RESPOND TO MY PRAYER, O LORD The Jews used to sing this psalm in “Yom Kepur”, being the great day of Atonement, for the sake of the whole people, as well as for that of every believer. It is like a personal lamentation springing out of the heart of every true believer in his relationship with God; And it also includes a praise of thanksgiving to God, together with a cry-out from the heart, coming out of a bitter soul, moaning because of anguish and persecution. The name of the Lord “Adonai” came seven times in this psalm; And in it the psalmist calls himself “a servant of the Lord” (2, 16). 1- A cry by a suffering believer 1 - 7 2- A praise for the Savior Lord 8 - 13 3- A cry-out for help against the enemies 14 – 17 The title: A prayer by David: This title suits David’s life and person. Despite what he reached of piety and success, yet his fall into sin was so horrible that it turned his life into unceasing prayers of repentance; and made him perpetually feel his great weakness, and his continuous need for the support of God. There is a wide consent of both the Jewish and the Christian scholars that this psalm is authored by David himself. Some believe that he wrote it as his soul was bitter because of king Saul’s persecution; or because of the rebellion of his own son Absalom against him. 1- A CRY-OUT BY A SUFFERING BELIEVER: “Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me; for I am poor and needy” (1) This request came often in the Holy Scripture. Hezekiah the king, with a bitter soul cried out: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the Cherubim; … Incline Your ear, and hear; Open Your eyes, and see” (2 Kings 19: 16); and the psalmist often repeated it (see Psalms 17: 6; 31: 2; 45: 10). It is an expression said by someone who feels like an infant on the chest of his father, intending to whisper in his ears; It is said by a meek and humble person, with whom the Lord is well pleased; Who, Himself says: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart”. By saying: “Incline Your ear, O Lord”, the psalmist intends to say to Him: [I am unable to express what goes on inside me by my mouth and tongue; and no one could hear the sighs of my heart, perceive and partake of my feelings, but You]. The psalmist probably felt that, because of his persecution and frequent escape, he was often denied fellowship in the collective worship; Yet God alone could appreciate what goes on in his depths. St. Augustine, believing that the One who talks here is our Lord Jesus Christ, who, for our sake has become poor and needy, to make us rich by Him. says: [He prays for us, being the High Priest; prays in us, being our Head; and is prayed to, being our https://coptic-treasures.com/ 2 God. I wish we know our words in Him, and His words in us … We pray to, by, and in Him; and talk to, by, and in Him1]. He will incline His ear, if you do not haughtily lift up your neck; As He is close to the humble, and far from the haughty. He is up high, and we are down below; yet we are not forsaken. “Scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone may even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5: 7,8). The fact of not being worthy for the Son of God to die for our sake, greatly demonstrates His mercy. “For I am poor and needy”. He does not incline His ear to the rich, but to the poor and the needy; namely, to the humble who confesses his need for His mercy; and not to the one who, lifting up himself, and boasting of being in need for nothing, says: “God, I thank You that I am not like other men, or even as this tax collector” (Luke 18: 11-13). The Pharisee boasted his worthiness, while the tax collector confessed his sins. Let no one take my words as though God does not listen to the rich who have gold, silver, and land. Abraham, in his great riches, was poor and humble, kept all the commandments, and counted his riches as nothing. In his obedience to God, he was ready even to offer his own beloved son a sacrifice (Genesis 22: 10)l to teach you to be poor and needy, whether you have everything, or have nothing in this world2. (St. Augustine) My sins have weakened my soul; and shyness has lowered my voice. Therefore, O Merciful Physician, condescend toward my humility; incline Your ear, for I take refuge in no one but You … I wish I am worthy of the blessing You gave to the one, poor in spirit3. