of riches, but to have all the riches; including the money and real state. So is he who desires to have spiritual riches, he will rejoice and exult when he gets every kind of riches; when he progresses in giving the testimonies of the Lord, and in practicing the virtues. It is as though he says: Let Your testimonies enrich me in everything; Let them be my rejoice and riches. (The scholar Origen) 6- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LIFE OF CONSISTENT PRAISE: Hiding God’s commandments in his heart, being the unutterable secrets of God, the young man perceives that they are his treasure and spiritual riches. Hence he does not cease to meditate in it; saying: “I will meditate in Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways, I will delight myself in Your statutes” (15, 16) From these words, we learn that it is not possible to understand the ways of the Lord unless we search His statutes to their depths, using “the symbolic interpretation”… “Isaac went out to meditate in the fields in the evening” (Genesis 24: 63); and it is often mentioned that the righteous arein good contemplation. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 40 Through spending long time meditating in the commandments of God, we shall “understand His ways”; namely the law and the prophets, that lead to the perfect Royal Way (Christ), who said about Himself “I am the Way” (John 14: 6). I savor the statutes of God, not as beautiful words and expressions, but by acting accordingly after understanding them; “For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Romans 2: 13). By savoring the judgments of God by their works, they would never forget His words. (The scholar Origen) Talking about ‘Marcella’ to her close friend ‘Principia’, St. Jerome says: [Her gladness was in the divine Books was incredible; She was always saying: “Your words I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You”. And those words which describe the perfect man” “His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1: 2). She did not understand the law as written words, as the Jewish scribes and Pharisees did, but as work, according to the words of the apostle: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10: 31). … She surely felt that if she so consummates those commandments, she would be allowed to understand the Holy Scripture1]. (St. Jerome) In this verse, it is to be noticed that the psalmist does not separate between God and His commandment. Saying: “With my whole heart I have sought You” (10), he adds: “Let me not wander from Your commandments”. This is the secret of the riches of the commandment, that whoever acquires it, would acquire God Himself. That is why he addresses the young man about this treasure, saying: 1- O, young man, Acquire the commandment, in order to acquire the enlightened and holy life; when you acquire the Holy God inside you (9-11) 2- The commandment purifies the heart, to long more for God; Longing for God with the whole heart, motivates you to keep the commandment (10). It is a continuous chain of love toward God and His commandment. 1 Letter 127 to Principia 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 41 3- Throwing himself into the bosom of God, the young man feels that he has completely delivered himself into His hands; hence he supplicates to Him, saying: “Let me not wander from Your commandments”; as though he says: [If I intend to pervert away from Your commandment, Let me not do that by any means, even if it seems bitter to me]. 4- If man’s heart is his most valuable possession, it is befitting of him, therefore, to put in it his treasure “the divine commandment”, so valuable in the sight of God. Hiding the commandment in the heart, the heart would be enlightened, that sin would not be able to crawl into it, or occupy it. 5- The most prominent fruit of that hidden treasure is filling the heart with joy and praise. When the Word of God, Himself, dwells in the heart, to practice His work as a Teacher (12), He would train the soul to keep the commandment with joy, and to partake of the life of praise together with the heavenlies. 6- What the young man secretly enjoys through the dwelling of the commandment in him, would turn into a practical testimony by the mouth and by the work (13). “What he learn in secret, will be preached on the housetops” (See Mathew 10: 27). 7- The young man would enjoy the commandments as an abundant wealth, capable of establishing a sanctuary for the Lord inside him. 8- Perceiving the value of these treasures, he would always keep the eyes of his heart on them, would never let anything distract his mind from them; would keep on contemplating (15), meditating day and night in them; and would never forget them (16). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 42 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 2 (BETH) YOUR COMMANDMENT IS MY RICHES As long as I am in flesh, I am a young man, in need of continuous cleansing; Your commandment cleanses my life and sanctifies my heart; Your commandment satisfies all my needs; It is my riches and precious treasure. Set a wall around my heart, to keep me from seeking anyone but You; If it perverts, correct by Your fatherly chastisements; So that I do not wander away from Your commandments; I will keep my whole heart in Your commandments; And I will keep Your commandment in my heart; I will hide it there, for it is my treasure; With my mind, I received Your commandment, I want it to be in my heart; In the midst of the worldly seductions, my memory could betray me, and let me forget Your commandment; Whereas my heart would hide Your commandment, and adore it; Neither seductions, nor afflictions could draw them away from inside me; Where can I keep Your commandment, so that the enemy would not snatch it? My heart, is a secure storehouse, as long as it is protected by Your grace; If I hide Your commandment in my heart, sin will not find a place together with it; I will hide it in my heart, to meditate in it with my love and all my emotions; I will hide it, and will never present it to anyone who may despise it; I will hide it, to carry it wherever I go; Your commandment got so attached to my heart; That whoever takes it away, would take my heart itself away with it, and would deprive me of my life; Hiding Your commandment in my heart, I see it as my whole riches; My heart would unceasingly meditate and contemplate in it. I would meditate in it, not only by thoughts and words, But by practicing it, and by living by, and in it; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 43 In realizing it, I find the pleasure of intimate relationship with You; Binding to Your Commandment, I bind to You, O the riches of my soul. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 44 3 GIMEL THE COMMANDMENT … COMFORT IN SOJOURN (17 – 24) If the young man needs the divine commandment to sanctify his heart and inner depths, to enjoy it as a treasure worthy of being hidden, to get filled with joy and exultation, to savor meditation in it, to recognize its secrets, to work according to it, and to testify to it before the others; On another aspect, he perceives his position, as a stranger and a sojourners, who finds comfort in it. Now, what are the blessings of the commandment, for us, being sojourners on earth? 1- The commandment is life 17 2- The commandment is enlightenment 18 3- The commandment is a companion in sojourn 9 - 20 4- The commandment and the conquest over the wicked 21 5- The commandment removes reproach from us 22 6- The commandment and the evil plots of the wicked23 7- The commandment and the spiritual pleasure 24 He spoke before as a young man who starts his practical life by acquiring the divine commandment that satisfy his longings, and realizes his hopes, being the heavenly treasure. Now, starting the way, he feels sojourn, with no one to support him to confront troubles, except God Himself, being His personal Friend who grants him life itself, with all its possibilities, as a reward; supports him against evil, and takes reproach away from him. 1- THE COMMANDMENT IS LIFE: The psalmist probably bore the feelings of the prodigal son returning to his father; who looked afar to see his father’s hired servants earn their wages and live, while he is dying of hunger (Luke 15); That is why he cried out seeking from his father to give him wages to live as a hired servant, promising him, never again to break his fatherly commandment. Having been as good as dead because of his disobedience, and forsaking his father’s house, the psalmist cries out saying: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 45 “Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word” (17) why does he say: “Deal bountifully with Your servant”? The words “Deal bountifully” or ‘reward’ in Hebrew is (Gamal). All the eight verses of this ‘stichon’ (in the Hebrew text) came starting with the letter ‘G’ (Gimel). The Lord Christ says: “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6: 63). Getting attached to the word of God, steadfast forever, death would never be able to get hold of us, but we will live together with the Lord forever, as the reward of the children. Let us therefore seek to be counted as hired servants, so that God will, mercifully, grant us the reward of the children. Being bound to the commandment, the psalmist seeks “life” as his reward; For, by the commandment he perceives being received by God, that he has the Father as his father, the divine Son as his firstborn and Savior brother; and the Holy Spirit as a Sanctifier and a Leader. That is the “life” desired by the psalmist, as a reward for being bound to the commandment, through the divine grace. According to the scholar Origen: [Our heart, being impure, we do not have the daring to pray to God, saying: “Deal bountifully with Your servant”; Because if He comes, He will deal with us, instead, according to our sins. Who, like us, has got mercy from God, let him say: “Do not deal with us, O Lord, according to our sins, and our iniquities”. Whereas, he who has done nothing that warrants punishment, would have the daring to talk to God with a comfortable conscience, and say to Him: “Deal bountifully with Your servant”. Yet, lest his talk may be tainted with false pride, he would cautiously not say: “Deal bountifully”, but would say: “Deal bountifully with Your servant”; being Your servant who serves You]. What kind of life does the psalmist seek from God as a reward of being His hired servant? By saying “that I may live”, He does not seek a long natural life, but he seeks one which pleases God; hence he adds: “that I keep Your word”. For keeping God’s words, and doing according to His commandments, are the true age, and the cause of eternal life. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The words “that I may live”, inspires a movement of life in the future. He does not think about this life; but saying “that I may live”, surely conforms to the true life. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 46 Let us hear what the apostle Paul says about himself and those like him: “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3: 3, 4). Let us then understand the words: “that I may live”, as concerning the future; and, saying: “hide Your words”, will be an actual thing, and not in a mirror or a riddle. (The scholar Origen) Not feeling that I would consummate Your commandments without a reward; Give me, therefore, as a reward, a happy eternal life to live and keep Your words. (St. Dedymus the blind) Who could deny that the gift of life is the work of the Great Divinity? … Saying “that Your servant may live” (17), means that He gives life to him who is a servant, namely, to him, who, previously had no life, then he got it as a gift1. (St. Ambrose) 2- THE COMMANDMENT IS ENLIGHTENMENT: “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (18) The prophets were called “Seers” (1 Samuel 9: 9); for they saw what others could not see. “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8: 56). While heavens were sealed shut before the disobedient people, they were opened before the prophet Ezekiel. The law is spiritual (Romans 7: 14); but there is need for a divine proclamation to help us understand it; when God reveals His face to see and to behold His glory2. (St. Jerome) I wish we, who intend to be perfect, according to our human weakness, think this way. We have not yet received, nor perceived, nor became perfect. And being not perfect, let us pray together with 1 On the Holy Spirit, Book 2: 4: 29. 2 Letter 53: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 47 David, saying: “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law1”. If such a great prophet like David, confesses that he is in the darkness of ignorance, how much more would you think, be the night of our non-perception, in us, who are no more than suckling babes2?! (St. Jerome) We should, therefore, approach God, and say: “Open our eyes that we may see wondrous things from Your law”. For, then, Christ will be proclaimed to us3. (St. Cyril of Alexandria) Perceiving that his life is a reward or a gift from God, the psalmist feels a commitment to dedicate this life to the account of God, to His service, and for the growth of His kingdom. The word (unveil) or (open) my eyes, here, means lifting up the veil from the eyes. “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (18). Although the law was found in the hands of the Jews, yet they did not enjoy its wondrous things, namely, the Lord Christ , whose name was called “wonderful’ (Isaiah 9: 6); For, according to the apostle Paul: “Their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains un-lifted in the reading of the old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ … But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3: 14, 18). It is as though the apostle seeks the uplifting of the veil of the letter, in order to understand the commandments of the Old Testament, its symbols, and prophesies; he also seeks the uplifting of the veil of sin, so that, in our new life, we would enter from glory to glory, and be qualified to behold God. In other words, the psalmist, while still under the shadows of the Old Testament, seeks to enjoy the enlightenment, namely, that God would uplift from over his eyes the veil of the letter in reading His word, and would grant him a life of perpetual growth in the spirit…. By this he would behold the glory of the Lord Christ, namely, “the wondrous things in His law”. The pride that veiled the eyes of the Jews from perceivinghe Person of the Messiah, despite the obvious prophecies about Him, will, 1 Against Pelagians. Book 1, 14. 2 Letter 108: 9. 3 Comm.. on Luke, hom. 53. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 48 as well, deprive the Christian of perceiving the power of the gospel in his practical life. The prophet revealed that his eyes were covered with a veil; like when we have in us, evil and corruption, because of “the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3: 9). No one can take away this corruption except the Word of God, as “He sent His Word and healed them, and rid them of their corruption”. The Word of God came and unveiled the eyes. “When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Corinthians 3: 16; Exodus 34: 34). The prophet, knowing that, when the commandments reigns, it would let us practice the good works, he tries to know the blessing of the commandment, not inthe literal way the Jews knew it, but with strength and spirituality; hence he says: “Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law”. For, once we have the unveiled face, we shall have the glory of Christ proclaimed in us like in a mirror; and will be transformed into this image, and meditate in the wondrous things of God and His law. The outer man, as well as the inner man, have two eyes; as it is written: “Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death” (Psalm 13 (12): 3). By keeping the commandment of God, we shall not have the physical sharp vision, but we shall have that of the sharp mind. The eyes of the inner man see more perfectly: “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law”. Only Jesus can open them up, to let us understand the Holy Books, and meditate in what is vaguely expressed1. (The scholar Origen) Let us perpetually cry out to God, in the land our sojourn, to grant us the spirit of enlightenment, to see His commandments in their depths, and to perceive the secrets of the work of the Holy Trinity in our life; so that our souls would soar up as with the wings of the spirit, and get in touch with the deposit of glory prepared for us; to say: “He raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2: 6). After seeking help from God in his sojourn, that he may live, the psalmist now, seeks the enlightenment; For, what would he benefit if he lives in darkness, in which he cannot see the flood of God’s graces and goodness on him?! 1 Dial. With Heravlides, 156. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 49 Using this verse (18), St. Augustine says to God: [You know my weakness! Teach me, and heal me1]. We are in need of God’s work – the Unique Teacher -- who can present the interpretation of the Holy Book, not only to satisfy the mind, but to open up the insight, to let it strongly enjoy the gladness and the riches of the Word. I wish we ask Him “He who has the key of David; He, who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” (Revelation 3: 7); to open to us the chambers of the gospel, to say together with the psalmist: “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” We beseech the Lord to bring us forth into His secrets, and His secret place, and allow us to say together with the bride of the song: “The King has brought me into His chambers” (Song 1: 4 LXXX). The apostle says that a veil was put on Moses’ (face) (2 Corinthians 3: 13-17). And I say, that there is a veil, not only on the law, but on the gospel as well, to him who does not understand it … Let us, therefore, forsake the letter of the Jews, and follow the Spirit of Jesus; not that we despise the letter of the gospel; but everything has come to express – as it is written – but, by ascending certain steps, we would reach up to the higher places2. (St. Jerome) 3- THE COMMANDMENT IS A COMPANION IN SOJOURN: “I an a stranger in the earth, Do not hide Your commandment from me” (19) Although David, the prophet, the king, and the psalmist, has been someone with reputation, possibilities, and experience, Yet he counted himself a stranger, in need of God’s commandments, to be his leader, guide, companion, and comfort in his sojourn. The main work of the divine commandment is to prepare man for the heavenly citizenship, by which he perceives his position as a stranger and a pilgrim, to join the men of faith *see Hebrew 11: 13-16). At the same time, feeling sojourn, motivates him to get more attached to the commandment to support him all the days of his sojourn, and to lift him up to the heavenly life. 1 Confessions, 10: 70. 2 Hom 76 on Mark 1: 13 etc. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 50 He who loves the earthly things and their lusts, does not think about being with Christ after his departure from this life; and would not be able to say: “I am a stranger in the earth”, for he only cares for the things of the earth. Whereas he, who says: ”Do not hide Your commandments from me” is a saint … That is why the prophet seeks from God to reveal to Him the wondrous things from His commandments for the heavenly life. (The scholar Origen) The strangers on earth are in need of the commandments of God to protect them against the works of the body, and the love of the world. He who follows these commandments, his soul will get so used to them that the world would not be able to overcome him. Yet, there are many commandments written in symbols; like: “Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house” (Matthew 24: 17; Mark 13: 15; Luke 17: 31); and, “Let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8: 22). … All those may be vague in meaning; together with the statutes concerning the sacrifices, the feasts, the clean, and unclean animals … That is why, it is befitting ofthe stranger on earth, to seek from God to enlighten His commandments to him, and not to hide them from him, in order to be able to consummate, and love them, and to be without blame. (Eusabius of Caesarea) We are strangers or hired servants on earth; for our city is up there, where we get that deposit; And once we reach it, we shall never depart. The true believer sees God’s commandment as a companion in his sojourn, like an intimate friend who would support him in life; a source of comfort amid afflictions, and of spiritual pleasure, that turns the valley of tears, into a joyful paradisiacal life. That is why, he does not practice the commandment out of necessity, but with pleasure. “My soul breaks with longing for Your judgments at all times” (20) According to St. Hilary, bishop of Poitier, the psalmist did not dare to say that he wishes to have the judgments of God, but said that he longs to have the purity of heart, together with the works, to be able to receive the judgments of God at all times. The psalmist ha previously sought from God to open His commandments to him, that he may enjoy them; and sought from Him as well, o open his inner eyes to perceive their secrets, and to enjoy their https://coptic-treasures.com/ 51 knowledge. Now he seeks from Him to open up his soul, to bear a fiery will, burning with longing toward the commandments of the Lord. By that, the commandment would become open, the insight open, and the depths open, to enjoy the commandment with spiritual pleasure. I mean to say that my soul desires to keep Your judgments, to do them with longing, will and consistence, and not with boredom . (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Why didn’t he say: “My soul longs for Your judgment”, but said: “My soul breaks with longing for Your judgment”? Couldn’t we long for God’s judgments? It is not possible for everyone to long for God’s judgments at all times; For some do not commit sin at a certain time, and commit it at other time. When those people long for the judgments, they long for the reward; Whereas the perfect man is able to long for the judgment at all times. (The scholar Origen) He did not say “Your precepts”, but said “Your judgments”. Let us understand that God’s judgments will save by His divine compassion; hence the prophet desires to long for them at all times; intending, not to consummate them out of grief nor of necessity; like those who consummate them for fear of punishment, but out of love and of true desire. By that he consistently endure, not only the mild judgments, but the harsh ones as well; walking with all strength in every good work. (St. Dedymus the blind) Being a stranger on earth, the psalmist prays to God not to hide His commandments from him; for he enjoys God’s love as something unique or essential. Now, he declares that he longs to have the love for the sake of God’s judgments – a longing worthy of commendation, and not of condemnation. (St. Augustine) That is the love of the saints at all times; those who never cease to offer perpetual sacrifices to the Lord, free of hindrance.; but are always thirsty, and always seeking from the Lord to drink; saying together with the prophet David: “My soul breaks with longing for Your judgments, at all times” (20) 1. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) 1 Paschal Letters 20: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 52 4- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE CONQUEST OVER THE WICKED: If the commandment brings pleasure to the soul, On another aspect, it gives strength to strive against the evil plots of the proud who stray from the commandments of the Lord; And gives as well, the strength of conquest over the spirit of pride that provokes us to stray from them. “You rebuke the proud – the cursed, who stray from Your commandment” (21) God rebuked the proud Satan, and drove him out of heaven; And rebuked Pharaoh, king Saul, Nebuchadnezar, etc. … “God resists the proud” (James 4: 6; 1 Peter 5: 5), “halts their arrogance” (Isaiah 13: 11); “scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts” (Luke 1: 51); and gives grace to the humble. There is no hindrance in the way of getting the judgments of God, except not desiring it….as its light is shining and obvious. (St. Augustine) Because pride is the cause of straying away from Your commandments, You, O Lord, rebuked the proud by saying in the prophet Jeremiah, that the Israelites, in their pride, said: ‘We have departed, and will never return to You’; And curses were set in the law of Moses, not only on those who do against Your commandments, but also on those who pervert from their upright course. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The proud stray away from the commandments of God. … Not to consummate the commandments of God, out of weakness, or ignorance, is something; and straying away from them out of pride, is something else. (St. Augustine) When will the wicked have no strength in his battle against us? The wicked fights us, not only to provoke us to consistently commit sin …; but also to become proud, and to feel that we are perfect. Butknowing that “God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3: 34; James 4: 6; 1 Peter 5: 5), the more we become humble, we shall rise high, and “will find favor in the sight of the Lord” (Sirach 3: 18). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 53 As God’s commandment is upright, whoever strays away from it is “cursed”; not only those who do not follow it, but also those who stray away from it, even a little bit. (The scholar Origen) Together with all the blessings, the psalmist enjoys along the way of his sojourn, because of his attachment to the commandment, he gains, as well, a true humility, yet without fear from the proud wicked. He gets the precious spirit of meekness; to be like his Lord, the Lamb, delivered for the sake of mankind; the Lion who comes out of the tribe of Judah, in His resistance against the devil and all his hosts. 5- THE COMMANDMENT REMOVES REPROACH FROM US: “Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies” (22) What reproach does the psalmist seek from God to remove from him, but that of sin? As iniquity brings forth true insult and disgrace in the sight of God. The sinner who persists on his sin insults the Son of Man, and feels ashamed of Him, counting His cross a deprivation, reproach and disgrace; Hence the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him (Luke 9: 26). Whereas the true believer will say, together with the apostle: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Romans 1: 16); and say, together with the psalmist: “I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and will not be ashamed” (Psalm 119: 46). That is why the psalmist seeks from God to remove from him the reproach and contempt, to testify to His gospel even before the oppressors; by his true faith, his sound repentance, and his spiritual growth. According to the psalmist, the wicked have rolled a huge rock on him, counting him as a tomb which should be closed shut by a rock. And now, being utterly unable to remove that rock, he seeks the divine intervention. Sins deserve reproach and contempt. “On the day of Judgment, the sinners shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12: 2). There are two kinds of reproach: On one aspect, “God has chosen the base things of the world, and the things which are despised” (1 Corinthians 1: 28). And on another aspect, “In His eyes a vile person is despised” (Psalm 15: 4). I say: “Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies” (22). Do not count me worthy of reproach and https://coptic-treasures.com/ 54 contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies, about which is said: “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies”(2). (The scholar Origen) As the wicked bring on me reproach and contempt, because I keep Your testimonies, “Remove,. O Lord, from me their reproach”… How could the reproach and contempt be removed?... When those who bring on me reproach and contempt, and consider me as nothing, come to the knowledge of the truth; and keep Your commandments together with me. (St. Dedymus the blind) In the time of persecution, when the wicked cover me with reproach and contempt, I seek Your protection, to make their reproach of no avail. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) The supplication of the psalmist here, probably refers to the role of God the Father in the resurrection of the Lord Christ. For the wickedrolled a large stone against the door of His tomb, and sought from Pilate to guard and seal it, to be sure that he will not rise again. They assumed that they have rolled on him reproach and contempt, even though He has not committed anything other than longing for the testimonies of the Father; namely, the testimony to His exalted love toward humanity, through delivering Himself for their sake. Entering into the promised land, the people of Israel set the tabernacle of the meeting in “Gilgal”; which means (rolling away), And the Lord said to Joshua: “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you” (Joshua 5: 9). So the commandment accompanies us until it brings us forth from the bondage of the devil (the Pharaoh of Egypt); and brings us forth in the worthiness of the blood into the promised land; namely, to the new life, risen in Christ Jesus. David looks forward to the divine Word (the Commandment), who rolls the reproach away from us, not caring for the evil plots of the wicked, both the hidden and the manifest, that roll the reproach on Him; …. Sitting with the divine Word is greater than being preoccupied with the plots of the wicked. In both Greek and Latin languages, testimonies are called “martyria”. Those who, for the sake of their testimony to Christ, and for the sake of the Truth, were crushed by many afflictions, even to the point of death, are called “Martyrs” in Greek. Therefore, whenever we hear this term, which became popular, we could count the psalmist as https://coptic-treasures.com/ 55 though saying: “Remove from me the reproach and contempt, for I intend to be a martyr for Your sake”….When the body of the Lord Christ (the church) so utters, would it be counted as a punishment, when she is rebuked and reproached by the wicked and the proud; if by those ways, she earns a crown? Martyrdom in the name of Christ, is not a reproach, but a great adornment; not only in the sight of the Lord, but even in the sight of men;“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints”(Psalm 116: 15). Notice how His saints who are despised will gain great honors (St. Augustine) 6- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE EVIL PLOTS OF THE WICKED: “Princes also sit and speak against me, but Your servant meditates in Your statutes” (23) Some believe that the sitting of the princes here, conforms to what happened before the Babylonian invasion, when the rulers and the princes sat together with the kings of Babylon, and spoke evil against the Jews to provoke them against them1. It is an actual portrait that repeats itself along the generations, when some sit to provoke the rulers against the righteous, with no apparent reason, but an oppression on the divine Truth Himself in the person of the pious. That was realized once and many times in the life of the psalmist David, when king Saul sat together with his counselors speaking evil about him, and plotting to kill him. Then it so happened when his own son Absalom did the same with his counselor Ahitophel … David did them no harm; Yet they rolled the stone of reproach and contempt on him, for only one reason, namely, they couldnot endure his care for the statutes of God. In all that, the prophet David has been a symbol of the Lord Christ, against whom, both the religious and the civil leadership sat, spoke, and on whose tomb they rolled a great stone, to remain in reproach and contempt; when He was caring for the statutes of God the Father; namely, the realization of His justice and love for our salvation, by delivering Himself a sacrifice for our sake. As what have been realized in the death and burial of the Lord Christ, still happens every day in the life of the church, which is His body; Hence the believer cries out seeking from God to remove from him the stone of reproach and contempt, to grant him the life risen in 1 Bethany Parallel Commentary on the O.T. (Adam Clarke). P. 1157. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 56 Christ Jesus… for the affliction that dwels upon him is through the plots and counsels of the wicked. This text bears a deeper meaning, which is that the rulers of this age (1 Corinthians 2: 6) concentrate their sight on the righteous; as is written about Christ: “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed” (Psalm 2: 2). Yes, the rulers of this world, “those who have the wisdom of this age” (1 Corinthians 2: 6), concentrate their eyes on the righteous, and set their nets to catch them. … Let them speak as they will; for the righteous will do nothing except to speak the statutes of God, which are not human words. (The scholar Origen) Sometimes they admonish me for certain old faults; and other times they insult me, counting me as nobody of any real standing. Yet, I sit alone, with my spirit directed toward the divine words… Your statutes are my counsel. (Eusabius of Caesarea) Among the statutes of God, there is nothing more difficult, yet more worthy of admiration, than, for man, to be committed to love his enemies. (St. Augustine) 7- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE: “Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors” (24) It is as though the psalmist says: Even if the rulers of temporal authority have gathered together to bring me forth into the tomb of reproach and contempt, and to seal it to make sure that I do not rise again; Yet I do not care for their counsels and intrigues, for I am only preoccupied with searching Your testimonies, and having pleasure in Your statutes, which are “my delight and my counselors”; or as it came in the translation of ‘Aquila’: “Your testimonies are my delight, for they are my counselors”; or that of ‘Simachos’: “Your testimonies are the cause of my delight, like someone close to my heart”. It is as though he says: [let all the wicked attack me with everything they may use of their abilities and possibilities; but Your commandment will remain my only friend, very close to my heart; and even the source of my strength, conquest, pleasure, and satisfaction. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 57 The rulers of this world slander the servants of God and speak against them; but they do not care, for they are only preoccupied with persistentlymeditating in the statures of God. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Perceiving that he is in the land of sojourn, the psalmist seeks from the Lord: 1- To count him, even as a servant who works for a wage, after being close to death among the swine; He promised not again to disobey His commandment (17) 2- In his sojourn, it would not be enough for him just to exist, but he needs to get enlightened (18), to be able to behold wondrous things from God’s work. For what would be his benefit, from having precious treasures and huge riches, if he cannot behold what is around him, or what goes on inside him?! 3- The commandment reveals to the believer his actual position as a stranger on earth (19), and reminds him of his sojourn, to exhort him, instead, to seek the citizenship of heaven. It is am amazing companion who enters into the depths of his heart to keep him company all along the way, and to kindle his longing toward the eternal glory (20). 4- The commandment grants the stranger an inner satisfaction, and a support in his strife; and gives him as well, the strength to oppose evil, without fear of the proud wicked; and the spirit of meekness, to become like his Lord, the meek Lamb, delivered for the sake of others; and the Lion who opposed and destroyed evil (21). 5- The commandment accompanies us in our sojourn, until it brings us forth, as though into “Gilgal”, namely, into the promised land, or to the new life, to roll away from us the reproach of sin. 6- Being attached to the commandment in the land of his sojourn, will preoccupy him away from the plots of the wicked, who do everything possible to roll over him the reproach and contempt (23). 7- Instead of confronting the plots and evil plans of the wicked with counter plots, the psalmist would be preoccupied with meditating in the word of God, and seeking the divine counsel (24). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 58 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 (3 - GIMEL) YOUR COMMANDMENT IS MY SUPPORT IN MY SOJOURN In my sojourn, I often search my depths, to find no life; Grant me Your commandment, to enjoy Your life inside me; To enjoy the true life, when You hide in my depths. Your commandment grants me the sharp sight; Not the outer, but the insight of the heart; And its secrets, proclaimed inside me; To see my Savior transfigured in my depths, and the heaven not far from me; When You remove from me the veil of the letter, I can see Your kingdom by the power of the spirit; Open my eyes to make me enjoy Your secrets; Open before me the chambers of Your Holy Book, to let me enter and settle down in it; There, I would enjoy You in Your secret place, O heavenly Groom; Open my soul by love, to let her perpetually desire Your commandment, and exalt high up to Your heavens. I am a sojourner in earth; Your commandment is my companion, comforter, and guide; It reveals to me my heavenly citizenship, to make me get up and hasten toward it. Your commandment is a stranger to the proud; Grant me humility to attach myself to it in my sojourn; And not to fall into the curse, together with those hating it. The proud reproach me, and accuse me of contempt; Let me receive their reproach and contempt for the sake of Your commandment; Let me not fall under the reproach of straying from it; Let me not have the contempt of those breaking it; The wicked roll on me a great stone, as though on the door of a tomb; Roll their reproach away from me; And proclaim in me the power of Your resurrection and its gladness; Reveal the Truth to them, to know Your commandment; So that, instead of insulting me, they would honor You in me, O the One exalted in His glory! Let the proud stand against me for the sake of Your testimonies; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 59 For I long to become a martyr for Your sake; Their afflictions against me, would turn into a crown of glory, which I desire; The reproaches of the wicked against You on the cross, would become salvation for me; Grant me that their reproach, would turn into a glorification to You in me; Your commandment is my glory in my sojourn, even amid my afflictions https://coptic-treasures.com/ 60 4 (DALETH) REVIVE ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD [25-32] In the previous stichon, the psalmist perceived his need for the divine commandment amid his sojourn in this world, to keep him against sins, the pride in particular, and to support him against the wicked who seek not less than his life, and intend to bring him forth into the grave, and roll on its door a great stone of reproach and contempt, for no reason, except his attachment to the commandment. In his seclusion, the psalmist found his comfort in this commandment. It is the true friend who supports him against evil and the wicked; and turns their reproaches to glories. Now, having entered into the grave, he cries out, seeking from the Lord not to deprive him of his Word -- the life-giver (John 6: 63). 1- The commandment and the resurrected life 25 2- The commandment and the joyful confession 26, 27 3- The commandment and the liberation from the deadly grief 28 4- The commandment and the liberation from the spirit of lying 29 -31 5- The commandment and the enlarged heart 32 1- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE RESURRECTED LIFE: As the spiritual rulers, namely the devils, plotted against the psalmist David, set nets, and provoked him to fall into sins, one after another; he,perceiving that the sacrifices in which God shall be pleased, are a broken spirit and a contrite heart (Psalm 51: 17), he bowed with contrition even to the dust, saying: “Our soul is bowed down to the dust, our body clings to the ground” (Psalm 44: 25). He knew that there is no salvation for his soul by his own strife; but he needs the “Word of God” and His grace to bring him over from the dust of the grave, and to let his soul enjoy the resurrected life; hence he says: “My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word” (25) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 61 The Word of God is life which reacts with the soul of man, to make him live by God; Through it, the believer enjoys a secret union with God, the Source of his life. Some refer this verse to the Person of the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ in the moments of His passion, where he carried our sins, and accepted to enter into death on our behalf, saying: “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to death” (Matthew 26: 38).. Yet others believe that the speaker here, is the prophet David, who, when his soul troubled him, he sat on the ground and covered himself with dust, according to the old custom of the people of east, the way the righteous ‘Job’ did (Job 1: 20), as well as his friends, about whom it is written: “When they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept, and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven” (Job 2: 12). The psalmist probably felt that the cords of the sin wrapped around him, and the temptation got stronger and stronger, because of his sin, which brought him down to the dust; as though he utters the words of the apostle Paul: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7: 24). His outer affliction revealed his inner weakness; Or his cry-out here, is probably for the sake of the two afflictions together. The psalmist confesses, that his soul is no more attached to God as it used to be; And finding himself fallen into sin, his soul attached to the dust, for the sin destroyed its status, and its natural exaltation. Indeed, every sinning soul is attached to the dust; hence it is written in the law: “You shall walk after the Lord Your God, and … hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 13: 4; 6: 13; 10: 30). The psalmist sees his soul brought down to the grave, where it attaches to the dust, to become food for the ancient serpent, the devil; to which it was said: “On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life” (Genesis 3: 14). That is why, he cried out to the divine Word to carry him by His Holy Spirit out of the grave, to scatter the dust from him, and grant him the new life, exalted to heaven, where the serpent would not be able to reach and swallow him. Who can remove from us the dust of this world, except the Word of God, the Grantor of life and freedom? … God promised us, saying: “I kill, and I make alive” (Deuteronomy 32: 39); And the Lord Christ says: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’ (John 19: 10) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 62 The enjoyment of this resurrected life needs from us to be open and clear. The more open we are to the Word of God, and confess our ways which bring us down to the pit, the more God will open up our insight, to enjoy His secrets and wondrous things with us. God wishes to rescue us from the earthly things, to say with the apostle: “Our citizenship is in heaven”. For getting attached to the earthly things is a death for the soul; contrary to life, for which the psalmist prays, saying: “Revive me”. (St. Augustine) We are told by Theodoret, how Emperor Theodosius used this verse to issue a decree, for which many have fallen victims. Then he came to bishop Ambrose to present repentance. Bishop Ambrose told Rophinos that he decided to ban the emperor from entrance into the sanctuaries, even if it costs him his own life…. Delivering this message to the emperor, the later said: [I shall go to the bishop and receive the reproach I deserve]…. Encountering the bishop, he said to him: [I ask you for absolution; according to the mercy of out Lord; … I beg from you not to shut before me His door, open before all the repentant]. To which the bishop said: [The faithful emperor daringly came to the holy sanctuary to pray to God, not standing, and not even kneeling down, but casting himself flat on the ground, crying out the words of the prophet David: “My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word1” . 2- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE JOYFUL CONFESSION: The prophet David practiced the confession, as it was always his custom in its two aspects: confessing his sin, or his weakness, even reaching down to the dust of the grave; and confessing the work of God’s grace, Grantor of the amazing salvation. In the sacrament of repentance and confession, we declare that we are dead to sin, and raised up by the amazing work of God; Or in other word, we declare that walking in our own way is like being cast into the dust of the grave; whereas receiving the way of the Lord, is the enjoyment of His wondrous works. Hence the prophet David, having opened up the depths of his heart before God, confesses, saying: 1 Theododort: Ecc. His. 5: 17. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 63 “I have declared my way, and You answered me; Teach me Your statutes; Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so that I meditate in Your wondrous work” (26, 27) Here the psalmist presents his whole case before God; who, alone, may listen to his prayer, respond to it, and turn his life into wondrous works. By “wondrous work”, he probably means receiving unutterable, and inexpressible divine comforts, which would turns his life into a wonder, … when it is continually renewed. The psalmist presents all the details of his worries before the Lord, to recognize His divine will He who walks by his body lusts, walks according to his own will; Whereas, he who avoids the transgressions, walks along a way that brings him forth to God; and God will respond to his prayer for forgiveness, leads him to His justice, teaches him His righteousness, gives him understanding of the ways of His statutes, and makes him think about His wondrous works. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “When we conduct ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind” (Ephesians 2: 3), we are walking according to our ways. On the contrary, when we separate ourselves from sin, and dedicate ourselves to the Lord, seeking from Him to purify us, and to make us walk in His ways (see Deuteronomy 10: 12); Then we are not walking in our own ways, but we are walking in the ways of the Lord, and making progress in them. The same thought is found in the words: “I acknowledged my sin to You” (Psalm 32: 5); You listened to my confession that I have transgressed against You, and received my repentance. I also beseech You, being my Lord, to judge me according to Your statutes; taking into consideration that nobody can consummate them in their wholeness. (The scholar Origen) “I have declared Your ways”; namely, the ways that lead to You, the ways that lead to the virtues. I have declared them, O Lord, by my works, and by my intentions, full of zeal, that correspond to my intentions; Then, “You answered me”. I beseech You to “Make me understand the way of Your precepts1”. (St. Dedymus the blind) 1 The Institutes 10: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 64 In some versions, it came as “Your ways”, while, according to the more correct Greek text, it came as “my ways”, namely, my evil ways. It so seems that he says: I confess my sins, and You listen to me, and forgive them. … Teach me to work, and not only to know what I should do. … As it is said that “the Lord knows no sin”, which is understood as “He does no sin”; So it is befitting to say that he who does the righteousness, knows the righteousness. That is the prayer of him who grows with progress. (St. Augustine) As we reject our own ways, and receive our Christ “the Royal Way”, we gain the gift of knowledge, which keeps on growing through seeking it or walking in it. Saying: “Make me understand the ways of Your precepts, so shall I meditate in Your wondrous works” (27), the psalmist proclaims our need for perpetually seeking the understanding, and to appreciate this talent by keeping the commandment, or by practicing it; for practicing it bears a testimony to it before the others, and gives us the chance to grow in it. Having enjoyed the understanding, the apostle Paul talked about the righteousness, and the judgment to come; not the theoretical philosophy, but that of living experience; which has filled the governor (who listened to him) with fear (See Acts 24: 25). … Aquila translates the word “meditate” as (keep); whereas Simachos translates it as, (narrate) or (recite). Let us then understand this text as: “Learn to do good” (Isaiah 1: 17)Together with learning the commandments, it is befitting of us to perceive their ways; Namely, doing according to the commandment conforms with perceiving its goal. (St. Dedymus the blind) I can perceive “the way” of the secrets of Your commandments, if I get the “understanding” from you; to be able to walk along this way, and to enjoy the “understanding” of the “wondrous works”. By this I may talk about Your commandments through understanding their goals. (The scholar Origen) 3- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LIBERATION FROM THE DEADLY GRIEF: “My soul melts away for sorrow, Strengthen me according to Your word” (28) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 65 If the commandment supports man even in the moments of his weakness, to confess his sins, and to talk about the grace of God, the Grantor of the amazing righteousness of Christ; It supports the lukewarm soul in the moments of its slumber, softness, or grief; to revive it, and to give it strength to strive. The word “my soul melts” as it came in King James version, came as “My soul slumbers” in other versions. The psalmist might have passed through a condition of intense despair during a certain time; and cried out to God to grant him the joyful hope in His divine promises and oracles. The psalmist knows that we cannot drive away the spirit of “sorrow” except by meditating in the divine teachings; hence, we should be alert, as the Lord says in Matthew: “Watch and prey” (Matthew 26: 41). (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) Taking the translation: “My soul slumbers for sorrow”. He means to say, that being in a condition of sorrow and grief, the soul loses its alertness, and falls into slumber, a condition warned against in the saying: “Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids” (Proverb 6: 4). The other translation: “My soul melts away for sorrow”, adopted by the majority of scholars: confirms that the soul of the righteous is sturdy, enduring, and does not allow a single drop to melt from it; contrary to that of the wicked, which cannot hide the Word of God inside it, but melts in drops; An idea (hinted to), in the proverbs: “My son do not let them depart from your eyes, keep sound wisdom and discretion” (Proverb 3: 21); And in words by Paul’s epistle to his epistle to the Hebrews, saying: “We must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (Hebrew 2:1). …. Then the psalmist adds: “Strengthen me according to Your word”; namely, make me steadfast, not shaken, nor changeable in any way. (The scholar Origen) “My soul slumbers for sorrow”. As “slumber” precedes fallingasleep; namely, a relaxation of the senses; it is used by the psalmist to liken it as a precedent of sin. