COMFORTS AMID THE AFFLICTION In the last chapter we saw the psalmist thirsty for God. We saw him longing to see God, to dedicate his energies to His account, and to cling to Him; but the enemies are doing their best to seek his soul. In the present chapter, looking around him, and seeing a multitude of enemies opposing him, and plotting a secret counsel on him, the psalmist cries out from the depths of his heart to God, who is capable of destroying evil. The psalm ends by the proclamation of God’s protection for him, and his enjoyment of joy and gladness. This psalm is a personal lamentation presented by the believer amid his anguish, while standing alone among a multitude of the wicked and evil doers, who are trained on plotting secret counsels; and their tongues turn into deadly swords, and their words into bitter arrows. They think of themselves as being hidden from view; and do not perceive that God of the righteous sees what others could not see; and is capable of making void their evil plots. If this psalm expresses the depth of the suffering through which the soul go because of the enemies, It is as well, a praise of thanksgiving to God who keeps His believers safe; destroys evil, and helps the upright of heart. Its divisions: 1- The evil doers 1 – 6 2- The divine intervention 7 – 10 The title: Oppressed by the wicked, but rejoicing in the Lord. To the Chief Musician, A psalm of David. 1- THE EVIL DOERS: “Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy” (1) According to St. Augustine, it is the cry of our Lord Jesus, suffering during the events of His crucifixion; and suffering, as well, through His body – the church, all along the eras. It is also a cry by every believer, crucified together with His Lord, and enduring pains for His sake. For all true believer fall under sufferings. I wish no one would ever say that we are no more passing through the tribulation of sufferings. The fact is that in those times the whole church was together stricken as one body; While nowadays, she is stricken through her individual members. Yes, the devil is bound, and cannot do as much as he wishes to do; Yet, he is allowed to tempt according to the progress of men. It is not good for us not to be tempted; nor to seek that from God; but we should seek from Him “not to lead us into temptation” (Matthew 6: 13). (St. Augustine) According to St. Augustine, this cry is presented by the martyrs when persecuted; as it came in Sirach: “Consider the generations of old and see, has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed; … or has anyone called upon Him and been neglected?” https://coptic-treasures.com/ 56 (Sirach 2: 10). This cry does not mean to ask God to be saved from martyrdom, but to be saved from fearing it. St. Augustine says: [This cry is the voice of the martyr saying: Save me, not from being killed by the enemy, but not to fear him while killing me. I do not want to fear him who kills the body, but to fear Him, who has the authority to cast both the body and the soul into the fire of hell. I do not want to be relieved of death, but to be relieved of the fear of the enemy, through the fear of the Lord, being His minister]. Indeed, the history of the church is packed with afflictions and temptations. But the wicked should not assume that they have the authority over the church of God; but only within what the Lord Christ allows them to do. By that, the believer does not fear the temptations and tribulations. “Hear my voice, O God in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy” (1)There are two kinds of fear: the fear of God, and that of men. The fear of God is love; but the fear of men is the real enemy. The prophet seeks to be saved from the fear of men, like king Saul and the likes; for this kind of fear is harmful to the soul; hence he says: “Preserve my soul”. About such fear, the prophet Isaiah says: “Do not say ‘A conspiracy’ concerning all that this people call a conspiracy ;nor dread their threats; nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread; He will be your sanctuary” (Isaiah 8: 12-13). (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity” (2) The wicked plotters gathered together against our Lord Jesus Christ. We as well, being the body of Christ receive physical sufferings, and the secret counsel plotted against us; Yet these sufferings will turn into glories on the great day of the Lord; while our bodies are preserved here under the divine protection. The prophet seeks to be preserved from the wicked, who, by their plots corrupt the sound dogmas; and from those who practice violence and oppression. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows – bitter words” (3) He likens the tongues of the wicked to a sharp sword, and to the bow that shoots deadly arrows to kill. The psalms often refer to the tongues of the wicked that turn into swords, spears, and arrows, because of envy and deception (Psalm 55: 21; 57: 4; 59: 7). The prophet David, being a symbol of the blameless Son of David; against whom plots were set to crucify Him, and to get rid of him, has long suffered such deadly weapons. “That they may shoot in secret at the blameless. Suddenly they shoot at Him and do not fear” (4) They delivered Him to Pilate, to appear as though innocent of killing Him. And while Pilate issued a verdict against Him, and commanded His crucifixion in such a way to appear as His killer; You, the Jews have actually killed Him by the sword of your https://coptic-treasures.com/ 57 tongue, which you sharpened, and cried out: “Crucify Him, Crucify Him” (John 23: 21). (St. Augustine) Commenting on what came in the New Testament that Christ was crucified in the sixth hour of the day (John 19: 14), and also in the third hour (Mark 15: 25); St. Augustine says: He was hanged on the cross in the sixth hour; but he was crucified when the multitudes cried