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Preserve my life for I am (holy); You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You” (2) The word “preserve” is sometimes used as a military term meaning (guard or protect). The psalmist perpetually feels the need for God’s protection “Preserve me, O Lord, For in You I put my trust” (Psalm 16: 1). He was always in need of God’s protection, of his life that was continuously threatened; and of his soul, so as not to lose her eternal glory. Saying “for I am (holy)”, he does not mean to justify himself before God, but he is rather defending himself against those who often accused him of being evil, because of the multitude of troubles, temptations, and afflictions dwelling upon him; The way it happened to the righteous ‘Job’, and the apostles Peter, Paul, John, and others, who said: “Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116: 15). “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go. My heart will not reproach me as long as I live” (Job 27: 6). “My Lord, You know that I love You” (John 21: 16). “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? … Are you not the seal of my apostleship in the Lord?” (1 Corinthians 9: 1). 1 On Ps. 86 (85). 2 On Ps. 86 (85). . 3 ا رجع تفسیر الم ا زمیر لأنثیمُوس أسقف أورشلیم، أعده للنشر ال ا رهب القس صموئیل السریاني، 1988 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3 The psalmist so loves to call himself “a servant of God” that he sometimes repeats it in the same psalm several times. He who tasted the liberation from the bondage of sin, feels the sweetness of the bondage to God, that grants his soul a kind of liberty, joy, and peace. And despite calling himself (holy), he does not boast his piety, but leans upon the grace of God; crying: “Save Your servant who trusts in You” (2). According to St. Augustine, the Speaker here is the Lord Christ, who, alone, is “Holy” and “Pious” without sin. Putting on Christ (Galatians 3: 27), we have the right, as a catholic church, and members in it, to say that, by Him, we holy and pious; yet, not on our own, but as a grant from Him. “Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long” (3) With daring and trust in the work of God, he cries all day long without despair. And despite calling himself holy and pious, he seeks the mercies of God all day long; which, in itself, is a confession that he is a sinner, and in need of the forgiveness of his sins. The verb “cry” came in the future tense; as though he proclaims that he keep crying unceasingly, for he is in perpetual need of God’s mercies. According to St. Augustine, the church, being the body of Christ, cries as one man to the end of the world, and the Lord hears his voice. Our One Head intercedes for us before the Father. Not “for one day”, but “every day”, namely, continuously; as the body of Christ keeps groaning from suffering up to the end of the world. Until the affliction passes away, man keeps sighing and calling God. Each one of us, according to his own measure, contributes in this cry by the whole body1. (St. Augustine) “Rejoice the soul of Your servant; For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul” (4) He does not only seek from God to take away from him the sadness and the bitterness of soul, but seeks from Him, as well, to fill his soul with the joy of the Spirit. He presents himself to God, the Source of the true joy. He lifts himself up to the Lord, as one who trusts his case in no other hand but the Lord’s. Seeking from God to rejoice his soul, and lifting himself up to Him, he is not preoccupied with getting saved from physical troubles, but with enjoying the joy of the Lord in his depths, and with the lifting up of his soul, as though flying to the Source of her salvation. Share my labor with me, O brethren; you see my pledge, and who am I who pledged. … You know what I intend to say; and how I actually am! “With a perishable body weighing down the soul, and an earthly tent burdening the thoughtful mind” (Wisdom 9: 15). That is why I bare my mind of the multitude of thoughts, and concentrate it in the One God, the indivisible Trinity; to be able to find something to talk about. In this tent (body) that weighs down my soul, I can say: “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul” (4); to be able to talk to you about some worthy subjectI pray to God to help me, by lifting my soul up; as I am too weak compared to Him; and He is too Mighty compared to me2. 1 On Ps. 86 (85). 2 Sermon on NT Lessons, 2: 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 4 As You, alone, is the Joy, while the whole world is full of bitterness, You seek from the members of Your body to lift up their hearts; on account that the heart lifted up to God could never get corrupt … Not like the body, which could be lifted up by a change of position; the heart is lifted up through a change of will1. (St. Augustine) “For You, Lord, are Good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You” (5) Our hope in the Lord, our trust in Him, and our leaning upon Him, are all set upon our perception of His attributes as proclaimed by the Word of God, as testified by history, and by our past experience in our dealings with Him. There was never a just king, who is at the same time meek and humble; who came to Jerusalem riding on a, except He alone, Jesus Christ, the King of kings, God the Savior, who is gentle, and “abundant in mercy to all those who call upon Him” (5) 2. (St. Sveris of Antioch) “For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul” (4). How can I lift up my soul? As much as You give me strength; I am weak; I am drowning; Heal me and lift up my soul; Give me strength; And until then, endure me. “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You” (5)3. (St. Augustine) “Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications” (6) The psalmist supplicates to God to take his case upon Himself, as he has no other Helper but Him. How great is the zeal of the one who prays. He means to say: O Lord, do not allow my prayer to go astray, but hold it fast to Your ears … To which God would respond by saying: “If you want Me to hold your prayer fast to My ears, you, yourself, should hold My law fast to your heart!” 