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) With an admirable expression, David summarizes the drawbacks of that condition in one sentence: “My soul slumbers for sorrow”. Namely, for the tribulation. He does not say “My body slumbers”, but https://coptic-treasures.com/ 66 says: “My soul slumbers”; for it is the soul that is more vulnerable to be affected by the heaviness of sorrow. (St. John Cassian) As relaxation precedes sleep; So we say about the soul beginning to sin, that it relaxes, as though, being drawn to the slumber of sin; it has to wake up by the remembrance of goodness. (Eusabius of Caesarea) 4- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LIBERATION FROM THE SPIRIT OF LYING: If the commandment supports the frail soul, which surrenders to the slumber, or came to melt in drops; On another aspect it keeps it against the spirit of lying, namely, the spirit of the devil; and grants it, instead, the spirit of truth, namely, the Spirit of Christ, so that it wound not be put to shame. “Remove from me the way of lying, and graciously, teach me Your law” (29) He could say: “Remove me from the way of lying”, but he said: “Remove from me the way of lying”; because this way is right inside me, within me. Indeed, as long as we are wicked, the way of lying is inside us. We should exert all effort to forsake this way out of our souls; particularly seeking the help of the Lord to remove it; Then we could say: “Graciously, teach me Your law”; seeking God’s mercy, by the law He has granted us. … The same way we say to the physician: [Do according to the requirements of Your medical experience, to cure my illness; by any means you see convenient. As long as the way of lying has not yet been removed from us, we shall not be granted the mercy of God, according to His law. (The scholar Origen) He who distances himself from the way of lying, and chooses to come close to the law of God, would be intending to have the (columns) of his soul completely sound, and supported by the law of the Lord, which leads to the consummation of all goodness. He who hates ignorance, would have a contradictory intention, which is knowledge. … He who cannot, on his own, keep away from ignorance, let him lean upon faith (truth), seeking from his Lord: “Remove me from the way of (ignorance); and graciously teach me Your law” https://coptic-treasures.com/ 67 (St. Dedymus the blind) The word “lying”, came eight times; being a feature of the sinful life. It is not enough to have the negative aspect, namely, taking the way the spirit of lying -- the devil and his kingdom, away from the heart; but we should have the positive aspect as well; namely, the enjoyment of the Lord Christ, with His Kingdom “the way of the truth”, or “the way of faith”, according to some versions. “I have chosen the way of truth (faith); Your judgments I have laid before me” (30) The word “truth” or (emunah), came derived from (aman), namely, (to hold fast, not to change, to settle down, to trust, to believe). For these are the features of the divine law, by the authority of God, who does not lie, nor deceive1. He so utters, who despises the seen things, namely, the mortal temporal things, but looks at the things which are not seen, the eternal things (see 2 Corinthians 4: 18); who talks of nothing but them; and to them he intends to go; for “the way of the truth”, is not the way chosen by him who is preoccupied, here on earth, by riches and earthly glory. He who chooses to walk along “the way of the truth”, would never forget the judgments of God, nor His rewards. (The scholar Origen) His choice of “the way of the truth”, and perpetual remembrance of God’s judgments, will hold him fast to the testimonies of the Lord. If the commandment motivates us to be faithfulness to ourselves, to confess our ways, and to repent our sins; It also reveals the amazing grace of God, which turns our weakness into strength; and our preoccupation with the dust, to meditation in the godly things. By that, the commandment takes us out from the sin, destructive to the soul, and liberates us from the deadly sorrow; as though it awakens us from slumber and slothfulness, to the gladness of work in the kingdom of God. “I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, Do not put me to shame” (31) 1 Bethany Panallel Commentary on O.T. (Adam Clark), p. 1158. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 68 Having previously complained against himself, saying: “My soul clings to the dust” (25), seeking from God to take him up from the dust of the grave,and to grant him the resurrected life; Now, he seeks to be attached to the testimonies of the Lord, to hold fast to this new life in Christ Jesus. He who gets united with the words delivered for the sake of the testimonies of heaven and earth (to God), and never gets away from them, will have the assurance that whatever actions he may take that may bring shame on him (because of his human weakness), he would have the daring to seek forgiveness from God, saying: “O Lord, Do not put me to shame”, and would become worthy of hearing God say to him: “I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins” (Isaiah 44: 22). He will not be put to shame; for the divine Word (the virtue) dwelling in the soul of man who sinned, would utterly blot out all her previous sins, and would grant her the forgiveness of sins. Justice would dwell instead of oppression; chastity instead of defilements, courage instead of cowardice, and reason instead of folly. By this the forgiveness of sins would be realized, for the sake of which the Son of God came to grant us. (The scholar Origen) 5- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE ENLARGED HEART: If the sin brings the soul down to the dust of the grave (25), that the soul becomes in perpetual slumber (28), walks in the way of oppression and death (29), and on her, reproach and contempt would dwell (31); Yet the work of the divine Word is to lift up from the dust of the grave, to present the heavenly knowledge, and to realize divine wonders; so that the soul would live in the way of truth by faith, would be taken away from reproach, and would become enlarged by love for God, and for His heavenly and earthly creation. He would bring the soul forth to the narrow way, yet with an enlarged heart; contrary to the sin, which brings us forth to the broad way, yet with a narrow heart. “I will run in the way of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart” (32) The way of God’s commandments is narrow; but the heart of him who runs in them is enlarged, for it is the dwelling place of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit …. Whereas the evil way of the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 69 wicked is broad, but their hearts are narrow; for God has no place in it. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “Difficult and narrow is the way which leads to life” (Matthew 7: 14); Whereas the heart which walks in it, namely in the way of God’s commandments, is enlarged by the divine Word; is holy, and beholds God. On the contrary, “Wide and broad is the way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7: 13); while the heart that walks in it is narrow, and cannot have the Father and the Son dwell in it (John 14: 23). Let us also meditate in how Solomon instructs us to inscribe the divine Words on the two tablets of our hearts (Proverbs 3: 4; 7: 3; 22: 20), by saying: “Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in the open squares” (Proverbs 1: 20). By saying “outside”, he does not mean (in the streets), but he talks about the hearts, hoping for them to be enlarged by God. (The scholar Origen) It is befitting of our hearts to be, as enlarged and widened as possible; not to be narrow through cowardice, and not to be filled by the energy of sweeping wrath, that makes us unable to gain what the prophet calls “the wide and broad way” of the commandments of God in our narrow hearts; or to say together with the prophet: “I will run in the way of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart1” (32). (Father Yousef) I would not be able to run (in the way of Your commandments), unless You enlarge my heart … If the Lord asks him: Can you do that on your own?; he would answer “No, I can not”; For it is not by my own will, as though it is in no need of Your help, but because You have enlarged my heart. The enlargement of the heart is a gladness we get in righteousness, a gift from God, which keeps us from getting disturbed by His commandments, through fear of punishment, but to have our hearts enlarged through love and gladness in righteousness. (St. Augustine) The commandment, the grantor of life: 1 St. Cassian: Conferences, 16: 27. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 70 Feeling that sin has brought him down to be attach to the dust in a dark grave, the psalmist seeks the divine commandment to get attached to the Savior, the Word of God, the Grantor of life. 1- The psalmist seeks the help of the commandment to lift him up from the dust (25), so that the ancient serpent would not swallow him (Genesis 3: 14). 2- The repentance and the confession are the secure way, by receiving the work of the Word, the Grantor of life (26). Talking frankly to God about our weakness, He would, in turn, talk to us frankly about His wonders and secrets. By the enlargement of our hearts, we would reveal what we have; and by the enlargement of His heart, He would reveal what He has concerning us. 3- Although repentance would be accompanied by sorrow, yet it would grant us the inner peace and joy in the Lord. Whereas sin would destroy the soul by the inner sorrow and despair… The divine commandment would take away from us the deadly sorrow, and liberate us from it. 4- By the commandment we would be liberated from the spirit, or the way of lying, the root of which the devil put deep into us; to let the way of the truth occupy its place (29, 30); We would be liberated from the bondage of the devil, to receive the kingdom of Christ. 5- By the commandment, the soul is liberated from being attached to the dust, to get attached instead to the testimonies of the Lord. 6- By the commandment, we receive the narrow way by an enlarged heart, instead of receiving by sin, the broad way by a narrow heart. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 71 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 (Daleth) YOUR COMMANDMENT IS MY LIFE My sin brought me forth into the grave, and buried me there; Whereas Your Word lifts me up from the dust, and grants me the eternal life; By Your commandment, I discover and confess my death; And by it I perceive what I should do, and grants me the strength to do it; By it I confess Your resurrection, O Grantor of life. I lost my life because of the condition of despair that has dwelt on me; and my soul slumbered out of sorrow; Who can grant me life except the joyful hope, brought forth by Your commandment?! My soul slothfully slept the sleep of sin; Let Your commandment wake her up, by the exaltation of Your resurrection. I was destroyed by the lying, the way of vanity and ignorance; Let Your law come close to me, the way of truth and knowledge; He who connects himself to the way of vanity, would, himself, become vain; And he who attaches himself to the way of truth, would live by the truth forever. By sin, my soul became a narrow grave; But by Your commandment, my soul became enlarged by love, to accommodate all; The way of sin is broad, yet it makes my heart narrow toward the others; Whereas the way of Your commandments, although narrow, yet it gives my soul enlargement for all. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 72 5 HE MAKE MEWALK IN THE PATH OF YOUR COMMANDMENTS (33 – 40) The Word of God, the Grantor of the resurrected life, after the death of sin, is the true Leader of the heart, who, alone can enter into the depths of the soul, to grant it the width and enlargement amid the narrowness of this world, and lead her along the way of love instead of oppression; of the truth instead of vanity; of the fear of the Lord instead of the fear of men; of the glory of the righteousness of Christ instead of the reproach of sin; and of the sweetness of God’s judgments instead of the temporal pleasures. Although the divine Word leads the inner soul, and directs all its energies, Yet the believer does not stand negatively, but responds to the work of the Word, follows, and loves Him. 1- The Lord, Giver of the law 33 2- The Lord, Grantor of understanding 34 3- The Lord, Leader of the soul 35 4- The Lord brings us out of the way of covetousness (greed) 36 5- The Lord enlightens the eyes with the eternities 37 6- The Lord grants us the divine fear 38 7- The Lord turns away from us the reproach of sin 39 8- The Lord grants us the sweetness of the Spirit 40 1- THE LORD, GIVER OF THE LAW: “Teach me, O Lord the way of Your statutes, and I will observe it to the end” (33) Why does the psalmist seek from the Lord to teach him the way of His statutes? Is the law within his hands, that was given by God to the prophet Moses, not enough for him? … He prays to God to receive the leadership of his life, as a personal leadership, capable of granting his soul the freedom of movement, together with sweetness in observing the commandment. a- The Lord delivered His law to mankind through His church, whether in the Old or the New Covenants. Yet there is the need for every member to enjoy the law of God on a personal level, as a message that touches his life without separation from the congregation; Hence the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 73 psalmist says: “Teach me”, as though he says: [Give me Your law, working personally in me]. b- The word “teach” does not mean to set new statutes, but to let His statutes work in his life; so that they would become for him, the natural and sweet law of his inner life. In other word, the commandment would not be a matter of “Do” and “Do not”, but a gift and a promise; because, when the Lord, Himself, puts His law in the soul, He grants her the strength to live by it; Hence the psalmist says: “I will observe it to the end”; The divine law would become the law of my life, from which I would never stray. The psalmist teaches us that the way of truth needs to be put by God, and to be searched and meditated by man, and to be sought and observed by him, not just for some time, but to the end of his life. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Those who believe in Christ and come under His leadership, have many ways along which they are committed to walk, before they would enter into the holy land. For after they come out of Egypt, and go through all the stages mentioned in the Holy Book (Numbers 33: 1, 2), they would find rest… . Who has set the ways through which the children of Israel had to go along those different stages, but God Himself? Who set those ways by the pillars of fire and cloud. Now contemplate! The same thing spiritually happens in your present journey; if you come out of Egypt, and were able to follow the Savior Jesus (Joshua), who will bring you forth to the promised land. Although Moses (the law) was the leader, yet Joshua was there beside him. He waited until Moses consummated his time; then “the Fullness of Time” (Galatians 4: 4) would come, for Jesus to lead, receive the teaching of the people, and openly present His commandments…. Let us then walk according to them, and pray, saying: “Teach me, O lord, the ways of Your statutes, and I will observe it to he end” (33). … I shall follow “the ways of His statutes”, which is not an easy way, which needs, not two or three days, or even ten days, but actually needs the whole life to cross. In the same way, I need to find “the way of testimony”, “I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches” (14); … as well as “the way of the commandments”, “I will run in the way of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart” (32)… All these ways are originally one way, He who says: “I am the Way” (John 14: 6); Let us then walk in all these ways until we reach their ultimate goal – the Lord Christ. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 74 (The scholar Origen) What does he mean by saying: “I shall keep it to the end”? Does it mean: as long as I live here, where we perpetually grow in grace? Or even after this life. As he, who lives a virtuous life here, will become perfect there. Here, the law of God is searched, as long as we make progress in it, through recognizing it and loving it; Whereas there, weget its perfection to enjoy, not to be tested. There, we do not seek to find the face of God, for we can see Him face to face. Here, we search for Him to hold fast to Him; Whereas there, we shall not need to strive, lest we may lose Him. (St. Augustine) Many may take the role of teaching and leading, but it is only One, who can enter into the depth of the heart, present to it the law of love, and grant it the strength to work. To him, the psalmist cries out, asking Him to take this role, that his heart would follow Him in complete obedience. The divine Teacher deals with His disciples, not on the level of commanding them what they should do, and what they should not; but on the level of love and appreciation …. He seeks obedience to His commandment, and, at the same time, He grants them the understanding, to receive them with joy, aware of its blessing and activity in their life. 2- THE LORD, GRANTOR OF UNDERSTANDING: If the Lord, is Himself “the Way”, who brings us forth to Him, and holds fast in us to follow Him all the days of our life, without any slothfulness; Being in Him, we need Him to grant us the understanding to meditate in the commandment and search it, day and night, with an enlightened mind, and a heart, enlarged with love. “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart” (34) The Lord Himself, will grant us the understanding to perceive His secrets, and the strength to keep it in our hearts without perversion; to say together with ‘Eliho’: “Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him?” (Job 36: 22); … And, at the same time, the psalmist promises to be a faithful disciple to his divine Teacher; to keep His law with his whole heart, not divided between his discipleship to His Teacher, and his love for the world, and to dedicate all his energies to God. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 75 Give me the understanding to become able to experience and practice Your statutes, practically, and with befitting alertness. Give me the understanding pertaining to the work and the meditation; by which I can “observe it with my whole heart”; and approach it withouthesitation. If the wisdom is needed to understand the law; what would be the wisdom needed to be granted by the Lord to the psalmist to perceive its goal?! (The scholar Origen) In order to know the law of the depths of God, and the secrets hidden in it, we need God to be our Teacher; We are committed to seek from the Lord, “the understanding to keep His law”; and, at the same time, to promise Him, “to observe it with our whole heart”. (Eusabius of Caesarea) The scholar Origen often resorted to his audience to partake of his prayers to His heavenly Teacher, to grant him the spirit of understanding, by His Holy Spirit, the Grantor of enlightenment1. The Lord is the Spirit, to whom we are committed to pray, to lift from us the veil of the letter, and to grant us the splendor of His Spirit 2. . (The scholar Origen) Man would probably be able to keep the law in its literal or apparent form; Yet, it is only God, who is able to change the heart to keep the law by the spirit in the depths, through the perfection of His love. 3- THE LORD, LEADER OF THE SOUL: “Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it” (35) It would not be enough for the soul to enjoy the divine understanding to search the law of the Lord, nor the strength to keep it with the whole heart (34); but she needs to have God, Himself, hold her hand, and make her walk in His path, in which she will find pleasure. Yet He would not lead her against her own will, but according to her request and pleasure. For, according to the apostle: “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2: 13). There is “the way of the commandments”, … the “path” of behavior, walked by many of the righteous before us. Yet, unless we take the 1 In Ezek. Hom 4: 3 (Die Griechischen Christlichen Schrifsteller, 8: 363). 2 In Gen. hom, 6: 1 PG 12: 195. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 76 Lord as our Leader, we shall not be able to keep His commandments. We are committed to be “followers of Christ” (Ephesians 5: 1; 1 Thessalonians 1: 6); and to “carry our cross and follow Him” (Matthew 10: 38; 16: 24). (The scholar Origen) My own desire would be helpless, unless You Yourself walk together with me wherever I intend to. This is surely the way to God’s commandments, in which the psalmist previously said he ran, when God enlarged his heart (32); he called it “a path”; For, as it is a narrow way that leads to life, he cannot run in it except be an enlarged heart. (St. Augustine) The apostle Paul cries out, saying: “To will is present with me, but how to perform what is good, I do not find” (Romans 7: 18). It is as though he says: [You made me long for Your way; I wish to enter into it, and move in it; Therefore, carry me in it by Yourself, and hold my hand, for my possibilities are helpless to realize, even what I wish of goodness]. And the psalmist proclaims his true desire for a holy life, and his readiness to work; Yet he cannot start the way, nor walk in it, without the grace of God, to say, together with the apostle: “God is the One who works in us to wish and to work for His pleasure”. 4- THE LORD BRINGS US OUT OF THE WAY OF COVETOUSNESS (GREED): “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness” (36) If the psalmist previously proclaimed that he delights in the path or the way of God (35), Yet he does not intend to walk in it on his own, but he seeks from God, his divine Leader and Guide, not only to hold his hand, but to kindle his heart with love, to draw him to His testimonies, even to the point of death, as a testimony to the righteousness of God and His commandments; and to keep him from the love of vain and temporal things, of greed and covetousness By saying: “Incline my heart to Your testimonies” (36), and keep my eyes away from vain things, the psalmist teaches us to avoid evil, and to hold fast to goodness. Yes, that may be within our authority and ability to do ourselves; Yet we are in need of the help and support of God; according to His own words: “Without Me, you can do nothing” (John 15: 5). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 77 Someone may object, saying: [If I refer everything to God, What then would concern me?]… Let us then discern between what concern God and what concern us! The psalmist says: “Teach me, O Lord, the ways of Your statutes”; That is what concerns God. And what concerns me is: “I shall keep it to the end” (33) And again: “Give me understanding”; That is what concerns God. What concerns me is:” and I will keep Your law” (34). And again: “Make me walk in the path of Your commandment”; That is what concerns God. What concerns me is: “For I delight in it” (35) Let us then seek what would come to us from God, to have it; Yet, let us, as well, promise to do what concerns us, and to keep our promise, so as not to break the covenant that binds us to the Lord. Here, the psalmist says: “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness” (36); knowing for sure, that covetousness (greed) is evil, called by the apostle: “idol-worshipping”. … Covetousness does not conform to the testimonies of God. (The scholar Origen) Apolinarius says: [As “God saw that all flesh has corrupted its way upon the earth” (Genesis 6: 12), we need the Lord to turn our hearts to righteousness; Namely, we need the Lord to lead our will, the same way He leads the events, by the work of the Holy Spirit in us]. If our heart is not inclined toward covetousness (greed), we fear God for His own sake; that He, alone, would be our reward for our ministry to Him. Let us, then, love Him for His own sake; Let us love Him inside us; Let us love Him in our neighbors, whom we love like ourselves; whether they have God, or for the sake of letting them have Him. “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness”. On account of that our heart and mind are not under our authority; When they become blind all of a sudden, the mind and the spirit would come to be in a state of confusion, and would be led to a direction contrary to what You intend for them to be; they would be led to, and mixed with, the worldly and the temporal pleasures and seductions. And at the time we should get ready to lift our minds up high, we would be over-ridden with vain thoughts, and would be cast toward worldly things1. 1 Flight from the world, 1: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 78 (St. Augustine) I shall quote the words of the prophet, saying: “Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness” (36). For the grace of the Word is of benefit, and would not stir up in us the love of riches1. (St. Ambrose) 5- THE LORD ENLIGHTENS THE EYES WITH THE ETERNITIES: “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way” (37) According to Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic: [We are given the eyes to behold our Creator in His creation; not to concentrate our sight on the worthless, and temporary temporal things; which would draw our hearts to love them, to be bound to them, and to be alienated from God and the godly things. Hence the psalmist cries out to God, to grant him, by His care, and His divine grace, to draw his eyes away from the temporal things. He would not shut our eyes from seeing them, but would grant them, not to concentrate long on them. The “worthless things” (the vanity) are what is unbefitting of deceptive sceneries, the corrupt and chaotic thoughts; which were identified by the apostle Paul, saying: “They walk in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4: 17, 18). By “the futility of mind”, the apostle Paul means that man, instead of using the intelligence granted to him by God, to meditate in the truth, he deliver it to the devil who binds it in chains… That is the grace for which the psalmist prays, saying: “Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things”; namely, to live in the way of the Lord; who, Himself says: “I am the Way” (John 14: 6). (The scholar Origen) Whoever turns his eyes away from looking at worthless things (vanity), walks in the Upright Way, who is our Lord, saying: “I am the Way and the life”; and will be delivered from death, as did the righteous ‘Lot’…… Whereas, whoever inclines his eyes toward the temporal things, walks in the way of death, and, according to the blessed Paul, being alienated from the life of God; he will end up having the destiny of the wife of ‘Lot’, who looked backward toward what is vain (See Genesis 19: 26). 1 Duties of the Clergy, Book 2: 6: 26. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 79 (Onesimos, bishop of Jerusalem) The vanity and the Truth directly contradict one another. The lusts of this world are vanity; Whereas the Lord Christ, who liberates us from this world, is the Truth; and is as well, the Way, and the Life; according to His own words: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. (St. Augustine) What is vanity, if it is not the dedication to the riches, and running after the worldly pleasures?! As confirmed by the wise Solomon, who said: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1; 2) 1. (Father Valerian) Now, brethren, we have restored in Christ the eyes of the heart, which we have lost in Adam. Let us then give thanks to Him who condescended to enlighten us to behold Him, with no worthiness on our part. Let us strive with all our strength and energy; for, by His help, we can open our eyes on what is good, and close them shut on what is evil; according to what the prophet sought from the Lord, saying: “Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things2” (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) Let us deliver our senses, as well as our hearts, in the hands of our divine Teacher through sight. Adam fell into disobedience, and his heart was corrupted by vanity. Hence the psalmist cries out, seeking from God to sanctify his eyes, to turn them away from looking at worthless things, that could crawl into his heart. 6- THE LORD GRANTS US THE DIVINE FEAR: “Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You” (38) As our inner insight turns away from “worthless things” (vanities) to the true Way, namely to the Lord, “the Way and the Life”, We seek from God to establish us in Him, and in His promises, by making us devoted to fearing Him; not the fear of the guilty and disturbed servants, but that of the children, who fear lest they may hurt the feelings of their father. The Word of God is not established in those who take it away from themselves, and do what contradict it; But it is steadfast in those who establish it in themselves. (St. Augustine) 1 Hom., 6 (Frs. Of the Church). 2 Sermon 172: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 80 I wish I have the proper kind of fear, based on reason and perception; I wish I have, neither the fear without perception, nor the perception without fear. (The scholar Origen) According to St. Ambrose, it is only possible to establish the house of wisdom, if the fear of God is deeply established in the soul. 7- THE LORD TURNS AWAY FROM US THE REPROACH OF SIN: “Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good” (39) We previously talked about two kinds of reproach: The reproach of sin that dwells upon us before God; and the reproach of the cross that dwells upon us before men. The former brings grief, whereas the later brings sweetness to the soul. … Here, the psalmist seeks from God to take away from him the reproach of sin, and not the vain rebukes of men; To take away from him the reproach which makes him lose his peace with God, and offends the others, when they blaspheme God because of him. Taking away that kind of reproach is realized by having the sweetness of the divine commandment in the heart instead of the pleasure of the sin. Having committed sin, being human, the psalmist, by the spirit of prophecy, saw the reproach accompanying him before the divine tribunal following the resurrection, hence he presents this supplication to the Lord. By so saying, he does not mean to say: “Take away Your reproach”. Indeed, when I endure the reproach because of Christ (Hebrew 11: 26), that would not be counted as “my reproach”, but that of Christ. But when I suffer the reproach because of my own sins, and do not repent, I shall be committed to say: “Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good” (The scholar Origen) I trust that You will turn away the reproach which I dread, for I am sure that Your judgments are full of goodness and the love of man. (St. Dedymus the blind) The psalmist says “Your judgments are good”; The Word of God is satisfying and sweet to the soul. That is why the scholar Origen admonishes the congregation for their lukewarm attitude, when listening to his sermons, saying: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 81 [The church moans with grief when you reluctantly, and with difficulty, come to hear the Word of God, even in the days of feasts; and when you do come, you do not care much to listen attentively to the divine Word! … God has entrusted me to provide His household with their portion of spiritual nutrition, namely the ministry of the Word, in its due time … But, how can I do that?! … Where, and when, can I find the proper time to do that; when you spend the greater time of your life, or may I even say, all the time of your life, preoccupied with the worldly temporal, and non-spiritual things?! … There is seldom among you, those who care for the Word of God!.... And why should I complain against those who are not present, when even those who are, are not listening as they should 1?!] (The scholar Origen) 8- THE LORD GRANTS US THE SWEETNESS OF THE SPIRIT: “Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness” (40) It did not stop at his love for the commandments, but it went even further to have his heart burning with love, that turned into a holy lust to recognize, practice, and teach it. He says: [As much as I long for Your precepts, Revive me according to Your righteousness; And reward me, not on account of that I have consummated Your commandments, but because I am burning with the love of them. As the Righteousness of the Father is the Son; Whoever intends to live in the Son, is committed to utter these words: “For In it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” (Romans 1: 17). (The scholar Origen). For the righteousness of God, according to the blessed Paul, is our Lord Jesus Christ; He who, lovingly, keeps the commandments of God, will find eternal life through our Savior Jesus Christ. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) God, the Leader, the Teacher, and the Guide: God, who has created the heart, He alone can enter into it, present to it His law, and guide it in His royal way (33). He can grant it the obedience, and the good will, until it reaches the ultimate end. 1 In Gen, hom. 10: 1; PG 12: 215. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 82 God grants us the understanding (34), to perceive the secrets of the commandment, and to respond to it with reason, awareness, joy, and gladness of the heart. God, alone, can hold the heart fast, guide, and lead it by Himself to His ways, that brings pleasure to the believer. He grants the good will, as well as the good work, yet, not with slothfulness on our part (35). God leads us along the way of righteousness and love; and not of oppression and covetousness (36). God sanctifies our senses, particularly our eyes (37); As the holy eyes will also keep the heart holy; whereas, through the slothful eye, the love of vanities will crawl. God grants us His fear, which is the beginning of every true knowledge (38). God gives sweetness to the soul in receiving His judgments, even against the reproach of all men. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 83 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 (He) WHO IS A TEACHER LIKE YOU, O WORD OF GOD?! You, O Divine Teacher, who presented Your law to all Your people; Set it, by Yourself, in my depths; To make me perceive that it is a personal message directed to me; Be my Leader and the Instructor of my soul in the execution of Your law; Shade me as a cloud during the day; And lighten me like a fire by night. There are a multitude of teachers and guides; Yet, who among them can enter into my heart, but You, O Word of God?! Who can turn the commandment into work, but You? Who can grant my heart the understanding to search Your law, day and night, but You? Who is a teacher like You, O Word of God?! Let me pray for the sake of every preacher of the Word, to be granted the understanding by the heavenly Teacher! And let every preacher of the Word pray to the heavenly Teacher, to grant His people the understanding! The Word of God is the Teacher of the preacher, and the Instructor of the listeners! He gives the word of truth to the preacher; and the sweetness of listening to the listener. My possibilities are utterly weak to execute Your commandment; You are my heavenly Teacher; You work in me to intend, and to work for the sake of Your pleasure; Holding my right hand, You provoke in me the love of Your judgments; And You enlarge my heart to consummate Your commandments. The covetousness is killing me; and the love of the world is destroying my soul. Incline my heart to Your testimonies; To make me a martyr, and dead to the world; Let me be crucified together with You, to live by You, O my Good Teacher! https://coptic-treasures.com/ 84 Enlighten my eyes, to keep them from concentrating upon the vain temporal things; Let them meditate in Your cross, and rejoice in Your resurrection; Open my eyes up, but not on evil, as it was with our early parents, but to behold Your salvation; Turn my mind away from the world to Your kingdom; Let me not look backward, so as not to become a pillar of salt like Lot’s wife; Indeed, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 85 6- WAW THE TESTIMONY TO THE WORD OF GOD (41 – 48) The psalmist found in God Himself, the Leader and the Guide, who plants inside him the law of the New Covenant (33); grants him the wisdom and understanding (34), and the strength to keep it with his whole heart; inclines his heart to Him, not to the love of the world (36); opens up his insight on the truth, instead of on vanity (37); grants him the fear of God; and takes away from him the reproach of sin (38). Now, How was the psalmist’s response to the divine Teacher? … He experiences the divine salvation that comes out of the mercies of God and His free grace; and not because of his self-righteousness;… By bearing the true testimony to the gospel of Christ, even before those who reproach and disturb him; by testifying by his mouth which utters only the truth, by his whole life keeping the law of God, by his enlarged heart and his love for all, and by his courage to testify before everyone. In all that, he perpetually lifts up his hands toward the commandment, with which he entered into a relationship of friendship, supporting him in his spiritual life, and helping him to testify to the evangelic truth. 1- The testimony and salvation 41 2-The testimony and those who reproach 42 3- The testimony and the steadfastness in the truth 43 4- The testimony and keeping the commandment 44 5- The testimony and love 45 6-The testimony and courage 46 7- The testimony and friendship with the commandment 47, 48 1- THE TESTIMONY AND SALVATION: The testimony of the believer to the work of God, is set upon his own enjoyment of His amazing salvation, set upon the giving love of God, and His infinite mercies. Hence the psalmist starts his praise here, concerning the testimony, by seeking God’s mercies, or the enjoyment of the Savior Messiah. Having experienced God’s mercies, new every day, yet, anticipating longingly, the coming of the Son of David who will proclaim the infinite divine mercies through the work of the cross; he prays to God, saying: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 86 “Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord – Your salvation according to Your Word” (41) There is no security for man more than his humility before God, seeking His divine mercies to enjoy the eternal salvation – the salvation granted by the hope in the forgiveness of his past sins; and the trust in God’s support in the present, to walk in the royal way, and to enjoy the eternal glory, together with strength to oppose evil. After saying “Your mercies”, he directly added: “Your salvation”. For once You cover me with Your mercies, I shall enjoy Your salvation. The expression “the mercy of the Lord”, truly means “the salvation which He gives” The psalmist was right to start his prayer, not by seeking the salvation which God grants, then His mercies; but to take the opposite sequence. If I am saved, it is according to God’s mercy, and not according to my own works. (The scholar Origen) It is befitting of us to wonder whether all that refer to the Word of God; Christ who is God’s mercy and salvation. We are therefore, committed to seek in our prayer, God’s mercy, and His salvation, according to His mercy. As, once the mercy covers us, we are saved. By that we respond to those who have reproached us, as being denied the mercy of the Lord and His salvation. (St. Dedymus the blind) Mercy and salvation are referred to our Lord Jesus Christ, who, for the sake of the abundance of His mercies, He came incarnate, to give salvation to mankind. Inspired that the Son of God will come incarnate for the sake of the salvation of the world, the psalmist, through his human nature supplicates God, saying: “Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord; Your salvation according to Your word to Your prophets”. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem): For what does he pray, except that, through the mercies filled with love of him who presented the commandments, he could consummate those commandments which he desires?! (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 87 Now, as the incarnate Word of God has already come, and proclaimed the mercies to perfection, presenting to us the free salvation; We should raise the same supplication: “Let Your mercies come…”. The Lord Christ has come once, to present salvation to the whole world; and He will perpetually come to dwell in the hearts of His believers, proclaiming Himself a Savior of every believer. Hence the psalmist confirms: “Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord”. Namely, I, personally, is in need of Your mercy, and of the enjoyment of Your salvation, working in me. With every morning the savior has His personal role in the life of the believer, who, every day counts that he recognizes Him for the first time. To testify to the salvation work of God, the psalmist needs God, not only as a Teacher and a Leader (33-40), but he seeks Him, as well, as a personal Savior, out of His divine mercies. Feeling his ignorance, the psalmist sought from God, his Teacher, the understanding and the leadership of his depths. And feeling sin, he sought from Him mercies and free salvation; not for the sake of his self-worthiness, but according to His words, namely to His divine promises, uttered by His prophets. And as his enjoyment of mercies and salvation, would stir the devil up against him, he seeks from the Lord, as well, the strength to help him testify to Him in such an horrible atmosphere. 2- THE TESTIMONY AND THOSE WHO REPROACH: As God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3: 23), there would be, as well, opponents and those who reproach every day. The believer would need to hide in the crucified Word of God, who, alone, can overcome the devil, and corrupt all his evil tricks. The psalmist, feeling that the Word of God is his only weapon against the enemy, and that the secret of his strength and riches, he enjoys by faith, through the experience of salvation he enjoys by the mercies of God. He says: “So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me; for I trust in Your word” (42) When I have Your mercy and salvation, according to Your word; I shall have an answer for those who reproach me, revealing to them that he, who has such doctrines, would never be put to shame. To he “aliens to faith”, who consider these doctrines as foolishness, I shall confirm that they are actually, full of reason and wisdom. (The scholar Origen) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 88 Having qualified me for the grace of Your mercy and salvation, I can debate against those who reproach our faith, and ridicule our leaning on You and trusting in Your words; And we can respond to them by a clear and convincing proof. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Those who count the crucified Christ as an offense and ignorance, by which they reproach us; they do not know that “The Word has incarnated and dwelt among us”, and that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1: 1). … I wish You are not terrified or disturbed by their reproach. (St. Augustine) The believer presents his proofs, not through barren debate, but through the power of the Spirit. As the gladness of his salvation, the increasing fruit of the Spirit in him, the satisfaction of his soul, and the exultation of his heart, are all things that the atheists could not oppose. Having experienced the sweetness of salvation, the psalmist perceived that, by the help of the Lord, he is capable of confronting the slanders of the enemy. But being more preoccupied with his inner testimony to the Savior, through his steadfastness in the truth to the end, he seeks from God his Savior, not to deny his mouth the utterance of the truth, nor from his life the experience of salvation. 3- THE TESTIMONY AND THE STEADFASTNESS IN THE TRUTH: Lest man would assume that, once he experiences the sweetness of salvation, he would enjoy it forever, the psalmist confirms the necessity of keeping steadfast in Christ, namely in the continuous strife, leaning upon the free grace; and consummates his supplication by saying: “And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances” (43) The psalmist seeks from God to settle down His Word in his mouth, to let him bear wisdom and courage, together with holiness, to testify to the Word of God for the edification of his brethren, and to justify his living faith. Having coveted to hide the word of God in his heart, to love, to keep, and to meditate in it; Now he recites it with his mouth, to preach it with his tongue, as well as by his holy life. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 89 He utters this phrase, on account of that, he who has received “the utterance of the truth”, God would probably take it out of his mouth, if he becomes unworthy of it. It is also said: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you” (1 Timothy 4: 14). Negligence may happen, not only in planting the gift, or in not making it grow, but when it does not conform to man’s practical life. On another aspect, we may wonder, whether the utterance of the truth may only be taken out of the mouth, and not out of the heart as well, until the change (the repentance) is confirmed, on account of the presence of the “utterance of the truth”, which man has once got. It is said: “To the wicked, God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth?’” (Psalm 49 (50): 16) . He did not say: “.. to (think) about my statutes …”. If the sinner persists on his sin, the “utterance of the truth” may probably be taken out of his heart, having become darkened, and blinded to the knowledge of the truth. We have also to explain the meaning of taking “the word of the truth utterly”; for the text is very vague. It probably means that, even if You take it out of my mouth, Do not take it out utterly; Or it may mean that the Word which is already in me, keep it in me, and do not take it out of my mouth. Having hoped in Your ordinances, and having put my hopes in them; my hope continuously increase; for the word of truth in my depths, makes me hope in Your ordinances. (The scholar Origen) In case it so happens one day, that I find difficulty to interpret the divine care, and I cannot give an answer that takes away the controversies in those who stir up the problem, Graciously, O Lord, give me Your Word that proclaims the truth at the opening of my mouth; “Take not the word of truth utterly of my mouth”.. To become able to talk one way or another, about these difficult issues, “I have hoped in Your ordinances”; namely, hoped in Your balanced and well-experienced words; those ordinances through which You ordain men and care for them. (St. Dedymus the blind) According to St. Augustine, it is the Lord Christ who talks here, from whose mouth the word of truth will never be taken out; and the church – His body – who utters the truth in this world, as well as in the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 90 world to come; and the congregation of saints, being members in the body of Christ. This law should be understood according to the saying of the apostle: “Love is the perfection of the law” ; that is why it is kept by the saints, from whose mouth the word of truth is not taken out; Namely, through the church of Christ herself, not only in this world, and not even at the end of time, but in the endless world to come, (St. Augustine) 4- THE TESTIMONY AND KEEPING THE COMMANDMENT: He, who has hope in God’s ordinances, and perceives His divine care even in the moments of affliction, will keep the commandment, and hold fast to it. And by that, his testimony will be true, practical, and perpetual. Hence the psalmist says: “So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever” (44) He says: “I shall keep Your law”. He will not keep it sometimes, and forsake it some other times; … He will even keep it in this life, as well as in the life to come. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) Your law will perpetually be kept, not only in this world, but forever.… the law that was kept by the Jews through the shadows, we are committed to keep forever through the good things to come. (The scholar Origen) The testimony to the Word of God: To testify to the Word of God, the believer is committed to: Personally enjoy the Word of God, the Grantor of salvation; Namely, to enjoy the Lord Christ, who proclaimed the divine mercies through His salvation work, which He previously promised through the prophets (41). Being supported against the devil and his hosts, by the enjoyment of the gladness of salvation, its joyful fruits, and the strength of the spirit (42). Continually enjoy the salvation of God to the end (43), supporting him to testify to the work of the Savior. The testimony is realized by the inner gladness in the salvation, and by talking about the work of God, as well as by the enlargement and width of the heart (45); by courage even before kings (41); liberated from all fear. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 91 By entering into a relationship of friendship with the Word of God, by raising his hands in supplication, together with the practical behavior. 5- THE TESTIMONY AND LOVE: As the testimony is eternal, the true believer perpetually keeps it, testifies to it before himself, and before the others by his practical behavior. Although the way of this commandment is difficult and narrow, yet it gives the enlargement and width of the heart to all, even to the adversaries. Whereas the way of evil, though broad and wide, yet it gives the heart selfishness and narrowness. “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts” (45) He who loves God would not be hesitant in confronting all kinds of afflictions and sorrows; and would not be disturbed, but would be joyful, and have an enlarged and wide heart; for love perseveres, and seeks goodness, “Love does not envy, does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 5)… Hence the apostles Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying: “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus, also be manifested in our body…” (2 Corinthians 4: 8-10). (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “He “will walk at liberty”, even if he is afflicted; as it is written: “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed” (2 Corinthians 4: 8). The apostle Paul says concerning himself, and accusing the Corinthians: “You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your affections” (2 Corinthians 6: 12). For the wicked is restricted in himself by his evil deeds. whereas the psalmist says: “I walk in liberty”; then, to clarify why he walks in liberty, he adds: “for I seek Your precepts” (45). (The scholar Origen) 6- THE TESTINONY AND COURAGE: Through the enlargement of heart enjoyed by the psalmist by the divine grace, he practices the commandments with the gladness of heart, and finds no more pleasant talk, even in the presence of the elites, than https://coptic-treasures.com/ 92 the testimony to the commandment of the Lord, and His salvation work, for both his and their benefit. After talking about the enlargement of the heart by love, even in the time of affliction, the psalmist was not ashamed to proclaim his courage in testifying to the commandment before kings; as it would be irresponsible to have courage without love; and love exhorts man to testify to the truth with no fear. A living example of this is the stand of three young men in the land of captivity who were accused of not paying due regard to the king (see Daniel 3: 12). With great courage they said to the king: “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and will deliver us from your hand. Let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3: 17, 18)..The apostles Peter and John, addressing the Jewish Sanhedrin, also said” We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4: 20). “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (46) In a message sent to Emperor Theodosius, St. Ambrose says that he could not keep quiet, for that would be dangerous for both of them; And that although the emperor feared God, yet he was committed not to pervert from His precepts. An emperor is committed not to reject the liberty of speech; nor a priest to refrain from uttering the truth. The good leader loves freedom, whereas the bad seeks submission and complete servitude. And the most dangerous thing for a priest is to refrain from proclaiming, with complete freedom, the things pertaining to God, for the sake of his congregation; according to the words of the psalmist: “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (46); and of the words of God to the prophet Ezekiel: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; … when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity; … because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, … but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless, if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 3: 17, 20, 21) 1. (St, Ambrose) 1 Letter 40: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 93 I clearly addressed the most compassionate emperor Theodosius, and did not hesitate to proclaim to him the word of truth; … He graciously received my words, for he knew that what I said was not for my own benefit, but for the sake of both of us (46) 1. (St. Ambrose) That is how should be the daring of those who bear the cross. … Let us follow this example; For, although the time is not that of war, yet it is of courage in proclaiming the truth, according to the words of the psalmist: “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed” (46). … If we find ourselves among heathens, let us close their mouths shut, without anger or violence2. (St. John Chrysostom) A strife for the sake of truth should be even to death; without shame even before kings. (St. Augustine) A sign of your love for God, is to speak of His testimonies before kings, with daring and courage; the way the apostles and martyrs did. Our works and words should be befitting of the King of kings talking in us; We should speak of His testimonies with love and confidence, not with boredom or slothfulness. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He who does not speak the word of good news with courage, would be speaking with shame; whereas he who says: “I speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed”, utters what is worthy of glory, and not of shame. (The scholar Origen) We may truly apply this text to those who are brought before governors and kings as witnesses to the name of Christ (Mathew 10: 18). And may apply it as well to those who open up their mouths before the saints (who are truly kings in their spirits), speaking of God’s testimonies. He who refuses to attach himself to the dust, and intends to live according to the Word of God, namely, according to the inspired Holy divine Scripture , would seek the divine help to live. Together with uttering the words of the Lord, his good works and behavior would support his words. 1 Letter 57: 4. 2 The Acts of the Apostles, hom. 17. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 94 (The scholar Origen) Having reached the maximum level of affliction, and having become persecuted by the tyrants; I seek to be saved according to the promise of God, “to draw me out of many waters” (Psalm 18: 16). (St. Athanasius the apostolic) 7- THE TESTIMONY AND FRIENDSHIP WITH THE COMMANDMENT: Finally, the psalmist, in his testimony, does not consider the commandment as commands to be obeyed and not to be rejected, but as a being, with whom he deals, meditates, entreats by lifting up his arms in prayer, and enters into a relationship of friendship and love; saying: “And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, , and I will meditate in Your statutes” (47, 48) It is obvious that he talks about the commandment as being “the Word of the living God”, with whom he enters into a relationship of love, and to whom he prays. Lifting up the hands is an old, natural, and time-respected rite of worship, that refers to supplication; as well as to work according to the commandment, by the right arm, as well as by the left arm; Namely, in our spiritual worship, and our daily behavior; Or in the time of comfort, as well as in that of affliction. The psalmist directs his heart toward the divine commandments by the perpetual prayers, together with the continuous strife; according to his words in another psalm: “Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your Holy sanctuary” (Psalm 28: 2). The goal of finding delight in the commandments of God is to act according to them He who says: “I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love”, directly adds: “My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments , which I love”. How beautiful it would be to find delight in the commandments, understand their meanings, then lift up our arms to do according to them. We should not consummate the commandments “grudgingly, or of necessity” (2 Corinthians 9: 7), but with joy. Finding delight in them, and acting according to them, we should, as well, “talk of them” (Deuteronomy 6: 7); hence he adds: “And I will meditate in Your statutes” (48); Namely, that because of my love https://coptic-treasures.com/ 95 of Your commandments, I will not cease talking of them; “I will greatly delight myself in Your commandments, which I love” (The scholar Origen) Commenting on these two verses, St. Augustine says: [The psalmist loved God’s commandments because “he walked at liberty”, namely, by the Holy Spirit, through whom love spreads and the hearts of believers become enlarged. … He loved them by both his mind and work. Concerning the mind, he says: “I will delight”, and concerning work, he says: “My hands also I will lift up” ]. He who walk according to God’s commandments, his soul will get attached to God Himself; Whereas he who disobeys them, his soul will attach to the dust, and will become earthly. As it came in the Book of Deuteronomy: “You shall fear the Lord Your God; You shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast” (Deuteronomy 10: 20). (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He who gets rich after being utterly poor, cannot help but keep watching his treasures, and the eyes of his heart would never separate from them…. A young man, likewise, keeps meditating in God’s commandments which he hides in his heart; And in his perpetual meditation in them, he would understand them more and more, day after day, with new depths, to become eventually the subject of his meditations and delight day and night. In other words, discovering his riches with the commandments, man would practice a life of perpetual meditation, that would not separate from his practical life, by.: Meditating in the commandment. Understanding them by the Spirit of God dwelling in him. Contemplating in them with great delight. Testifying to them, daringly, and without fear. Never forgetting them; Namely, no one, or anything, would draw his mind and memory away from them. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 96 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 6 WAW BY YOUR COMMANDMENT, I TESTIFY TO YOUR MERCY AND SALVATION I saw You, O my Good Teacher, granting me the understanding, together with the holy will; Now, I see You, the Merciful, and the Savior of sinners; Have mercy on me, and save me according to Your true promises to me. The wicked, those who cannot endure Your salvation, oppress me; But, by Your commandment working in me, I can overcome them; Take not the word of truth, utterly out of my mouth; Nor from my life the experience of Your salvation; To be able to destroy the slanders of the enemy, by both words and work; Your commandment, which I hide in my heart, is proclaimed now by my mouth and by my life; What I utter with my mouth testify to what live and do. By keeping Your commandment, I perpetually and forever testify; It is my perpetual constitution; In the present life, as well as in the life to come; I would never hold fast to it sometimes, and disregard it some other time; For Your words are steadfast and unchangeable forever. My testimony to Your commandment is not by mental debate; But by the enlargement of the heart with love for all; I will walk at liberty to bear all in my heart For I love Your commandment. Grant me to testify to Your commandments with courage before the elites; And mix my courage with love, so as not to be arrogant. Grant me to love Your commandments; And to enter into a relationship of love with them; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 97 Let us become mutual companions Let no one or anything destroy my friendship with them By that I would testify to them, a testimony of a friend to another. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 98 7 ZAYIN YOUR WORDS HAVE COMFORTED ME IN MY HUMILITY (49 – 56) In the last stichon, the psalmist talked about his testimony to the commandment or to the Word of God, by prayer and words, together with work, specially through the enlargement of his heart, or his love for his adversaries, by the spirit of courage, and not of submission. And he ended his talk by revealing his delight in the commandment, and his enjoyment of a relation of friendship and of great love for it. Now, perceiving that he is a stranger on earth, and fallen under affliction and weakness, he finds in the divine commandment his comfort; and finds in the Word of God his settlement amid the tribulations. 1- Comfort in death 49, 50 2- Comfort in afflictions 51, 52 3- Comfort in ministry 53 4- Comfort in personal worship 54 – 56 1- COMFORT IN DEATH: “Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life” (49, 50) If I am living in the world of sojourn in strong affliction; the secret of my comfort are your promises that lift the believer up from affliction, and give him life; as God opens before him the door of hope in the eternal life. You said that You will give salvation to those who keep Your commandments, and will punish those who do not. And we, as well, say that You, O Lord, have promised to be with us always to the end of time; and by so saying, You have redeemed our will and our trust in You. Now, Remember Your word to Your servant, and fulfill Your promises, by which I find comfort in my affliction, and which give me life. For the word of God, if kept by man and consummated by work, his life will have the life pertaining to the soul, namely, the eternal life. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 99 Having desired the heavenly things, and sought the eternals, Your ‘Word” of promise, has given us wings to support us, so as not to care for the present world; and to keep striving, and persisting on seeking the fulfillment of that promise. (The scholar Origen) What are the “words” he seeks from God to “remember”, but the promise he gave to His disciples “I am with you always to the end of the age” (Matthew 28: 20); which was to them a great comfort amid the persecutions?! (St. Athanasius the apostolic) What does he mean by: “my comfort in my affliction”? It is the hope I had by Your words, that gave me courage even if I go through danger, illness, death, loss of wealth, or persecution, etc. My hope in You is my comfort in my affliction. It is an age of tribulations and temptations, when the soul is humiliated and forsaken to strive against the adversary hosts…Hence, Your words give me life; For nothing revives the soul like the Word of God; the more of which man perceives and his soul receives, the more life will grow in him; the good life here in this world, to be followed by the eternal life by God. The psalmist started his supplication to God, the Grantor of comfort by reminding Him of His divine promises. God will never forget His promises, Yet he seeks from us to remind Him; for by this, our trust in Him, and our faith in the truth of His promises, would be renewed, and we would respond to His love. We are not reminding Him of our ministry, strife, or our righteousness, but of His promises and covenants with us. By such a spirit, the repentant right-hand robber cried out saying: “Lord, remember be when You come to Your kingdom” (Luke 24: 42). It is a cry-out of someone who trusts in the love of his Savior, and confesses his own unworthiness. With the same spirit, the prophet David says: “Now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken, concerning Your servant, and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said” (1 Chronicles 17: 23). It is as though he says: [I know You are faithful in Your promises, and will never break Your word; You have promised; And I am full of hope that You are capable of saving even to death; And here I am living by Your word]. The psalmist finds satisfaction for all his needs in God’s love and His true promise; He who raises from the dead, and gives life. Outside the divine promise, the psalmist feels affliction, and says: “This is my comfort in my affliction”… https://coptic-treasures.com/ 100 Nothing would take my affliction away except Your divine promise! He probably refers here to that God looks at the humble, and lifts up the humble souls We get hope from God, to whom we say: “Upon which You caused me to hope” (49) 1 By “hope”, I mean that hope which is given to the humble, according to the Holy Scripture, saying: “God resist the proud, and gives grace to the humble”. (St. Augustine) 2- COMFORT IN AFFLICTIONS: If sin causes me to lose hope in the eternal life; The Word of God, having come to grant it to me, I have no more fear of the troubles and afflictions of this present time. I find comfort in Your words; but the proud ridicule me, counting my hope in Your promise, my trust in Your word, and my faith in You, deceptive and frail things. Yet I shall certainly consummate my sojourn, and proceed with my caravan, not caring for the barks of the dogs. “The proud have me in great derision, yet I do not turn aside from Your law. I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself” (51, 52) By disregarding Your law, O Lord, the proud not only commit iniquity, but they also ridicule those who do. But I, keeping on holding fast to it, and remembering how, of the old, You have sometimes allowed for Your believers to fall into tribulations; and how You hastened to deliver and to glorify them; I comforted myself. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The proud have greatly ridiculed Your law, yet I never turned aside from it. You have ordained my life, and kept my spirit, “lest there be a wicked thought in my heart” contrary to the law (see Deuteronomy 15: 9). Let us also meditate in the words uttered by the blessed apostle Paul that, remembering the judgments of God of old, would give comfort to everyone, that he no more would know sorrow or anxiety; saying: “I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be 1 Sermons N.T Lessons, 55: 5. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 101 compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8: 18). (The scholar Origen) Intending to let the proud understand that they are the persecutors of the pious, the psalmist adds: “Yet I do not turn aside from Your law”; something the proud attempted to commit him to do. (St. Augustine) Although the heretics glorify themselves by breaking the law; yet I would never cease to meditate in it without the slightest weakness, nor hesitate to receive it. (St. Dedymus the blind) I find comfort in remembering Your judgments of old against the persecutors of Israel, for then, I know that I shall never be forsaken during persecutions; and that all what happen to man are according to the judgments of God. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) The psalmist does not seek from God the destruction of the proud adversaries, who persecute him for keeping the commandments of God, but seeks from Him to keep him from perversion because of them, and from turning aside from the royal way, to the right or to the left. He seeks from God to make him preoccupied with the comfort given to him by the Holy Spirit, and to make him care for the judgments of God. It is as though he says: [I do not want to be preoccupied with the negatives, namely with the charges directed against me, but with the positives, namely, with meditating in Yourjudgments, and enjoying Your comforts; For by that, I do not give the wicked a chance to realize their intentions against me]. When the wicked Sanballat and Geshem tried to preoccupy Nehemiah from the positive work, by engaging him in theoretical debates, to waste his time instead of building anew the walls of Jerusalem, he sent to them messengers, saying: “I am doing a great work, so I cannot come down; Why should the work ceases while I leave it and go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6: 3). They kept sending him the same words several times, and he kept sending the same answer back to them. Let the wicked do as they wish, and let them use all the ways of violence, threats, or deceptive sweet words. For in all that, the believer keeps walking in his royal way, the way of the commandment, and would never turn aside from it to the right or to the left. In this he would https://coptic-treasures.com/ 102 be supported by the dealings of God with His children since the beginning of the history of mankind: “I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself” (52). Since man was created, God remained faithful in His promises to His people, and has never forsaken His believers. He also did not let the rod of the wicked come down on the portion of the righteous. … He previously covered the wicked by the great flood; confused the tongues of the people of Babel; cause Pharaoh and his soldiers to drown in the Red Sea … In short, “He who sits in heaven shall laugh, the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure” (Psalm 2: 4,5). Meditation in God’s dealings in both the Old and the New testaments, and in the history of the church along the generations, gives us much comfort, that we should have no fear from the evil plots and threats of the proud. 3- COMFORT IN MINISTRY: God’s judgments against the proud, who persist on persecuting the pious, holding fast to His commandments, fills the heart of the psalmist with divine comfort. He does not adopt the position of gloat, but that of grief on their fallen souls; he moans with indignation, on account of that they insult God, the Source of salvation, glorify the devil the deceptive and the destroyer, as well as they destroy themselves. In his indignation, hoping for their return in repentance to God, he says: “Indignation has taken hold of me because of the wicked who forsake Your law” (53) When the righteous see someone of the children of the law, disobey it, grief and indignation take hold of them; for, when a member of the body suffers, all the other members suffer together with him. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Many among the wicked sin without the law (Romans 2: 12), for they do not know it; and many others sin in the law, for, by breaking it, they insult it. Indignation has taken hold of me for the sake of the sinners who forsake Your law. “When one member of the body suffers, all the other members suffer together with it; and if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12: 26). Therefore, it is befitting of us to follow the lead of the blessed psalmist, and suffer for the sake of our sinning brethren. (St. Dedymus the blind) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 103 He who sheds warm tears on the sins of his neighbor, will, himself be healed by his grief on him1. (St. Basil the Great) Let us then shed tears for their sake, not one day, but all the days of our life2. (St. John Chrysostom) 4- COMFORT IN PERSONAL WORSHIP: Looking at the proud who persist on not repenting, the heart of the psalmist gets filled with grief and indignation, not fearing of them, but on them. He longs to see them enjoy the inner glory, and the comfort and sweetness of the Word of God. Amid these sufferings that take hold of his ministering soul, longing for the salvation of all, The psalmist perceives that, entering into the depth of the commandment will bring back to him his joy and exultation amid his feeling of sojourn. He finds the commandment turn into a praise of love that brings him forth to the inner joy, with the exultation of the heart, and the praise of the mouth. By the ‘songs’ in verse (54), he probably means a lamentation full of hope; according to his words: “Do not be silent at my tears, for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were” (Psalm 39: 12). Any way, as a king, dwelling in a royal palace, David always anticipated the time of his departure from this world; and this feeling turned his sufferings into psalms. “Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage” (54) The world for the righteous is called “a house of pilgrimage”, for in it, they dwell as strangers who always care for their return to their real home in eternity, where the statutes of God are their songs. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) According to St. Augustine, this verse is uttered by the believer while he is in the land of sojourn; having departed from paradise, and from the higher Jerusalem, and gone down to ‘Jericho’, where the robbers attacked and wounded him; but our Christ “the Good Samaritan” passed by him, and presented to him the divine commandments, a praise of the divine mercies that brought joy to his heart while in “the house of his pilgrimage”. While grieving on those who forsake the law of God, 1 PG 31: 257 D. 2 In Epis, ad Phil. 3: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 104 his soul exults and anticipates the day of the reward, when the wheat is separated from tares. The wicked may rejoice in the tribulation of the others, and may exult for some time; but their joy will eventually turn into bitterness. The saints, on the other hand, grieve on the perdition of the wicked, and sing for God’s work with them, turning their tribulation to glories. If our temporal life, compared to the eternal life, is counted as a dark night, because of what we suffer of afflictions, weaknesses, and alienation from the Lord – the Sun of Righteousness; Yet, remembering God’s commandment, promises, and judgments, will bring forth into us the inner joy, when we enjoy the righteousness of Christ. “I remember Your name in the night, O Lord, and I keep Your law. This has become mine, because I kept Your precepts” (55, 56) While all were sleeping by night, the prophet David used to keep awake remembering the name of the Lord, as his support and the subject of his exultation. If the wicked world has turned David’s life into a dark night through suffering, yet he knew how to go through that night in peace, by holding fast to the name of the Lord. While the wicked were preoccupied with setting evil plots in the darkness, David, on the other hand, cared to hold fast to the name of the Lord, his Savior from all temptations. We actually need to remember the name of the Lord all the time, particularly when darkness surrounds us; namely, when a defiled lust happens to enter into our souls, and threatens to make us lose our mind. Then, we are committed to remember God’s teachings concerning self-control. On another aspect, with a symbolic interpretation of what is said, convenient times (the times of joy), are to be counted as ‘daylight’, whereas the times of affliction are counted as ‘darkness’. (The scholar Origen) The night is a state of failure, with troubles of corruption…. The night for the proud, is the time of practicing evil to a great extent…..The night is the time of fear on the wicked who forsake the law of God; … Finally, the night is ‘the house of pilgrimage’, until the Lord comes; sheds light on the hidden corners of the darkness; proclaims the counsels of the hearts; and when the commendation of every man is from God…. Hence, in that night, it is befitting of man https://coptic-treasures.com/ 105 to remember the Lord’s name; that “whoever boasts, let him boast in the Lord”. (St. Augustine) For your spiritual benefit, it would not be enough to listen to the divine sermons in the church, But, while among your households at home, you should partake of the holy readings for hours by night; so that you may gather the spiritual wheat in the storehouses of your hearts, and the jewels of the Holy Book in your souls. And when the time comes for you to stand in the divine court before the tribunal held by the eternal Judge in the final day, you would be, according to the apostle: “clothed and not naked” 1. Comforts of the word of God: 1- Are not set upon our self-worthiness, but upon the promises of God, and His Word, the Giver of life (49, 50); saying, together with the apostle: “For I know whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1: 12); And trusting in the saying of the Savior: “I will not leave you orphans” (John 14: 18). 2- We would not be troubled by the oppression of the proud wicked, but would positively care, not to turn aside from God’s judgments, to the right (by self-righteousness), or to the left (by falling into sins); and think about the joyful comforts of God (51). 3- We would not grieve on being ridiculed by the proud wicked, but grieve for perceiving their destiny and perdition (53). As for ourselves, perceiving that their ridicule will turn into our glory, His judgments concerning us would turn into joyful praises, that support us in the days of our sojourn (54). 4- As the world has become like a dark night because of the oppression of the wicked; it is befitting of us to wake up, and not to sleep like the others; to remember the name of the Lord, and to keep His law (55). While the wicked find their pleasure in noisy parties all along the night, the saints, on the other hand, find comfort in the spiritual watching, in their fellowship with God, and in their continuous life of praise. 1 Sermon 7: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 106 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 (7 Zayin) LET YOUR PROMISSES COMFORT ME IN MY AFFLICTION I remind You, O Lord, of Your promises; That You will be always with me to the end of ages; Your promises are wings by which my soul would fly up to settle down in Your heavens. I will not care for afflictions; I will even find comfort in death; For I long to encounter You What could afflict me, as long as You realize Your promises to me?! Your comforts preoccupy me; They so support me, that I would not covet evil for my enemies; They lift me up above all events; I do not seek revenge against sinners; But my soul moans for the sake of their salvation; I weep for their sake, not for one day, or even for several days, but all my life. Your comforts confirm to me my sojourn; I would not completely settle down, until I find for myself a place in the divine bosoms; I am wounded by the wayside; Come, O Good Samaritan, and carry me on Your shoulders; Bring me forth to Your church, which is Your inn; There, You would care for my needs, until You come on the great day. I shall remember Your name, which brings comfort to my soul; By night, the wicked set their evil plans of oppression; And by night I anticipate Your coming, O the secret of my comfort’ By Your Holy Name, the night of my life will pass by, to bring me forth to a day with no night; And to enjoy Jerusalem, lighted by the Sun of Righteousness who will never set. While those who ridicule find fun in their parties by night; I find in it a chance to watch, and to anticipate Your coming, O Eternal Groom. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 107 8 HETH YOU ARE MY PORTION, O LORD (57 – 64) If the commandment is man’s comfort in the land of his sojourn; On another aspect it prepares the soul as a bride to encounter her Groom, to receive Him as her portion, and to offer herself a portion to the Lord. Here, the psalmist experiences new depths of the riches of the grace of God that binds him to Him; not only to get His abundant gifts, or to enjoy continuous conquests; but to get God Himself as his portion, to become His own, and to hear the divine words: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them” (Numbers 18: 20); To which he would respond by singing: “You, O Lord are the portion of my inheritance and my cup” (Psalm 16: 5); “’The Lord is my portion’, says my soul, Therefore I hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3: 24, 25). 1- By the commandment, we receive God as our portion 57 2- By the commandment, we see our heavenly Groom 58 3- By the commandment, we walk in the way of the wedding 59 4- By the commandment we get prepared for the wedding.60, 61 5- By the commandment, we practice the joyful life of the wedding 62 6- By the commandment, we practice the collective life of the wedding 63 7- By the commandment, we anticipate the day of the Judge Groom 64 1- BY THE COMMANDMENT, WE RECEIVE GOD AS OUR PORTION: The goal of the commandment is to present the Lord as a Groom for our souls, to unite with Him, and to get the fellowship of the divine nature; Namely, to enjoy His features in us, to be prepared for the eternal wedding. His main feature is “love”; He presents Himself a Gift to His beloved; presents His life given as a precious gift, or as a deposit for the wedding, or as a dowry for us; Hence the psalmist says: “You are my portion, O Lord; I have said that I would keep Your words” (57) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 108 The Lord said to Aaron and the Levites: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance” (Numbers 18: 20)…. This was also said concerning all those who reject the worldly possessions, and forsake the earthly things; For the Lord is their portion, and they keep His words, saying: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on” (Matthew 6: 25). (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He, who forsakes the things of this life, has no portion in the land, and has no desire for it, but is satisfied with the Lord alone instead of all. Such a man would say: “The Lord is my portion”, and adds: “I would keep Your words”; Namely, I would keep the spiritual law, about which the apostle Paul says: “We know the law is spirited” (Romans 7: 14), etc…. How could he have the Lord as his portion, unless he keeps His law? (The scholar Origen) The prophet David often heard the joyful cry-outs of the conquerors, when they get their portions of the spoils of the battle; While the cry-outs of His own heart were greater and stronger, for he found in the Lord Himself, the Creator of all, an inheritance for himself, and a greater spoil. He found out that He, who is greater than all the treasures of the world, has become his own possession, and that he, himself, has become the Lord’s possession; something that would never be realized, unless his heart is purified by keeping the commandment, or the spiritual law, which is consummated by love. The Lord Christ said: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him” (John14: 23). 2- BY THE COMMANDMENT WE SEE OUR HEAVENY GROOM: If the divine commandment motivates us to seek the Lord as our portion, instead of the temporal things; When our heart is burning by our longing for him, we seek to see Him by our insight, namely by our heart; so that through getting mercy, we can later on, see Him face to face. It is as though our love for Him will increase our longing for Him, so as not to find rest until we see Him eternally. “I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word” (58) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 109 The face of God the Father (“His favor” in King James version) is His Son, as we previously said; according to the words of the apostle, ‘He is the brightness of His glory, and the Image of His person” (Hebrew 1: 3). We, Christians, therefore entreat Him will all our hearts in purity; for the pure in heart can see God; We, as well, seek His mercy, according to His Word, namely, according to His promise. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The face of God is the image of His Person (Hebrew 1: 3). Whoever longs for God’s face, meditates in it by a pure heart, and concentrates his sight on it, will have mercy, according to the words of the Lord (Matthew 5: 8). Such a man can utter the words before us. (St. Dedymus the blind) “Be merciful to me according to Your word” (58). Mercy should come according to his Word, and not contrary to the law … “God is Light” (John 1: 5); and He is “consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4: 24). He is light for the righteous, and fire for the wicked. Knowing that nobody is pure of defilement, the prophet David, after committing his grave sin, sought mercy; yet not on present sins, but on previous ones. For “the word of the Lord” proclaims forgiveness for the sinners, on condition of having a complete change in the soul, and leaving no trace of sin in it. Without God’s mercy and help, no one can see the face of God, for God reveals Himself to him who seeks mercy. Anyway, the Holy Book does not mention that anyone has ever seen God (John 1: 18); but it is said that God is (revealed) to the righteous. (The scholar Origen) He knows that, at the present time, he cannot see what “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man” (1 Corinthians 2: 9). He knows that God’s glory could not be seen by human eyes1. (St. Hilary, bishop of Poitier) The psalmist, does not cease supplicating to see God’s face; In that he does not lean upon his self-righteousness, or upon his own capacities, but according to the promises of God the Merciful. Hence he cries out, saying: “Be merciful to me according to Your word”; as 1 On Ps. 118: Heth 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 110 though he says: [My heart will remain suffering until it experiences Your mercy which You promised me, that makes me see Your face]. The words: “Be merciful to me”, here, imply a feeling of deprivation, which would not go away except by the mercy of God, and in whatever way it chooses to be proclaimed. God’s mercies could be proclaimed through His longsuffering and compassion; or through His chastisements; God confirms our salvation by chastisement, for God loves man. The psalmist does not care for the way it is proclaimed, as long as he is within the circle of God’s mercy, that would bring him forth to see God’s face. (Father Theodoret) 3- BY THE COMMANDMENT WE WALK IN THE WAY OF THE WEDDING: Seeing Him by faith through the purity of heart, we would only think about His royal way, turn our feet to His testimonies; make haste, and do not delay, and make His testimonies the law of our walk and behavior, from which we do not pervert. “I thought about (Your) ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies” (59) I mean to say that I shall always think about Your works; and walk according to Your commandments, being the truth, and good for those who think about them. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “I thought about (my) ways” (“my ways” according to some versions), means that I have never uttered irresponsibly, or without thinking whether I should talk or keep silent; or whether my behavior is befitting or not. As our ways include thoughts and works, he means to say that he did everything according to reason; and that he “turned his feet to God’s testimonies”, so as not to pervert away from them, but was keen to have his will attached to God’s commandments. (The scholar Origen) I turned my feet from my own ways, in which I find pleasure; so as to follow Your testimonies, and there, to find their way …. That, rather refers to the grace of God, according to the words of the apostle: “It is God who works in us” (Philippians 2: 13). (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 111 Almost dying of hunger, not even able to fill his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, the prodigal son “came to himself” (Luke 15: 17), to perceive his father’s riches and love. The psalmist, here, with his heart burning for the Lord, his Portion, started to “think about His ways” (59), to rise and go to the house of his heavenly Groom, through walking in God’s testimonies without perversion. How amazing it is, that the prophet David never hesitated to reconsider his ways every now and then, to turn his feet to the testimonies of the Lord. He felt that, as long as he still lives on this earth, he would be subject to perversion, even a little thereof. He indeed was privileged with an alert and an enlarged heart, which did not cease to reconsider its position every now and then. He was convinced that salvation is realized through the way of continuous repentance; the return to the soul under the leadership of the spirit; and the daily renewal, through turning the feet to the Lord’s testimonies. 4- BY THE COMMANDMENT, WE GET PREPARED FOR THE WEDDING: Now, having entered into the royal wedding, Your commandment works in me, to prepare me for the wedding, under all circumstances, even the tough ones; I make haste without delay, enduring any suffering to encounter You, keeping Your commandment. I made myself ready to endure the temptations that may probably come over me all of a sudden, and may keep me from following Your commandment. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandment” (60) If we are drawn to the Groom, and if we are prepared and all set for the wedding, as we should, we would make haste and would not delay; lest the adversary hosts would hinder us from keeping the divine commandments; according to the words of the apostle: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution?” (Romans 8: 35). (The scholar Origen) The more I get prepared for the wedding, the more the devil does his best, and uses all his tricks to corrupt my life in the Lord, in an attempt to deny me the enjoyment of the wedding. Hence the psalmist cries out, saying: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 112 “The cords of the wicked have bound me; but I have not forgotten Your law” (61) According to St. Augustine, the cords of the wicked refer to the oppression of the enemies, whether the spiritual, like the devil and his hosts; or the carnal like the children of disobedience in whom Satan works to cast strong and rough cords around the righteous, through an allowance of God. Anything that happens unexpected, would be serious, and may lead even the courageous among men to disturbance. But if man takes into consideration that it may probably happen, that would somewhat alleviate its impact; which is probably the meaning of: “I thought about my ways”. That is why the Holy Book, inspired by God, says to those who desire the glory through their holy behavior: “My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing” (Sirach 2: 1). … And that is why the Savior of all, to prepare His disciples for what is to come, kept telling them before hand that He will be crucified and die, once he reaches Jerusalem1. (St. Cyril of Alexandria) What are those cords but the evil thoughts and the evil hosts that fight against the righteous, attempting to keep him away from his steadfastness in God? But these cords they cast around the righteous would come to no avail, as long as he puts all his interest in keeping God’s commandments. Likewise, the tribulations caused by the wicked to dwell upon the righteous, are counted as their cords, which the righteous endure with courage, when he does not forget the law of God. Those, as well, who provoke the righteous to commit sin by their deceptive words, cast them around him like cords. But being alert, he would never forget the law of God. (St. Dedymus the blind) Let the wicked cast their cords around me; they will never be able to prevail, for He who is with me is greater and mightier than those against me! .. My Savior, who supports me all along the way! 5- BY THE COMMANDMENT, WE PRACTICE THE JOYFUL LIFE OF THE WEDDING: If the devil exerts all his energies to turn our temporal life into a pitch dark night, to destroy us through evil thoughts and lusts; through 1 Comm.. on Luke. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 113 the cords cast around us by his wicked followers, and the snares set along our ways; Yet, through enjoying the righteousness of Christ, our nights would turn into thanksgiving, praise, and joy. “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments” (62) It does not stop at raising prayers, and supplications; but the prophet David is keen on having a life of thanksgiving in the midst of the night of tribulations and troubles. He does not thank God on account of that He saves him from the temptations, but because of His righteous judgments; turning the temptations into holy blessings. He does not thank God only among his people in the collective worship, but he thanks Him before going to sleep; and rises up from his sleep at midnight – probably – in the colder winter – to give God thanks from the heart, which reveals a secret relationship between him and God, His savior. … At midnight Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 11: 4). And at midnight the two apostles Paul and Silas praised God and sang hymns to him in the inner prison (Acts 16: 25). And the prophet David says: “At midnight, in my bed, I meditate in You”. St. Jerome presented to us these words of the psalmist as an example of the commitment to watch the night praying; saying that the Lord Christ, commands us to “watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation” *Matthew 26: 40, 41); And He, Himself, “continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6: 12); And the apostles spent their night in prison praising God with psalms, and singing hymns to Him (Acts 6: 12); And the apostle Paul advises us to “continue earnestly in prayer” (Colossians 4: 2); and, about himself, Paul says: “… in sleeplessness” (2 Corinthians 11: 27). And St. Jerome rebuked ‘Vigilantius’, whose name means (watching), for stubbornly refusing and opposing the idea of watching, Let ‘Vigilantius’ sleep as deep as he wishes, to perish on the hand of the angel who destroyed Egypt and the Egyptians. As for as, we say together with the prophet David: “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121: 4). … Let the watching Holy One come to find us watching the night; And if He, because of our sins, happens to fall asleep, let us say to Him: “Awake, Why do You sleep, O Lord?” (Psalm 44: 23). And whenever our boat is struck by mighty waves, let us wake Him up, saying: “Lord, Save us, we are perishing” (Matthew 8: 25; Luke 8: 24) 1. 1 Letter 109: 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 114 This fact that the cords of the sinner have bound the righteous, is, itself one of God’s righteous judgments, about which the apostle Peter says: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4: 17); by which he refers to the persecutions suffered by the church bound by the cords of the sinners. As to saying “at midnight (62), he probably refers to the difficult times of troubles; and saying: “I will rise”, he means to say that the tribulations have not destroyed him, but have actually revived him, and caused him to grow, and to present a better confession at the time of affliction. (St. Augustine) This teaches us, Christians, to recite the midnight prayer, for the Groom, mentioned in the gospel, comes to the virgins at midnight to bring them forth to his heavenly secret place. He means to say here, that our time is like a dark night, during which the Lord comes to us at a time we do not expect; We should then be alert, anticipate His coming with the lamps of purity and mercy, and should not slumber, lest we would be left out of the kingdom of God. That is why the two apostles Paul and Silas were praying at midnight in prison. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) By his words, the prophet David intends to say that he never disregards the midnight prayer, rising up from his deep sleep to do it. In the book of Acts we read that the apostles did likewise, And Paul and Silas, while in prison, used to pray and praise God at midnight, and the other prisoners listened to them (Acts 16: 25).For at that time the adversary hosts become more active; and at that time the firstborns of the Egyptians were killed on the hand of the destroyer angel (Exodus 12: 23). On the contrary, the holy hosts become more active at mid day: “The Lord appeared to Abraham In the heat of the day,… Abraham looked up and saw three men standing near him, whom he received as guests” (Genesis 18: 1-5). Those events were symbols. When would the divine apparition be realized, if not at mid day? … According to the spiritual concept, those who acquire the spirit of Christ, and on them, the true Light shines, are considered as ‘day’; whereas those who fall into evil, and on them, corruption prevails, are considered as ‘night’. Waking up, therefore, should be at midnight, when the evil hosts choose to work. … That is why, the psalmist rose, by https://coptic-treasures.com/ 115 both his body and spirit, to thank God because of His righteous judgments. Believing that the night, and not the day, is the time for temptations and danger; the psalmist did not surrender to the temptations; but God’s Word waked up his spirit, to give Him thanks, to confess his sins, and to praise His grace. Any way, we are committed to thank God for His righteous judgments; for everything comes through God’s judgment, whether in this life or in the life to come. Indeed, as all God’s judgments proclaim His righteousness, it is befitting of us to thank Him at all times; not only in day time, but at night as well. (The scholar Origen) Who could be a Friend, greater than Him who delivered His body for our sake?! From Him, David sought experiences at midnight (See Luke 11: 5-8), which he got; saying: “At midnight I gave thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments” (62). At midnight he got those experiences which became his nourishment; and he did not fear to wake God up, because he knows that “He never slumber nor sleep”, but always watches and works. Let us then, remember what came in the Holy Book, pray day and night, and supplicate for the forgiveness of our sins; For, if such a saint like David, who was responsible for running a kingdom, used to praise God seven times a day (Psalm 119: 164); and to offer sacrifices day and night; how much more should we do, with the multitudes of our falls, because of the weakness of our bodies and spirits; so as not to lack “the bread which strengthens man’s heart” (Psalm 104: 14, 15); being exhausted by the ways of this world and life1? (St. Ambrose) Do not let the love of this vain world have dominion over you! … How could that be, when all are deep asleep, while you are awake praying at midnight?! Do not be lazy and slothful! … How could that be, when your souls are alert in such great things?! After such nights of watching, sweet sleep, and amazing proclamations, will dwell over you! 1 In Luc. 11: 5-13. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 116 Let this be done, not only by men, but by women as well. Let our home be like churches that gather both men and women1. (St. John Chrysostom) The times of prayer should cover the whole life. Yet, if, at certain times, there is some need to stop worshipping, and singing Psalms, to be preoccupied with other necessities of life, We are committed to keep the hours for praying fixed by the saints. The prophet David says: “At mid night I will rise to thank You because of Your righteous judgments”; and, “… night, morning and mid day” ; and Paul and Silas follow suit, by praying and singing hymns to God at midnight while in prison (Acts 16: 25) 2. (St. Cyril, the Great) Sleep should not turn into a way to weaken the body, but to give it rest and relaxation after hard work. We should, therefore, sleep, in such a way from which we would easily wake up (See Luke 12: 35- 37) … For there is no use for someone asleep like dead. We should rise at midnight and bless God; for blessed are those who seek Him, and become like angels, whom we call “ the watchers” 3 (St. Clement of Alexandria) According to St. Athanasius the apostolic, the life of saints are like an unceasing feast, and an inner joy. The prophet David found in the perpetual prayer a joyful feast. Through such tendencies and behavior, the saints, by their life, were as though in a perpetual feast: Some of them found comfort in praying to God, like David who used to rise at midnight to pray (62); And others were known for their songs of praise, like Moses for his conquest over Pharaoh and his army (Exodus 15); While others were in a state of a perpetual joy, like the blessed Samuel and Elijah4. (Pope St. Athansius the apostolic) 6- BY THE COMMANDMENT WE PRACTICE THE LIFE OF COLLECTIVE WEDDING: It is good for man to practice the life of thanksgiving and praise at midnight in his secret place; Yet he should do that wherever he goes, at home, or in the church. Being a member in the holy congregation, 1 In Acts hom. 26. 2 In Ascetical Discourse. 3 Paidagogus, 2: 9. 4 Paschal Letters, 11. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 117 what he practices would be in the name of the congregation as a whole, as a companion of those who fear the Lord and who keep His precepts. “I am a companion of all those who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts” (63) The prophet David found pleasure in the company of the saints “those who fear the Lord”; feeling that he belongs to them; to the rich, the poor, the elite, the commons, men, women, elders, youth, and children, whom he describes as “The saints who are on the earth, the excellent ones in whom is all my delight” (Psalm 16: 3). About the company with the saints inthe time of affliction, the apostle Paul says: “Partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions with those who were so treated” (Hebrew 10: 33). Whoever is perfect and righteous would unite in his feelings with all his brethren in faith, would never separate himself from them, and would be able to utter the verse we now interpret. “Those who fear the Lord”, are followed by “those who keep His precepts”; those who are richer in love, for they are partners in the love of God. (The scholar Origen) It could be said that the perfect man is a “partner” of Christ, according to the verse: “We have become partners of Christ” (Hebrew 3: 14). But the psalmist says: “I am a companion (or a partner) of those who fear You” (63); and “of those who, in their fear, keep the divine precepts. A sign of the fear of God is to keep His precepts. (Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic) We, as well, understand the word “partner” as a friend, or a companion; in the same sense that came in the book of Ecclesiastes: “If they fall, one will lift his companion” (Ecclesiastes 4: 10). He probably intends to say: [I am a friend and companion of all those who fear God and who keep His precepts, for I also fear Him and keep His precepts. (St. Dedymus the blind) According to St. Augustine, the One who talks here, is the Lord Christ who made us His brethren, friends, partners, and even members of His body, through His salvation work. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 118 It concerns the Head Himself, as according to the epistle to the Hebrews, the apostle Paul says: “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Hebrew 2: 11). That is why, in this prophecy, Jesus Himself talks about things that concern His members and the unity of His body, as though of one man, spread all over the world, who appeared subsequently through the ages; And talks about things that concern Him as our Head. Hence the Lord became in the company of His brethren: God with mankind; the Immortal with the mortals; the seed fell to the ground, so that by its death, it would produce a plenty of fruits. About this fruit the psalmist goes on to say: “The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy” (64) … When will this be realized, but when the sinner is justified? … To grow in this grace, he adds: “Teach me Your statutes” (64). (St Augustine) 7- BY THE COMMANDMENT, WE ANTICIPATE THE DAY OF THE JUDGE GROOM: Finally, having enjoyed the hope to enter the way of the wedding, and having prepared himself for the wedding with the life of thanksgiving and the worship by the spirit of collective love, The psalmist, partaking of the praises and the tribulations of those who fear God; and they, in turn, partaking of His gladness by the Lord, and of his troubles; he proclaims that he has experienced the mercy of God that filled the whole earth; that was realized through preaching the cross. And now, he anticipates the day of His righteousness; namely, the great day of judgment. “The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes” (64) Heaven is full of God’s glory, and earth is full of His mercy, that He pours on all; although only a few perceive it, and know its secrets. Hence the psalmist cries out: “Teach me Your statutes”. Saying: “The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy”, is on account of that “He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5: 45); And also because the incarnation of His Son has filled the earth of His mercy. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He prophecies about the future (namely, about the new covenant), saying: “The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy”, through those who https://coptic-treasures.com/ 119 fear You; which could not be realized, except because of Your mercy, when You present Yourself a Teacher of mankind (by the cross). (Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic) If we consider all the wicked as infidel, on account of that they justify oppression in their talk; and if we consider the longsuffering of God before this multitude of evil, “making His sun rise on the evil and the good; and sending His rain on the just and the unjust”, We may say: “The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes” (64). God readily teaches those who seek Him, … He teaches man knowledge. (The scholar Origen) If the earth refers to the body, the psalmist, having perceived that even his body, with all its feelings, emotions, and possibilities, is sanctified through God’s mercies; he seeks the great day of the Just God, when sets this body, together with the soul, in glory. The Lord is my portion: The Word of God is our comfort on the way of our sojourn; We receive Him as a Groom who grants us Himself. 1- The Lord finds pleasure in the heart that keeps His precepts; “To him He will come, and with him He will make His home” (John 14: 23); And He presents Himself to the heart that delivers itself to Him – mutual love. 2- Through such mutual possession between God and His bride – the soul that fears Him – the heart burns with longing for Him; and would never find comfort until it sees Him face to face, forever (58). 3- Let us keep our feet on the royal way of the Groom; namely, on the way of repentance, through turning back to the soul under the leadership of the Spirit; and turning the feet to the testimonies of the Lord (59). 4- It is befitting of us to make haste on the royal way, and not to delay (60). 5- We should not care for the cords of the wicked that bind us, in an attempt to seal all the ways to salvation before us; For the Word of God is capable of keeping and protecting us all along the way (61). 6- The way of the Groom is joyful. And if the wicked turn it into a pitch dark night, we shall rise at midnight to praise our Groom with a song of love and an exultant spirit (62). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 120 7- The way of the groom is collective, in which man experiences his personal relationship with the Groom of his soul, being a living member in the church (63). 8- This way is not impossible; for the mercy of God fills the earth (64). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 121 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 8 Heth YOU ARE MY PORTION, O GROOM OF MY SOUL AND WITH YOU, I SEEK NOTHING MORE All what is around me testify to God’s care for me; But Your commandment gives me what is greater; It presents You to me, a heavenly Groom; You are my Portion; You are mine, and I am Yours; What more should I seek, having acquired the Giver of gifts?! I seek to see Your face, O Father; In Your incarnate Word, I see Your face and the splendor of Your glory; I shall never have comfort, O Groom of my soul, until I see You with the eyes of my heart. Seeing You with my heart, I seek Your royal way; I shall turn my feet to the way of Your testimonies, which You set for me; I shall make haste, and shall not delay, until I enjoy Your bosoms; In all my steps, I shall take care not to pervert away from Your way; As long as I am still in the body, I shall not hesitate to reconsider myself; I shall weigh my thoughts, words, and works, with the balance of Your commandments Every day, I shall confess my weakness and sins, to let You work in me; By that, I shall be prepared for the day of my wedding! You have never deceived me, O my Groom; You told me beforehand what will dwell on me by the enemies; By that, You prepared me, so as not to get disturbed; Let them cast their cords around me; For You are greater and stronger than them. When the tribulations become intense, I consider myself at midnight; I cry out to You, not to seek revenge; But to give You thanks for Your righteous judgments; For that is the way of my crown and glory. At midnight, when all fall asleep; I find my chance to encounter You, who neither slumber nor sleep; I encounter You through the life of thanksgiving and praise; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 122 At midnight, when no one can see me; I encounter You in secret, away from every vain human glory; Grant me, if possible, to be like the angels, and not to sleep; Grant me to become a companion of those who fear You, and who keep Your precepts. If the wicked have turned my life into a pitch dark night; At midnight I rise to praise You, O Sun of Righteousness. Then my life would turn into a splendid day; Finally, I anticipate Your coming; Come, O Groom of my soul. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 123 9 TETH IT IS GOOD FOR ME THAT I HAVE BEEN AFFLICTED (65 – 72) If the commandment – in the eyes of the psalmist – prepares the believer for the heavenly wedding, and turns all his time – even the midnight – into a life of thanksgiving and praise, he is in need of the compassionate and, at the same time, the chastising, hand of God, to motivate him to seek His commandments. In this ‘stichon’, the psalmist sees harmony between the compassion of God and His chastisements. As in His exalted care for his children, He turns the afflictions by the wicked, into edification of the souls of His children; and counts it as chastisements for the sake of their growth. 1- The goal of God’s compassion 65- 66 2- The divine chastisement and keeping the commandment67 3- The chastisement and the thanksgiving 68 4- Between the chastisements of God and the oppression of the proud 69 – 72 1- THE GOAL OF GOD’S COMPASSION: “You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe Your commandments” (65, 66) The psalmist’s feelings were, that God dealt well with him; even though it may seem as being in bitterness. For it is God the “Beneficent”, who presents to us more than what we deserve; who loves and cares for us, even if his care seems firm; and who perpetually plans for our salvation, growth, and glory. According to St. Augustine, The Greek word, translated as (well), means (sweetness), as God gives sweetness to the soul, when it practices well, and when it keeps the commandment. We can say that what God does to His servant, even when He allows for him to go through afflictions and humiliation, bears spiritual sweetness, the goal and fruits of which he may not perceive. Yet some translators prefer to translate it as (well), on account of that the word (sweetness) could be used for the carnal pleasures, and evil lusts. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 124 I assume that the words “You have dealt well with Your servant”, could be understood as: [You made me feel pleasure in doing what is good]. To feel glad for doing what is good, is a great gift from God. Whereas, to practice the good work commanded by the law, out of fear of punishment, and not for the sake of the sweetness of the righteousness; Namely, when man fears God, but does not love Him, he is practicing the work of the slaves and not of the free (see John 8: 35; 1 John 4: 18). (St. Augustine) According to the apostle Paul, God is both Good and Severe (Romans 11: 22). The goodness toward those who are steadfast in faith; and the severity toward those who have gone astray from faith. When the saint is steadfast in faith, he says: “You have dealt well with Your servant”. By saying “with Your servant”, he means to confirm that God’s compassion and goodness are not enjoyed by anyone by chance, but by him who serves God. And by saying: “according to Your word”, clarifies that God’s compassion is presented to man with a sound provocation and goal. Wishing to know the wise and sound sign of that compassion, the psalmist seeks no other teacher but God to instruct him. “Teach me good judgment and knowledge” (66) He calls the virtues like humility, chastity, and self-satisfaction, as “good judgment”. And he calls the mental virtues, as “knowledge”; according to the saying of the wise Solomon: “Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choice gold” (Proverbs 8: 10). So he can have both the benefits of practical gifts (good judgments), and mental ones (knowledge). (The scholar Origen) ‘Simachus’ translated “You dealt (well) with Your servant”, as “You did (good) to Your servant’… so that he who is educated in the divine issues, would perceive the divine work with him, and would know that the compassion of the Lord, would only come upon those who put God before them, to be qualified to bear the title “servants of the Lord”. (Eusabius of Caesarea) In the verse: “You have dealt well with Your servant” (65), the psalmist summarized his whole life experience, on all it aspects: the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 125 spiritual, and the familial, and even the physical; feeling in it, the hand of the God, the ‘Beneficent’, who always turns everything, even the oppression of the enemies to our good; to say together with the righteous Joseph: “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50: 20). Having seen in God, the Groom of his soul, and her eternal portion, Now, seeing Him the ‘Beneficent’, dealing personally with him, and turning his tribulations to his own good, his lamentations became joyful praises…. Again, to confirm that what is realized is set on the true promises of God, he says: “According to Your word, teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe Your commandments” (66). Concerning us, “When we have done all those things which we are commanded, we say, ‘we are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17: 10). What blessings we get, are according to the generous promises of God. The psalmist, for fear that God would be seen by some as cruel and violent, when he allows for a harsh temptation, he, even though he believes in God’s commandments and promises (66), he entreats Him not to cease teaching him the “good judgment and knowledge” (66); as though he says: [Amid my tribulations, I see You God, the Good, the Disciplinarian, and the Giver of Knowledge]. What knowledge did the psalmist enjoy amid his tribulations? He knew that God is “Good”, He saved him from slothfulness and perversion, by His chastisements, or by letting him enter into a state of humiliation. The tempests of temptations have shaken him, not to destroy him, but rather to bring him back to his sense, through keeping the commandment. St. Clement of Alexandria, sees in this verse presented by the prophet: “good judgment and knowledge”, in an obvious way; an exalted foundation that leads to perfection1. “For I believe Your commandments”. Having meditated with wisdom in the commandments You gave me, I believed and kept them. Grant me, therefore, the wisdom, by teaching me the good judgment and knowledge. This supplication conforms to the saying: “My son, if you desire wisdom, keep the commandments, and the Lord will lavish her upon you” (Sirach 1: 26). (St. Dedymus the blind) Perceiving that ‘the understanding’ is a divine gift, the psalmist says: “I am your servant, Give me understanding” (125). That is why he 1 Stromata 7: 7: 36. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 126 keeps crying out to God to teach him, and to grant him an increasing “good judgment and knowledge” (66). He prays for the sake of these things, to increase to perfection; the same way, those who said: “Lord, Increase our faith” (Luke 17: 5), had faith. As long as we live in this world, these words give us progress; yet the psalmist adds the word “understanding”, or, as it came in most versions: “discipline” 1. The word “discipline” in Greek, is used in the Holy Book to mean (teaching through chastisement); the way it came in the epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews: “For whom the Lord loves, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrew 12: 6); and, “No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous” (Hebrew 12: 11). That is why, the psalmist, with whom God deals with sweetness, namely, in whom by His mercy, He brings into him the gladness to do good, he does not cease to pray to God to let this gift grow in him, to make him despise all the other pleasures, compared to it; and be prepared to endure any portion of sufferings for its sake…. So, in a sound way, discipline is added to sweetness. Such gift (the discipline), should not be sought in a little measure of grace and goodness, namely of the holy love, but in a great measure, so as not to be quenched by chastisement. (St. Augustine) 2- THE DIVINE CHASTISEMENT AND KEEPING THE COMMANDMENT: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (67) Many, through affliction, get to know themselves, perceive their weakness, become humble before God, and worship Him faithfully and seriously. Without affliction they would probably never enjoy all that. The prophet David, himself, has experienced it. At the time of his affliction, he has been very attached to God, and his heart was a living icon of God’s heart. But, having built a palace for himself, having forsaken the leadership of his battle to others,, and walking on the roof of the king’s house, he perverted to commit a series of sins; and almost perished, if it was not for the mercy of God who sent the prophet Nathan ANF. Vol. 2, p. 1راجع القدیس إكلیمنضس الإسكندري https://coptic-treasures.com/ 127 to wake him up; after which he has been unceasingly tempted by troubles and afflictions. He says that, because of the sins he has committed, God humiliated him to make him perceive that all the chastisements that dwelt upon him were to discipline him. (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) God’s judgments on some are because of their sins; and on others to test them, and to proclaim their worthiness.. Acknowledging his miserable situation, the psalmist confesses that he has sinned; yet he says: “Now, I keep Your word”. Namely, although I am humiliated because of committing that serious sin, yet I got rid of my humiliation, for I kept Your Word, and kept it uprightly. (St. Dedymus the blind) According to Origen and Theodorus: [We sin by our mind before falling completely into the disobedience that brings us forth under the dominion of the devil. By receiving the sin, and meditating in it in our mind, we open the door for it to enter into our soul. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) It so seems that the Origanists have misunderstood this verse, as well as others, like the saying of the psalmist: “Bring my soul out of prison” (Psalm 142: 7); assuming that, through sin and going astray, the soul is punished by being buried in a human body1. 3- THE CHASTISEMENT AND THE THANKSGIVING: As the chastisement of God comes out of His goodness and His love for us, to make us keep His commandments instead of our disobedience; We, therefore, should give Him thanks for everything that dwell upon us, counting His chastisements as a sign of His divine care. Instead of murmur, we should give Him thanks; and instead of protesting His judgments, we should seek from Him to teach us His wisdom. “You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes” (68) Some may say: “You are good, O Lord”, or “You are sweet, O Lord”. And “By Your sweetness, teach me Your statutes”; He, who so says, desires to practice the righteousness of God, (St. Augustine) 1 St. Jerme: Letter 130: 16, To Pammachius againat John of Jerusalem, 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 128 Through searching myself, I know that I am a sinner; And through perceiving Your goodness, I know that “You are good, and do good” That is why I seek from You to teach me Your statutes and judgments; Yours, and of no one else’s. St. Dedymus the blind) According to Eusabius of Caesarea, the Greek word does not mean “good” as a feature of God, but it touches His Essence, being “Goodness” in Himself. The psalmist surely knows that God is “Goodness”; Yet he is in need of God, Himself, to guide him, and to teach him His statutes and judgments, and to let him understand the significance of “goodness”. There is a great difference between the absolute mental knowledge that God is ‘Goodness’ and ‘Love’; and for God to reveal to us His Goodness, Love, and Compassion; to let us taste Him, practically in our life. God, the whole Goodness, turns our corrupt souls into the fellowship of his nature. That brings into us the spirit of thanksgiving and praise to God “the Goodness”. In other words, We do not praise Him by our mouths, and give Him thanks by our tongues; but We praise Him by our hearts; and our nature would meditate in Him through having fellowship in His life, and an enjoyment of the experience of His “Goodness” in her. Together with every true knowledge, the heart would be filled with joy, and the tongue with praise. And together with every ignorance, the soul would be filled with murmur, and the heart with narrowness… That is why the psalmist is not ashamed to perpetually seek from God to teach him. 4- BETWEEN THE CHASTISEMENTS OF GOD AND THE OPPRESSION OF THE PROUD: Our souls praise the Goodness of God, who renews our nature by the work of His grace, using compassion, firmness and chastisement. His dealings with us is different from those of men, particularly of the proud. The Lord chastens through His compassionate fatherhood; while the proud provoke into us the spirit of oppression. “The proud have forged a lie against me; but I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart” (69) If the oppression of the proud have profusely come upon the psalmist; Yet it did not make him lose his keeping the precepts of God with all his heart; That was because of his experience of the sweetness of the commandment. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 129 He means to say;[With the abundance of oppression, the love in me will not grow cold” (See Mathew 24: 12). As though he says: [He who has the sweetness of God will learn His righteousness. Concerning the commandments of Him who helps him, as much as it is sweet, he seeks it, consummates it, as he recognizes it, and learns it through practicing it; … For it is more perfectly understood through practicing it. (St. Augustine) The closer the righteous is to God, the more he would be filled with His peace; and at the same time, the more will the proud come against him as strong wrestlers; those who wish him evil, whether they are men or evil spiritual hosts.. Anyway, as this happens, the righteous will never stop keeping God’s commandments with all his heart, in order to be able to understand and consummate them. The heart of those proud adversaries turns from compassion to cruelty; and as the psalmist says: “Their heart is as fat as grease, but I delight in Your law” (70) Before pride, their heart was soft, meek, and good, to be compared to nourishing milk; but, being clothed with pride, their heart hardened and the milk turned into grease. According to the psalmist, “They have closed up their fat hearts; With their mouths they speak proudly” (Psalm 17:10); and to the prophet Isaiah, “Their heart became dull” (Isaiah 6: 10). This text probably means that, the heart of the wise, is like two (breasts) full of nourishing milk “the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2: 2); but once it turn to evil, their good milk turns to grease; As this so happen to the proud, the righteous would say: “The proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart” (69). (The scholar Origen) The proud have plotted every kind of evil snares against me, but I was not drawn to partake of their corruption, for I kept Your precepts. (Father Theodoret) Many of those who rebelled against Your precepts, have caused me much trouble by their oppression, because their deceptive words may destroy Your precepts in the life of Your believers, and may lead those who are not steadfast in the Lord, to go astray. But I, in my zeal and longing toward these precepts, have kept them with my whole heart…. Through such tough temptation, meditating in the beauty of Your precepts, I condemned all those who intend to destroy them. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 130 (St. Dedymus the blind) Their arrogance and pride have reached the extent, that “their heart became as fat as grease”, because of their material nature. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) After being provided by “the pure milk of the word, that they may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2: 2), they could not digest it, and it turned into grease in their hearts … “But I delight in Your law” (70); I use all my zeal to understand it; for its wisdom, not only scatters the mist, but destroys, as well, the hardness of the material nature. (St. Dedymus the blind) If the wicked proud exert all energy to destroy my bond with the commandment, using every kind of deception and oppression, Yet, they actually lose the pure milk of the Word, that turns in their fat hearts into corrupt grease. As for me, their behavior only brings me forth to humility, and contrition, to learn more the statutes of God. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (71) The wicked probably ridiculed him, saying that, while they live in prosperity, and succeed in all their ways; his life, on the contrary, is full of troubles and distresses. Yet, he loved them, knowing that the way of affliction will certainly bring him forth to the divine knowledge. Receiving those tough temptations and difficulties, which he used to call “afflictions”, he still says: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted”;… Namely, using the words of the apostle Paul: “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake” (see 2 Corinthians 12: 10); through enduring these sufferings, I would be qualified to learn Your statutes, which no one would know, unless he is afflicted, and endures so many sufferings. (The scholar Origen) These distresses are beneficial to the saints, and are allowed by God, to make them practice moderation and humility; and to keep them from becoming puffed-up by the wonders and miracles, they are given to perform. We hear both the prophet David, and the apostle Paul say the same thing: The former says: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (71); and the later says: “I was caught up to the third heaven; caught up into paradise … And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 131 revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me1” (2 Corinthians 12: 2, 4, 7). (St. John Chrysostom) If it is good for the great and the good to be chastised, how much more would it be for us2?! (St. John Chrysostom) When we are afflicted, giving Him thanks, would bring us closer to God, as though He is indebted to us. But, if we thank Him while being in prosperity, we would be the indebted party, and would be required to pay back the debt… When King ‘Hezekiah’ got blessings and was free of tribulations, his heart “was exalted above measure”; and when he was overcome by infirmities, he became humble, and closer to God3. (St. John Chrysostom) The psalmist ends his talk about chastisement by expressing his great appreciation for the divine law or the commandment, which are learned through entering into distress and suffering; and which he calls: “The law of Your mouth” (72); For the source of the sweetness of the commandment is that it is a personal talk between God and the believer, as though it is from mouth to mouth. … The psalmist says: “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of shekels of gold and silver” (72) St. John Chrysostom wonders, saying: [Was St. Peter the apostle poor when he had no gold or silver to give the lame man (See Acts 3)?] That means that the law of Your mouth, namely, Christ, is better for me. I despise the glittering gold and silver, but I enjoy and find pleasure in the law of Your mouth. (The scholar Origen) The prophet means to say that the law of God is better for him than all the pleasures of this world, referring to them as the glittering pieces of gold and silver. (St. Augustine) According to the symbolic interpretation, silver represents the mind, and gold refers to the spirit. Despite the thousands of shekels of gold and silver, used by those who debate by the wisdom of this world in 1 Concerning the Statues, hom., 1: 14. 2 In Acts hom. 16. 3 In Heb. 33: 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 132 the schools of philosophy, Yet he, who lives the divine wisdom and the divine truth, says: “The law of Your mouth is better for me”. Yes indeed, it is only the law coming from the mouth of God that can give the true gain to which he holds fast. (St. Dedymus the blind) The thousands of shekels of gold and silver could be lost, robbed, or represent danger on the life of their possessor; Whereas the law of the mouth of God presents a steadfast riches that would last forever, and no one can take away from us. Between the distresses caused by the wicked and the chastisement given by God: We already said that the wicked cast their cords on the children of God to close shut before them every opening to salvation. Yet God, in His care for His children, turns these troubles into blessing for their growth; by turning them into divine chastisements for their edification: 1- The life of the believer could be summarized in the words: “You have dealt well with Your servant” (65). This is the judgment of the pure heart that expresses its thank to God on all situations, being sure that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8: 28). 2- God uses the chastisements to take away from us any slothfulness, and to exhort us to keep His commandments (67). Although he completely trust in the truth of God’s statutes, yet the psalmist seeks from God to proclaim His goodness as a Chastener, and to provide him with knowledge amid the afflictions. 3- Through the divine knowledge, we should never murmur because of the afflictions, but we should rather give thanks to God for His care; trusting in His wisdom, saying to Him: “You are sweet, O Lord” (68). 4- Do not be afraid of the afflictions caused by the proud; as it is written: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn” (Isaiah 54: 17). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 133 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 9 Teth (65 – 72) YOUR HAND IS GENTLE EVEN WHILE CHASTENING ME While chastening me, You present to me an edifying knowledge, to recognize Your exalted goodness; You use my chastisements for the edification of my soul, and to bring me forth to perfection; If chastisement is of benefit as a remedy for the prophet; How much more would it be for my weakness?! By Your chastisements You reveal my sins, to be afflicted before You; To confess them and present a repentance; By Your chastisements You support me, to keep Your statutes. Your are sweet, O Lord, and good, even when You chasten me; Your chastisements incite in me the life of thanksgiving, and not of murmur. I praise You, not only by my tongue, but with my whole heart. As I give You thanks, O my Lord, in the time of distress, You count me a creditor; You pay my thanks back with uncountable blessings Giving You thanks in the time of comfort, I am paying back my debt. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 134 10 YOD YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE GOOD (73 – 80) When we talk about the chastisements of God on His believers, and how the evil wicked deal with them, certain questions are raised concerning the Justice of God: Where is the justice of God? … Where is his care for His saints? … Why does God allow for His children to pass through affliction? The psalmist, on the other hand, presents himself, and his life, as a living answer to those questions: 1- I am Your creation, the subject of Your love 73 2- I am a practical example that answers the questions 74 3- You granted me the uprightness of Your judgments 75 4- Let Your merciful kindness be for my comfort 76 5- Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live 77 6- You destroyed the slanders of the proud 78 7- Let those who fear You, turn to me 79 8- Consummate Your work with me 80 1- I AM YOUR CREATION, SUBJECT OF YOUR LOVE: “Your hands have made me and fashioned me, Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” (73) All along the generations, those questions arose around the justice of God and His care; specially when afflictions dwell upon man who has nothing to do with them. The psalmist, however, instead of presenting questions, by the spirit of doubt and despair, he proclaims his need to perceive, and to understand the secrets behind God’s judgments; on account of that he is His creation who never doubts the justice and care of his Creator, and His limitless love. He seeks from the Creator and the heavenly Father, to reveal His wisdom to him; he proclaims his desire to learn; he trusts that God who created him, cares for him, and ordains his life; according to the words of the prophet Moses: “Is He (the Lord) not your Father who bought you? Has He not made you and established you?” (Deuteronomy 32: 6). The righteous ‘Job’ says to God: “Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. Will You turn me into dust again?” (Job 10: 9). If the potter cherishes the earthen vessel he has conformed from clay, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 135 Would God, who made Adam from dust, in His image, and according to His likeness, and granted him the gift of reason and perception … Would He not present to him an increasing knowledge, to perceive the secrets of His wisdom, to thank and praise him?! … God says to the prophet Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1: 5), to proclaim the extent of His care for him… God knows us before we are born, and seeks from us to know Him, and recognize his features and wisdom; to encounter Him on the level of the true and mutual love, set upon the true and exalted knowledge. “Your hands”; some believe refers to the Son and the Holy Spirit; on account to that God says (in plural) in the book of Genesis: “Let (Us) make man in (Our) image, according to (Our) likeness” (Genesis 1: 26). It is said that the Hands of God are the only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit; as They come from One Source, and would never separate from Him; Their union would never dissolve. … The way the hands are closely attached to the body, yet they are distinct from One another; So it is with the only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, They proceed from the Father, connected to Him, and to One another, in the unity of the Godhead; Yet They are distinct, as far as the Persons are concerned … That is why the righteous ‘Job’ wrote in His book, through a divine inspiration: “Your hands have made me, and fashioned me; and yet You would destroy me” (Job 10: 8). A phrase that was quoted by the blessed David. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) According to St. Augustine, the expression “The hands of God” refers to the Lord Christ alone, or to both the Son and the Holy Spirit. Let us understand “the hands of God” as His power and His wisdom; both titles were given to the One Christ (1 Corinthians 1: 24); which could also be understood by the expression “The arm of the Lord” in the verse: “To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53: 1). Or let them understand “the hands of God” as the Son and the Holy Spirit; on account of that the Holy Spirit works together with the Son. (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 136 Finally, it is also stated that a saint (the blessed David) received the sanctification from the Son and the Holy Spirit, saying: “Your hands have made me, and fashioned me1” (73). (St. Ambrose) The repetition of “made me, and fashioned me”, according to some, may refer to the creation of the body and the soul. God, the Creator of man, cares for all his needs, physical and spiritual, as well as for the edification and salvation of his soul. Together with the soul, He glorifies the body that will be risen in the great day of the Lord … He cares for it, both in the present time, and the one to come; the way he cares even for the number of the hair on our heads. The frames of our bodies and souls are conformed by the hand of the divine Artist Himself2. (St. Caesarius, bishop of Arle) This repetition, according to others, refers to the creation of man, and his renewal in the water of baptism, in the image of his Creator. The believer would never doubt the care of God for him; but, with the daring of sonhood, he cries out, saying: “Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” (73). You, O Lord, who made me a rational creature, Graciously consummate what I lack of understanding. You created me to be Your own, which would never be realized, except through doing according to Your commandment. From the beginning, You gave me one commandment; But, with the multitudes of my falls, I became in need of many commandments. So, graciously, give me the understanding, that I may learn, and consummate them. The wicked, though, would say: [That would not of benefit to us, would interfere with our interests, and would cause us to be in reproach for not keeping the law]. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” (73)… Teaching His disciples, Our savior, in the gospel according to St. Matthew the Evangelist, says: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man” (Matthew 7: 24). … Would it be possible to do according to those commandments without understanding them? (The scholar Origen) 1 Of the Holy Spirit, Book 3. 3: 33. 2 Sermon 228:1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 137 According to Apolinarius: [About this perception, the apostle Paul also says: “Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2: 7). This supplication, addressed to the Creator, is a logic one, which means: [Take care of Your creation, … Consummate that reasonable being, Grant him the perception, and understanding; … He, whom You made to live in Your love; let him live in Your ove through understanding Your will; As, from the beginning, man needed to learn]. According to St. Augustine, he can present to his congregation the words they need to hear; But, concerning the understanding, it is a divine gift. … Words are given for the ears, But it is God who gives the understanding to the hearts. Hearing could be realized through me; But, Who will give the understanding?! I talk to the ears to listen; But who will talk to your heart to understand?! It would not stop at the sound of the words that strike your ears; But there is He, who utters the truth to enter Your heart; … There is He, who talks to your heart, although You do not see Him! If you have understanding, O brethren, The talk is addressed to the heart; for the understanding is its gift. If you have the understanding, Who would utter it in your hearts, but He, to whom the psalm is addressed, saying: “Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” 1 (73). (St. Augustine) 2- I AM A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS: This psalmist by the psalmist comes out of his trust in God, his Creator, who made him a rational being, granted him knowledge and understanding and did not keep from him the revelation of His divine will. That is why, looking at David, and finding in him a living example of debating with God amid the suffering, those who fear God, rejoice and feel at peace, when they partake of his trust in God. “Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in Your word” (74) 1 On The Gospel of St. John, tract. 40: 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 138 A sign of the true fellowship is that, when a member has comfort amid his suffering, those who fear the Lord will rejoice together with him and feel comfort; Whatever one of them enjoys, is counted as a gift for all of them. And as the prophet David says: “The humble shall hear of it and be glad; Oh, magnify the Lord, and let us exalt His name together” (Psalm 34: 2).; and, “The righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me” (Psalm 142: 7). Those who fear God see my good work with a sensory sight, and perceive the virtues of my soul with a mental insight; and will rejoice for my trust in Your words. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) They take me as an example when they see me. How? “for my trust in Your word”; and will anticipate to get the same benefits for themselves. (Eusabius of Caesarea) Not all those who see the righteous will rejoice; … The more annoying it would be for the wicked to look at him; on account of that his life and ways are different from theirs (Wisdom 2: 14-15), the more rejoicing it would be for the righteous, those who fear God. The word “see” could be understood, either in a sensory way, namely, seeing the apparent man, or in a spiritual concept, namely, his soul (the inner man), or his thoughts, mind, and wisdom. By such a way, we see the righteous man; we rejoice and be glad to know him. (The scholar Origen) We can understand this, that those who fear God, being righteous, perfect, and lack nothing; they wish that all will progress and have benefit; rejoice in everything that give pleasure to God; and, like the heavenly creatures, they rejoice over the sinners who repent (Luke 15: 7). And it could also mean that those who fear God, are less progressive, will see me and rejoice, for I trust in Your word; Will see me in complete union with Your word, my thoughts conform to Your teaching; … But because they fear lest they fall under the punishment for the wicked and sinners, according to Your judgments, they keep themselves from doing evil. Fearing You in some way, they see me and rejoice, through keeping away from sin; not as a grudging obligation (2 Corinthians 9: 7), but with zeal, to resume strength, for they also trust in Your words. (St. Dedymus the blind) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 139 according to St. Augustine, those who fear God, here, are the church -- the body of Christ, whose members rejoice when they see him, who trusts in the Word of God … Namely, they will rejoice when they see other members of the body of Christ, trust in the Word of the Lord. The believers will rejoice when they see their brethren who partake of their faith, trust in the Word of the Lord. 3- YOU GRANTD ME THE UPRIGHTNESS OF YOUR JUDGMENTS: I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me“(75) My trust in Your word stirs the wicked up, and makes the righteous glad (74). As for me, I perceive that Your judgments are right, and that what You allow for me to have of chastisements, distress, or the oppression of the wicked, are in faithfulness; For I am a sinner, and in need of affliction as a support for myself. Through difficulties I enjoy Your help without losing my hope in You; and through them I become trained on the spiritual strife, to enjoy a series of conquests. By Your grace, the more I feel Your care amid the sufferings, the more I abide in You. All what happen are through the wisdom of God. The believer believes that “God’s judgments are right”. Yet, unless he gets the “knowledge”, he would not be able to know them. The nonbeliever, on the other hand, not only does not have such faith, but he, as well, slanders the divine care, concerning these judgments. There are, therefore, those who believe in God’s judgments, and those who do not. He, who reaches a better level, will not stop at having faith, but he will, as well, “know”, namely, he will have knowledge of God’s judgments, and of all what happen to man; a knowledge that the prophet David has received. “I know” is different from “I believe” (66). He who believes may not have the knowledge with the same degree. The Lord Jesus said to those who believed in Him: “If you abide in My word, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8: 31, 32). He said “You shall know” to those who have already believed; as faith does not necessarily provide knowledge; Hence the apostle Paul discerns between faith and knowledge, and between faith and wisdom; in the list of the gifts of the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12: 8,9). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 140 “I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me” (75); Namely, You have afflicted me according to the truth, and according to Your right judgments. In the Holy Book, specially in the book of psalms, I often notice that the words, “You have afflicted me”, means, “You have cast me in temptations”. (The scholar Origen) Amazing is God, our Father, in His love for us; He is not like Eli, the priest, who did not restrain his sons when they made themselves vile (1 Samuel 3: 13); But God chastens, and together with His chastisement, He gives us “knowledge”, if we seek it from Him. Chastisement may cause some temporary affliction, but the “knowledge”, and the discovery of God’s wisdom, will turn the affliction ino thanksgiving, joy, and praise, together with exalted heavenly comforts. 4- LET YOUR MERCIFUL KINDNESS BE FOR MY COMFORT: The psalmist truly entered into affliction (75); Yet, by mercy, behold, he enjoys the divine comfort (76). He starts by the truth, than followed by mercy; the two being connected together, according to the saying of the psalmist: “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psalm 25: 10). He did nor seek from God to lift the rod of chastisement up from him; but he sought from Him, together with what he gained of the divine knowledge amid the distress, not to deny him His mercy, which He gave as a general promise to all mankind, particularly to every believer; saying: “Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant” (76) He, who is weak in view and faith, not perceiving that God, in faithfulness, allows for tribulations and afflictions, will get annoyed; Whereas he, who trusts with complete faith, knowing that they happen with right judgment, seeks comfort in His mercy; namely, in His Word or His only-begotten Son, who came to comfort the sorrowful, according to His promise on the tongue of the prophet Isaiah, that through the Son, will come the compassion that revives those who study the law of God in a practical way. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The prophet, in his strife, learned to endure all what dwell on him; In his prayers, he does not seek from God to take away the sufferings, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 141 but seeks, in the time of his grief, that God gives him a word of comfort that makes him endure the sufferings with complete joy and peace. He says: Have mercy on me, O Lord, let me experience the comfort, and find the courage. Like the apostle Paul, who sought comfort during temptations, and has got it, who said: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comforts, who comforts us in all our tribulations” (2 Corinthians 1: 3, 4); The psalmist , after so much comfort, could comfort those who are in grief or are passing through affliction, saying: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (Psalm 94: 19). (The scholar Origen) The mercy of the Father is in the incarnation of the Son, He who comforts our souls fallen under the tyranny of the devil … Have compassion on Your servants, according to Your promise to give comfort. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) “Let Your merciful kindness be for my comfort”. Many who get comfort are deceived, and assume to have got it through their own wisdom and reason; But as for me, lest I would go astray like them, “I am Your servant, Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant” (76). (The scholar Origen) He indeed, starts with the “truth”, by which we are afflicted even to death, by Him whose judgments are righteousness, while we are renewed for life, by the promise of Him whose blessings are a gift; hence the psalmist says: “according to Your word to Your servant”; whether it is the renewal by which we have got the adoption among the children of God; or it is by faith, hope and love, that come through the mercies of God. Nevertheless, in this life, full of emotions, and troubles, there are the comforts of the miserable, not the joy of the blessed. (St. Augustine) 5- LET YOUR TENDER MERCIES COME TO ME, THAT I MAY LIVE: “Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight” (77) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 142 If the psalmist refers every comfort to the free generous grace of God, not to his own mental capacities or his strong will, he feels indebted by his whole life to God’s tender mercies; by which he lives, and to God’s law or commandment, in which he meditates and delights. The human nature, as a whole, is, indeed, in need of “God’s tender mercies”, for unless it comes, we cannot live the true life, “the life hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3: 3). Let us also learn the saying: “Your law is my delight”. Let us dedicate ourselves to the study of the holy Books; in which we shall find delight. (The scholar Origen) As we find in many locations in the Holy Scripture, a mention of “God’s tender mercies”, we are committed to meditate in the fact that the only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit -- the Givers of life, are “God’s tender mercies”. God – according to the teachings of the apostle, full of wisdom – is “the Father of mercies” (2 Corinthians 1: 3). (St. Dedymus the blind) As God’s mercies and tender mercies lift the believer up – amid his affliction – as though from the dead, to live, and to meditate with delight in God’s law; to study it elaborately; not to care about the slanders of the proud; and to let the wicked in their evil, pour shame and reproach on him; The believer will be only preoccupied with the wonderful and life-giver promises of God; and will enjoy the fruits of God’s word; while the wicked will bring upon themselves the fruits of their disobedience of the commandment. 6- YOU DESTROYED THE SLANDERS OF THE PROUD: “let the proud be put to shame, for they have subverted me with guile. As for me I will meditate on Your precepts” (78) Perceiving that God’s judgments are right, the psalmist saw himself, in his own eyes, as worthy of every chastisement; but through God’s mercies, he enjoys the divine comforts amid the sufferings; and through His tender mercies he enjoys life, and the fellowship with the Father, in His Son, by His Holy Spirit…. Now! What is the position of the proud who slander the psalmist and subvert him with guile? … While being preoccupied with planning evil plots, and setting nets and snares on his way, God puts their plans to shame, and the psalmist keeps https://coptic-treasures.com/ 143 on being preoccupied with his strife to execute the divine commandment without distraction. Getting Your help, O Lord, the wicked and the enemies of the truth, are put to shame; And while being in reproach, I will not get puffed up, but will keep meditating in Your commandments. (Pope Athanasius the apostolic) The psalmist does not utter this prayer against the proud who subverted him with guile, and slandered him, but for their benefit. For, as long as the sinner is not aware of his sin, he would not be ashamed of it; But, once he becomes aware of it, he would be… I know that they have treated me wrongly with falsehood; but I shall do nothing but keep on meditating in Your commandments. (The scholar Origen) When you hear how often the sinners are cursed in the Holy Book, you should perceive that it is meant only for the proud among them, who keep on defending their sins. And when you hear how the poor are blessed, do not assume it to apply to all Christians, but only to those meek and humble by their hearts among them1. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) 7- LET THOSE WHO FEAR YOU, TURN TO ME: “Let those who fear God turn to me, those who know Your testimonies” (79) While seeking shame for the proud; namely, that they would feel their sins to present repentance; he calls those who fear God to turn to him in faith, to enjoy God’s comfort and tender mercies. According to some, the prophet David uttered those words to proclaim his desire to enjoy again the company of the saints, who have forsaken him after causing the death of Uriah the Hittite; counting that as a shameful sin, not befitting of those who fear God2. He seeks from God to make them turn to him, to live among those who fear God; and to let them know that he has turned to God with his whole heart, and how his life has become a miracle. The prophet David wishes that those who fear God would turn to him, become close to him, so that they would partake of the grace he has got. (The scholar Origen 1 Sermon 48: 3. 2 Bethany Parallel Commentary on O.T., P1163. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 144 8- CONSUMMATE YOUR WORK WITH ME: “Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, that I may not be ashamed” (80) Seeking repentance for the proud; and for those who fear God to enjoy the same grace he has got; he, finally, not forgetting himself, he seeks from God to let him grow in the blameless, namely, the righteous life. He started by seeking repentance for the sinners; then followed up by seeking for the believers to have, together with him a fellowship in the living life of faith; and finally, he seeks for his own sake, to repent his sins, and grow, hoping to ultimately reach the summit of perfection; far from any anxiety or reproach. How could man’s heart become blameless, or, according to some interpreters ‘perfect’? … By keeping Your statutes! … And what would be the fruit of that? … not to be put to shame; on account of that all sins are worthy of shame. (The scholar Origen) Some questions pertaining to God’s care: In the following points the psalmist responds to questions pertaining to God’s righteousness and care: 1- Being the creation of God, and the subject of His love, it is not befitting of man to embrace any doubt in God’s goodness, and care for him. Instead of raising questions, he should seek knowledge and understanding (73). 2- God did marvels in creating man, with his whole physical, psychological, and spiritual being … Would He neglect him after creating him?! 3-Your love, O Lord, necessitates being firm with me, disciplining me, and even afflicting me for some time (75) 4-Together with discipline, God grants “knowledge” for those who seek it; that would turn the affliction into praise. 5-The believer seeks God’s mercies, being a personal promise to him from his God (76); that raises him up as though from death to life (77). 6- The heart of the believer exults by the gifts and promises of God; whereas the proud wicked, are put to shame for not keeping God’s commandment (78). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 145 7- While the proud are preoccupied with plotting evil plans; the believer enjoys the fellowship with those who fear the Lord (79); and his heart gets purified, to become blameless (80). AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 (10 Yod) YOU ARE MY CREATOR; GIVE ME THE UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS You are my Creator; Has the creature the right to Question Your righteousness?! You created me a rational being; Grant me the gift of understanding, that I do not ask so many vain questions! Being human, I present interpretations and words for the ears to hear; But You, burn the hearts with understanding to perceive Your righteousness. Many of those who pose questions pertaining to Your righteousness; Seeing me joyful amid my sorrows; Because of my trust in Your promises and words; Would follow my lead, would have confidence, and would rejoice; So You comfort me; and I comfort those around me. My trust in Your promises would stir up the wicked, but would bring joy to those who fear You; I became sure that all troubles are for my benefit; That Your grace is sure, even in the bitter-most moments of my life; Your judgments are right; and Your care is perpetually exalted. The wicked, however, slander Your care. You allow for me to be afflicted by troubles for some time; Yet, together with the affliction, You grant me knowledge and understanding; So, Your wisdom turns my affliction into thanksgiving and praise, together with heavenly comforts; I do not seek from You to take away the rod of chastisement; But I seek from You to grant me the understanding amid the affliction, and mercy together with discipline. Put the proud to shame; Those who subverted me with guile; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 146 I do not seek revenge for myself; But I seek from You to expose them before their own eyes, to make them return to You; I desire their salvation, and not their perdition. By love, I desire the repentance of the proud; And by love I seek fellowship with those who fear You; Make them turn to me, to gather together and to become one in You; Grant me the purity of heart, to become blameless. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 147 11 KAPHH OPE AMID THE DARKNESS (81 – 88) Having talked about the chastisements, perceiving that God’s judgments are right, the psalmist, on his side, is convinced that he is worthy of chastisement for his sins; and the affliction motivates him to resort to the Word of God and His promises; And on the side of the proud wicked, God’s justice chases them to repent; and If they persist on their despise of God’s law, they would perish. … Now, with the strong afflictions surrounding him on all sides, the psalmist feels as though the darkness wholly covers him; Yet he is filled with hope, that the Savior, the Sun of Righteousness will shine on him. 1- “I have become like a wineskin in smoke” 81 - 83 2- The foolish fantasies uttered by the wicked, and the truth of the commandments 84 - 87 3- “According to Your loving kindness, Revive me” 88 1- “I HAVE BECOME LIKE A WINESKIN IN SMOKE”: According to other versions, it came as: “….. in ice”; but according to the Hebrew version, it came as “… in smoke”. The wineskin, a vessel made out of dead animal skin, was used by ancient peoples to bring drinking water to households, as well as to store liquids like wine and milk. Those vessels were kept in a dry atmosphere, close to a source of heat, like an oven or a furnace. The psalmist likens himself here, to a wineskin, hanged in a tent, where a fire is made to fill the tent with smoke, so that it would be difficult to see the wineskin, hanged in a corner, usually dark in color like the tent itself. Temptations nearly destroyed him; surrounded him like smoke in a tent, almost unseen, nor recognized by anyone, bearing nothing but the smell of death (that of dead animals skin) … Amid those bitter feelings, the psalmist’s soul longs for the Savior, anticipated to come according to the divine promise; He who, alone, will give him any value, and will care for his life; saying: “My soul languishes for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word” (81) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 148 Who can utter such words, but “the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation” (1 Peter 2: 9)?; those who languish for the Christ (the savior), since the beginning of mankind, and until the end of the world. Each according to his time, whether those who have already lived, or those who are living today, or will live in the future. In the early generations of the church, there have been saints who were born before the Lord in flesh, who languished for the realization of His incarnation. But, later on, as He has already come, crucified, died, and ascended to heaven, .there are saints who languish for His second coming to judge the living and the dead. “I hope in Your words” (81); namely in Your promises, we came to have the hope, anticipating the things not seen by the nonbelievers. (St. Augustine) “My eyes fail from seeking Your word, saying: ‘When will You comfort me?’” (82) According tp St. John Chrysostom, [David’s psalms bring forth a fountain of tears1]. Some believe that the psalmist, having waited so long, in anticipation of the coming of the Savior, proclaims here his longing for Him, seeking divine comforts, to dwell on him like dew or ice. He came to be like a wineskin, bringing his body to death, receiving the work of the Savior like dew. According to St. Athanasius, the “Savior” is the Son of God who saved us, to Whom the soul languishes; in whom the believers trust; and the eyes of the prophets have failed in anticipation of His coming and comfort. About Him, St. John, the beloved, wrote in His first catholic epistle: “If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2: 1). … He comforts him, who anticipates His promises, and waits on His words that came in the divine Scriptures. “My eyes fail from seeking Your word, saying: ‘When will You comfort me?’” (82) … This blessed failure of the inner eyes, worthy of commendation, is not set upon mental weakness, but upon an intense longing for the realization of the divine promise; hence he says: “from seeking Your Words”; and by that meaning, those eyes 1 Hom. On 1 Timothy, 14. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 149 could go on saying: “When will You comfort me?”; whether when we pray, or zealously sigh from so much anticipation. Saying: “When will You comfort me?” reveals the extent of suffering from so much anticipation; “My soul is greatly troubled, but You, O Lord, how long?” (Psalm 6: 3). Comfort would be realized when we feel the that time will pass, and the Lord will soon come to help us. But God knows what and when to act; for “You have arranged all things by measure, and number and weight” (Wisdom 11: 20). (St. Augustine) “For I have become like a wineskin in smoke; Yet, I do not forget Your statutes” (83) As the incarnation of the Son of God is likened to dew on a fleece of wool (Judges 6: 37, His words and teachings would be like ice; And all those who do according to His words, and receive His teaching, would bring to death their body members which are, according to the apostle Paul: “fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is adultery, because of these thing the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience” (Colossians 3: 5, 6). Whoever brings his body members to death, and turns his body into what is like a wineskin, presenting love for God, who died for his sake, would be worthy to say: “My soul languishes for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word” (81)…. And would not forget his statutes. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) It is obvious that the psalmist has gone through an intense state of affliction, and was on the verge of despair, if it was not for his hope in the promises of God for salvation. … Here we notice: a- Despite what the psalmist was suffering of intense grief, and depression of heart, that he likened himself to a wine skin, Yet he stayed hoping in the promises of God, saying: “I hope in Your word” (81); trusting in God’s mercies, that raises from death to life, and holding fast to God’s testimonies, whatever the cost may be (88). b- The psalmist proclaimed his longing for the salvation of the Lord (81), and not of anyone else. The secret of his longing, not just to get saved from his affliction; but to encounter him as a Savior, and to get to know His love, statutes, and secrets. c- However dark the world would become in his eyes, the psalmist would remain anticipating the salvation of God; who will surely come, for God would never break His promises, or bring to shame those who have trust in His word. Salvation will surely come; and the believer https://coptic-treasures.com/ 150 is committed to seek it, should seek it elaborately, as a sign of his trust in the promises of God. d- It is not for us to tell God when to realize his promises; but our eyes should keep waiting on Him; according to the words of the psalmist: “My eyes fail from seeking Your word, saying: ‘When will You comfort me?’” (82). Even if our eyes fail from seeking the realization of God’s promises, yet our hearts should stay full of hope, and never fail. Abraham looked by the eyes of his heart, by faith, he rejoiced to see the Lord’s day, and perceived His amazing salvation from afar. e- Man, with his whole being, anticipates the comfort of the Lord with joyful hope; By his lips he utters to express what is in the soul, saying: “My soul languishes for your salvation” (81); and his eyes “fail from seeking Your words” (82); and man, as a whole, “becomes like a wineskin in smoke” (83). The eyes fail from being continuously lifted up toward heaven in anticipation of the amazing salvation of God. What the tongue cannot express, the eyes proclaim by their contrition and tears; which open the gates of heaven to let the supplication enter to reach the divine throne. He means for us to understand the wineskin as being the body brought to death; and the (ice) as the heavenly blessing. The lusts of the flesh are so bound, as though by ice, to become slow in motion, so that the righteousness of God would not be drawn away from memory; according to the words of the apostle, saying: “Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13: 14); When the lusts cool down, the memory of love shines1. (St. Augustine) He, who brings his members to death, and feels that he vainly walk in a mortal world, will not cease to say: “I became like a wineskin in (ice)”. (every trace of lust in me has dried out); and My knees became weak because of fasting; “I forget to eat my bread; because the sound of my groaning, my bones cling to my skin” (Psalm 102: 4, 5). (St. Jerome) 1 Letter 22: 17. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 151 2- THE FOOLISH FANTASIES UTTERED BY THE WICKED, AND THE TRUTH OF THE COMMANDMENT: Together with his longing for the Savior, and his long anticipation for His coming; and for the enjoyment of his comfort, the psalmist feels bitterness, when he compares the deadly words, slanders, and deception of the wicked, to the life-giving words of God. “How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?” (84) Those who persecute the believers are the demons, whether through wicked people or without them. The psalmist seeks from God to breakdown their power, and to submit them under his feet. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Such were the words of the martyrs in the book of Revelation (6: 10, 11); And it was said to them, “that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed”. “How many are the days of Your servant?” Here he ask about the number of days of the church – the body of Christ. That does not mean that the church would cease to exist before the end of this world. The church will certainly last on earth up to the great day of judgment, when her persecutors will be avenged. In case someone wonders why, then, did the psalmist pose this question … he should remember that, when the disciples asked the Lord the same question, he answered them by saying: “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1: 7). (St. Augustine) By talking about how short the days of his sojourn are; how his temporal life will soon come to an end; and how the sorrows caused by the enemy are destroying it, the psalmist seeks God’s mercies, help, and intervention, to let him see His wonders before he departs from this world. He cries out seeking God’s justice against the devil and his evil works. “The proud have dug pitfalls for me, which is not according to Your law” (85) According to St. Augustine, the Greek word translated as “pitfalls”, is translated by some as (foolish fantasies) or (vain pleasures); https://coptic-treasures.com/ 152 namely, that those who work against the law stir up debates that carry to them some kind of vain mental pleasure. He adds: “which is not according to Your law” (85); For it is the truth and not the words that give me pleasure. (St. Augustine) To persecute me, they tell me pleasant stories; but I would rather have Your law. Because “Your commandments are all true”; whereas, because their debates bear increasing vanity, they persecute the truth in me. I need Your help to strive for the sake of truth even to death; according to Your commandment, which is also the truth. (St. Augustine) The enemy attempt to deceive me by vain words, and to seduce me by pleasure; ButI perceives that my true pleasure is in the law of God Look, O Lord my God, Where is my pleasure? … The wicked talk to me about pleasures; but there is no pleasure like the law of God1. (St. Augustine) Pitfalls, are the sayings of this world, and the teachings of the Jews, which they have taken from human traditions, contrary to the Holy Book, the interpretations of the heretics, and the books of nonbelievers. These are all of no benefit; For there is no salvation except in the law of God. The Jews have driven out the Lord Christ and his saintly disciples; and the nonbelievers have driven out the Christians; not because of robbery, fornications, oppression, murder, or anything else that warrant death, but because they uttered the truth, which is an act of oppression and a denial of the truth. The wicked almost made an end of me on earth; and almost made me languish for the earthly vanities; but I never ceased to keep Your precepts. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) “All Your commandments are faithful; They persecute me wrongfully; Help me!” (86) “They almost made an end of me on earth; But I did not forsake Your precepts” (87) 1 Confessions, 11: 2:4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 153 There was a great slaughter of the martyrs, while proclaiming Your truth, and testifying to it; On their tongue, the psalmist cries out to God, saying: “Help (us); But we did not forsake Your precepts”. (St. Augustine) Perceiving that the way of the Lord is full of troubles, stirred up by the enemy, in an attempt to cast him to the ground, or even to make an end of him on earth; Yet the psalmist has never forsaken God’s precepts, that turns the persecutions of the wicked to crowns of glory. These words, uttered by the prophet are recited by every believer in the prayer of midnight; for they are words that touch the daily actuality of those who fear God, whom the enemy keeps on opposing by every possible way; whether they are young, or old, men, or women. 3- REVIVE ME ACCORDING TO YOUR LOVING KINDNESS: The mouth of the wicked utters foolish fantasies, in an attempt to make an end of my soul, and to destroy it eternally; But the mouth of God, on the other hand, presents to me life-giver testimonies. Hence, the psalmist says: “Revive me according to Your loving kindness; so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth” (88) God has no mouth; but being incarnated, our Lord Jesus Christ had an uttering mouth. The testimonies of God’s mouth, therefore, are the commands of the Holy Bible, uttered by Him; And the prophets, the apostles, and the preachers, are all the mouth of God; for they strive to utter His precepts. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The psalmist ends his talk, full of bitterness, brought forth by the troubles caused by the wicked, by joy and hope, having experienced God’s life-giving loving kindness; and having tasted His living and steadfast word. The secret of hope: The psalmist’s life turned into a wineskin in smoke; and his soul was almost destroyed by afflictions. But, as his hope in the Lord shined light on his life, his lamentation turned into a joyful praise: 1- He would never receive salvation except from God alone … His soul languished for such salvation, which, would not only saves him from affliction, but would reveal to him the Savior’s love and secrets (81). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 154 2- Salvation is close at hand; for God has promised it, and will give it to us if we ask for it; and if we abide to His word, without anticipating certain times for it’s realization. 3- The believer proclaims his hope in salvation by his whole being: the lips reveal the longing of the soul; the tears utter what the lips could not; and the tongue of both his body and soul turns into a prayer that goes up to heaven, proclaiming their hope in God, their Savior. 4- While the devil exerts all his power, in an attempt to destroy the believer, and to make an end of him on earth; the believer would never pervert from God’s precepts; with surety that all the fights of the enemy against him will turn into glories for himself. 5- While the devil never ceases to ridicule the believer, in an attempt to destroy every hope in him, the Word of God never ceases to give him life. AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 11 Kaph (81-88) YOUR PROMISES FILL MY SOUL WITH JOYFUL HOPE As temptations surround me on all sides; I become like a wineskin in smoke Smoke, filling the tent, make me disappear from view; I become nobody; No one looks at me; Nor cares for me; But Your divine promises are true; and fill me with great hope; And open before me the door of salvation. As the affliction greatly intensifies, my eyes look up at You alone; Waiting long for Your salvation, my eyes fail; Yet I am certain that salvation is close at hand; When will You comfort me? My hope in You is certain; When will You lift up from me the temptations, even temporarily? When will You come for judgment; and the world would come to an end with all its sufferings? Yes indeed, the time is short; And everything has its time, O Pantocrator! As my tongue becomes speechless; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 155 My eyes fail, and utter by tears; Their voice are louder than that of the mouth and tongue; My eyes cry out together with the psalmist and the martyrs; How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on the devil and his angels, who persecute me?! Make hast, I pray, for the enemy intends to destroy the short days of my sojourn. The enemy attempts to draw me to him by glittering vain words; But I never feel pleasure, except in Your law; He intends to kindle my heart by the love of earthly things; But I shall never forsake Your precepts; Although the words of the enemy are attractive; yet they are destructive to my soul; Whereas Your words, although firm, yet they are life-givers. Attempting to destroy every hope in me; the enemy ridicules me; But You speak to me through the prophets; And the Word of God, Himself, came to talk to me with the language of love on the cross; He opened wide the door of joyful hope before me. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 156 12 LAMED YOUR WORD IS PERPETUAL IN HEAVEN (89 – 96) Having talked about the foolish fantasies uttered by the wicked – who seek to make an end of him on earth, the psalmist presents to us the life-giving Word of God, being the Word perpetually settled in heaven, broad without limits, that gives the soul an inner security, and a heavenly life, together with limitless enlargement of heart. Suiting all eras, the word of God also touches the life of every man. 1- God’s word is settled in heaven 89 2- The word of God suits all generations 90 3- The word of God suits all men 91 4- The word of God suits me personally 92 - 95 5- The word of God is exceedingly broad 96 1- THE WORD OF GOD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN: There are many who think that the whole world is in the hands of the wicked, especially the violent among them, and those who abuse authority. the cause of moaning by those who fear God along the generations. But the psalmist perceives that all the plots, vanity, violence, and practices of the wicked will come to an end; but the Word of God is settled forever in heaven. “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (89) He, who gets attached to the wicked will go together with them down to vanity; for their spirits will come out, and they will return to dust. Whereas he, who gets attached to the Word of God, will forever enjoy an inner settlement, and a heavenly eternal life. Once Adam disobeyed the commandment, he separated himself from the settled Word of God; lost his gladness, and his paradisiacal life; his land produced thorns and thistles; and heard the divine verdict: “You are from dust, and to dust you will return”. Then came the second Adam, the Lord Christ, the eternal Word of God, for us to unite with Him, to bear His obedience, to partake of His divine nature, to sit together with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2: 6), and to enjoy the fellowship of His eternal glories. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 157 According to the scholar Origen, the Word of God endures forever in heaven, for the heavenly creatures follow an extremely particulate system, set by the Word of God, never to pervert from it. Whereas, as far as the earth is concerned, while the global system abide to the Word of God, the wicked pervert from what the Word has set, to practice adultery, uncleanness, and other lusts; that the Word of God would have no place in him; for “what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?!” (2 Corinthians 6: 14). He, whose behavior comes to be in heaven, even if his body stays on earth, the Word of God will dwell in him. According to St. Athanasius the apostolic, the psalmist here, talks about the global system, the celestial stars in particular, and their abidance to the Word of God, on account of that the whole creation are His “servants” (91). In the previous verses (81-88) we saw how the psalmist suffered from the words of the wicked who did not seek less than to make an end of his life on earth; They did not only afflict him, and deprive him of his throne, but plotted to have him killed. Now, having experienced, amid all that bitterness, the possibility of God’s promises and Word, , his heart exulted in the Lord. The sweet psalmist of Israel knew how to find in the midst of the deadly currents of this world, the Rock of truth, in whom he would take resort, so as not to be shaken! … Let, therefore, the destructive currents do their work, the way they find convenient; for they would never be able to move the Rock of the Word of God, on whom the psalmist has taken resort. His eyes will no longer fail, nor his lips will cry out, nor he will become like a wineskin in smoke, that bursts open … But he will rest upon the Rock, to play with the spirit of truth, on the harp of his soul, a symphony of love, faith, and hope; and to perceive that his strength will no more fail; for instead of being preoccupied with the deadly currents around him, he will exult by the divine kingdom within himself; and will partake of the praises of the heavenly creatures. And behold, the sweet psalmist testifies that it is not his experience alone, but is the experience of all generations in the dealings with God; It is the experience of all the congregation of believers in every era; as well as a personal experience of every believer in his own life. His heart burning with longing toward the heavenly Jerusalem, the psalmist looked up toward the higher kingdom, and said: “Forever, O https://coptic-treasures.com/ 158 Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (89); Namely, perpetually settled among the angels who eternally serve You as Your hosts. (St. Augustine) David moved to say: “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled down in heaven” (89); For the existence of what endures, will never come to an end, even to eternity1. (St. Ambrose) The Word of God, according to the holy Scripture, is One, “settled in heaven forever” (89); unchangeable, neither before, nor ever; but will remain the same forever. It is befitting for the One God, to have One image, One Word, and One wisdom2. In the Holy Book, He was not described as: “God’s firstborn”, nor “God’s creation”, but as “the only-begotten Son”, “the Son”, “the Word” , and “the Wisdom”, to refer to His relationship to God the Father3. (Pope Athanasius the Apostolic) 2- THE WORD OF GOD SUITS ALL GENERATIONS: “Your faithfulness endures to all generations. You established the earth, and it abides” (90) As the Word of God works in us – the earth -- makes us settled in Him; He becomes the foundation of our spiritual building; and turns our dry land that produces thorns and thistles into a new land, an icon of heaven. The Word of God suits all generations; will never get old or ancient; for His promises are steadfast. The Word suits every generation, being “God’s truth”, or “the never changing Truth”. … In the old testament, the “Truth” was presented through the shadows and symbols; Then, in the fullness of time, He came, proclaimed by the divine incarnation, for us to be established in Him, as though on the Rock, that no time could corrupt. “Your faithfulness (Truth) endures to all generations”… The first generation (the Jews) rejecting the Faithfulness (the Truth), saying: “Away with such a fellow from the earth” (Acts 22: 22); Faithfulness moved from that generation to another generation. And on that Generation, the earth was established; on the foundation of the 1 Of the Christian Faith, Book 1, 10: 63. 2 Four Discourses against the Ariaus, 2: 18: 36. 3 Four Discourses against the Ariaus, 2: 21: 62. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 159 Cornerstone, to lead all the faithful on earth. That is why the earth became “well established”, having a solid foundation or unshakable basis. (The scholar Origen) 3- THE WORD OF GOD SUITS ALL MEN: The Word of God, not only suits all generations, but suits all men in every generation, whatever their citizenship, culture, race, etc. are. “They stand today according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants” (91) Nothing escapes from the authority of God; for it is written: “For all are Your servants”. Only One is His Only-begotten Son; And only One is His Holy Spirit; Both are exempts; while all the others are servants of God, by the Only-begotten Son, in the Holy Spirit. God, therefore ordains all; and by His long suffering, He endures even the criminals, the robbers, and adulterers among them; fixing a certain time to recompense everyone. And, in case those whom He warned, persist on not repenting from their hearts, they will get a great judgment1. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) He said: “You established the earth”; namely, the earthly creatures who believed in the Lord Christ, the incarnate God. He established them on this Truth, namely, upon Himself -- “The Truth”, established on Him, as though on a solid Rock. By His shining and appearance incarnate, on earth, He set a shining day for the believers, not like the sensed day, made by the sun, for the sensed day, which eventually comes to an end, and is followed by night; Whereas the day set by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, will abide and endure forever. In the present time, the enlightenment is by symbols and images; whereas in the time to come, it will be public and direct. While the believers will enjoy an eternal day, not followed by night; For the nonbelievers, it will be an eternal night without light. … All mankind abide to the authority of God. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) 1 Cat. Lect., 8: 5. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 160 The day which the Lord (the Truth) has made (Psalm 118: 24) is lighted, for it is God, Himself, who lighted it. This day will settle, endure, and, on account of that it is founded upon Christ, the Cornerstone, it has no end, and will never change. As what is intended is the new time; the day, in which “The Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God will be the dawn of the righteous” (Isaiah 60: 19); the day is, therefore settled, and your sun will no more set, the sun of noon (see Amos 8; 9). On the earth, where not all are righteous, there is no perpetual day, nor perpetual night. But, once the righteous become separated from the wicked; then, the night will be for the wicked, when “they will be cast out into outer darkness” (Matthew 8: 12); and the day will be for the righteous, when the day endures, and will not be followed by night. It is the day about which I believe he says: “They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants” (91). (The scholar Origen) “The day also endures” (91) All those things are (the day): “The day which the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118: 24); “Let us walk properly as in the day” (Romans 13: 14). “For all are Your servants” (91). He says “all’ on the “some”; For all those who belong to the night (See Hosea 4: 5 LXX), do not worship Him. (St. Augustine) By saying “All are Your servants” (91), the psalmist confirms that it is befitting of all creatures, being servants of the Lord, to abide to the Word of God. … Now, since all the heavenly and earthly creations abide to the system set for them by God to realize their goals; Would man be the only creature to disobey God, his Creator?! … How could we, the believers not receive His law?! … Let us then, abide to His Word, receiveHis ordinances, and serve Him with our whole hearts, in order to endure forever. 4- THE WORD OF GOD SUITS ME PERSONALLY: If the Word of God suits all generations, and suits all men, it will certainly suit me personally. That is the feeling of the psalmist, who passed through a tough stage, in which he was almost utterly destroyed by despair; Then the Word of God came to restore hope to him; and he says: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 161 “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them, You have given me life” (92, 93) In the midst of affliction, when I recite Your words, and remember Your promises, the ordinances of Your righteousness will be revealed to me, and I will love Your precepts, which are my personal support amid my sufferings and affliction. Instead of despair, I enjoyed the joy of hope, an enjoyable companion, and comforter for the soul. Even if all forget me, I shall never forget Your precepts, and Your precepts will never forget me; “By the divine statutes and commandments, in the midst of my troubles, every feeling of isolation will be taken away from me, and I will enjoy life” (See Leviticus 18: 5). As already said, the difficult time of temptation, is called “affliction”. Blessed is he, who is in affliction, yet he does not perish. As an example, if I come into the temptation of martyrdom ; and the statutes of God are perpetually the subject of my meditation and training; I shall not perish, whatever the ultimate end of that temptation may be. The same thing could be said about any other kind of temptation. And when I am attacked by evil thoughts, and adversary hosts, I would perish, unless Your law is my help… “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction” (92)…. This is the law of faith; not a vain faith, but one working with love (See Galatians 5). Through this grace, faith is acquired, that makes men courageous in the temporal sufferings, so as not to perish in their afflictions. (St. Augustine) According to the apostle Paul, the law was then, our instructor and guide to Christ … He, to whom the law is the guide until he reaches the fullness of the time (Galatians 4: 4), when he puts away childish things (1 Corinthians 13: 11); Such a man is not corrupt, nor a denier. Saying: “I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life” (93), the psalmist means to say: [I shall always keep in mind Your precepts which I received from You; which You taught me here on this earth; and by which I moved from earth to heaven, and dwelt among the angels]. (The scholar Origen) By the care of the divine Physician, the psalmist restores his health, after suffering a serious illness; And while in good health, he would https://coptic-treasures.com/ 162 not forget how he was cured. … That is how the psalmist lived his life by the precepts he received from You; he would never forget that by them “You have given him life”. (St. Dedymus, the blind) Do you see how he did not perish in his affliction?; For unless he is given life by God, any one could kill him, and would not be able to give him life. (St. Augustine) Going on in his talk to God about his personal experience with His divine works, the psalmist says: “I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies” (94, 95) Entering into a personal relationship with God, the psalmist says to Him: “I am Yours”. My salvation is not set upon the works of my righteousness, nor my strife, but on Your divine Work; Acquiring me for Yourself, I shall be Your portion, and You shall be mine… Through this partnership, set upon the true love, I covet for Your precepts; and then, I will care no more for the plots of the wicked to destroy me; but will be only preoccupied with the enjoyment of knowing and considering Your testimonies. It is as though he says: [When I intended to become my own, I lost myself. But now: “I am Yours, save me, for I have sought Your precepts”], (St. Augustine) He, whose works and words are according to God’s law, and who seeks God’s precepts, would have the right to say: “I am Yours, save me”… By my nature, I am Your subject; By Your grace, I am Your son; working according to Your commandments, I am Your servant; … Enduring the troubles from the hidden and the manifest enemies, I am Your soldier … Save me from the perdition they plan to bring forth upon me; for I have sought Your precepts, and considered Your testimonies. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The wicked intend to deliver me to death; But being preoccupied with Your testimonies, I acquired the life to come, right here in this world. (Father Theodoret) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 163 Elaborately meditating in this verse, we shall see that perdition is being far from God; For the adversary hosts have only one goal – my perdition. But, while waiting to destroy me, I considered Your testimonies, and kept them close to my heart. (The scholar Origen) 5- THE WORD OF GOD IS EXCEEDINGLY BROAD: Being bound to the commandment on a personal level, brings me forth to limitless perfection. The heavenly settled Word, turns the heart into heaven without limits. “I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad” (96) The prophet presented to us his own experience. He saw how the mighty Goliath, who humiliated the entire army, falls down with one single stone from a sling. He saw how the wise counselor Ahitophel, present a corrupt council to his son Absalom. He saw how the beautiful and strong Absalom hanging shamefully in a terebinth tree He saw how the perfections and glories of this world will end up! “All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flowers fall away; But the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1: 24, 25) According to St. basil, the commandment to love God, our neighbor and our enemy, is an extremely broad commandment, for it covers all, includes. and crowns all perfections. Love is the breadth of the commandment. (St. Augustine) For every virtue I saw a consummation: The consummation of chastity is controlling lusts That of manhood is courage and daring against horrors Every thing has its consummation; but the consummation of good men is the kingdom of God. I saw that Your commandment is exceedingly broad; although the way leading to salvation is narrow; Your commandment makes it wide for those who keep it, makes them courageous and strong; and its end is joyful, broad, and lighted. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The word of God is perpetually settled in heaven: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 164 1- The world is not a toy in the hand of the wicked, but is controlled by its Creator; namely, by the Word of God. 2- The divine Word turns our land, that produces thorns and thistles; namely, our lustful body, into a joyful heaven, where the body is sanctified to the account of the kingdom of God. 3- The Word of God is presented to all generations, and even to every man, to be experienced by the believer in a personal relationship with God. 4- The world and all creatures faithfully abide to the Word of the Lord … Is it not befitting of us, then, as believers, to receive His law?! 5- The life-giving Word of God is exceedingly broad, and limitless. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 165 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 12 Lamed YOUR WORD SCATTERS THE FOOLISH FANTASIES UTTERED BY THE ENEMY The devil assumes that he has dominion over me; Sometimes he threatens me, and other times he attempts to seduce me by uttering foolish fantasies; But I abide to Your word that scatters them. Your Word is settled in heaven, enjoyed by the heavenlies; Attaching myself to it, I would get settled by it forever; And would enjoy its joy, to become, myself, heavenly. The devil’s promises and his hosts, are vain and temporal; He, who gets attached to them, would, himself, become vain; Because of him, I was told: “You are dust; and to dust you will return”. But new, I hear You say to me: “You are heaven, and to heaven you will return” Your Word will stay, working through the generations; The Jews rejected it when they crucified the incarnate Word of God; And when the Gentiles received it, by believing in the cross; The door of the World opened before all men. The light of the Word, the Sun of Righteousness, shone on all; To turn their night into an enduring day, not followed by night; It is the day, made by the Lord; To rejoice and be glad in it; Everything in me exults, worshipping You. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 166 13 MEM YOUR WORDS ARE SWEET IN MY MOUTH (97 – 104) As the Word of God is settled in heaven; suits all generations, all eras, all men, and is enjoyed by the believer in a personal relationship; bringing him forth to the breadth and width of heaven; he finds in it a special and better sweetness than honey. 1- The sweet commandment, and the meditation in God’s name 97 2- The sweet commandment, and the eternal wisdom 98 - 100 3- The sweet commandment, and the strife 101 - 102 4- How sweet is Your commandment! 103 5- The sweetness of the commandment, and the hate of every false way 104 1- THE SWEET COMMANDMENT, AND THE MEDITATION IN GOD’S NAME: The secret of the sweetness of the commandment is our bond with God, and finding pleasure in His beloved name, in which we will never cease to meditate all the days of our life. “Oh, how I love Your name! It is my meditation all the day” (97) Getting attached to the Word of the Lord, the Sun of Righteousness, our life turns into a perpetual day with no night; We cast away from ourselves the works of darkness, And we enjoy the meditation in His Holy Name, as the weapon of light, that darkness cannot confront. The psalmist not only revered the commandment, but he also loved it; that is why he received it in his life, to grant him the fellowship in the features of the Holy One. … We, as well, not only honor the name of God, but we also love it, and meditate in it all the days of our life, being the sign of His presence in us, and our presence before Him, to perpetually enjoy His company. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 167 The prophet David was not preoccupied with his throne, his problems, or his family matters; but, in everything, and under every circumstances, he enjoyed the presence of God, and was preoccupied with His sweet Holy Name, and His joyful commandment. And with the passing of time, he got more attached to God, longing for new depths in his fellowship with Him. 2- THE SWEET COMMANDMENT AND THE ETERNAL WISDOM: By our attachment to the incarnate Word of God, our life turns into a perpetual day; and His name becomes sweet in our mouths. The leaders of the Jews, on the other hand, bearing the spirit of animosity against the Lord Christ, and His own, their eyes darkened to the knowledge of the truth. Instead of being the teachers of the whole world about the Lord Christ, they rejected Him; Whereas the Gentiles received Him, enjoyed His eternal wisdom, and got the enlightenment of their insight. Hence, the Jews became enemies of the Gentile believers, instead of being their teachers and elders. “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the elders, because I keep Your precepts” (98-100) David probably did not bear the Holy Book in his hands in his early days; yet he bore it in his mind and heart. The divine commandment has been his support, and the secret of his wisdom while herding his father’s sheep in his youth; has been his instructor when the prophet Samuel anointed him a king in secret; and has been his companion all the days of his sojourn. Bonded to the school of the commandment all along the stages of his life, he grew in wisdom and grace. Loving the divine truth, that purified his heart and mind, he came to be more understanding than all the elders. That was not an insult against the elders, but in it was their joy and glory, to see their student surpassing them in knowledge. “Your commandments, made me wiser than my enemies” “They actually had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10: 2). But the psalmist understood God’s commandment more than his enemies, according to the words of the apostle, who says: “Not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Philippians 3: 9). Not that the law, read by enemies, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 168 is not from God, but they did not understand it, the way he did more than them, bonded to the ‘Rock’ (Christ), in whom they got offended; “For Christ is the end of the law” (Romans 10: 4); “to be justified for free by His grace” (Romans 3: 4); Hence, even if they held fast to God’s law, yet they sought to set their own righteousness. They did not walk as the children of the promise, who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5: 6); asking for, and knocking on the door (Matthew 7: 11), entreating the Father to enjoy sonhood through the Only-begotten Son … but they sought the temporal reward of the same commandment (through which the psalmist enjoyed the divine blessings). (St. Augustine) “I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation” Who is he, who has more understanding than all his teachers? Who would dare to put himself in a better position than all prophets? Who taught, not just by words, but by great authority, those contemporary to him, and the successive generations? It could not apply to the person of Solomon … I obviously know who He is: “When He was twelve years old, the boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem, and so it was that after three days, his parents found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers” . To His parents, the Son said: “I must be about My Father’s business”.(Luke 42-49). It is very difficult to understand this about the Person of the Word, unless we perceive that the Son begotten from the Father …, having “taken the form of a servant”, those older than Him assumed that he should learn like a boy of His age. But, being taught by the Father, He had more understanding than all His teachers, of the testimonies of God concerning Him, when He uttered the words: “You have sent to John, and he has bore witness to the truth; Yet, I do not receive testimony from man” (John 5: 33-34). (St. Augustine) “I understand more than the elders, because I keep Your precepts” … To know what is meant by the term “elders”, more than whom the Lord understands, we shall find it in His answer to the scribes and the Pharisees who asked Him: “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread”, to which He, who is wiser than the elders answered: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 169 “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Matthew 15: 2, 3). (St. Augustine) We, the believers, understand the commandments of God more than the Jews, for our Lord Jesus Christ granted us by His Holy Spirit, to understand the spirit of the Book, which they understood only superficially; but which we abide to its spiritual content and meanings, that endure for us forever. The prophet called them “enemies”, for they curse us, and bear toward us animosity and hate; whereas we love them, pray for the sake of their salvation, and bless them, as the Lord commanded us. Those whom the prophet called “enemies”, he also calls “teachers”, on account of that they were entrusted on the sayings of God before us; namely, His law; and that they had Moses, and the prophets… From the divine books, we drew the knowledge more than they did, and received the precepts of our Lord Jesus Christ, and perpetually search in them. Esau was older than his brother Jacob; Still, the blessing of their father Isaac, that was to be for the older son, when his father asked him for food, he headed to the wilderness to hunt like wild beasts…. So were the Israelites (as elders), older and wiser than us -- the Gentiles; and the blessing was prepared for them, on account of that the statutes and the prophets were given to them; but they intended to please God by pouring animal blood like beasts. And when they went out of their father’s house to the wilderness; we adorned ourselves with the counsel of our mother – the holy church, beautified by the divine books, and put on the hide of the Lamb, that was slain for our sake; namely, by the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and approached our Father; who gave us the blessing and the firstborn status; which the “elders” have forsaken, and become in woe, regret, and servitude to the devil; until they return to God by repentance and faith, (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) The commandment, therefore, grants knowledge and wisdom; as according to the Lord Christ: “Anyone wants to do the will of God, will know if the teaching is from God” (John 7: 17). By the divine commandment we know how to practice with the simplicity of the doves, yet with wisdom more than that of the serpents (See Mathew 10: 16). The psalmist says: “I have more understanding than all my teachers” (99). He so says, not with haughtiness or pride; but as a https://coptic-treasures.com/ 170 confession of God’s work that granted him more wisdom and knowledge than his teachers. A true teacher who bears the spirit of fatherhood, would love to see his students have more wisdom and knowledge than him; As every generation would rejoice when the generation following them show more progress than what they have; Otherwise, there will be no growth for mankind, nor edification for the church of God. This is the living tradition, leaning on the past to practice it through the experience and language of the present, to testify to the living faith in a continuouslygrowing life, kindled with the spirit. This tradition is set upon the Word of God, lived by the apostles, and all the following generation, for the church of the present to live, and to present, living, and with no perversion, to the future generations. 3- THE SWEET COMMANDMENT AND THE STRIFE: If the prophet David, having surpassed his teachers in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, he adorned all that, not by pride and haughtiness, but by restraining his feet from every evil way, to set the knowledge on a foundation of a holy life; confirming his practical intention to receive God’s law as his own law. If our bonding with the Lord our God, and with His holy name, give us a special sweetness in practicing His commandment, which, in turn, would grant us heavenly wisdom, and more understanding than that of the Jewish teachers who rejected the faith; On our side, corresponding to such grace and sweetness, together with having the understanding and the wisdom, we are committed to strive to keep the commandment, and the precepts of the Lord. “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself has taught me” (101- 102) If we – the Gentiles -- have received the Word of the incarnate God, On our side we are committed to forget every evil and deceptive way, to receive the one new “Way”. The secret of the psalmist’s commitment to the judgments of God, is his feeling that the law of the Lord was put specially for him; as though it was conformed to suit him personally, and to prepare him for the new heavenly life; hence he says: “You Yourself has taught me”. Being committed to the law of the Lord, or to His commandment, he restrained his feet from every evil way, to consummate the will of God in his life, and to keep His law. The more he restrained his feet from every evil way, the more he discovered the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 171 depths of God’s law. It is as though the law exhorts him to strife, and the strife supports him to discover the law. Restraining our feet from every evil way, is not to get commendation from men, nor to gain a temporal reward; but as a desire to keep the law of the Lord, as a sign of complete obedience to God, so immensely beloved by us. Being our head, Savior of the body itself, It is not possible for Him to bear any bodily lust, or any evil way, from which he would be in need to be restrained; Nevertheless, the members of the body, with complete freedom of will, could walk differently. To restrain our feet from every evil way: the way in which He does not walk, that He would never go through. By this, we can keep the word of God, if we do not go after the evil lusts (See Sirach 17: 30). And by this, we do not seek the evil lusts, but resist them by the spirit that lusts against the flesh (See Galatians 5: 17); so that they would not draw us, seduce us, and cast us out on the evil ways. (St. Augustine) “I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself has taught me” (102)… Here, he shows what made him fear, and restrain his feet from every evil way. You, O Lord, are deeper than my own deep; You have set a law in my heart by Your Spirit, as well as by Your fingers; that I may not fear from it as a servant, who carries no love, but love it with gentle fear as a son, and fear from it with gentle love. (St. Augustine) 4- HOW SWEET IS YOUR COMMANDMENT: The new life requires from the believer to be serious, and to restrain his feet from every evil way, to walk along the narrow way, that of the Word of the crucified Lord, to find, together with the affliction, an exalted sweetness. He says: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (103) The word of God has a special sweetness; sweeter than all the philosophies, knowledge, and wisdom of the world. There is a great difference between him, who studies the Word of God, in a human dry mental way, and him, who eats it to get nourishment, to find it such a sweet and satisfying food, sweeter than honey in his mouth; and to give sweetness to his soul; to turn the dryness of his cruel heart into the sweetness of the wide and compassionate love! https://coptic-treasures.com/ 172 The Word of God, in its sweetness, turns the believer to the sweet life, that the others would find pleasure in having fellowship with him. If man eats unripe grapes, his teeth will suffer from an intense sensitivity in his teeth, that he would not be able to eat bread. Likewise, if man profusely feeds upon the defilement of this world, and is immersed in vain and ugly talks; he would despise and reject the divine sweet Word; and if it so happens that he read it, he would not be able to say together with the prophet: “How sweet are Your words, O Lord” 1. The sweetness of the Word of God would perpetually abide in us, if we intend to plant it in others, by reciting it all the time, with perfect flowing love2. (Father Caesarius, bishop of Arle) The words of the Scripture sometimes have increasing sweetness in the mouth (103); as when man keeps on repeating a simple phrase in prayer, never get satisfied, to move on to another phrase3. (Isaac, bishop of Nineveh) Now, teaching the vague secrets of the proclaimed wisdom, would become like chewing honey-wax cells in the mouth of the teacher, to be sweet in the mouth of the heart, rather than in that of the body of his listeners. (St. Augustine) It is the magic of the truth, as expressed by the psalmist, saying: “How sweet are Your words to my taste; sweeter than honey to my mouth”. (St. Basil) The words of God have become to me like honey, that I cried out for the sake of knowledge, and raised my voice, seeking wisdom4. (St. Gregory, the Nezianzen) Go to the bee, and learn from its activity. Notice how it moves among the different kinds of flowers to collect nectar for you. … The same way, you should move among the Holy Books, to seek the salvation 1 Sermon 8: 2. 2 Sermon 117: 5. 3 Discourse 22. 4 In Defence of His Flight to Pontus, 77. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 173 of your soul; and being satisfied, you can say, together with the psalmist: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (103) 1. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) According to St. John Chrysostom, not every soul will find sweetness in the Word of God, but only the upright and sound soul, as the sick cannot taste the sweetness of food2. Anyway, as there are some who do not know of even the existence of Holy Books; that is why, believe me, nothing of benefit could come from us3. (St. John Chrysostom) Writing about the widow ‘Furia’, whom he called “Deborah”, on account of that she, like a bee, collects the sweet juice of Nectarin from theflowers of the Holy Book; St. Jerome said that she was surrounded by the sweet aroma of the Holy Spirit4. 5- THE SWEETNESS OF THE COMMANDMENT AND THE HATE OF EVERY FALSE WAY: Experiencing the sweetness of the Word of God, full of love and compassion, the believer does not stand violence, and does not endure the false ways of oppression. “Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way” (104) St. Augustine discerns between the two expressions: “I understood Your percepts”, and “Through Your percepts I get understanding”. The first reveals his perception of the meaning of the precepts; whereas the second reveals his enjoyment of the gift of understanding, namely, the wisdom that comes from keeping the precepts. The body of Christ, in truth, utters these words; For he who keeps the commandments will get more understanding of the wisdom, hence he adds: “therefore I hate every false way”. The love of righteousness should go hand in hand with the hate of every false way. That love which is stronger because of the sweetness of the higher wisdom that 1 Cat. Lect. 9: 13. 2 Hom on St. John, 1: 5. 3 Hom. On Hebrews, 8: 9. 4 Letter 54: 17. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 174 it inspires – the wisdom given to him, who obeys God, and gives him understanding through His commandments. (St. Augustine) The sweetness of the Word of God: 1- We, not only revere the Word of God, but we also love it, to turn the days of our sojourn to a joyful day (97). 2- By the divine Word we enjoy the exalted wisdom, and live it the way the previous generations lived it, without perversion, to deliver it as a living deposit to the generations to come (100). 3- The Word, restraining our feet from every evil way; will give us a deeper understanding of the Word. The divine Word will support us in our strife, which will, in turn, reveal the depth of the Word (101). 4- In our spiritual strife, we discover that God has set for every believer His divine law, as through specially for him; which will make his personal relationship with the Word of God, deeper (102). 5- The Word of God is sweet, nourishes, satisfies, provides men with sweetness, for all to covet to encounter it, and partake of its sweetness in the Lord (103) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 175 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 13 Mem YOUR WORD IS SWEET AND SATISFYING TO MY SOUL Your name is sweet and beloved, In it I meditate all the days of my life; The world, with all its pleasures and sufferings, will not preoccupy me away from reciting it. Your Word is sweet and satisfactory to my soul; It grants me knowledge and wisdom from You; Of it, I have more understanding than the Jews, who were committed to preach it. Your law is sweet, as though You have set it personally for me; You have inscribed it in my heart by Your Holy Spirit’ I am committed to it, to consummate Your will; To keep Your precepts, and to restrain my feet from every evil way. Your law grants me love for You, full of gentle fear; and fear, mixed with gentle love; Your sweet law motivates me toward stronger strife; To enjoy obedience to You, O beloved One; I abide to Your law, O incarnate Word I walk in it, as You did, O Holy Head; Your Word, O my God, is sweeter than all the philosophies, knowledge, and wisdom of the world; I feed on it, to be dissolved with love, and to satisfy my depths; I present it to my brethren with love, to have it sweeter in my mouth. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 176 14 NUN YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY FEET (105 – 112) The sweetness of the Word of God in the psalmist’s mouth, means, not a mere mental pleasure, but it is a sweetness of experience and an enjoyment of the true Light; after having been cast, by sin, into the darkness of the tomb, and condemned to eternal death. God sends His Word as light that shines on the world, darkened by evil; to enter into the heart of the believer to give light to his depths, and to reveal to him the world of the Spirit; And, instead of the experience of evil, and the world of iniquity, the believer would enjoy the righteousness of God dwelling in him in an unapproachable light; to sing together with David, saying: “By Your light, O Lord, we see the light”. According to St. Cyril the Great, faith is the “lamp”; and the Word of the incarnate God is the “Light”; He says: [The Word of God is the subject of our faith; and is the light. For the lamp is the faith, being “the true light which gives light to every man who comes into the world” (John 1: 9) 1. 1- The commandment is the true light105 2- The commandment is an entrance into a covenant106 3- The commandment, grantor of life107 4- The commandment, grantor of strength108 5- The commandment and the delivery109 6- The commandment reveals the snares110 7- The commandment, grantor of gladness111 8- The commandment and the enjoyment of the eternal crown112 1- THE COMMANDMENT IS THE TRUE LIGHT: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (105) The Word of God is like the golden minaret with its lamps unceasingly burning in the temple of the Lord; and is like the pillar of light which led the people of Israel in the wilderness, and wherever they were, whether in the temple or on their way; For the Word of God is the true Guide which gives light to the way. He calls it “A lamp (to my feet)”? because it gives light, not only to the eyes, to have understanding and wisdom, but also to the feet to 1 In lus. 11: 33-36. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 177 walk in the royal path. It would not be enough for the believer to recognize it through the divine enlightenment, but to walk in it until he reaches his goal. The goal of the commandment is, not only to reveal the will of God to us, but to scatter before us the darkness of the evil path, and to reveal the path of truth to our feet to follow. In weakness, the psalmist in his talk, does not call the commandment as being a sun, butjust “a lamp”. For in that stage, his eyes could not look at the sun; a lamp was enough to give light, to scatter the darkness, and to guide them to the Lord Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, the incarnate Word of God. As according to St. Peter the apostle: “We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1: 19). Then, it would be said: “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads…. And there shall be no light there; they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light, and they shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22: 4, 5). In the Old Testament, the golden Minaret had its own rite, concerning its seven lamps, and the kind of its oil and threads. The continuity of burning its lamps has been an essential thing in the life of that people, as a symbol of the need of mankind to the divine enlightenment, to take away their dark nature, and to make them bear a fellowship with Christ. The true Light who gives light to the world. If the Lord Christ is “The Way”, who brings forth our inner man into the bosom of the Father; He is, as well, “The Light” that reveals to us that Royal Way, so as not to pervert from it. The light has been truly hidden and veiled in the law of Moses; But, when Jesus came, he removed the veil, and the blessings, whose shadow was presented in the letter, were truly, and instantly proclaimed1. (The scholar Origen) If anyone perceives the Word of God, and enjoys “the Logos” in every behavior, even when he moves his feet in every step he makes, he would never stumble; for he (acquires) the “Lamp” and (uses) it as well. On the contrary, if he receives the lamp, and seems, as though he believes in it, but does not bear it in every behavior, and has not considered “the Logos” where he puts his feet; Such a man commits a 1 On Principiis 4: 1: 6 (Die griechischen christlichen Schrifsteller, 4: 302). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 178 double sin: he perceived the Logos, yet he did not use the Word of God wherever he goes. We can say that, when the “Word of God’, the “Logos’, came down from heaven, He gave light to every believer, inside him, without any decrease in the Logos Himself. Through the “Logs” – the Lamp and the Light – many lamps were produced from that unique Light; For everyone who perceives the grace of “the Word of God’, the lighted Lamp, will say: “Do you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me?” (2 Corinthians 13: 3). … Under all circumstances, if we receive the Word of God, we are prepared, in our talk, behavior, and mind, to use the Lamp put before us; “For no one , when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand that those who enter may see the light” (Luke 8: 16)…. For no one among us, who has lit his lamp, and could perceive “the Logos”, will put it out of use, by covering it with a vessel, or by putting it under the bed (Luke 11: 33; Matthew 5: 15), but will set it on a lampstand, the right place for the lamps. According to one interpretation, the place for the lampstand is your soul, which should be the place for the Word of God. And according to another interpretation, it is the words uttered by your mouth, when you open it to say the Word of God “The Logos”; … Namely, the lamp should be set on a lampstand, which is your mouth. “… that those who come in, may see the light” (Luke 11: 33; Matthew 5: 15), whether according to the first interpretation (namely, seen in Your soul), or according to the second interpretation (proclaimed in the words uttered by your mouth). Hence the Holy Book says: “Let your waists be girded, and your lamps burning” (Luke 12: 35). The Lamp is the Word of God “the Logos”, whom we received, and through whom we believe in God (the Father); to remain burning, and never to be quenched. For the light of the righteous is eternal, and the lamp of the righteous will never be quenched. In the tabernacle of the meeting, (Exodus 27: 21), the lamps were always burning, to help those who served to practice their rites, and be enlightened by it. In the same way, a lamp burns in the church – the new tabernacle of the meeting. “The lamp of the body is the eye” (Matthew 6: 22; Luke 11: 34). The whole body represents the church; and the lamp, representing its eye, is the spiritual insight in man. … [Origen binds between knowledge and work]. … He, who perceives the “Logos”, his eye would not say to his hand: ‘What are you doing?’, nor his hand can say to his eye: “I have https://coptic-treasures.com/ 179 no need of you” (Luke 12: 21); For the hand, although it cannot see, yet it practices the (Christian life), without seeing the spiritual facts. There is a difference among those who perceive the “Logos” (the Word of God): Some perceive it as a “lamp”, while some others perceive it as “Light” … The foolish virgins had “going-out” lamps (Matthew 25), “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3: 20). .. The Lord Jesus rebukes those who get no benefit from the light which they have, even for a moment (See John 5: 35); saying: “He (St. John the Baptist) was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light” (John 5: 35). I need two thing: a lamp for my feet, and, then, a shining light for all my ways. (The scholar Origen) The psalmist believes that, his life in this world, requires the enlightenment from the teachings of God, which guide him along the royal path, whatever are the dangers he encounters. The rays of the Word are eternally prepared to shine, as long as the windows of the soul are open through the simple faith. (St. Hilary, bishop of Poitier) The “lamp” is the law for those who walk in the darkness, before the Sun of Righteousness arose on them with the healing in His wings (See Malachi 4: 2). The true light is not a lamp, but the Sun that shines on those for whom “the night is far spent, and the day is at hand” (Romans 13: 12). In that day we can walk properly (Romans 13: 13). (St. Dedymus the blind) The Word of God is a lamp for the believer, “For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light” (Proverb 6: 23); if he lives it by the Spirit, he would be enlightened; but if he stick to the letter, he would “go-out” like the lamps of the foolish virgins. In this world we need a shining lamp in the midst of the darkness of this life, to be able to walk in the royal way, to see the Lord face to face, and to enjoy the eternal Light. Men of the old covenant lived, before the coming of the Sun of Righteousness, in the light of the lamp of the law; Whereas, men of the new covenant, having become the children of the day, enjoy the light of the Sun of Righteousness. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 180 He, who rejects the light of the Word of God should fear the punishment of the eternal darkness1. (Father Caesareus, bishop of Arle) We should hope and endure, until the wrath of God passes over the night which is the father of the wicked. We were before the children of the night; and we were once darkness (Ephesians 2: 3; 5: 8); and behold, its scars are apparent on our bodies, which are “dead because of sins” (Romans 8: 10), “until the day breaks, and the shadows flee away” (Songs 2: 17) 2. (St. Augustine) It was said about the Lord Christ, that He was given as Light to the nations: as is written in the prophet Isaiah says: “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness; and I will give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles”, to be My salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 42: 6); And the prophet David says: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (105) 3. (Father Aphrahat) No creation, whether rational or have certain power of understanding, can have light by itself, but are enlightened by fellowship with the eternal Truth. (St. Augustine) According to St. Jerome, the light, here ,does not only refer to the scattering of the darkness, but to inciting the spirit of joy into believers. The wise virgins, while anticipating to encounter the Groom, the Sun of Righteousness, were probably carrying burning lamps, not to scatter the darkness, but as an expression of joy. The Eastern churches, even when they have no relics of martyrs; when the Holy Gospel is read, candles are lighted, even in daylight, not to scatter the darkness, but as a testimony of joy. The lamps of the wise virgins in the gospel are always burning; And the apostles exhort us to have our waists girded and our lamps burning (Luke 12: 35).. And about John the Baptist, we read that “he was the light who shines”; even though the symbol of the material light about which we read in the psalm: “It is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (105) 4. 1 Sermon 76:3. 2 Confessions 13: 14 (15). 3 Select Demonstration, 1: 10. 4 Against Vigilantius, 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 181 (St. Jerome) The Holy Gospel shined with the light that was hidden behind the letters in the Old Testament. The Holy Gospel liberates us from the old system of the letter, and proclaims the exaltation of the new system; the system of the Spirit, realized by the light of knowledge, properly belonging to the New Testament, but found, as well, hidden in the Old Testament1. (The scholar Origen) 2- THE COMMANDMENT IS AN ENTRANCE INTO A COVENANT: In the darkness man usually walks with fear and anxiety, anticipating to fall into a pit, or to stumble by a stone; Whereas he, who walks in light, the way for him being clear, he walks in it with courage and surety, he does not fear to pervert, to stumble, or to be humiliated. That is why the psalmist, finding in the divine commandment light to his path; He says: “I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments” (106) According to St. Augustine, the oath here means a persistence on walking in the light, and on keeping the judgments of God. The righteous judgments of God are kept by faith; when we do not assume that any good deed would ever go without a reward; nor any sin would ever be unpunished; according to the righteous judgments of God. (St. Augustine) We should wonder here: What does it mean to say: “I have sworn”? … “God made a covenant with His chosen” (Psalm 89: 3); a covenant set between God and His believers by an oath, a sign that the believer has received the covenant between him and God. By receiving the covenant, we have a covenant with God, and have sworn to keep His righteous judgment. Once I abide to the righteous judgment of God in my soul, I can say with the wise Solomon: “The thoughts of the righteous are right” (Proverb 12: 5). These are the “righteous judgments of God”. By swearing, I hold fast to these judgments in my soul. (The scholar Origen) 1 Com. On John 1: 6: 36. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 182 The words “I have sworn”, does not mean to utter the name of God, but it is a form of speech to indicate something that would never change, and a covenant that would never be broken. (St. Dedymus the blind) 3- THE COMMANDMENT, GRANTOR OF LIFE: The commandment, shedding light on the path of the psalmist, his sin was exposed before his eyes. Greatly humiliated, he seeks the mercies of God, and His salvation work. Perceiving that death has reigned over his soul, and destroyed it, he felt the need for the Word of God to restore it to life, saying: “I am extremely afflicted. Revive me, O Lord, according to Your Word” (107) We are afflicted, whether because of the attacks of the enemies, or because of those of the lusts of the body against us, coming through our own will.. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) He says: Even if I, because of any reason become puffed-up, haughty, and proud, as though I am a king, and wise; Yet “I am extremely afflicted”, for I know that “God scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (Proverb 3: 34). “Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word”. The irrational creatures live without reason; Whereas, although the rational creatures live according to reason; Yet, the majority of them – I talk here about mankind in particular – do not live according to the word of God, but “carnally minded” (Romans 8: 6); Few are those who live according to the Words of God. (The scholar Origen) 4- THE COMMANDMENT, GRANTOR OF STRENGTH: Having experienced the light after the darkness, and the resurrected life after death, the psalmist says: “Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your judgments” (108) Having been inundated with God’s grace, and the commandment has given light to his life, the psalmist, intending to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptedby God, presented pledges of thanksgiving and praise to God, under all circumstances; the free offerings of his will. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 183 What does he mean by “the freewill offerings of my mouth”, according to the Coptic version; Or “the optional offerings of my mouth”, according to the Septuagint version; Or “the words of my mouth”, according to the Syrian version? Having enjoyed the resurrected life, the psalmist pledged to live according to the law of Christ, namely, the law of the new life; to practice the spiritual life with all its positive aspects, like love, fellowship with God, His angels, and His saints; and its negative aspects, like abstaining from the evil ways; … In addition to some other pledges, like resolutions to live a virgin, or a monk, etc. All these pledges that harmonize with the divine commandment, the believer will not be able to keep, unless the commandment works in him, being the blessing of the Lord in him; so that God would grant him the strength to bring them into effect; teach him His judgments; and guides Him, by Himself, lest he perverts in his pledges outside the circle of the Spirit By the living faith and trust in the possibility of God, and through the flaring love in us, we pledge to present our life a sacrifice of love to God on a daily basis; for the commandment to work in us, to get the blessing of the Lord, and be under His guidance. “Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your judgments”… Namely, let them bring You pleasure; Do not reject, but accept them. The freewill offerings of the mouth are understood as being the sacrifices of praise, presented in a confession of love, and not out of fear of commitment. (St. Augustine) The works that we like to practice by our own free will, are called “freewill offerings of our mouth”. As an example we mention the words of the apostle Paul: “Concerning virgins, I have no commandments from the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7: 25); Namely, the virginity, about which, although no commandment or command was given; yet I practice it by my own free will, choosing the good or the better portion (1 Corinthians 7: 38)…. In the rest of things of our life, we may discover that, some works we do, like slaves, through commands; and other works, we do through our own free will. “And teach me Your judgments” (108). Although I know for sure that “Your judgments are unsearchable” (Romans 11: 33), Yet, I pray, teach them to me, so that, learning them, I can execute them better, and with gladness. (The scholar Origen) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 184 5- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE DELIVERY: Believing that the commandment is a covenant between God and man, namely a kind of “dialogue” of love between the two sides; in which the believer experiences the strength of the Word as a “lamp” that gives light to the path of his sojourn, an eternal light that accompanies him in the heavenly glories, and a power of resurrection that grants him a new blessed life; The psalmist seeks from the Lord to teach him His judgments, and to guide him by Himself. … In the daring of sonhood, and the obedience of love, he proclaims delivering his life in the hands of God, and preoccupying his whole being with His law, saying: “My life is continually in my hand, Yet I do not forget Your law” (109) Perceiving that dangers were surrounding him on all sides; that in many situations he was on the verge of death, sometimes through the plans by king Saul against him, and other times by his son Absalom, through help of his own counselor Ahitophel, and finding that his only refuge is in the hands of God, the psalmist seeks from Him to keep him there. … In the hands of God, we do not think about the dangers that may dwell upon us, nor about the animosity of others; for we find our pleasure in the law of the Lord, and in our bond with the Truth. According to St. Augustine, it came in some versions as: “My life is continually in (Your) hand”. … Anyway, it is in God’s hands, where the believer returns with repentance -- like the prodigal son returning to his Father -- to deliver to God his life and his soul, to revive; Or it is in the hands of the believer, to present to God as an offering of love, to revive. “My life is continually in(my) hand … The soul of any man will be in his own hands when he is in the midst of dangers … when the righteous says: [As for me, I die every day; I am continually in danger, on account of my bond to Your Word, and for the sake of Truth … Yet, the danger of death would never make me forget Your law]. We can also understand this verse in a different way, that my soul is continually on my palm; namely, it perpetually practices the good work; For the “hand” or the “palm” always refer to the work. (The scholar Origen) My soul is in the hands of God working in me; when He turns His commandments into an experience of life and work in my daily life. On my side, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 185 I respond to this by not forgetting His law; as what I practice according to the law of Christ is actually a gift from God, and through His grace to me. “For both we and our words are in God’s hands” (Wisdom 7: 16) … We can understand “My soul is continually in Your hands”, that they are the words of the righteous man, and not those of the wicked;…of him, who returns to the Father, and would never depart from Him (See Luke 15: 12, 24) … In another location, the psalmist says: “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul” (Psalm 25: 1). (St. Augustine) 6- THE COMMANDMENT REVEALS THE SNARES: My soul is in Your hands to protect, support; and work in it, to let it respond to the work of Your grace. The wicked, on the other hand, never cease to oppose me with every possible way. “The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts” (110) That only happen when his soul is in the hands of God, or when it is in his own hand, to present to God to protect. (St. Augustine) Like the fowlers of irrational beasts, who lay snares to catch them, so does the devil and his hosts, who fill the whole world with snares, and the life with nets. They have laid snares for me everywhere; yet I perpetually kept Your precepts, and never strayed from them. And in another psalm he says: “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers” (Psalm 124: 7) (The scholar Origen). 7- THE COMMANDMENT, GRANTOR OF GLADNESS: Opening up our eyes on the divine commandment, to behold the hands of God stretched to embrace us; and perceiving that all the snares of the enemy will not be able to catch us, We will hold fast to it as our eternal heritage, and our heart will rejoice in it. “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart” (111) Discovering the power of the Word of God, will grant the believer zeal to proclaim that it is his personal heritage and portion, not https://coptic-treasures.com/ 186 for a limited time, but forever; which he receives with joy and gladness of heart, that will never be shaken. According to the scholar Origen, taking “the testimonies of the Lord” mean readily receiving the commandment, truly testifying to the Truth, namely, to Christ before men with no shame, and striving even to death. These testimonies grant the believer rejoice, as it was said about the apostles: “They departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5: 41). He acquired it as a heritage forever; on account of that it bears no temporal glory from men, who seek vain things; but bears the eternal glory for those who suffer for a short time, then will reign to no end. Hence, came the following words: “For they are the rejoicing of my heart” (111). (St. Augustine) 8- THE COMMANDMENT AND THE ENJOYMENT OF THE ETERNAL CROWN: Finally, the commandment is attractive to the heart, which opens up on the eternity, to anticipate the reward. “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes, Forever to the very end” (112) “I have inclined my heart to perform “Your law”, “Your statutes”, ”Your commands”; For I know that there is a reward waiting for me – the kingdom of God – “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has preparedfor those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2: 9). (The scholar Origen) We may probably wonder: Are we supposed to keep on performing statutes forever? … Of course not! … Yet, if love is the essence of the divine statutes, love endures forever, and so will be the works of the statutes. He, who says: “I have inclined my heart”, has previously said: “Incline my heart to Your testimonies” (36); so as to make us understand that it is a divine gift, as well as the work of the free will. Do we have to perform the righteousness of God forever?... Those works that we do for the sake of the needs of our neighbors, are not forever, because there will be an end for needing them. They would not be righteousness, if we do not practice them out of love; but if we https://coptic-treasures.com/ 187 do; this love, being forever, there will be an eternal reward designated for it. (St. Augustine). The Word of God is light and life: 1- If the darkness has dwelt over the world, we should not fear what are in it of offenses, snares, or nets, as long as we hold the light of the lamp of the wisdom of God (105), which scatters the darkness of ignorance and foolishness. 2- As we experience the light of the Word of God, we enter into a steadfast covenant with God, in which we proclaim our loyalty and obedience to Him (106). 3- The Word of God reveals the death which has reigned over us through sin, to grant us the eternal life (107). 4- By the Word of God, we, in turn, would present the freewill offerings of our mouth, blessed by the Lord (108); and we would pledge, as well, to deliver our life to Him (109). 5- The Word of God reveals to us, and protects us against, the snares set by the enemy (110). 6- The Word of God is our heritage, which reflects on us the spirit of rejoice (111); and by which we get an eternal reward (112). AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 14 Nun YOUR WORD IS A LIGHT TO MY PATH Your Word is the lampstand that light Your sanctuaries inside me; And the pillar of light which guides my whole being on the way to the heavenly Canaan; It scatters all the darkness in my depths, to proclaim Your heavenly light; I bear it wherever I go, to keep me from stumbling, In the Old Covenant, the prophecies were lamps; I bore them, until I saw You, O the Sun of Righteousness; You shone on me by Your divine and eternal light, by which You made me a light to the world https://coptic-treasures.com/ 188 You shone on me with the light of the Spirit; You moved me from the deadly letter to the life-giving Spirit; I perceived You behind the letters of the Book; And I encountered You, O the unique Light. Your Word is the light of joy and gladness; Let me carry it, and enter together with the wise virgins, in the company of the Sun of Righteousness; Heavens do not need my lamp; But I will enjoy the light of joy in an unceasing eternal wedding As Your Word give me light, I am afflicted to discover my sins; I perceive the power of Your promises; and live by Your Word; I present to You my soul which is in my hand, as an offering of love; I deliver it to You, to revive. Your Word gives me light, which makes me discover the snares set for me; Counting me as a beast, they intended to catch and kill me; Your Word reveals to me my eternal heritage and reward; And by the spirit of joy and gladness, I shall strive; I shall run toward You, to put my soul into Your hand to revive and to protect. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 189 15 SAMEK SUPPORT ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD (113 – 120) The psalmist delivers his life into the hands of God, to remain always abiding to the divine commandment, as a lamp to his feet, as light to his sojourn, and an eternal light he inherits in the life to come. Now, being in the hands of God, he seeks His help and support against the opponents of the commandment; asking Him to grant him salvation and wisdom, together with the fear of the Lord, to keep the commandment without perversion. 1- Help against the opponents of the commandment 113 - 115 2- Help for his inner life 116 - 117 3- Help to endure oppression 118 - 119 4- His need for having the fear of the Lord 120 1- HELP AGAINST THE OPPONENTS OF THE COMMANDMENT: “I hate the double-minded, but I love Your law” (113) Although the prophet David does not say that he is liberated from the vain thoughts; yet he hates them; he does his best to drive them away, and to overcome them. As much as he opposed them, his love for the law of God increased. For the holy life and the meditation in the commandments go hand in hand, and support one another. As we hate the sin, we love the commandment; and as we love the commandment, our hate of the sin increases. The blessed prophet did not hate men like Absalom, Saul, or the like, but, by his hate for the opponents of the law, he meant their thoughts, works, and movements, that lead them to oppose the law of God. It may also mean those who seduce the others to oppose the law. … We are commanded to hate even our parents and relatives; but that does not mean to hate them as persons, for it would contradict God’s command to love our enemies; but it rather means to hate and reject their sayings and works which are against the law of God, who commands us to hate, even ourselves; Namely, if our lusts are contradictory to God’s will, we should disobey them. … https://coptic-treasures.com/ 190 Hate, means as well, to prefer our love of God to our love of ourselves or our relatives; (the same way it is said that the light of the lamp is counted as darkness, if compared to the light of the sun). He, who loves the law of God, would hate, or despise anything that provokes him to contradict it. God will be his help and support against his enemies, if he trusts in His words. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He does not say: [I hate the wicked, and love the righteous], nor: [I hate oppression and love God’s statutes]; but He says: “I hate the double-minded”; then he added the reason, saying: “I love Your law”; confirming that he does not hate the human nature in the wicked, but he hates their evil, which is their animosity against the law which he loves. (St. Augustine) As much as the psalmist loves the law of God, and as much as he is attached to His Word, he does not endure what contradicts the holy thoughts and ways of God; and hates what contradicts His statutes. “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your Word. Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of God” (114 - 115) For the prophet David, God is a secret place where he hides from the enemies, and a shield to protect him against the arrows. He says: “In the time of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion. In the secret place of His tabernacle, He shall hide me” (Psalm 27: 5); “You, O Lord, are a shield for me” (Psalm 3: 3); and, “My defense is of God, who saves the upright of heart” (Psalm 7: 10). The psalmist loves the Word of God, steadfast forever, and rejects, and does not trust the changeable words of men which contradict the law of God; That is why he adds: “I hope in Your word”. The psalmist does not hate the wicked men, but hates their evil counsel. Finally, he finds in the wicked an obstacle on the way of searching the commandments of the Lord his God; Separating himself from the fellowship of the wicked, he enjoys that of God, on a personal level. As the Lord becomes my God, I count His statutes as my statutes, and His law as the law of my life. Calling the wicked thoughts which come from the heart, and defiles man, “the wicked”, the prophet tells them off, and sends them away from him, for their presence are obstacles on the way of God’s https://coptic-treasures.com/ 191 commandments. And as sending them away is beyond the ability of man, without a help from God, he prays to God, saying: “Uphold me”. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) You are “my help” to do the good works; and “my shield” to escape from evil; Then he adds: “I hope in Your words”. In all this, he talks as the ‘son of the promise’. (St. Augustine) “Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of my God” He does not say: ”I will consummate the commandments of God”, but “I will keep (search) them”; in his attempt to learn the law diligently and perfectly. We should tell the wicked to depart from us, and even force them to retreat from our company; on account of that they have a role in hindering our attempt to keep the commandments, whether when they persecute us, or even when they honor us. Expecting us to get preoccupied together with them in their persistent evil practices, and causing us to waste our time, which we are committed to spend in the ministry of the divinities, we cry out with these words of the body of Christ, saying: “Depart from me, you evildoers, for I will keep the commandments of my God” (St. Augustine) 2- HELP FOR HIS INNER LIFE: Having entered into the spiritual battle, and found in God his hiding place against danger, and his shield against the arrows of sin; And havingfound in His words the spiritual law to conquer the devil; Now, he seeks from God help and support. The believer needs help and support from God; as He alone, as the Grantor of resurrection, is capable of raising him up from the death of sin, and of granting him the new life; by which his joyful hope would never fail. He will not realize His salvation, nor perceive the secrets of His commandment, without the divine grace. And, at the same time, searching His commandment, and entering into its depths, he enjoys the grace of God, and says: “Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope” (116) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 192 He, who previously said: “You are my shield”; is now praying for more and more support… for which sake, he endures much troubles. Concerning the future, he says: “that I may live”. As though, in this mortal body, we are not living. While anticipating the hope of our bodies, we become saved by hope; and “hoping for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8: 23-25). “Hope does not disappoint, if the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5: 5). (St. Augustine) “Hold me up, and I shall be safe; and I shall observe Your statutes continuously” (117) The psalmist binds the enjoyment of the new life, to the salvation, together with the continuous observation of the commandment. He seeks the divine support, by which he presents a pledge to observe continuouslythe commandments of the Lord. He says: “I shall observe Your statutes continuously”… Because this grace is only enjoyed by those who observe the law here, and in the life to come. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) 3- HELP TO ENDURE OPPRESSION: Having sought the help of God against the inner evil and outer seductions (113 – 115); and having sought that the resurrection of the Lord would work in his life, open to him the doors of hope, and reveal to him the secrets and power of the commandment; now the psalmist seeks a particular help to confront the disobedient oppressors. “You reject all those who stray from Your statutes, for their deceit is falsehood. You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore, I love Your testimonies” (118 - 119) According to the psalmist, the thoughts of the wicked are deceit and falsehood; Being the sinners of the earth; they are different from the true believers, who are not from this world. For, if the commandment of the Lord lifts the heart up to heaven, evil, on the other hand binds the wicked to the earth and dust. Why did they stray from God’s righteousness? “for their deceit is falsehood”. They headed that way, forsaking God; All their works – good or evil – come out of their thoughts; for man could be innocent or criminal according to his own thoughts. (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 193 “You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross”. St. Augustine rejects the claim of some interpreters, that those without law will perish; whereas those who are under the law, although are condemned on their own sins, yet they will not perish, but will be saved as though with fire. Here, St. Augustine, utterly rejecting the view of the ‘purgatory’, he believes that those without law disobey the law of nature in them; and those under the law, who break the law, are counted,disobedient, as well. By that, on account of that all sinners who persist on their sins, without repentance, are equally condemned, the psalmist resorts to the divine grace, and flies up toward the life-giving Spirit, to have his own sins wiped out. 4- HIS NEED FOR HAVING THE FEAR OF THE LORD: The true support for man against all evil, is to have the fear of the Lord. “My flesh trembles for fear of you; And I am afraid of Your judgments” (120) The joyful hope is bound to the fear of the Lord. As, according to what is written in the book of Habakkuk, “When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble …For I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3: 16, 18). The body lusts represent an integral part of the body; And by the statutes of righteousness and the nails, the fear of God will tear our body, and crucify it, as a sacrifice, well received by the Lord. (St. Augustine) St. Augustine wonders: [If the psalmist is actually fearing God, Why then, is he still praying to God to have his body nailed in His fear? Is he seeking to have additional fear for himself, enough to crucify his body; namely, to crucify his body lusts?! … As though he says: ‘Let Your fear be complete in me; for I am afraid of Your judgments’?!]... St. Augustine then answers his own wonder by saying: [Through the law which punishes body lusts, the psalmist feared God, on account of His threats of punishment; but he seeks the love that would drive such fear away, and nail in him instead, a new kind of fear that emerges from rejoicing in the spiritual blessings. … Through the love of righteousness, he counts the sin itself as punishment…. In other words, instead of the fear of punishment, threatened by the divine law; We, in https://coptic-treasures.com/ 194 the era of grace, have got a new kind of fear; namely, fear of the sin itself, which we count as a bitter punishment; as long as we taste the grace of the heavenly spiritual blessings]. As the one nailed on a cross does not move for fear of pain, so would be he, who thinks about God’s judgments on sinners; he would not make any evil move, for fear of probable punishment. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) What a divine secret of the cross! … On which weakness is hanged; iniquities are nailed; and on which, as well, memories of conquest are raised! … That led such a saint to say: “Nail Your fear in my flesh”. He does not mean nails if iron, but those of fear and faith; for the bonds of virtue are stronger than those of punishment1. (St. Ambrose) As it is impossible to take off a Pine tree from its roots that go deep in the earth; So is the soul in which the fear of God is nailed; It could not be moved2. (St. John Chrysostom) Looking always at the cross, means that man would spend his life like dead or crucified to the world (Galatians 6: 14); whom evil cannot move…. The psalmist truly says: “Nail Your Fear in my flesh”; For nailing implies controlling the soul that controls the body3. (St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa) God desires from us to attach to Him, unite with Him, and never separate from Him4. (St. John Chrysostom) The word of God is my support and help: 1- The psalmist proclaims his desire to separate himself from the wicked (113); for he does not endure their evil counsel, and their false views, contradictory to the law; so as to enter into a fellowship with the Lord his God; counting God’s law as his personal law (114). 2- Being a man of war, he finds in God, the secret of his conquest.When he sees danger approaching, he flees to God to hide in Him. 1 Of the Holy Spirit, 1: 108. 2 In John, hom 54: 1. 3 Life of Moses, p. 274. 4 Hom. On 1 Tim., 9. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 195 When danger dwells, he sees in God the shield, by which he protects himself against the fiery arrows of the wicked. He abides to the words of God, being spiritual commands which support him through obeying them 3-Seeking the divine help and support; he, in his turn, is committed to observe God’s statutes continually (117). 4-He seeks God’s support, to reject any fellowship with the sinners of the earth (119), who stray from the law of God; … with the intention of getting bound to His commandments, in a fellowship with the heavenlies. 5- Finally, in order that the commandment becomes his support, he needs to have the fear of God, which is the head of wisdom (120). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 196 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 15 Samek SUPPORT ME, O GOD, ACCORDING TO YOUR DIVINE WORD There are many who reject Your Law; Grant me to love Your law, and to hate their hate for it; Grant me to hate every thought, saying, or work, which may lead me to disobey Your law; Grant me to hate even the works and sayings of my own parents, which make me disobey Your law; Grant me to hate even my own works and sayings, which may provoke me to disobey Your law’ Grant me, not to hate the human nature, but to hate the evil which oppose the truth. You are my Rock, in whom I resort and hide from enemies; You are my shield, by whom I protect myself against the fiery arrows of the wicked Depart from me, O evildoers, for you intend for me to separate myself from the word of God; Let me separate myself from your fellowship, by having a fellowship with my God; Let me count His statutes my statutes; and His law as my personal law; Depart from me; for you persecute me because I keep the divine commandment; Or you flatter me, to let me stray away from it. Support me to observe Your statutes, here, and in the life to come; Support me to fly away by Your grace, and be saved from my sins; Nail Your fear in my flesh; for it is my support against every sin; Instead of fearing judgment, nail in me the fear of a son full of love for his Father. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 197 16 AYN DO NOT LEAVE ME TO MY OPPRESSORS (121 – 128) The psalmist never ceased to seek the divine help; For, the more he attached himself to the divine precept, and enjoyed the divine grace; the more the devil and all his hosts got stirred up against him; and the more he appeals to God for help. 1- An appeal against the oppressors121 2- An appeal against the oppression of the proud122 3- An appeal for the salvation of God123 -- 124 4- An appeal for the divine commandment125 – 128 1- AN APPEAL AGAINST THE OPPRESSORS: “I have done justice and righteousness; Do not leave me to my oppressors” (121) No wonder that the psalmist has done justice and righteousness; having prayed and sought the chaste fear of God, by which to nail his body, namely, his bodily lusts, which keep him from doing the upright judgment. (St. Augustine) He, who does justice and righteousness, God will not leave to the oppressors; and will save him, even if he did fall in their hands. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Many of those in authority are used to realize for themselves material gains, honors, and pleasures, against all measures of justice. King David, however, having done justice and righteousness to please God, and in abidance to His upright commandment, now seeks from God with daring, not to leave him to his oppressors. The upright behavior give us the courage and daring to pray and seek from the divine Judge, to save us from the oppression of others; not out of selfrighteousness that we claim to have, but through the work of His grace in us. 2- AN APPEAL AGAINST THE OPPRESSION OF THE PROUD: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 198 “Be surety for Your servant for good; Do not let the proud oppress me” (122) They draw me to fall into the pit of evil; Take me out to do what is upright. (St. Augustine) According to a translation by ‘Aquila’: “Be surety for Your servant”; Namely, cover me, guard me, and help me to do good; lest the proud would find in me a cause to slander me unjustly. In this meaning, the Lord commands us to pray not to fall into temptation; as there is no stronger temptation than un-justice. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) As the proud have put in their heart to slander me unjustly, I have no one but You to defend me, and be my surety. If You become my Advocate, the wicked would not be able to crush me with their denigrations; and You would save me like a bird from the snare of the fowler. I would never trust anyone on my life, troubles, and case, except You. When king Hezekiah entered into an affliction, he said: “I cry for help until morning; … Like a lion he breaks all my bones; … Like a swallow or a crane I clamor, I moan like a dove; … My eyes fail from looking upwards. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my surety” (Isaiah 38: 13, 14). 3- AN APPEAL FOR THE SALVATION OF GOD: If the psalmist seeks from God not to leave him to the oppressors, and to protect him against the proud; his eyes are never dry, longing with tears for His salvation; namely for the coming of the Savior, who, by His cross, would realize God’s justice and mercy; as he pays the debt, presents love; and proclaims Himself to the Father, a Surety and Security for His believers, who hold fast to Him, and hide in Him. “My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation, and Your righteous word. Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, and teach me Your statutes” (123 - 124) To present a symbol of the cross, the prophet Moses, by the command of the merciful God, erected a living image on a pillar in the wilderness, according to the likeness of the sinning body, who was committed to be crucified in Christ, as a symbol of it (John 3: 14). To that cross, the psalmist looked up, and said: “My eyes fail from https://coptic-treasures.com/ 199 seeking Your salvation , and Your righteous word” (123); “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (Romans 8: 3; 2 Corinthians 5: 21). For the sake of uttering God’s righteousness, he says that his eyes failed from looking with zeal, while remembering the human weakness, seeking the divine grace in Christ. (St. Augustine) Saying: “My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation”; refers to his increasing longing and desire for the salvation, promised by God for the world, by His righteousness and mercy; and praying to Him to teach him His statutes, and give him understanding that he may know His testimonies. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He cried in anticipation, looking at the hand of His Savior, who hears the sound of tears and the hidden sighs of the heart, louder than the words of the lips. His eyes failed and became weary; but God never fails. 4- HIS APPEAL FOR THE DIVINE COMMANDMENT: “I am Your servant, give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies. It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have broken Your law. Therefore, I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold” (125 -127) In the word of God, the psalmist found the answer to all his questions, and the satisfaction of all the needs of his soul; Therefore he loved it more than all the treasures of the world. “I am Your servant, give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies” …This prayer should be always in our mouth; for, it is not enough for us to have the understanding of God’s testimonies, unless we get a continuous flow the eternal spring of light. God’s testimonies will be known better and better, the more understanding man gets. “It is time for You to act, for they have broken Your law” … What would that act be, but the grace that is to be proclaimed in Christ in due time? About it, the apostle says: “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4: 4). Once the law was broken, it was time for the Mercy to send the only-begotten Son of God. “Therefore, I love Your commandments more than gold” https://coptic-treasures.com/ 200 It was the goal of grace, that the commandments which were impossible to keep through fear, could be kept with love … hence, it is more precious than gold. In another psalm, it is said: “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold” (Psalm 25: 10). Intending to obey the commandments of God for the sake of earthly and physical reward; they could not obey them, for they did not love them … The commandments for them were an undesired burden; But once the commandments became loved for their own sake, more so than gold and precious stones, any earthly reward compared to them were considered of no value; Nothing of all the good things of man, could be compared to this goodness, by which man himself becomes good. (St. Augustine) If the gospel calls on us to count the cost before building a tower; the high tower of our spiritual life is not set on just one stone, but on several stones of virtues, more precious than gold and silver; and according to St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa: [As one stone does not sustain the entire building of a huge tower; keeping a single commandment, would not bring the perfection of the soul up to the desired height. The foundation should be first put, then on this foundation, according to the apostle, the rest of the building is set with gold, silver, precious stones, etc. (1 Corinthians 3: 12). Such is the work of the commandment, according to the prophet who cries out, saying: “Therefore, I love Your commandment more than gold and precious stones” 1]. Let us then knock on the gate of Christ, about which it is said: “This is the gate of the Lord, through which the righteous shall enter” (Psalm 118: 20).; So that, when we enter, the hidden treasures would be opened to us by Jesus Christ,: “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2: 3) 2. (St. Jerome) “Therefore, I direct my steps by all precepts; which I consider right; I hate every false way” (128) If the oppressors and the proud have come against me, on account of my attachment to Your precepts, I would truly find refuge in them, enter into the depths of their secrets; and long to testify to them whatever the cost may be. 1 On Virginity, ch. 17. 2 In Matt. 7: 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 201 I truly love Your precepts, which I consider right, and I hold fast to them, to become, myself, right. It is only natural to add: “I hate every false way”. As, how can he, who loves uprightness, not hate every false way? …. As it could be said, that he, who loves gold and precious stones, would hate any thing that may cause him to lose them …. Having loved God’s precepts, he hates to sail along a path in which his very precious ship may confront the danger of being wrecked. To avoid such a destiny, he who sails on the wood of the cross, by the divine precepts, carrying his cargo, is committed to keep away from that dangerous rock (the false way). (St. Augustine) Here, the psalmist demonstrates the following points: a- The understanding of the commandment is not set upon my self-abilities, but upon the work of God, the Grantor of understanding and wisdom (125). Our divine Instructor, not only gives us the knowledge, but He also gives us the understanding, which no one else can give. As, according to St. Clement of Alexandria: [Someone may say that the Greeks have discovered philosophy through the human understanding; but I find the Holy Scripture say: “The understanding is from God1”]. b- Knowledge of the commandment grants me the strength to testify (125); through the practical and joyful execution of the divine commandment; Namely, the believer testifies to the light by walking in it. c- Being now the time for God to act, it is not befitting of me to postpone (126). As, according to the book of Isaiah: “Thus says the Lord: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people … ; that You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth’, and to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves’” (Isaiah 49: 8, 9). And the apostle says: “’In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You’; Behold, now is the accepted time, Behold, now is the day of salvation” (1 Corinthians 6: 2). For David, all the time has been a time for the work of the Lord; he knew no slothfulness; Both in the time of affliction, as well as in that of peace,in his public work, or in his familial life, or even while eating, drinking, or sleeping, he acted to the account of the kingdom of God. 1 Stromata 6: 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 202 And while unceasingly working to the account of the Lord, the wicked were preoccupied with opposing the law of the Lord; the way the magicians did opposing the work of God on the hands of the prophet Moses (Exodus 7: 11). d- The commandment is more precious than gold and silver (127). When it was the acceptable time, and the Gentiles came to be for the Lord, they hated the gold and precious stones, out of which the idols they used to worship were made; and loved the commandments of God, and preferred them to all the treasures and honors of the world. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Do not leave me to my oppressors! 1- He, who walks by the grace of the Lord in uprightness, and does justice and righteousness in his behavior and judgments, will dare to seek from God to save him from his oppressors. (121). 2- It would not stop at saving the believer from his oppressors, but he would seek from God to be for him a Surety and advocate, to defend him (122). He would not trust anybody else to take care of his cases. 3- The suffering believer speaks with his tears that open up the gates of heaven, more than the well-chosen words (123). 4- The believer spends all his time to the account of the kingdom of God; whereas the wicked preoccupy theirs to destroy him (126). 5- The commandment gives strength to work in the way of Truth; and a natural hatred for the false way (128) 6- In this ‘stichon’, the psalmist finds pleasure in calling himself “servant of the Lord” three times; -“Be surety for Your servant” (122). - “Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy” (124). - “I am Your servant; Give me understanding” (125). As a servant, faithful to his Lord, he seeks from Him to defend him, to grant him His mercy, and to give him understanding. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 203 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 16 Ayin BE A SURETY FOR ME Who can support and keep me against the proud oppressors?! Be a surety for me, and defend my case. Save me from the wicked, like a sparrow from the snare of the fowler; Whom can I trust with my life and case, except You?! I cry out to You by the tears of my eyes, seeking Your salvation. Count me as Your faithful servant; and defend me; Do to me according to Your mercy; Give me understanding; By which I will love Your commandments, more than gold and precious stone; The commandments that I was not able to execute, even out of fear of punishment; Would be sweet, precious, and beloved. I would consummate by love; and seek no temporal reward. I love Your commandments that are more valuable than gold and precious stones; Which I carry in the ship of the cross; And sail away from the path of oppression, to keep my precious ship from being wrecked. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 204 17 PE YOUR TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL (129 – 136) Having previously talked about the blessings of the commandment as a unique support for himself, and a refuge against the oppressors and the proud (121-128); Now, having enjoyed the salvation of the Lord, and his eyes were opened on the depths of the commandments, he saw amazing things in them. 1- Your testimonies are wonderful 129 2- Your testimonies give light and understanding to the simple 130 3- Your testimonies are the gift of the Spirit 131 4- Your testimonies kindle the love for God 132 5- Your testimonies direct my steps 133 6- Your testimonies redeem me from the oppression of man 134 7- Your testimonies make Your face shine upon Your servant 135, 136 1- YOUR TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL: “Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them” (129) The testimonies of the Lord are wonderful, From them we learn every amazing thing, to love of all kinds of virtue, and to reject every kind of iniquity. By them we learn how to deal with virtues and iniquities. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Who can count all the kinds of testimonies of God? … Heaven and earth; His works, hidden and manifest, all declare somehow His goodness and greatness … The psalmist was not terrified by seeing God’s wonderful creation, but he rather felt committed to keep and search them. After saying: “Your testimonies are wonderful”, he added: “Therefore my soul keeps them”. The more difficult things are, the more intense his desire would be to search them. (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 205 How amazing are the testimonies of God! They are unique in their limitless perfection! … ; devoid of vanity! … amazing in purity! … amazing in possibilities! … capable of drawing man to the presence of God! … they are truly amazing; they present divine promises, faithful to the end!... Amazing is the Word of God, for it reveals the Person of God, and proclaims His divine plan; how He sees man; and how He cares for his eternal salvation!. The written Word of God is amazing on all aspects; And the incarnate Word of God, “His name will be called wonderful” (Isaiah 9: 6); for He came to talk to us in the language of practical divine love; delivering His life a sacrifice of love, that takes away the sins of the whole world. So impressed was the psalmist with God’s testimonies, that he kept them, not only in his memory, but also in his soul, in his inner depths, to give fruit, spiritually, in his thoughts, senses, and feelings, and even in his body. The prophet David kept them in his soul, to sanctify his heart and depths, and to guide his words, as well as his manifest behavior. 2- YOUR TESTIMONIES GIVE LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING TO THE SIMPLE: “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple” (130) Who are the “simple”, but the humble and the weak?! … Do not be proud; and do not boast your strength -- which is actually nothing – to get to understand why the good law was given by the Good Lord! … Although unable to give life, it was rather given with a goal to make you feel small, instead of great; and to reveal to You that you are helpless to fulfill the law by your own strength, and would accordingly flee toward the divine grace, saying: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak” (Psalm 6: 2). Let everyone be “simple”, and all the world be guilty before You, O Lord, “By the deeds of the law, no flesh is justified in (Your) sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3: 20). These are Your amazing testimonies, for which the soul of this “simple” search and finds. For, becoming simple and humble, he could consummate Your commandments as he should; namely, “by faith working through love” (Galatians 5: 6); “because the love of God has been poured out in his heart by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5: 5). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 206 (St. Augustine) Your sayings, O Lord, give light and educate the illiterate, who, because of their lack of knowledge, they are called “simple”. They enlighten, as well, those who return and choose to be simple; the way Your saintly apostles, and many others did; and the way wisdom was given to the babes and children of the Jews, who were inspired to recognize that You are the Savior who came to the world, to receive You with the branches of the trees, and to cry out, saying: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord”. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Once the words of the Lord enter into the soul, they give it light; as through them, the Word of God – the Sun of Righteousness – enters, shines on it, and scatters its darkness, pouring His splendor on it. The words of God give light to the royal way, through which we pass from earth to heaven. It is amazing that this enlightenment that grants the soul understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, does not bring forth pride, but humility and simplicity; by which the believers become like babes, for whose sake, our Lord Jesus got exulted by the Spirit, and said: “I thank You Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes” (Matthew11: 25). Our eyes have been already opened by the Lord Jesus, who came to lift up the veil that covered them1. (The scholar Origen) 3- YOUR TESTIMONIES ARE THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT: “I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments” (131) The psalmist likens himself to a traveler in an extremely hot weather, who opens his mouth to get a cup of cold water to quench his thirst. His soul longs to the work of the Holy Spirit who kindles the longing of his heart toward the divine Word. In another psalm, the psalmist says: “My soul thirsts for You in a dry and thirsty land” (Psalm 63: 1). The Spirit who opened the mouths of babes and sucklings to praise the Savior, enters, as well, into our minds and our inner man, to 1 De Principiis 7: 6. PG 12: 203. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 207 give understanding of the secrets of the Savior and the salvation, and to kindle the soul with the fire of longing to the commandments of the Lord, or the spiritual law of Christ. After so long running, the psalmist opens his mouth and pants; for, for him, the commandment is a breath of air he takes in to restore him to life. The psalmist often repeats the phrase: “I longed for Your commandments”. He longed to get it from the hands of his God, as his personal law; to understand it, to perceive its secrets; to keep it in his soul as a precious treasure, to carry it along the way as a lamp to his feet, to obey it as a son who loves his father’s commands, to teach it to others to enjoy together with him, to eat it, for it is sweeter than honey, and to enjoy it as his eternal heritage. What does he desire, but to obey the divine commandments? … Yet, as it is not possible for the weak to practice the difficult things, nor for the little to practice the great things, he, therefore, opened his mouth confessing his utter helplessness to consummate that task on his own; He opened his mouth asking, seeking, and knocking (Matthew 7: 7); He thirsts to drink the Good Spirit who enables him to do what he cannot do on his own; For: “the law is holy, just, and good” (Romans 7: 12). Not that those who are “led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8: 14), have done nothing, but, in order to keep them going, the Good Spirit moves them to work. The more man becomes a good son, the Father gives him the Good Spirit in a greater level. (St. Augustine) I opened my mouth and panted, and delivered my soul and my whole being to the Spirit – my work, words, and even my silence – to let Him hold my hand and lead me; to move my hand, mind, and tongue, to do and to say what is right, according to His will; and to control them in truth. I am the tool of God, a rational tool, on which the Holy Spirit, the great and skillful Artist plays, to produce harmony. Yesterday, His work provoked me to ‘silence’; and accordingly, I refrained from talking. Will He, today, play on my mind, f or my voice to be heard uttering? … I open and close my door according to the divine Will, the Word, and the Spirit, the One Godhead1. (St. Gregory the Nezianzen) 1 To His Father, Oration 12: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 208 Here, the scholar Origen binds between these words and the Song of Songs, saying: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth” (Song 1: 2); For the bride of Christ opens up her inner mouth to receive the Holy Spirit who enlightens her mind, and grants her the worthiness to get the kisses of love of her Groom1. And St. Jerome quoted the same thought when he talked about this grace; Namely, when the soul kisses the Lord Christ, she receives the Holy Spirit working in her. He kisses the Lord Christ, who confesses Him with his mouth, and believes in Him with his heart (See Romans 10: 10); he, who, when he reads the gospel, recognizes the works of the Lord Jesus, admires them by the spirit of piety, piously receives His steps, and kisses the Lord Christ by the kiss of fellowship with Him2. 4- YOUR TESTIMONIES KINDLE THE LOVE FOR GOD: Opening up his inner mouth, and receiving the work of the Holy Spirit in himself, the believer’s heart will be filled with love for God, and will practice His commandment; And through practicing and obeying the commandment, the believer proclaims his love for God, and draws His divine look at him. That is why the psalmist seeks from God to give him the grace of His divine look, by which He looks at His own beloved subjects, and grants them His mercy, kept for those who love His name. “Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as is Your custom toward those who love Your name” (132) With humility, the psalmist does not seek from God to stretch His hand to him with help, which is too much to ask; but it is enough for him to get the looks of His compassion, and His smile, to kindle his life. He does not seek what is his right, but what is according to the free divine mercies for those who love His name. God’s mercies are given to two categories: To those who sin no more, He grants His mercy, and forgets their sins; And to those who manage to practice virtue, who, for the sake of their love for God’s name, they do what draws His look upon them. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) He still prays; he opens up his mouth and pants. 1 See Comm. On Song of Songs 1: 2. 2 Letter 41: 15. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 209 He still knocks on the door of the Father by prayer, he seeks, and drinks; and the more sweet he finds it, the more intense his thirst becomes. Listen to the words he says in his thirst: “Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as is Your custom toward those who love Your name’ … Having loved them first, You made them love You in return; according to the words of the apostle: “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4: 19). (St. Augustine) 5- YOUR TESTIMONIES DIRECT MY STEPS: Keeping the divine commandment, for the sake of his love for God, grants the psalmist the personal looks and mercies of the Lord; by which his steps become stronger to walk freely along the royal path, as though flying; No iniquity will have dominion over him, nor could hinder his sure and sound steps. “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me” (133) In case we refrain from doing evil, and head to do good, God will direct our steps, pave our path, and mend our behavior; so that iniquity would have no dominion over us. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, sings, saying: “He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness” (1 Samuel 2: 9). God, by His grace, will guard the steps of His pious, who will not move except according to His holy will; no iniquity will have dominion over them, as long as God, Himself, leads their steps on the way of perfection. The more God’s love reigns over man, the less iniquity would have dominion over him. What does man seek, other than to be granted by God to love him? Through loving God, he would love himself and his neighbor in a healthy way. For on these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22: 37-40). For what does he pray, except that God would give him help to consummate these commandments which He has set on him to keep? (St. Augustine) 6- YOUR TESTIMONIES REDEEM ME FROM THE OPPRESSION OF MAN: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 210 “Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts” (134). The expression “Redeem me from the oppression of man”, came in Greek as “Redeem me from the deceit of men’, namely, from their slanders, as for example from ‘the teachings of the heretics’, who slander the true faith by uttering what contradict the Truth. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Have the saints not kept the commandments with more glory in the midst of such calamities, and of the worst kinds of affliction, and have they not submitted to the provocations of their persecutors to do evil? … Yet, these words could also mean: [Will You, by pouring Your Spirit on me, keep me from succumbing before those human pressure, and from withdrawing from Your commandments to practice evil? … If You do that to me; If You, somehow, save me by granting me the gift of perseverance, I shall not fear their vain charges with which they accuse me; and I shall keep Your commandments amid all those calamities]. (St. Augustine) David tasted bitterness because of the slanders of the wicked; he was often, and for long, been deprived of enjoying the sanctuaries of the Lord, of the fellowship of the collective worship, and of the presence among the people; to remain a fugitive, without any wrong doing on his part. And behold, he seeks the help and salvation of God, lest the affliction would surpass his ability to endure. … Yes, even in the darkest moments, while he was a fugitive, he felt that he was like an olive tree planted in the house of the Lord, which no one could uproot, nor could uproot the sanctuary from his depths,… Yet, he did not cease to cry out seeking the divine help; as though he says: ‘Let me not enter into temptation’. Once the oppression is lifted up from the children of God, they would not use their freedom for perversion, but for the glory of God. When Peter and John were released from prison, “they went to their own companions” (Act 4: 23), praising and glorifying God. 7- YOUR TESTIMONIES MAKE YOUR FACE SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT: The work of the commandment is to present the Truth which saves us from the slanders of the heretics, and prepares us to behold the face of the Savior “the face of the Father”, “the Sun of righteousness”; Hence the psalmist says: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 211 “Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes” (135) Meaning, declare Your presence by Your help to me, and “teach me Your righteousness”. He expressed that more clearly by saying: “Teach m (to do) Your will” (Psalm 143: 10). For those who hear, although they may memorize what they hear, yet they are not counted as being learned, unless they practice what they hear. The word of Truth is: “Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6: 45). Therefore, he who does not obey through work, namely, does not come to Him, would not be counted as learned. (St. Augustine) David, the king, cherished to be called “the servant of the Lord”, counting it a great honor to him, and seeking His pleasure, even if all stand against him. If the wicked unjustly accuse me, and slander me, to bring me forth to the darkness of the grave, You, on the other hand, shine on me with Your face, and fill me with splendor. While they provoke me to break Your commandment, You reveal to me its secrets, and teach me Your statutes. When God shines on us with His light, we should not assume that we have reached perfection, and teach the others with haughtiness and pride; We should rather feel the need to learn more, in order to enter into new depths, and to enjoy greater enlightenment. We should teach the others, from the high chairs of teachers, but by a spirit of compassionate fatherhood. Our tears should never dry-up for the sake of their repentance,and their return to God; For the shining of the Sun of Righteousness on us, would grant us a flow of tears for the sake of sinners. “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep your law” (136) Do not let anything keep you away from remorse; as, with such grief on sin, you would be like the saints. … David “has eaten ashes like bread, and mingled his drink with weeping” (Psalm 102: 9). And, “Rivers of water run down from his eyes” 1 (136). He consequently, the more he wept, the more he rejoiced. (St. Ambrose) 1 Concerning Repentence, book, 2, 10: 93. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 212 With some kind of exaggeration, he says that tears run down from his eyes, surpassing the running of rivers of water. (St. Augustine) David did not weep on his many daily sufferings and troubles; as much as he did, for the sake of thesinners who insult, and lose their eternal salvation. By that he bore the spirit of our Lord, who says: “I have no pleasure in the death of the one who dies” (Ezekiel 18: 32); and who also wept for the sake of the city of Jerusalem, whose inhabitants did not repent. Peter cleansed his triple denial by a flood of tears; and the prophet Jeremiah, lamenting his non-repentant people, said: “My eyes overflow with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people1” (Lamentations 3: 48) Your testimonies are wonderful: 1- They are unique in their perfection, purity, activity, and faithfulness. The psalmist kept them, not only in his mind, but also in his soul, to give fruits in all aspects of his life (129). 2- They shine light in the soul to be filled with splendor, yet with the spirit of simplicity and meekness, to make it like a simple, yet wise child (130). 3- He opens up his mouth to pant breathing them, proclaiming his longing to keep them inside himself, eat, practice, understand their depths, and teach them. 4- Keeping them in our depths, and in our behavior, we become qualified for being looked upon by God with love and mercy. 5- By grace, the testimonies of God support our steps, and keep evil and the wicked from having dominion on us, until we reach perfection, and enjoy holiness. 6- The believer longs for God to keep him against the oppression of the wicked (134), and to shine with his face on him, to grant him splendor (135); and to let him enter into a new knowledge of the commandment, together with compassionate love for the repentance, and return of the sinners. 1 Epistle 122: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 213 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 17 Pe YOUR TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL AND MY SOUL LOVES THEM Your testimonies are wonderful: unique in their perfection and purity; True, and capable to present to me the faithful promises of my God; Your testimonies are wonderful, I keep them, not only in my memory; But also in my depths, to work in my thoughts, feelings, and my whole being; They sanctify my heart, and guide my words and behavior. Your law shines on me, to reveal my weakness to me; I confess to You my weakness and ignorance, like a little child; Grant me knowledge to receive the work of the Spirit in me I open up my mouth to receive the work of Your Spirit in me; Loving Your testimonies, qualify me to have Your looks, full of love and mercy; My feet become stronger to move freely according to Your commandments; I would fly, as though toward heaven, and iniquity would have no dominion on me; I would not care for the vain slanders of the wicked, nor retreat from Your commandments to evil works; By that, I would be qualified to behold Your face, and to have Your light shine on me; My soul moans, and I bitterly weep for those who do not enjoy Your light together with me. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 214 18 TSADDE UPRIGHT ARE YOUR JUDGMENTS FOREVER (137 – 144) Getting in touch with the commandment, the psalmist found it amazing in its strength and activity. Now he finds in it the righteousness, despite the assumption of some, that oppression prevails on this world with no restraint. The psalmist perceived that he is too small to defend the righteousness of God’s judgments and testimonies; or even to understand or interpret them. He was sure that God is love; In His love He is merciful and righteous; His mercy is full of righteousness, and His righteousness is full of mercy. That was manifested very clearly in the cross, the fountain of the divine love and righteousness. 1- “Righteous are You, O Lord”137 - 138 2- The psalmist’s zeal on the righteousness of God139 – 144 1- “”RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU, O LORD”: “Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments. Your testimonies which You have commanded are righteous and very faithful” (137) It so seems to man that oppression prevails upon the world; but with elaborate and wise meditation, he will realize that You, Yourself, O Lord, are “Righteousness” and “Truth”, and that Your Judgment is upright. Let us meditate in the words of this psalm, saying: “Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments”. No one can so utter, except he, who magnifies the Lord in all his afflictions, and refer all his sufferings to his own sins; offering God thanks for the sake of His mercy1. (St. Jerome) “Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments” …The righteousness and the upright judgment of God should be feared by every sinner. As every one condemned, is condemned by God; and as no one can truly complain against the righteousness of God, when He casts the sinner in hell; there is need for the tears of 1 Epistle 39: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 215 remorse, on account of that the non-repentant hearts are justly condemned. He calls God’s testimonies “righteousness”; by confirming that He is Righteous through presenting righteous commandment; which is also true, For by such testimonies, God is known. (St. Augustine) Amazing is God in His righteousness mingled with love. If, by righteousness, He condemned us to death, as a natural fruit of our separation from Him – the Source of our life; Yet, He, with love, received this very verdict in the body of His Manhood; realizing the divine righteousness, to reconcile us with the Father, to restore us to life. Being Righteous, and doing nothing without righteousness, God desires from us to follow His lead, and walk with righteousness like our heavenly Father; in our dealing with ourselves, or with others, or even with God Himself. 2- THE PSALMIST’S ZEAL ON THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD: Seeing that the church is the house of God, the house of the divine righteousness, the psalmist got very consumed by zeal on her; being the object of consistent attacks by the enemy, on every aspect. “My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words” (139) This saying applies to the Lord Christ, who, in His zeal on the church of God, namely, in His love for the salvation of the believers, was consumed like wax when He was hanged on the cross, to realize the divine righteousness; and, at the same time, to reveal the limitless divine love. Yet, His own people, who turned to animosity, have forgotten His sayings, which He previously proclaimed on the mouths of His prophets. The true believer is as well, filled with zeal on the house of the Lord, which is within himself, and set in every human soul. Feeling the value of the soul, he gives up all his temporal life, he gives up every right and honor, for the sake of building the glorious house of the Lord in the depths of the soul. He is also filled with zeal on his time and purity; and this zeal remains kindled even after death. … As, according to St. Jerome: [Do you think that the apostle Paul, who was so filled with zeal on the salvation of every soul; who moved from one city to another, and from one country to another, as though he was moving from one room to another in the same house; … Do you think that his https://coptic-treasures.com/ 216 zeal and love came to an end by his departure from the body?! … Far from it, but his zeal certainly increased, praying for the salvation of the whole world]. “My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your words” (139)…. In some versions it came as “Your zeal…”;; Namely, someone zealous on God, not on himself. The psalmist’s zeal could be understood here, to be consumed for a good cause; “because my enemies have forgotten Your words”. (St. Augustine) By saying: “They have forgotten Your words”, the psalmist reveals the extent of their evil. For man may break the commandment, yet his inner conscience would stir-up against him and rebuke him, even though he would attempt to calm it down. But, to forget, and completely disregard the commandment, is something far more serious. “Your word is pure (well tried), Therefore Your servant loves it” (140) Saying “pure”, means (with no falseness, flirtation, or hypocrisy); “The word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrew 4: 12). He, who becomes a servant to God, should love Him. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) Longing for purity, the psalmist’s heart binds to the fiery word of God, namely the pure in its meaning, spirit, and activity. Being pure, it is capable of granting purity, and of kindling the heart with its fire. How miserable is the soul, in which the fire of faith is quenched, and the warmth of love turned cool. When our heavenly High Priest comes to her, seeking live coal, on which to offer incense to the Father, He would find, instead, dry weeds, and cold ashes. That is how those who retreat and separate themselves from the Word of God, lest they would hear the divine words, and their hearts would burn with faith, grow in the warmth of love, and ignite with mercy. Do you want me to show you how the fire ignites by the words of the Holy Spirit, and how they give light to the hearts of believers? Just listen to David, saying in the psalm: “Your word is very pure” (140). And read what is written in the gospel, that the disciple Cleopas, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 217 after the Lord talked to him, on the road to Emmaus, said: “Did not our heart burn within us?” (Luke 24: 32). You, as well, When will you acquire this fire? How would the live coal be found in you, unless you continuously burn with the words of the Lord, and grow by the words of the Holy Spirit? … Listen to David, saying: “My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned” (Psalm 39: 3)…. How could you grow warmer, unless the fire burns in you; unless you meditate in the divine words? … What could be worse, is when your fire is only that of the fun houses, and the sport arenas; a kind of fire which does not come from the altar of the Lord, but that which is called “profane fire”, which when it was offered by some before the Lord, they were destroyed (See Leviticus 16: 1) 1. (The scholar Origen) It would be difficult for a human being not to love something or another Our mind, by necessity, is committed to open the way to love. … Yet love of the flesh is overcome by love of the Spirit; Lust is quenched by another lust; What is taken from one will increase the other2. (St. Ambrose) The secret of David’s zeal since his youth on the righteousness of God, is because he has experienced it practically when he was the youngest of his brothers, despised even by his own father, who did not call him when the prophet Samuel intended to anoint one of his sons a king; but God did not forget him; as according to him: “I am small and despised, Yet I did not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth” (141 -142) The psalmist feels that, as a young man, he was too small to take the position of a critic of the Word of God and of His commandment; but he would take the position of the fiery man who longs to enjoy the presence of God. Knowing for sure that God’s righteousness and words are the Truth, he submits to enjoy that divine truth, and the exalted heavenly knowledge. “I am small and despised, Yet I did not forget Your precepts” … It so seems that the smaller grieves on those who are older than him, those who have forgotten the righteousness of God, which he did not 1 In Lev. Hom. 9: 9. 2 Letter 22: 17. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 218 forget. … As is meant by what he says, that those older than him have forgotten?! Let us recognize the two nations that struggled together, even within the womb of Rebecca, to whom it was said, “Not of works but of Him who calls, The older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25: 22, 23; Romans 9: 12, 13). … But the younger here, who says that he is despised, became the greater, “The last will be first, and the first the last” (Matthew 20: 16). No wonder that those who have forgotten the words of God, who chose to establish their own righteousness, “are ignorant of God’s righteousness” (Romans 10: 3). While he, the “smaller” here, has not forgotten, for he seeks, not his own righteousness, but the righteousness of God; about whom he says: “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth” (142). (St. Augustine) According to the scholar Origen, that “small man’ refers to the congregation of the Gentiles, new to faith, despised by the Jews, who preceded them to faith in God (in the Old Covenant); but they were not forgotten by God, who opened before them the gate of faith. How could the law not be the truth, out of which came the knowledge of sin; and which testifies to the righteousness of God?! As is said by the apostle: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” (Romans 1: 17), as testified by the law and the prophets”. (St. Augustine) The words of God is not only true, but they are “the Truth” itself, which we are committed to keep, and according to which to act. “Trouble and anguish have overtaken me; Yet Your commandments are my delight” (143) As no athlete can take part in any athletic competition, unless he trains beforehand; Let us, then, anoint (the arms) of our souls with the oil of reading the Holy Book; and let us train day and night in its (gymnasium). (St. Ambrose) For the sake of the law, the smaller endured the persecution of the older; for him to say: “Trouble and anguish have overtaken me; Yet, Your commandments are my delight”. Let them be stirred-up and let them persecute; as, according to the commandments, we should love, even them. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 219 (St. Augustne) “The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting. Give me understanding, and I shall live:” (144) He, who keeps the commandment would counter many troubles; as, according to the apostle: “Outside were conflicts. Inside were fears” (2 Corinthians 7: 5). But keeping the commandment of God, and being preoccupied with it, will definitely lift the heart above any trouble or anguish. That “small man” prays for the understanding, that he would be wiser than the elders (100) He prays, because, being in such troubles and anguish, persecuted and despised, he feels as though in a pit, and that his life became in the hands of his oppressive enemies. Saying: “I shall live”, he prefers to live in the everlasting righteousness than in the temporal things. That righteousness amid the troubles and anguish is the testimonies to God “Martyria Dei”, by which God crowns the martyrs. (St. Augustine) “The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting” 1- If oppression prevails on the world, Yet the righteousness of God is everlasting. 2- The psalmist proclaims his strong zeal in defending the righteousness and precepts of God. 3- The testimonies of God are righteousness, capable of granting us the purity, and bringing us forth into the truth itself. 4- The wicked belittle and despise the psalmist; but he exults in the commandment that lifts him up above any anguish. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 220 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 18 Tsadde RIGHTEOUS ARE YOU, O LORD EVEN IF OPPRESSION PREVAILS ON THE WORLD Who am I, O Lord, to defend Your righteousness?! Who dares to complain against Your righteousness? Whatever dwell upon me is because of my sins; You have justly condemned me to eternal death; Yet, with Your love, You carried that verdict in the body of Your Manhood; Righteous You are, and loving, O Savior of mankind. In Your zeal on Your church, Your heart dissolved like wax on the cross; And in my zeal on Your church, I desire death for the sake of the salvation of every soul; My zeal on Your church will endure, even after I depart’ So will all the saints, who seek the edification and the salvation of all. My heart burns by the fire of the holy zeal; Let Your words endure, as a burning fire in my depths; Let it kindle my love, with a fire that the whole world cannot quench; Let the fire of Your holy words consume in me, the physical lusts and pleasures; Jesse despised his own small son David, when the prophet Samuel came to anoint him a king. My father and mother despise me; But You will never forget me; Small and despised I am, to criticize Your righteousness; Your righteousness is truth, even if I do not understand it. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 221 19 QOPH YOU ARE NEAR, O LORD (145 – 152) Believing in the righteousness of God, and trusting in his judgments, whatever are the situations around him, the prayer of the psalmist’s heart comes forth to settle in the heart of God, where it finds a response. He cries out with his heart to the righteous God, the One very near to him, who will instantly hear him in His own divine heart. 1- Cry-outs from the heart 145 -- 146 2- Urgent cry-outs 147 -- 149 3- The nearness of the wicked, and the nearness of the Lord 150 – 152 1- CRY-OUTS FROM THE HEART: “I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes” (145) While the prophet Moses was silent with his mouth, the Lord said to him: “Why do you cry to me?” (Exodus 14: 15). Having a holy heart, the Lord heard his hidden cries, and responded to them even before they come out of his lips. … On the contrary, man may cry out for long hours, to hear the Lord say: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘ Lord; Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7: 21). For God to hear our cry-outs, we are committed to raise them with our whole hearts, which should not be preoccupied with anything else but God; should be holy, responding to the Holy God; And the cryout should conform to God’s mind and will. David has been truly a man of prayer, who knew how to raise his prayer, for heaven to respond: He raised it from his whole heart (145). This is the essence of prayer, when the soul is dedicated, with all its energies and feelings to God’s account. He sought the statutes of God; Namely, it was a prayer according to the divine will (!45) He sought for himself, salvation, and not temporal things (146). He sought help to keep God’s statutes, to execute, and be persistent on executing them (146) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 222 He sought a response to his prayer from God alone; For, believing that there is no hope for him in human arm, he perceived that only “One thing is needed” (Luke 10: 42). The cry-out is nothing but a strong and loud voice, that indicates the importance of what man intends to say to God. The righteous indeed cries out to God when he seeks great and heavenly things. So, it was said about the righteous ‘Abel’ when he died: “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground” (Genesis 4: 10); to make it clear that the righteous cries out to God with a strong voice. The Lord said to the prophet Moses, who was chased by the Egyptians: “Why do you cry to me?” (Exodus 14: 15). … As for us, when we become saints, we shall have such a cry-out inside us; for the Spirit dwelling in us cries out saying: “Abba, Father” (Romans 8: 15; Galatians 4: 6). Hear also the words: “Jesus stood and cried out, saying: ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink’” (John 7: 35). … Therefore, he who cries out to God is he, who supplicates for the sake of great things, and does not seek things of little value. How did David cry out? “with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord”. … He says: I do not slothfully utter; Not just with my mouth and lips, but with my heart, I raise my prayer to You, O Lord, beseeching You to respond to my prayer, and seeking Your statutes, to get elaborate understanding, and to become wise by them. (The scholar Origen) To what extent will his prayer be effective? … He answers: “I seek righteousness”; … and for such a goal, he cried out to God with his whole heart. … He wished he could have this from the Lord, who hears him, seeking His righteousness. (St. Augustine) “I cry out to You; Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies” (146) It was a very short prayer: “Save me”; Yet it carried many aspects; of which are: Salvation from the evil plots of the enemies Salvation from tough temptations. Salvation from sins and seductions Salvation of the soul by continuous renewal. Salvation from reproach; and enjoyment of the lost paradisiacal glory. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 223 The goal of this prayer, namely, the goal of having such salvation, is: “I will keep Your testimonies”. He will also remain a faithful witness to God, his Savior, by his life, burning with love for God and men. According to St. Augustine, it came in certain Greek and Latin versions, as “I called You”, instead of: “I cried out to You”. But, what does “I called You”, mean, but, by calling You, “I beseech You”? When he said: “Save me”, he added: “I will keep Your testimonies” . When the soul is sound (not sick; namely, enjoying salvation), she consummates what she is committed to do, to strive even to the death of the body, if the temptation reaches to that extent, for the sake of defending the truth concerning the divine testimonies. Whereas, if the soul is sick and weak, the truth would be despised. (St. Augustine) I called You loudly:: “Save me”; and I pledged, if saved, to keep Your commands, which You gave me before witnesses, for the sake of my salvation. (The scholar Origen) 2- URGENT CRY-OUTS: Because the situation is very serious, concerning my eternity, I raised the voice of my heart in consecutive cry-outs, seeking salvation, together with a pledge to keep Your testimonies, even in the midst of anguish. And as the time is short and the days are wicked (1 Corinthians 7; 29), I hastened to present urgent cry-outs at night, and dawn, until the Sun of Righteousness shines on me, and turns my life into perpetual daylight. I shall not cease to cry out, and to meditate in Your promises to me: “I rise before dawn and cry for help. I hope in Your word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate in Your word” (147, 148) We can interpret this text, either literally or spiritually. To interpret it literally, we may say: I did not wait for the morning to pray to You, but I rose while it is still dark to gain the shining of the truth in me. And, through my hope in Your word, I anticipated anew, with more love, for “love hopes all things” (1 Corinthians 13: 7). Whereas the spiritual meaning is: it is not something strange for an elder, who is no more disturbed by the lusts of his body, to get https://coptic-treasures.com/ 224 preoccupied with praying; but it would be strange for such a young man (like David), to despise the physical urges of youth, and not to wait for the morning, but intends, while it is still dark, to overcome his lusts, with the wisdom of old men. … About such a man, I can only say that he has realized the true sense of those words, saying: “I rise before dawn and cry for help. I hope in Your word”. I opened my eyes before dawn to pray to You; to meditate in Your word, before getting preoccupied with anything else. (The scholar Origen) He was first in the dark “before dawn”; which could be likened to the present world we are used to call (night), compared to the world to come, which we call (day); as is clear from the text: “The night is far spent, and the day is at hand” *Romans 13: 12). By what he calls “My eyes” (148), he means his ability for “vision”; as he did not wait for the shining of the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 3: 20), to have the daylight, but got preoccupied with meditating in the Word of God, to grant him wings, by which he would setforth to the heights, to enter into a fellowship with the true Light Himself, without the use of a veil; and not to be anymore in the dark. (St. Dedymus the blind) Beware, lest, when the “Sun of Righteousness”, looking at you, would see you still in bed, snoring in deep sleep! … Remember that you are indebted to God by the firstfruits of your heart and voice. … Remember that the Lord Jesus has often spent night in prayers. … Give Him, then, what he gave you. (St. Ambrose) If we refer here to every believer,… the love of God would most probably wake up (in him) at that time of the night, and exhorts him to pray fervently (before the rooster crows). Whereas, If we understand it here, as the night of this world, We truly cry out to God at midnight, before the end of time, when He would mend our ways, according to His promise. But if we chose to understand that ‘night’, as the time which was not yet complete; before “the fullness of time” (Galatians 4: 4), when Christ appeared in flesh; namely, in the days of the old covenant; At that time, the church was not silent, but was crying out through https://coptic-treasures.com/ 225 prophecies, trusting in the words of God, capable of fulfilling what He promised our father Abraham, that all nations will be blessed by hisseed (Genesis 12: 3; 22: 18). (St. Augustine) The psalmist probably meant to say that, while being in the time of darkness, namely, under the shadows of the old covenant, before the shining of the Sun of Righteousness, he (the psalmist), by the inner cryouts of his heart, and by his meditation in the promises and the words of God, he could have his inner insight open up, and behold the secrets of salvation, as though through the night watches!. The psalmist counted himself as living in the darkness of night, seeing Christ coming to shine with His light on those sitting in the dark. He saw Him through the prophecies, symbols, and shadows. Hence, once the dawn came, and signs of the divine light started to appear, he hastened to meditate in the words of God, to recognize the Person of the Messiah to come Some interpret the expression “the night watches”, by referring to that the Jews used to divide the night into three watches, each of four hours; while the Romans used to divide it into four watches, each of three hours; each of those watches, was declared by the night-watcher. The psalmist, on the other hand, used to wake up, even before the declarations of the night-watchers, to cry out to God, for he did not need anyone to wake him up, or to remind him of the time for praying; The night-watchers took turns in performing their duties; whereas the psalmist used to minister to God all night long, without waiting for anyone to relieve him, or to take his place; having dedicated all the hours of his life to a fellowship with God. The psalmist used to wake up before sunrise, to start his prayers by crying out, and presenting fervent supplications to the Lord his God. He used to mix his prayers with a study of the holy Scripture, as both of them are inseparable, and represent an intimate conversation between man and God. Let us count the “morning”, here, as the time when the light shone upon those who were sitting in “shadow of death” (Isaiah 9: 2); as the eyes of the church have been always anticipating that time, through the saints who dwelt on earth, and kept on meditating in the words of God that proclaimed all those things through the law and the prophets. (St. Augustine) “Hear my voice according to Your loving kindness, O Lord, revive me according to Your justice” (149) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 226 Through the time of darkness, meditating in the words of God, the psalmist sought His redeeming love, holding fast to His divine promise of salvation, saying: “Revive me according to Your justice”. David’s life of meditation in the word of God was transformed into prayers and cry-outs. Our gospel, therefore, is not just for bare meditation, but is a treasure, with which we are committed to enjoy through our intimate talk to our Savior, the Grantor of life. I do not seek from You to revive me according to my behavior, namely, to my self-righteousness, but according to Your justice. In other words, Revive me by whichever way You intend for me to live. (The scholar Origen) God, by His loving kindness, first relieved the sinners of punishment, and, according to His justice, will grant them the life to come; as it was not in vain, saying to Him: “I will sing of mercy and justice; To You, O Lord, I will sing praises” (Psalm 101: 1). Saying these two terms in such an order, “mercy” first, then “justice”; namely, presenting mercy in this time, to be followed by “justice” on the day of the coming of the Lord; Although in the time of “mercy” itself, mercy would not be without justice; according to the words of the apostle: “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11: 31). … The final “justice”, as well, would not be without “mercy” , according to the psalm: “He will crown you with mercies and loving kindness”. … Yet, “justice will be without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy” (James 2: 13). (St. Augustine) 3- THE NEARNESS OF THE WICKED, AND THE NEARNESS OF THE LORD: The more the believer lifts his heart by crying out to God, and dedicating his life to meditation in His words, the more the wicked will come near, to drive him out to his destruction; … Yet, there, he will find the Lord, Himself, driven out of the camp, namely, out of Jerusalem, very near to him, even inside him. David went through all that, when he said to Jonathan, the son of Saul: “There is but a step between me and death” (1 Samuel 20: 3). Yet, then, as well, he found happiness; for the nearer the wicked came to him, the nearer the Lord came to defend and protect him. “They draw near who follow after wickedness; they are far from Your law” (150) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 227 Hearing by his inner ears the footsteps of those who chased him to do him harm, David put himself in the hands of God, and entreated Him to interfere, for they hated him on account of that, they went far from the law of God; as though their hate for him is hate for God Himself. From this text, we can realize the end of those who persecute the righteous. The nearer they come to persecute him, the more they go far from the law, and from life itself, for the law is our life (See Deuteronomy 32: 47). (The scholar Origen) The nearer they come to the righteous to persecute him, the more they go far from righteousness. What harm would they do by coming nearer to persecute the righteous, if that makes God hasten to come to save and protect them?! (St. Augustine) “You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth” (151) If the enemies come near to oppress us, God is nearer to us; He is even inside us to support us; He hears our hidden cry-outs, and chases our enemies. The Lord says: “Am I a God near at hand, and not a God afar off?!” (Jeremiah 23: 23). God is everywhere, which confirms His divine care for His creation; according to the words of the apostle to the Greeks: “We seek the Lord to find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17: 28); And it is also said: “The Spirit of the Lord has filled the world with wisdom” (Wisdom of Solomon 1: 7). Unless we, ourselves, come near to God, we would not rejoice in His nearness to us. The wicked are far from Him, and, “Indeed, those who are far from You shall perish” (Psalm 73: 27). The righteous, on the other hand, are near to God, For God is not only the Creator of mankind, but He bring them forth into a fellowship with Him…. “Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near” (Exodus 24: 2). He will come near the Lord, who has a fellowship with Him, according to his own level of readiness and perfection, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6: 17). “You are near, O Lord, And all Your commandments are truth” (151). This could not be uttered by the ‘body-oriented’ Jew, whose practice of the law of God is within the range of literality; Yes, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 228 He is circumcised, Yet not a true circumcision; Yes, he celebrates the feast of the unleavened bread, Yet not the true feast. … Whereas he, who perceive the facts and the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13: 11; Mark 4: 11; Luke 8: 10), and knows the truth of every word in the Holy Book, will be able to utter: “All Your commandments are truth”. (The scholar Origen) The text: “All Your commandments are truth”, could also be interpreted to mean all the ways leading to God, He who says: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14: 6). He, who reaches to all these ways, would be in the “Truth”, and the “Truth” and His Father would be in him. (St. Dedymus, the blind) The saints confess to God, even in the midst of their troubles, referring the truth to God, on account of that they suffer, not according to the truth. So did queen Esther; the prophet Daniel; the three saintly young men in the furnace, and others, who, in their holiness, they confessed to God. Yet, some may wonder: What is meant by saying here: “All Your commandments are truth”?.... And in another psalm we read: “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth” (Psalm 25: 10). As far as the saints are concerned, all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, at the same time; as He cares for them even in His judgment; by which, there would be no lack of mercy. Through His mercy on them He consummates what He promised, and there would not be any lack of truth. So we are all, whether liberated or judged, will find in God’s paths, both mercy and truth; As, when He does not manifest mercy, He manifests the truth of His revenge; Namely, He judges no one unworthy of judgment. (St. Augustine) “Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever” (152) The prophet David knew that, of old, God has founded His testimonies; that they will hold fast all along the eras; and that the hosts of darkness would never be able to destroy. They are set on a rocky foundation, on which the believers build their life in the Lord. God’s promises are steady, would never be changed with time; which fills the hearts of the believers with joyful hope. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 229 As I was in the beginning of my life in Your fear, and gained the knowledge of Your testimonies, I was enlightened by them, and came to have knowledge. “Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever”. If God has founded those testimonies, they anticipate what would be built on them. On that foundation, God builds His precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, wisdom, and knowledge. That would make the building consummate and perfect in every aspect … to become worthy “for God to dwell in it …” (2 Corinthians 6: 16; Leviticus 26: 12). (The scholar Origen) It is the Lord who founded the testimonies, which no one could shake nor destroy; It is Your “Word”, Your “Wisdom”, Your “Son”, who founded them… Hence He, Himself, says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24: 35; Mark 13: 31; Luke 21: 33). (St. Dedymus, the blind) What are those testimonies but by which God declares that He will give an eternal kingdom to His children? Having declared that He will give these testimonies in His onlybegotten Son, the psalmist says that they are founded forever; What God promised through these testimonies is eternal; hence the words “You have founded them”, are so understood; “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3: 11). (St. Augustine) According to St. Augustine, these testimonies which were founded by God, was known by the church from the beginning; whose firstborn was ‘Abel’, who was slain as a testimony to the blood of the Intermediary to come, which was shed through a wicked brother. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 230 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – Qoph (145-152) COME NEAR TO ME, O LORD; FOR THE WICKED DRAW NEAR TO DESTROY ME Let me, together with David, present my prayer with my whole heart; I keep Your statutes, to consummate Your heavenly will; Let me seek the salvation, and not the temporal things; Let me seek from You to come near to me, because the wicked draw near to destroy me. Come near to me and save me from their evil plots; Save me from the tough temptations; Save me from the sins and lusts Save me from my corrupt nature, by renewing it; Save me from the reproach, to enjoy the glory of the lost paradise. Before sun-rise I get up, and cry out to You to come near me; In the midst of the darkness of lusts, I cry out to You to turn my life into daylight; I will give You the firstfruit of my life; Before starting work in the morning, I cry out to You to come near me. Many are the nights, I spent praying to You, who hears the prayers; Grant me to spend the nights of my life in prayers, to encounter You; Grant me to mix the cry-outs of prayer with serious meditation in Your word; As in both of them, I enter with You into an amazing debate, and be bound to Your promises Come near me, and proclaim Your dwelling in me. The enemy draw near to destroy me; But You hasten to come near me to save me; You are nearer to me than the enemy; For You are in me. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 231 20 RESH SALVATION IS FAR FROM THE WICKED (153 – 160) While the wicked draw near to drive me out, You draw very near to me, and transfigure inside me. Those wicked, by going far from Your law (150), deprive themselves of Your drawing near them; and by their persistence on non-repentance, salvation remains far from them; When “You desire all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2: 4). 1- Through humility we may enjoy His salvation 153 - 154 2- Salvation is far from the wicked 155 3- I receive Your tender mercies, which the wicked reject 156 – 160 1- THROUGH HUMILITY WE MAY ENJOY HIS SALVATION: Having proclaimed that the Lord is near to him (151), here he proclaims the secret of this nearness, on his own side; namely his humility and obedience to the Lord. “Consider my affliction (my humility) and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law” (153) The Savior Lord dwells everywhere, and, in His limitless love, He longs to embrace every soul, and to save all. Yet, our pride and disobedience hide His face from us, and His salvation becomes far from us. By being humble before his Savior, and through embracing His spiritual law, the believer would enjoy fellowship with Him; What is His becomes for the believer; and what is the believer’s become His; All the believer’s complaints and troubles would come to belong to the Savior personally; He, who pleads his cause, redeems him, and grants him the eternal life. I wish every man, who abides in the body of Christ, would not look at these words as being strange from him; For the entire body of Christ, having such a humble state, would say: “Consider my humility and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law”. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 232 We cannot understand the law of God as we should; except through considering the ultimate verdict, saying: “Whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14: 11; 18: 14). (St. Augustine) “Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word” (154) Here, the psalmist seems as though pleading his case before the supreme divine Court. On his side, he presents two points in his favor: his humility, and keeping the law of God; by which he feels at peace, standing before the divine throne. He seeks from the Lord to consider his cause; on account of that, He, alone, through His divine insight, could perceive what lie deep in the soul, of sorrow and anguish, could grants her an exalted peace, and give her back her gladness. His divine insight, as well, is accompanied by a divine work; in contradiction to the looks of men, which, even if they happen to bear some kind of compassion, yet they are helpless to save.. “I do not forget Your law” (153) conforms to the words here: “Revive me according to Your word” (154). As these words are the law of God which the psalmist will never forget. … Humbling himself, he was lifted up. Saying: “Revive me”, concerns this lifting-up; for the lifting up of the saints is the eternal life. (St. Augustine) 2- “SALVATION IS FAR FROM THE WICKED, FOR THEY DO NOT SEEK YOUR STATUTES” If the believer, by his humility and obedience, enjoys fellowship with his Savior; The wicked, on the other hand, by his pride, and his disobedience, or his rejection of God’s statutes and commandments, deprives himself of the enjoyment of that fellowship, and its spiritual fruit in his life. “Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes” (155) There are two kinds of sinners: those who feel their sins, confess them, and seek the divine work; and those who, not caring for their sins, they do not seek the divine work; From those later, salvation is utterly far. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 233 Salvation is not far from all sinners; For Christ, who Himself is the Salvation, came to call them to repent and be saved. He is, though, far from those who do not seek repentance, that vindicate them from sin. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) This separates you (David) from them, for they do not do what you do. You, looking at the righteousness of God, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4: 7),,,, You received (from God) whom You called, the strength to keep His righteousness; And He, Himself, separated you from those who are far from safety (of the soul), on account of that they do not care for the righteousness of God. (St. Augustine) St. Augustine perceived the danger of any debate with the wicked, who only cares to draw the believers to him, to deprive them of their salvation; for “Salvation is far from the wicked”. The sinners do not enjoy salvation, that becomes far from them, on account of that they do not keep the statutes of God; Namely, the Truth, who is Christ. Your law is the Truth; And the Truth is You (John 14: 6) 1. (St. Augustine) 3- I RECEIVE YOUR TENDER MERCIES, WHICH THE WICKED REJECT: The secret of that salvation is far from the wicked, is not God, but is the sinners themselves. And lest anyone may refer cruelty to God, the psalmist consummates his talk by confirming the multitude of God’s tender mercies which are rejected by the wicked. On His cross, the Savior Lord proclaims His divine mercies to the whole world; and the doors of His love remain wide open until the last moment of our life; Whoever desires, will enjoy them and live have life, to be consequently oppressed by the wicked; Yet, he remains faithful in keeping the words of his Savior, the Grantor of life, holding fast to the law of the Lord, and His mercy.. “Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; Revive me according to Your judgments” (156) By this, the psalmist indirectly rebukes the wicked, presenting his own experiences of receiving the tender mercies of God, which granted him life instead of death…. We were condemned to death, but 1 Confessions 4: 9 (14). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 234 through the cross, the verdict was changed, and we were granted the resurrected life. … The psalmist calls on the dead to enjoy the new life through the tender mercies of God, which he, himself, has enjoyed; For “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3: 9). “Many are my persecutors and my enemies; Yet I do not turn from Your testimonies” (157) That is what we realize, know, and remember: * The whole earth became red by the blood of the martyrs. * Heavens flourish by the crowns of the martyrs. * The churches are adorned by the memories of the martyrs. * The seasons are distinguished by the birthdays of the martyrs. * Many healings are realized through the worthiness of the martyrs. Why so; except because of the prophecy of Him, that was realized and covered the whole earth; which we perceive, and for which we give thanks to the Lord our God. … And you, man (the psalmist David), yourself: said “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, , when men rose against us, then they would have swallowed us alive” (Psalm 124: 1-3); which was why you did not turn from His testimonies. (St. Augustine) It did not stop at getting far from salvation, and being deprived from the eternal life; but the wicked persecute the believers, and grieve them for no cause. They, themselves, do not intend to enjoy the salvation, and they do not intend to leave the others in their inner peace. They desire the destruction of every human soul! … This makes the true believers grieve and cry for their sake! As a public figure, David had a multitude of enemies, both hidden and manifest; Yet he did not fear any of them, nor flattered any at the expense of God’s testimonies and commandments. “I see the treacherous with disgust, because they do not keep Your commands” (158). Who are those treacherous, but those who turn from the testimonies of God, and do not endure the troubles caused by their persecutors?!... As it is the covenant, that he, who overcomes will be crowned; those who do not endure the persecution, and turn from the testimonies of God, are not keeping His covenant. Those were seen by the psalmist, who was grieved because he loved them; for zeal is good, if it comes out of love, and not out of envy. Having seen how they denied in https://coptic-treasures.com/ 235 their afflictions, the psalmist added “Because they do not keep Your commands”. (St. Augustine) Looking at the “treacherous”, who do not keep the commandments of God, grieving for them, and seeking their salvation, the Lord will pay us back for our sympathetic look at them, by His compassionate look on us; and for our longing for their salvation, by His tender mercy, that would grant us life. Whatever compassion we practice, even toward our persecutors, will come back to us double as much, on an exalted heavenly level. “Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your loving kindness” (159) The prophet David did not say: “Consider how I consummate Your precepts”; for he knows for sure that he is far from it, and that he has his own weaknesses; but he says: “Consider how I love Your precepts”;… how I strive to consummate them. “The entirety of Your word is truth; and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (160) Your words are the Truth, they deceive no one; and in them You proclaim life for the righteous, and punishment for the wicked. These are the eternal judgments of the divine righteousness. (St. Augustine) According to the scholar Origen, “The beginning of the words of God” (as it came in some versions), has been His promise to our father Abraham, which was fully realized, as his descendants have become as numerous as the stars in heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore; and out of his seed came our Lord Jesus Christ who blessed the nations who believed in Him. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 236 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – Resh (153 – 160) YOUR DIVINE LOOKS FILL ME WITH PEACE Look at me in my affliction; Your looks save me and grant me peace and gladness; Your looks are full of practical compassion; Your looks work for my sake, and grant me the eternal life. Grant me to confess my sins; Presenting repentance, Your salvation would not be far from me; Let me seek the divine Truth … You are the Truth; Your tender mercies are abundant, O Savior of the world; Yet, the wicked turn away from them, and do not care for them; They deprive themselves of the salvation; And they persecute those who seek their own salvation; That filled my soul with sorrow; I do not fear them; but I fear for their sake. I am filled with compassion, even on my persecutors; Look at me, and pay back my compassion on them, with Your compassion on me; As that is Your divine promise; And that is the eternal truth. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 237 21 SHIN GREAT PEACE HAVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOUR NAME (161 – 168) Attaching himself to the salvation of God, and enjoying the true life, brought on him the oppression of the wicked without a cause. Yet, that did not make him lose his great peace, nor the gladness of his heart; for he did not set his heart on the oppression, but on the great promises of God, being for him the greatest of spoils. 1- Persecution without a cause 161 2- His rejoice is, as of one who finds a great treasure 162 - 163 3- A perpetual state of joy and praise 164 4- His enjoyment of peace 165 – 168 1- PERSECUTION WITHOUT A CAUSE: “Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word” (161) Crying out “Princes persecute me without a cause”, the psalmist reveals the bitterness inside him. It was befitting of those princes to care for him and for others; but instead of care and love, they presented to him persecution and hate without a cause. He did not seek their worldly positions, rebelled against them, nor opposed their authority; but they might have felt that his righteousness would expose their wickedness, and that his spiritual success might motivate him to seek temporal success, and provoke him to seek their positions of authority. That, was most probably how king Saul felt…. Persecution will always be the portion of the believers; as the more the believer attaches himself to God, the more the wicked cannot endure him. The believer desires, together with the apostle Paul, to make peace with everyone; but not everyone is ready to receive this peace; for no cause, but that they do not receive the Lord Christ who dwells in him. In their oppression, persecution, and animosity against the psalmist, the princes used, beside the sword, the law itself; turning it against the truth, playing tricks with it to destroy the psalmist; and presenting a multitude of false justifications. Yet he has not preoccupied himself with their oppression, but with the words of God, that produce https://coptic-treasures.com/ 238 energies of love, even toward the oppressors. By that, the psalmist was preoccupied with the positive, and not with the negative aspect. He stands in awe, not of the wicked, but of the words of God, lest he might disobey the divine commandment; as the authority of God is greater than any human authority. The temptations of the devil are directed more to those who are sanctified, for he longs more to have conquest over the righteous1. (St. Hilary, bishop of Poitier) I do not fear my enemies, but I stand in awe of the death judged by Your word. (Pope St. Athanasius) Being the truth, Your words deceive no one, but in them, life is proclaimed for the righteous, and punishment for the wicked. They are the eternal judgments of the righteousness of God.. (St. Augustine) Did the Christians, whose King promised them a heavenly kingdom, harm the kingdoms of the earth?! Did king keep them from giving the fitting service to the kings of the earth?! Did He not say to the Jews who were stirred-up against Him: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22: 21)?! Did He not pay the tax on Himself from the mouth of the fish (Matthew 17: 24-26)?! When soldiers of that earthly kingdom asked St. John the Baptist what they should do for the sake of their eternal salvation; Did he tell them to forsake their weapons and the service of their king, to fight instead for the sake of the Lord; … Did he not tell them: “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, but be content with your wages” (Luke 3: 14). Hasn’t one of His very beloved soldiers (Paul) said: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13: 1)?! And hasn’t he exhorted the church to pray for the sake of the kings (1 Timothy 2: 1, 2)?! How then would the Christians be accused of working against the kings?! 1 In Matt. Hom. 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 239 What commitments have they not fulfilled toward their kings?! That is why it is safe to say that the Christians are persecuted by the kings of the earth without a cause! But he goes on to say: “But my heart stands in awe of Your word” (161) My heart stands in awe of the words: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10: 28). I despise him who persecutes me, and overcome the devil who tends to seduce me. (St. Augustine) He can utter such words, he, who is called to martyrdom,; who is persecuted by the princes of this world, who are entrusted with the life and death of men… Let us watch how the martyr does not stand in awe of the diverse tools of torture, but stands in awe of the words of God; … Let us see how he is utterly preoccupied with remembering these words, and with the punishments set for those who deny God! He says: the princes persecute me, not on account of that I am a thief, a murderer, or have done what warrants blame; but because I glorify You, O God, the Creator of the universe; and because I believe in the name of Your only-begotten Son. … I stand in awe, not of their threats, but of the fear I feel toward Your judgments. It is befitting of us to have the fear toward the words of God, and to turn from our sins, … particularly from denying Him who died for our sake. … He, who holds fast to this will rejoice at the words of God (162). (The scholar Origen) Those princes who persecuted David without a cause, namely, against the truth, were king Saul and the like; But those who persecute us now, are the princes of the evil hosts (the devil and his hosts). There are two kinds of awe: One that may happen out of anger in the soul without a cause, because of lack of faith; like that for which the Lord rebuked Peter when he attempted to walk on water, and said to him: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14: 31); And another kind of awe which occurs in man’s heart and mind, and bears the fear of God, which is good. (Onesimus, bishop of Jerusalem) 2- HIS REJOICE, IS AS OF ONE WHO FINDS A GREAT TREASURES: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 240 Although the oppression of men was bitter to the prophet David, yet the preoccupation of his heart with the words of God produced in him energies of exaltation; for he discovered what they include of heavenly promises and blessings. Although David’s heart stood in awe, and bore fear of the words of the Lord, yet this divine fear gives us, as well, gladness of the heart, for counting the Word of God as a precious and indispensable treasure. It is not the kind of fear that casts the perfect love out (1 John 4: 18), but that nourished by love. In the name of the church of the new covenant, the psalmist proclaims his rejoice in the words of God, that he got from the church of the old covenant, as a rich treasure presenting to us the divine promises, the law, the covenants, the prophecies, and the symbols; which the Jews, who rejected faith in the Savior, could not perceive; … the psalmist says: “I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great treasure” (162) Instead of being preoccupied with the persecution and oppression of the princes, the soul of the psalmist exalted in the promises of God, and the treasures he acquired through His Word. … In every spiritual battle against the devil, the believer comes out a conqueror, and a bearer of a multitude of spoils, new depths in his fellowship with God, and a greater enjoyment of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. … Great is the joy that fills the hearts of the conquerors while dividing the spoils; And great would be the joy of the believer when he discovers his portion in the promises of God and the riches of His treasures. It is something worthy of research, to know why the psalmist binds the joy to the words of God, saying: “as one who finds great treasure”? If we take into consideration, those who received the words of God in the past; and those to whom the word ended up now; we would perceive, that we Christians, have robbed the Jews, according to the words of the Lord, saying to the Jews: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you, and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Matthew 21: 43). Plenty are those treasures, namely, the holy Scriptures, which the Jews do not possess now, for they do not understand their meaning. (The scholar Origen) The scholar Origen, complaining that some Christians are against him, on account of their persistence on the literal interpretation https://coptic-treasures.com/ 241 of the Holy Book, and criticize those who adopt the spiritual interpretation, says: [Friends of the literal interpretation cry out against me with slander, claiming that there is no truth, unless it has settled down on earth. As for us (like the servants of Isaac), we would rather have the wells of running water, and the living springs (See Genesis 26: 20). Let us then, separate ourselves from such men, together with their letter which bears no truth; … Let us forsake the land for them, the land which they love, and seek for ourselves the kingdom of heaven1]. Referring to the enemies who persecute him, he talked about “treasures” (or spoils). He means to say that, even if he manage to kill them all, and collect all their spoils, he will not rejoice as much as he does at having God’s word. (Father Theodoret) When we defeat the devil, we take his spoils; he, about whom it is written in the holy gospel: “How can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless we first bind the strong man” (Matthew 12: 29). Among the amazing spoils we (plunder) from him are the endurance of the martyrs; which led, even their persecutors to believe; those who plotted to harm our King through doing harm to His soldiers. (St. Augustine) Lest the “treasures” or (spoils) would be understood as something material, or a confiscation of the possessions of others, like the spoils of war, the psalmist goes on to say: “I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law” (163) Love and hate, as the most prominent of human emotions, if put in their right direction, namely, if they are sanctified in the life of man, all the rest of the emotions will move as they should. That is how it happened with the prophet David, who loved God, His word, and His creation; and hated evil, oppression, and the hosts of darkness; he, who loved the truth, and hated and abhorred lying and vanity. These are the words of a righteous man, who, not only refrains from committing oppression, but hates it as well. He means to say: My enemies hate and abhor me, as though I am a dead rat, a corpse, or a half-wit. As for me, I only hate what is worthy of being hated … namely oppression. 1 De Principiis 13: 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 242 Contrary to them, I love Your law, and understand it, not the way they do; for they use it for earthly things, and bring it down to the facts of the lower world … “If we were raised with Christ, we should seek things which are above, … we should set our mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3: 1, 2). We should understand the law with its spiritual meaning. (St. Dedymus the blind). Standing in awe of His words, does not create hate … but would support a plenty of love; For the words of God are His law; and far from it, that love would be destroyed by fear; as long as fear is pure. This is how the lovable children fear their fathers, and how they love them at the same time. And how the chaste wife fears her man, lest he would forsake her; and how she loves him to enjoy his love. It would be much more, as far as our Father in heaven is concerned (Matthew 6: 9); and the Groom, who is “fairer than the sons of men” Psalm 45: 2); not according to the body, but in goodness; For who would love the law of God, other than those who love God?! And “whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrew 12: 6). … Let us then praise the righteous judgments of the father, even when we are scourged by Him, as long as we anticipate the realization of His promises of reward. (St. Augustine) 3- A PERPETUAL STATE OF JOY AND PRAISE: Lest someone may think of the treasures as temporal things, the psalmist proclaims his continuous preoccupation with praising God, with his perpetual joy in God’s works with him, and with His righteous judgments. “Seven times a day I praise You because of your righteous judgments” (164) When some find difficulty to dedicate a single day, or few hours every week, to the Lord, the prophet David dedicated time to praise Him seven times every day, unceasingly giving God thanks in all situations. … According to St. Augustine, [number 7 generally refers to absolute perfection1]. 1 City of God, 11: 32. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 243 “Seven times a day I praise You” means ‘I shall never stop praising You’…. Seven times means all time1. He who says “Seven times a day I praise You”, says in another psalm: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34: 1). … Seven times refer to continuity; on account of the fact that the whole system of time moves in a perfect circle, through seven days that repeats itself again and again2. (St. Augustine) Who is he who praises the judgments of the Lord several times a day, using the holy number that refers to rest, but him who rejoices in God’s judgments, being righteous?! (The scholar Origen) The enlightened righteous man, living in a perpetual day all the days of his life, a day never disrupted with darkness, praises God seven times. For he is lifted up above this world which was created in seven days.Once I reach the paradise of God, and meditate in the goal of creation, and the wisdom of God, I come to confess that God’s judgments are righteous. (St. Dedymus, the blind) I will perpetually remember the judgments, commanded by Your righteousness, driving away the proud princes of darkness (the devils); and saving the victims of oppression. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) We should, as well, partake of this spiritual ministry, praising God seven times a day3. (St. John Cassian) We were commanded to revere and honor the One, being convinced that He is the Word (Logos), the Savior, and the Leader, through whom we Revere the Father; not just in certain days, collectively with others, but we should do that on a continuous level, and in every way, in our life4. (St. Clement of Alexandria) 1 Sermons on N.T. Lessons, 45: 2. 2 Ibid 64: 1. 3 The Institutes, 3: 4. 4 Stromata 7: 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 244 If he who says: “I praise You seven times a day”, is a king preoccupied with running the affairs of his kingdom; how much more should we do in light of the words of the Lord Himself who says: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Matthew 26: 41) 1. (St. Ambrose) Let us then watch the day and the night like David who gave thanks for the sake of God’s righteous judgments “seven times a day” (164); as well as at midnight2. (Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic) To the wicked neighbors, sevenfold of their reproach to God, are returned (Psalm 79: 12); The house of wisdom is built on seven pillars (Proverb 9: 1); The stone of Zerubbabel laid before ‘Joshua’ the high priest, is decorated with seven eyes (Zecahariah 3: 9); God is praised by the prophet David seven times a day (Psalm 119: 164); and the barren woman who gives birth to seven (see Psalm 113: 9) 3. (St. Gregory the Nezianzen) What increases the sweetness of these continuous praises, is that they come from a heart suffering from anguish and persecutions; For our praise in the midst of sufferings is sweeter than when it comes in the midst of peace. 4- HIS ENJOYMENT OF PEACE: “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (165) In some versions it came as: “Great peace have those who love Your name” “Great peace have those who love the law of the Lord”. He does not mean the outer peace (which does not depend on us), but that of the mind, which goes hand in hand with the absence of anxiety and disturbance … Those who have this kind of peace, will at the same time have the grace of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1: 7; 1 Timothy 1: 2). Having this kind of peace in the name of God, they will be in perfect exultation, and they will rise to the level where nothing causes them to stumble….”Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress?!” (Romans 8: 35). And, “Yet in all these things 1 Concerning Virgius, book 3, 4: 18. 2 Paschal Letters 6. 3 On Pentecost, 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 245 we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 37-39). (The scholar Origen) What does he mean by saying that the law itself does not cause those who love it to stumble; or that nothing of any source will be for those who love the law? Both facts are true; for if whoever loves the law of God, confesses that it includes things that he does not understand, and must have some hidden meaning; the law of God would not cause him to stumble. To avoid being stumbled wherever you go, you should fly to God who created the world! … But how could we do that, unless we listen to His law which is preached everywhere?!... That would be a simple thing to do if we love it1. (St. Augustine) As our Lord Jesus Christ is Himself Peace; Let us keep peace, so that peace would keep us in Christ Jesus2. (St. Ambrose) He did not say: “Let there be great peace for those who keep the commandment”; but, “…. For those who love Your (Your name)”; As no one could keep the commandment as he should; he who loves the (the name) of God would perpetually strive to keep His commandment, seeking the work of the Savior in his life. He also says: “Nothing causes them to stumble” (165); For he, who enjoys the true peace of God, which springs from his love for His holy name, and his strife to obey His commandment, nothing whatsoever will cause him to stumble, but he will say together with the true believers: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8: 28). No tribulation, distress, or oppression, that may dwell upon them, will cause them to stumble, as they trust in the righteous judgments of God, and in His exalted care; Their peace springs from their depths and their fellowship with God, not from the outer circumstances.. 1 Sermons on N. T. Lessons, 31: 1. 2 On Ps. Hom. 41. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 246 Finally, the secret of the great peace of the psalmist is his anticipation of the Savior, and his enjoyment of His salvation work, capable of supporting him to keep the divine commandment without breaking it; something that he never doubts, and no one, or any event could cause him to stumble. Here, the psalmist binds between the enjoyment of the free salvation of God, and the persistence on keeping the divine commandments; confirms it three times, and proclaims that keeping it, springs from his deep love for it; saying: “Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments” (166) “My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly” (167) “I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You” (168) Hoping for the true salvation coming from You, I not only keep Your commandments, but “My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly” (166) … By keeping the commandments with love, the anticipated salvation will be consummated. In the beginning, he says: I loved Your commandments, one after the other; Then he says: “My soul keeps Your testimonies; Then he binds the two together by saying: “I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You, O Lord” No sinner can say: “my ways are before You”, for the ways of the sinner are not before God; Only those of the righteous are…. Let all our ways be before God; Let us keep praying, and seeking that from God, until we reach God, the Father of all in Christ Jesus. (The scholar Origen) What would profit the righteous of the Old Covenant, who loved the commandments of God, unless they are liberated by Christ, who is the salvation of God, by whose Spirit they would be able to love the commandments of God? … That is why, those who loved the commandments of God, hoped for His salvation…. How much more would be the need for Jesus who is the salvation of God, for the sake of those who did not love His commandments? This prophecy may be appropriate for the saints of the era of the declaration of grace, and the preaching of the gospel; As those who love the commandments of God look forward to Christ our life, when He appears together with them in glory. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 247 (St. Augustine) The testimonies of God were kept, and were not denied, through the work of the martyrs; For the testimonies were called in Greek: “Martyria”. … And on account of that, “Though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13: 3); the psalmist added: “I love them exceedingly” (167) … For he, who loves, would keep the commandments in the spirit of truth and faithfulness. (St. Augustine) Concentrating on keeping the commandments, the psalmist confirms the following: * His hope for the salvation work of the Lord; For keeping the commandments is not a self-human effort, but is the salvation work of God in him. * Keeping the commandments, would not be realized without outside his will: “I do Your commandments” …There has to be a response to the divine grace. * Keeping the commandments springs from an exceeding love for them. AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – 20 Shin THE PRINCES PERSECUTE ME WITHOUT A CAUSE I desire peace for all; Yet the princes persecute me for no cause except for Your dwelling in me; They used every way to oppress me; I have no fear of them, but I stand in awe of the death judged by Your word; I despise him who persecutes me; And the devil who seeks to destroy me; But I fear my God, the Righteous Judge. Not fearing the enemy, but fearing Your words, O Lord; Your fear produces gladness in me; In Your words I see treasure beyond evaluation; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 248 Together with every battle against the devil, I enjoy conquest And I come out bearing many treasures -- exalted divine gifts; The devil assumed that he could destroy the Lord Christ, by destroying His believers; Yet he himself was destroyed together with his followers; Many of the persecutors themselves have come to faith; And became members in the kingdom of Christ. I came to enjoy the treasures of joy; I praise You seven times a day; My night turned into day; And my troubles turned into unceasing praise; Amid distress I reach Your paradise; And enjoy Your perpetual praise. The oppression of the enemy against me increases my peace; For my great peace does not spring from outside, but from inside; In the oppression of the enemy I see my Savior inside me; I see Him come very close to me to save me; He hides me in Him, so that I would not become a party in the battle. With every spiritual battle, I hope for Your salvation; I exceedingly love, and keep Your commandments. And I see my ways laid before You, until I reach the bosom of Your Father; With every tribulation and distress, I enjoy an exceeding love of Your commandments; By enjoying love, I keep them with truth and faithfulness; Love will remain my perpetual deposit forever. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 249 22 TAU TEACH ME, HELP ME, AND SEEK ME (169 – 176) The conclusion of this psalm joyfully reveals to us the goal of the whole psalm, which is the exultation of the soul by the Lord -- her Teacher, who grants her life, understanding, salvation, give her help, and proclaims His initiation of love toward her. The psalmist concludes the psalm by asking the Lord to guide his life; for He is the Grantor of understanding, life, joy, and salvation … his prayers became stronger and more zealous, as though he enters into the divine presence; Yet he desires to enter into new depths, to see the Lord face-to-face. Feeling his weakness in the presence of the Lord, he falls down before him, supplicates to Him to search for him, to seek him as a Shepherd seeks a lost sheep; and not to wait for his servant to come to Him, for he is in need of the initiation of love of the Lord – the Unique Divine Teacher. 1- Approaching the Lord -- his Teacher 169 - 170 2- His rejoice in His divine Teacher 171 - 172 3- The Lord is the Savior 173 - 174 4- The Lord is the Helper 175 5- The Lord is the Initiator of love 176 1- APPROACHING THE LORD -- HIS TEACHER: According to the scholar Origen, it came in the book of Genesis, “God said to Moses: Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. And Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but they shall not come near; nor shall the people go up with him” (Exodus 24: 1, 2). By that God divided them into three categories: a- The first category includes Moses alone; to go up the mountain and come before the Lord. b- The second category includes the persons mentioned, to go up the mountain, but not allowed to come before the Lord. c- The third category includes the people, who are not allowed, neither to go up the mountain, nor to come before the Lord. The believer is committed to climb the steps of perfection to get qualified to go up the mountain, and even to come before the Lord, to https://coptic-treasures.com/ 250 experience a unique fellowship, an amazing union, visions, and proclamations. That is what the psalmist desired at the end of his talk about the Word of God or the divine commandment; seeking from God to lift him up to that exalted level of perfection; he says: “Let my cry come before You, O Lord; Give me understanding according to Your word” (169) Whoever comes before the Lord, comes to the “Tree of Life”. Adam came to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and got the experience of evil. Whereas he who comes before the Lord, eats from the “Tree of Life”, and gets a new experience, that of the knowledge of good, and the perception of the divine Light. He would enjoy the resurrected life, instead of the death that has dwelt upon him; and would enjoy the shining of understanding, instead of the darkness of ignorance that has dwelt upon him. Approaching with his supplication before the Lord -- his Teacher, the psalmist beseeches Him to allow it to come close to Him, to listen to it, to care for it, and to find pleasure in it; as he presents it to no one else. He seeks from the Lord to grant him understanding and knowledge, longing to enjoy his right as a spiritual bride who enters into the secret place of her heavenly Groom, and enjoys His personal divine secrets, as a sign of the exalted union. He has no material requests, but seeks the spiritual understanding and the heavenly wisdom. He could be seen by men as wise and a man of understanding, but he still seeks God’s judgment, to be counted among those taught by the Lord, according to the words: “All Your children will be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of Your children” (Isaiah 54: 13).; and, “It is written in the prophets, ‘They shall be taught by God’” (John 6: 45). Unless the Lord Christ opens up our eyes, how could we see the great secrets that were fulfilled in the fathers (Patriarchs) 1?! The law could be understood, if the Lord Jesus personally reads it to us, and clarifies its spiritual meaning; In such a way, those who said: “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”, could perceive the meaning?! (See Luke 24: 32) 2. 1 Hom. Gen. 12: 1, PG 12: 225. 2 In Jos. Hom 9:8 PG 71: 62. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 251 Come again, O Lord Jesus, to explain these things to me, and to those who are here, searching for the spiritual food1. (The scholar Origen) The psalmist repeats the same supplication, saying: “Let my supplication come before You; Deliver me according to Your word” (170) Here he is like queen Esther, when in the daring of faith, she entered into the presence of the king to touch the top of his golden scepter and toenjoy his compassion; Finding favor in his sight he told her that her request shall be given to her up to half his kingdom and sharing his glories; And she got saved together with her people. Perceiving that sometimes, there would be certain obstacles that may deny his supplication from entering into the presence of God, the psalmist seeks from God to take away these obstacles, like the impurity of heart, or temporal preoccupations; as though he says: [Purify my heart, that I may seek what is befitting, as a son of Yours, to respond to my request]. Seeing in the Word of God, the secret of his life, the psalmist says: “Deliver me according to Your word”…. For many are there who live in this world, yet they are dead; Whereas those who attach themselves to the word of God, stay alive even if they die in the body…. The life of the believer is not counted by the years he live while in the body, but his life would become everlasting, as long as he is bound to the eternal Word. Although the saints have died in the body., yet they are still living, praising God, interceding for mankind to have everlasting salvation. 2- HIS REJOICE IN HIS DIVINE TEACHER: Having a daring to bring his supplication up to the throne of grace, to encounter the Savior -- the Groom of his soul, and his divine Teacher -- the believer trains himself on the life of praise, or the life of inner joy, as a heavenly life, saying: “My lips shall utter praise, for you teach me Your statutes” (171) We know how God teaches “the meek” of God (Mathew 5: 5), for everyone who has heard and learned from the Father would come to Him, who justifies the ungodly (John 6: 45; Romans 4: 5); to keep the 1 In Jer. Hom. 19: 14 (Source Chrictienne 288: 230). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 252 righteousness of God, not only in their memory, but in their execution of the righteousness…. “He who glorifies, let him glorify in the Lord”, not in himself, and flow with praise. (St. Augustine) “My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness” (172) Desiring to become exalted above all supplications, even the spiritual, to turn his prayers into praise for God, the psalmist unceasingly gives God thanks for the sake of the exalted riches of His grace; and his life turns into a fellowship with the heavenlies who unceasingly give Him praise. The topic of his praise would always be God’s words and commandments, proclaiming His justice and righteousness. He praises God, both with his heart and his lips, expressing what is inside him with words. His praise helps him to testify to the commandment, and his tongue utters the words of God, and preaches by them. By that, the psalmist teaches us to concentrate our talk about God on His words and commandments, to confirm His valuable promises, and His exalted grace. Proclaiming these things, the psalmist became a minister of God’s word, preaching God who teaches inside; For, as “Faith comes by hearing … How shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 17; 14); And as it is “God who gives the increase” (1 Corinthians 3: 7), we have no excuse not to plant or water. (St. Augustine) 3- THE LORD IS THE SAVIOR: Having enjoyed the spirit of praise, the psalmist perceived the concept of salvation, not only as the forgiveness of sins, but also as the enjoyment of a fellowship with God in His glories; saying: “Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight” (173, 174) In order not to fear, my heart not only should stay steadfast, but even my tongue should utter Your words: “I have chosen Your precepts”, Having suppressed my fear with love, Let Your hand stretch to save me from the hand of the others; for so God has saved His martyrs, not allowing their souls to be killed;… “For vain is the help of men” (Psalm 60: 11), in the flesh. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 253 The words “Let Your Hand”, may also be understood as Christ, the Hand of God. When we read the words: “I long for Your salvation, O Lord” (174), we shall certainly understand that even if our enemies keep us from working, Christ will work to our account. The righteous men of the old covenant confessed that that they longed for Him; And the church, then, longed for His coming from the limited womb of His mother; Now, the church of the new covenant longs for His coming on His Father’s right hand. He adds the words: “Your law is my delight”; for the law testifies to Christ. Who would not see, how the blood of Christ helps the church? How great is the crop of light that is manifest all over the world! “Your law is my desire” … It would not be enough for your spiritual benefit to confine hearing the divine teachings, just to your presence in the church, but you should, while being among friends, or at home, be committed to read the words of God for long hours, specially at night; to be able to store the spiritual wheat, and the pearls of the holy Scripture in the storehouse of your souls. So that, on coming before the throne of the eternal Judge, on the ultimate day of judgment, we would not be naked, but clothed. (St. Augustine) 4- THE LORD IS THE HELPER: The psalmist’s enjoyment of the life of praise, and of the inner glory, together with the living testimony to His divine words and promises, did not keep him from seeking the help of God, and the support of His divine judgments; saying: “Let my soul live, and it shall praise You” (175) He seeks from God to grant life to his soul, and to keep it from the way of death. He seeks the work of His Holy Spirit -- the Grantor of life, and the Giver of joy and wisdom -- that his soul may live, praise Him, and enjoy the help of His judgments. We are in need of the divine help to keep the truth forever; and not to falter with our mouth between truth and vanity. He who has the truth would seek God’s help to keep the commandments; as long as he keeps God’s judgments in his memory in the time of distress. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 254 I know for sure that, if I am purified of every sinful view, I would perpetually keep Your law, forever, without hindrance. (Eusabius of Caesarea) 5- THE LORD IS THE INITIATOR OF LOVE: Finally, at the end of “The psalm of the divine commandment”, having experienced it as an eternal life, and an everlasting life for his path, with its special sweetness and glories; he was not puffed-up with pride; but with humility, he considered himself as a lost sheep, which, being helpless to return on its own to the divine Word, it seeks His initiation of love to draw it to Him; saying: “I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments” (176) The psalmist ends the psalm by confessing his weakness, together with his trust in the love of the divine Shepherd who carries us on His shoulders. However may be the life of the believer, he would feel as being lost, on the way of keeping the commandments of God as is befitting; and of the enjoyment of the experience of heaven. … He may be able to justify himself in the presence of his adversaries and oppressors; But in the presence of God, he would confess his past and present weaknesses, counting himself as a sheep gone astray from its fold, which needs the Good Shepherd to bring it back to the spiritual pasture… He bears a true longing for the divine bosoms. Like a lost sheep, I have gone astray; But, on the shoulders of my Shepherd who edifies you, I hope to come back to you1. (St. Augustine) In one of his letters, St. Jerome, talking about the church as a mother seeking the lost sheep to return to the fold of the Shepherd, says: [While you wander in your inner city – although you no more have a city, having lost all what is yours – to intercede for you, and to draw you to her by her prayers for your salvation, if not for the sake of your own works, it may be for the sake of her faith2 …]. The psalmist, answering the question: Who is to approach the other? God or man? … he says: As man, the sinner, in his weakness cannot come near God -- the consuming fire –And God, being Holy, How could the sinner be attached to the Holy?!... The Word of God, have already come to man, initiated love, dwelt among us, became one 1 Confessions 12: 15. 2 Letter 122: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 255 of us, and gave His precious blood to reconcile us with the Father; … Now the door of encounter is wide open for us to pay His approach, back with our approach, and His love back with our love. Anyway, feeling weakness, man cries out: “Seek Your servant” … the way ‘Zacchaeus’ the tax-collector, when he could not come near the Lord Jesus, did his best, proclaiming his true intention to encounter Him (See Luke 19: 1-11). AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 119 – Tau I EXULT BY YOU, O INSTRUCTOR OF MY SOUL My soul approaches You, for You are her Instructor; To go up the mountain together with the prophet Moses; To reach the divine light, and be filled with Your splendor; You shine on her with the light of understanding, and scatter the darkness of her ignorance! You come to her, O divine Groom, to bring her forth into Your heavenly secret place There, to experience a deeper union; And to perceive Your exalted secrets. O Savior, Open up the eyes of my soul; Let her see You, and enjoy Your great secrets; Let her understand Your law and commandments; Read to her Your Word; Burn her heart within her, by opening Your holy Scripture. Let my soul enter into the presence of her heavenly Teacher; Hold out Your golden royal scepter to her, and enquire from her about her wish; She would seek from You her life and that of Your people; Count her as another ‘Esther’, daring by faith, working with love. Let my soul rise by Your Holy Spirit, up to the throne of Your grace; There, her lips would flow with praise and thanksgiving; The church of the old covenant longed for Your coming incarnate; And the church of the new covenant longs for Your second coming in Your glory; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 256 Because your law burns up my longing for You; I unceasingly meditate in it; Let me meditate in Your law among the holy congregation; Let me be preoccupied with it in my home, for long hours; Let me be preoccupied by it in mid-day; And let me meditate in it at midnight; Let the storehouses of my heart be filled with the wheat of Your Book, and the pearls of Your law. Finally, I confess my sins to You; As a Good Shepherd; Seek me -- the lost sheep; Seek me, for I am helpless to come to You; Carry me upon Your shoulders; And present Your commandments to me, so that I would never forget them. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 257 TABLE OF CONTENTS AN INTRODUCTION: THE RICHNESS AND PLEASANTNESS OF THE WORD OF GOD The psalm of the word of God; The praise of praises; Features of the psalm; Author of the psalm; The guidance (the key of the book); Psalm 119 (118) and reaching perfection; The position of the Torah for the Jews; Features of the word of God; The general frame. -- An inspiration from Psalm 119 – The introduction: Let me come close to Your word, to come close to You. 1 – Aleph (1 – 8):BEATITUDE OF OBEDIENCE WITH AN UNDIVIDED HEART: Obedience by Christ, our Royal Way; Obedience by practical behavior; Obedience by searching and keeping His Testimonies with the whole heart; Obedience of persistence; Obedience to all the commandments; Obedience with joy; Obedience in the midst of afflictions. -- An inspiration from 1 – Aleph: Grant me the blessed life, O Obedient Son. 2- Beth (9 – 16): THE COMMANDMENT IS A HIDDEN TREASURE: “How can a young man cleanse his way?”; The commandment sanctifies the heart of a young man; The commandment and the life of praise; The commandment as testified by a young man; The commandment is the riches of a young man; The commandment and the life of consistent praise. -- An inspiration from 2 – Beth: Your commandment is my riches. 3- Gimel (17 – 24): THE COMMANDMENT, COMFORT IN SOJOURN: The commandment is life; The commandment is enlightenment; The commandment is a companion in sojourn; The commandment and the conquest over the wicked; The commandment takes away the reproach from us; The commandment and the evil plots of the wicked; The commandment and the spiritual pleasure. -- An inspiration from 3- Gimel: Your commandment is my support in sojourn, https://coptic-treasures.com/ 258 4- Daleth (25 – 33): REVIVE ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD: The commandment and the resurrected life; The commandment and the joyful confession; The commandment and the liberation from the deadly grief; The commandment and the liberation from the spirit of lying; The commandment and the enlarged heart. -- An inspiration from 4- Daleth: Your commandment is my life. 5- He (33 – 40): LET ME WALK IN THE PATH OF YOUR COMMANDMENT: The Lord, Giver of the law; The Lord, Grantor of understanding; The Lord, Leader of the soul; The Lord, brings us out of covetousness (greed); The Lord enlightens the eyes with eternities; The Lord grants us the divine fear; The Lord turns away from us the reproach of sin; The Lord grants us the sweetness of the spirit. -- An inspiration from 5 – He: Who is a Teacher like You, O Word of God?! 6- Wow (41 – 48): THE TESTIMONY TO THE WORD OF GOD: The testimony and the salvation; The testimony and those who reproach; The testimony with steadfastness in the truth; The testimony, and keeping the commandment; The testimony and love; The testimony and courage; The testimony and friendship with the commandment. -- An inspiration from 6 – Wow: By Your commandment, I testify to Your mercy and salvation. 7- Zayin (49 – 56): YOUR WORDS HAVE COMFORTED ME IN MY HUMILITY: Comfort in death; Comfort in tribulations; Comfort in ministry; Comfort in personal worship. -- An inspiration from 7 – Zayin: Let Your promises comfort me in my affliction. 8- Heth (55 – 64): YOU ARE MY PORTION, O LORD: By the commandment we receive God as our portion; By the commandment we see our heavenly Groom; By the commandment we walk in the way to the wedding; By the commandment we get prepared for the wedding; By the commandment we practice the joyful life of the https://coptic-treasures.com/ 259 wedding; By the commandment we practice the collective life of the wedding; By the commandment we anticipate the day of the Judge Groom. -- An inspiration from 8- Heth: You are my portion, O my soul’s Groom; And with You, I seek nothing more. 9- Teth (66 – 72): IT IS GOOD FOR ME THAT I HAVE BEEN AFFLICTED: The goal of God’s compassion; The divine chastisement and keeping the commandment; The chastisement and the thanksgiving; Between the chastisement of God and the oppression of the proud. -- An inspiration from 9- Teth: Your hand is gentle, even while chastening me. 10- Yod (73 – 86): YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE GOOD: I am Your creation, subject of Your love; I am a practical example that answers the questions; You granted me the uprightness of Your judgments; Let Your merciful kindness be my comfort; Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; You destroyed the slanders of the proud; Let those who fear You turn to me; Consummate Your work with me. -- An inspiration from 10 – Yod: You are my Creator, Give me understanding of Your righteousness. . 11- Kaph (81 – 88): HOPE IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS: “I have become like a wineskin in smoke”; The foolish fantasies uttered by the wicked, and the truth of the commandment; “According to Your loving kindness, revive me” -- An inspiration from 11- Kaph: Your promises fill my soul with joyful hope.. 12- Lamed (89 – 96): YOR WORD IS PERPETUAL IN HEAVEN: The word of God is settled in heaven; The word of God suits all generations. The word of God suits all men; The word of God suits me personally; The word of God is exceedingly broad. -- An inspiration fro 12- Lamed: Your word scatters the nonsense uttered by the enemy. 13- Mem (97 – 104): YOUR WORDS ARE SWEET IN MY MOUTH: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 260 The sweet commandment and the meditation in God’s name; The sweet commandment and the eternal wisdom; The sweet commandment and the strife; How sweet is Your commandment; The sweetness of the commandment, and the hate of every false way. -- An inspiration from 13 - Mem: Your word is sweet and satisfying to my soul. 14- Nun (105 – 112): YOUR WORD IS A LAMP TO MY WAY: The commandment is true light; The commandment is an entrance into a covenant; The commandment, grantor of life; The commandment, grantor of strength; The commandment and the delivery; The commandment reveals the hidden snares; The commandment, grantor of gladness; The commandment and the enjoyment of the eternal crown. -- An inspiration from 14 – Nun: Your word is a light to my path. 15- Samek (113 – 120): SUPPORT ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD: Help against the opponents of the commandment; Help for his inner life; Help to endure oppression; His need to have the fear of the Lord. -- An inspiration from 15 – Samek: Support me, O God according to Your divine word. 16- Ayn (121 – 128): DO NOT LEAVE ME TO MY OPPRESSORS: An appeal against the oppressors; An appeal against the oppression of the proud; An appeal for the salvation of God; An appeal for the divine commandment. -- An inspiration from 16 – Ayn: Be a surety for me. 17- Pe (129 – 136): YOUR TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL: Your testimonies are wonderful; Your testimonies give light and understanding to the simple; Your testimonies are the gift of the Spirit; Your testimonies kindle the love for God; Your testimonies direct my steps; Your testimonies redeem me from the oppression of man; Your testimonies make Your face shine upon Your servant. An inspiration from 17- Pe: Your testimonies are wonderful, and my soul loves them. 18 – Tsadde (137 – 144): UPRIGHT ARE YOUR JUDGMENTS FOREVER: https://coptic-treasures.com/ 261 “Righteous are You, O Lord”; The psalmist’s zeal on the righteousness of God. -- An inspiration from 18 – Tsadde: Righteous are You, O Lord, even if oppression prevails on the world. 19- Qoph (145 – 152): YOU ARE NEAR, O LORD: Cry-outs from the heart; Urgent cry-outs; The nearness of the wicked, and the nearness of the Lord. -- An inspiration from 19- Qoph: Come to me, O Lord, for the wicked draw near to destroy me. 20- Resh (153 – 160): SALVATION IS FAR FROM THE WICKED. Through humility we may enjoy salvation; Salvation is far from the wicked; I receive Your tender mercies, which the wicked reject; -- An inspiration from 20 – Resh: Your divine looks fill me with peace. 21- Shin (161 – 168): GREAT PEACE HAVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOUR NAME: Persecution without a cause; His rejoice is, as of one who finds a great treasure; A perpetual state of joy and praise; His enjoyment of peace. -- An inspiration from 21- Shin: The princes persecute me without a cause. 22- Tau (169 – 176): TEACH ME; HELP ME; AND SEEK ME: Approaching the Lord -- his Teacher; His rejoice in his divine Teacher; The Lord is the Savior; The Lord is the Helper; The Lord is the Initiator of love. -- An inspiration from 22- Tau: I exult by You, O Instructor of my soul.
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