out: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” in the third hour. The Jews crucified Him by their tongues; killed Him as though by the arrows of their words; although the physical crucifixion was executed in the sixth hour of the day. Because the wicked shoot at the blameless in secret, the psalmist likens their plots to arrows; for, according to St. Augustine, those who shoot arrows do it while hidden, swiftly, and in secret. “Suddenly they shoot at Him and do not fear” (4). How cruel! They intend to kill Him who raised the dead! … “suddenly”, namely craftily, as though it is something unexpected and in secret; as though the Lord is not aware of what they were doing! (St. Augustine) “They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly; thinking, ‘who can see us?” (5) The wicked held counsel together secretly, to lay their snares for the Righteous to fall in, thinking that no one can see them! This applies to the trial of the Lord Christ. According to St. Augustine: [The ruler, with authority was horrified to condemn the Righteous; but they were not! He intended to wash his hands, but they defiled their tongues by crying! “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!’ The repetition here is to confirm what they say; …. “We have no king but Caesar!” (John 19: 15); …. “He is worthy of death”; … “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27: 25)]. “They devise iniquities; ‘We have perfected a shrewd scheme’, for the human heart and mind are cunning” (6) What are those perfect schemes perfected by the wicked? … Let His own disciple betray Him, and not us! … Let the Ruler kill Him, and not us! … Let us do everything; yet seem as though we have done nothing! … They assumed that God does not see them; but they, themselves have not perceived the truth of Jesus Christ; … Although He became a true Man, Yet He remained God the Word; … They saw Him a mere Man, whom they could kill; but they did not perceive the secret of His incarnation, and the width of His heart for the whole humanity. 2- THE DIVINE INTERVENTION: “But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly they shall be wounded” (7) The wicked may bear the appearances of love, yet with deception; the truth hides deep in their hearts; But God up high searches the depths of their hearts. How could this apply to the crucifixion of the Lord Christ? The wicked intended to kill Him, suddenly and craftily; but what actually happened is that their arrows returned to them and killed them. St. Augustine expresses it by saying: [Death did not kill the Lord; but the Lord killed death. They, on the other hand, were killed by iniquity, which they did not intend to kill!]. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 58 Now, see what dwells upon the wicked soul? … It departs from the light of the truth. And not able to see God, it wrongly assumes that God does not see her! (St. Augustine) “He will turn their own tongues against them, and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn” (8) According to St. Athanasius the apostolic, the opposition of the wicked against the apostles; despite what it bears of deception and threats, yet, they are no more than slings of kids. “He will turn their tongues against them”…. Let them sharpen their tongues like sword! … Let them have their secret counsel! …Could that hold against God?!... See the Lord who chose not to come down from the cross; how He is raised from the grave?!... What is then, the significance of what they have done? “All men shall fear, and shall proclaim the work of God; for they shall ponder what He has done” (9) Those who challenged the Lord to come down from the cross; When He was risen, and was glorified by ascending to heaven, they proclaimed His work, and pondered what He has done! (St. Augustine) “The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory” (10) Sorrowful when the Lord was crucified; and overwhelmed by grief, the disciples forsook Him. He encountered two of them walking on the way, sighing and moaning, and restrained their eyes from recognizing Him, He explained to them from the Holy Books, that what happened was supposed to be (Luke 24: 16, etc.); and that, according to the Scripture and the prophecies, He was to be risen on the third day. … Let us then rejoice in the Lord, and not in ourselves; for our goodness is not on our own, but He so made us. He, Himself is our Goodness, who makes us glad. I wish no one rejoices in himself; no one leans upon himself; and no one despairs in himself … “ all the upright in heart shall glory”; and all the twisted-hearts shall be condemned. There are now two things before you; Choose while there is still time … If you are heart-twisted, you will be judged. (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 59 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 64 LET ME TAKE REFUGE IN YOU AND LET ME EXULT If they have so done to You, O Lord, What will they do to me?! They held secret counsel; They sharpened their tongues like deadly swords; They shot their arrows at the Grantor of life; They insisted on opposing You, and intended to get rid of You; They thought that no one could see them, or punish them; In their foolishness they did not recognize You as the Lord of glory, Savior of the world; Carry me in You, so as to fear no man; Nor be disturbed by death; Let me be Your partner, be crucified with You; And enjoy the power of Your resurrection. Their arrows, all of a sudden, turned backward toward them; What they uttered against You, testified against them They got terrified and confused when they heard of Your resurrection; Whereas Your believers were exulted and rejoiced; Glory be to You, who entered the way of the cross; To give sweetness to the suffering; To carry us together with You to the power of resurrection; And to bring our hearts by You up to heaven
Welcome