4. (St. Augustine) “In the day of my trouble, I will call upon You, for You will answer me” (7) That is his experience in his past temptations. There is no one without a day of trouble, whatever are his position or his possibilities. I am sure, no Christian can say that there was a day when he had no trouble. Saying “all day long” (3), means (all the time) … “While we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5: 6). Whatever we may treasure here, we are not in the city which we can call home. He who finds sweetness in the land of sojourn, does not love his city; … As travel is bitter; one is in trouble “all day long”5. (St. Augustine) 2- A PRAISE FOR THE SAVIOR LORD: 1 On Ps. 86 (85). 2 Cathedral Sermons, Homily 20. 3 On Ps. 86 (85). 4 On Ps. 86 (85). 5 On Ps. 86 (85). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 5 “Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Your works”(8) God’s works in nature, and His exalted care for humanity, testify to His presence and to His love. He who does not so perceive; whatever wonders he sees, he will not believe in God as he should. There is no comparison between God and any other being; For He alone is capable to save to perfection, by His will, wisdom, and love. According to St. Augustine, the psalmist here, rebukes the heathens, who worship idols, angels, or any heavenly hosts. Angels worship the One God, and do not encourage those who intend to worship them; as we may see how angels of high ranks stopped those who intended to worship them , and exhorted them to worship the true God (See Revelation 19: 10) 1. (St. Augustine) No one should compare God to man; man to animal; or wood to stone; on account of that they are different in nature. While God is beyond any comparison, man could be compared to man, wood to wood, and stone to stone2. (St. Athanasius the apostolic) When Rabshakeh came with the Assyrian army to Jerusalem, and addressed the people, he blasphemed God, saying: [if gods of the different countries were not able to save their land, how can your God save Jerusalem from the might of the Assyrians?]. Hearing those blasphemies, king Hezekiah “tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and cried out to the Lord, saying: ‘You are the Lord God, You alone!” (2 Kings 19: 19). According to St. Athanasius the apostolic, this psalm calls the prophets gods, those to whom the word of God came. … The prophet David says that no prophet could make salvation to mankind the way the Lord did, nor do works like His works; … There is no intercessor, nor a king, but the Lord of their salvation; … When the saints did wonders, it was not by their own power, but by that of God; Whereas Christ performed miracles by the power of His deity. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “All the nations whom You have made, shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name” (9) Every now and then, the word of God reveals the call of all the nations to receive faith, “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you; For dominion belongs to the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations” (Psalm 22: 27-28). Some believe that this is a prophecy about what will happen when all the nations receive faith; when peace will dwell over all the world; and when the name of God will be glorified, according to what came in the following prophecies: “A people yet to be created may praise the Lord” (Psalm 102: 8) “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled” (Isaiah 43: 9). “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; Laud Him, all you peoples” (Romans 15: 11). 1 On Ps. 86 (85). 2 Four Discourses Against the Arians, 1: 13: (57). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 6 “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy, For all the nations shall come and worship before You” (Revelation 15: 4). Before the incarnation of the word, the whole world was ruled by the devil, the evil, the serpent, and the apostate; the created was worshipped, and not the Creator and the Maker! But once the Word of God, the Only begotten Son, became Man, the whole world became filled with His glory; “As to Him every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2: 10- 11). David, as well, prophesied that, saying: “All nations whom You have made, shall come and worship before you, O Lord” (Psalm 86: 9). All that was realized when the multitudes of nations were called, and all worshipped before Him, who for our sake became like us; yet, in His exaltation He remained above everyone1. Everyone saw the salvation of God the Father, who sent His only begotten Son, a Redeemer and Savior; not to one nation, and not to the other … For by the mercy of the Savior, being unlimited, He redeemed all nations, and, with His light He shined over all those in the darkness2. (St. Cyril the Great) The good Teacher, the Wisdom, the Word of God who created man, cares for every nature of His creation; He is the Physician of all mankind; the Savior; the Healer of both the body and the Soul3. (St. Clement of Alexandria) He proclaims the church, as “All the nations” 4. (St. Augustine) This saying is a prophecy about the entry of the nations into faith in the Lord on His coming down to earth … that He who emerges from the stem of Jesse will rule the nations; And in a prophecy by Jeremiah, he says that the nations will come to Him from the ends of the earth; Their coming is not by moving from one place to another, as God is everywhere, but through the closeness of their will and hearts to faith. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “For You are great and do wondrous things; You alone are God” (10) God is Unlimited, Eternal; Almighty; and submits to no measure; Nothing in God is perceived by mere human or angelic mind, without a proclamation by God Himself to His creation. I wish no one would call himself great; For “You alone are great” 5. (St. Augustine) The word “alone” here, does not confine the Deity in One Person; but distinguishes between the creative and the created Nature. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 1Is 1: 4 PG 70: 176B. 2 In Luc. Ser. 3. 3 Paedagogus 1: 2. 4 On Ps. 86 (85). 5 On Ps. 86 (85). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 7 “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name” (11) The phrase “Unite my heart to fear Your name” (11), in the Septuagint version came to mean: “Let my heart rejoice when it fears Your name”. Here, the psalmist confesses that, without God he does not know the way; he confesses his ignorance and his continuous need for the leadership of God Himself to know His way, and to walk in His truth; He feels like a blind man, to whom no man, angel, nor any heavenly creature could grant the enlightenment, and clarify the vision. He also feels that God is closer to him than any other being, capable of granting him the wisdom, and of leading him to the way of salvation. He puts all his hope in Him, to grant him the godly fear, the spirit of piety, and to take away from him the inner dissension and wavering. Therefore, there could be fear in joy! How could there be joy if there is fear?! There will be always joy together with fear; There is no complete joy, nor complete surety; Without joy, we would fall apart; and without complete surety, we would be rejoicing the wrong way! That is why God pours the joy on us, and strikes us with fear; By the sweetness of joy, He leads us to enjoy surety; and by granting us fear, He keeps us from rejoicing the wrong way, and keeps us from withdrawing from the way Your way, truth, and life, is Christ To learn the way is one thing, and to walk in it is another. You should notice how man, everywhere, is helpless; and how everywhere he needs help! Those (beside) the way could not be true Christians; but once they are brought forth to the way, and come to belong to the Catholic Church in Christ, they are committed to walk through Him in the same way, lest they would fall1. (St. Augustine) The way of God is to avoid transgressions and to abide to virtues; a way that leads to the truth, along which no one can walk except by God’s guidance and power. But His guidance is not granted except by fearing Him; because the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom; and everyone who gains this fear, which is the foremost among virtues, will have the joy of heart. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore” (12) As the believer, together with the apostle Paul, experiences sitting with Christ in the heavenly places; heavenly joy will fill his heart, and he will share with the heavenly creatures their perpetual praise, and their glorification of the Holy Name of God forever. “For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol (the lowest pit)” (13) The believer will never cease to exult; for the divine mercies have lifted him up, as though from Sheol; to heaven, and have presented to him the new resurrected life instead of death and corruption. Such an amazing salvation motivates the believer to set forth from one day to another, to enjoy new unceasing mercies, approaching God in a unique relationship. 1 On Ps. 86 (85). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 8 St Augustine presents to us two views concerning ‘lSheol’: the first one is that, relatively, there is a lower Sheol, and a higher Sheol, although both are low; And Christ descended to the lower Sheol, so that we would not remain in Hades, whatever our state is. And the second view, although conforming with the first one to a certain extent, is that there are different levels in Hades. Sin brings man down to the depths of Hades; according to what came in the fourteenth chapter of the book of Proverbs: “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverb 14: 12). This saying, as well, is a prophecy about Christ, resurrecting from the dead, and saving the souls of the righteous from Hades. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 3- A CRY-OUT FOR HELP AGAINST THE ENEMIES: “O God, the proud have risen against me, and a mob of violent men have sought my life, and have not set You before them” (14) As much as the believer’s soul exults, and is attached to the mercies of God, And as much as the gates of heaven open wide before him; The devil and hosts of darkness would stir up against him. Those are the proud and the mob of violent men who seek nothing less than to destroy his soul, not setting before them that his soul is preserved in the hands of God, and the price of his salvation was already paid for on the cross. We are not afraid of this vicious battle, as the enemy never ceased to wage war against the early fathers, the prophets, the apostles, the disciples, and all the believers of the Old and the New Covenants; and even against Christ the Creator Himself! In the Septuagint version it came as: “O God, the of the law have risen against me”; And according to St. Augustine, “the of the law’ are not of the Gentiles, who were without a law, but of the Jews. They did not, themselves, keep the law, and accused Christ of the law! We know how much the Lord has endured. Do you think that His body does not suffer from that now? How could this be? “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household? A disciple is not above his teacher or a servant above his master” (Matthew 10: 25, 24). The body of Christ still suffers of the law, “And a mob of violent men have sought my life”. Those were the proud who have risen against the Head; namely, against the Lord Christ, crying out with one mouth: “Crucifer Him, crucify Him” (John 19: 9). Those are about whom is said: “Sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (Psalm 57: 4). (St. Augustine) We have reached the salvation which we desired; the day of the resurrection of the Lord Christ, the day of peace and reconciliation, the day in which death has come to no avail, and Satan was defeated. On that day men joined the angels, the spiritual hosts, in praising God. On that day, the weapons of Satan became obsolete, the shackles of death were loosened, and the might of Hades came to an end. On that day our Lord Jesus Christ crushed the bronze doors, and cancelled the sting of death; And we can say, together with the prophet: “O death, where is your sting; O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15: 55). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 9 He even changed the name of ‘death’; It is no more called death, but sleep and departure. Before the birth and crucifixion of Christ, the name ‘death’ has been fearful. For the first man heard God say: “In the day that you eat of it, you shall die” (Genesis 2: 17). And the prophet David says: “Evil shall slay the wicked” (Psalm 34: 21). The separation of the soul from the body was called ‘death’ and Jacob, the father of the fathers said to his sons: “You would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol” (Genesis 42: 38); and Isaiah says: “Sheol has enlarged itself, and opened its mouth beyond measure” (Isaiah 5: 14); And David say: “You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol” (Psalm 86: 13). We find this concept of death in many other places of the Old Testament. Yet, since the Lord Christ has delivered Himself a sacrifice for the sake of all mankind, and is risen from the dead, He cancelled all these nomenclatures, and presented to humanity a new life which it has not known before; And the exit from this world is no more called death but sleep or departure1. (St. John Chrysostom) The prophet says “the proud” about the evil hosts of the devil; and “a mob of violent men” about the rulers who sought the crucifixion of Christ the Lord, for “they did not set god before them”; namely, they did not fear Him. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth” (15) The more the enemy is stirred up against us with great violence, to destroy us eternally, the more we are filled with hope in God, “full of compassion, gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in mercy and truth”. The battle is actually between the Holy God and the crafty and deceptive devil. Why is He so longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth? For when He was hanged on the cross he said: “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23: 34) While being crucified for the sake of the wicked, and amid their slanders, not only by words, but by death, hanged on a cross, the Son prays to the Father for their sake. He as though stretched His hands to pray for them, and “His prayer is set before the Father like incense; the lifting up of His hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141: 2) 2. (St. Augustine) “Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant” (16) As long as the battle is between two side, between God Himself, and the devil; The believer, being the son of God’s maidservant, has only to seek from God to turn to him, to support him with His mercy, and to grant Him to be clothed with His strength. Here, the fathers distinguish between the Lord Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the strength of God; And the believers, the children of God by adoption, who enjoy the strength of God through the free divine grace! The strength we get is a free gift, not out of our own worthiness, but through our seeking from Him! On our side, we, as the children of His maidservant, are committed to obedience, for we love Him; while, on His 1 PG ترجمة: د. سعید حكیم یعقوب (المركز الأرثوذوكسي للد ا رسات الآبائیة بالقاهرة) . 52: 762 2 On Ps. 86 (85). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 10 side, He has already demonstrated His love for us, and delivered Himself to us as a refuge and a stronghold. In the prayer of David, the Holy Spirit demonstrates the same distinction, saying in the psalm: “Give strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant”. As the true Son of God, by nature is different from the children of the maidservant; The first is the Son who has the same might of the Father; whereas the others are in need of salvation1. (St. Athanasius of Alexandria) “Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed. Because You, Lord, has helped me and comforted me” (17) Despite what the psalm bore of cry-outs from the whole heart; yet at its end, the psalmist proclaims his trust that he will enjoy salvation, help, and heavenly comforts; and that the devil will be ashamed and disgraced. This is the feeling of the true believer, even before the fulfillment of the salvation from the anguish and affliction; he gives thanks ahead for what he will get of help and comfort. St. Augustine believes that the Speaker in this psalm is the Lord Christ, praying to the Father to show Him a sign for good; which is His resurrection from the dead, to put those who crucified Him, and rejected faith, to shame. Do you wish, O beloved brother, to be honored in the sight of men and God? When your charitable deed is done in secret (See Mathew 6: 4); God will see it, and will show you a sign for good (Psalm 86: 7 – according to the Coptic version in the Agpeya), and will honor you as you honor Him (1 Samuel 2: 30) 2. (Pope Abba Theophilus) In the old, “God put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him” (Genesis 4: 15). That mark was a sign (but not for good); not like the one for which the prophet prays, saying: “Show me a sign (for good), that those who hate me may see and be ashamed” (17); but like the sign put on the doors of the children of Israel in the land of Egypt, which when seen by the destroyer on the lintel and on the doorposts of their gates, he would pass by. His request was also for a good sign, namely, for one to prove what he has seen by the eye of prophecy, that the Virgin will give birth and remain a virgin, according to a proclamation by the prophet Isaiah. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 1 Four Discourses Against the Arians, 2: 19 (50). 2 رسالة القدیس أنبا ثیئوفیلس إلى الرهبان، 6 (فردوس الآباء)... https://coptic-treasures.com/ 11 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 86 VISIT ME, O GOOD ONE, WITH YOUR MERCY “Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me; Like a little infant, I am not able even to lift up my head. I am poor, and needy for Your mercy. I have nothing to justify myself; To find refuge in Your love and abundant compassion. All day long I cry to You; I have no other refuge but You; I have no one to perceive my depths but You; There is no one is like You in Your fatherhood, wisdom, and might. So amazing in Your works, all the nations that You have created will return to You; With joy and exultation they will worship You; Fill my life with the heavenly gladness; That despair would not crawl into my heart; Nail Your fear in my heart; That I will not deviate to the right or to the left; Save my from the pit of bitter despair. My enemies would not seek less than my soul; The devil and all his hosts would never cease to oppose me; Turn to me, and save me from the death of sin Set me up, For You are the resurrection and the life.
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