MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR YOU, O MY GOD When the prophet David sang this psalm, he was in the wilderness of Judah, exiled from God’s sanctuary (the tabernacle of the meeting), and a homeless fugitive; although he was anointed as a king by a prophet sent by God (Samuel). In it David expressed his longing from the depth of his heart, for God, and for dwelling in His house and city. According to St, John Chrysostom, the fathers of the early church believed that no day should pass without singing this psalm in collective worship. So it is also befitting of the church to keep praising God with this psalm, she calls “the morning psalm” every day. Since early eras, psalm 62 (63), was used in the East and West, as a morning praise. In the laws of the apostles in the East (2: 49; 8: 37), it is still counted as one of the psalms of the Vesper prayers (Lauds); and so it is in the West according to the Roman rites (although it is obvious that it was later moved from the ‘Vesper’ to the ‘Prime’ prayers) 1. (St. John Cassian) This psalm is presented as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God (2 – 6), together with a confession of great trust in Him (7 – 8). Its divisions: 1- The soul’s thirsts for God 1 - 4 2- The soul’s satisfaction with God 5 - 7 3- The soul’s confidence and trust in God 8 – 11 The title: Joy in the fellowship of God A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah There is controversy among scholars as to the circumstances in which this psalm was written. Some believe that it was written when David was persecuted by king Saul; while others believe that it was when he was chased by his own son Absalom. In either case, David was in exile far away places in Judah. The first group refer to 1 Samuel 23: 14, 25; 24: 1; and confirm that the forest of ‘Hareth’, ‘Ziph’, ‘Moan’, and ‘En Gedi’, were provinces under the tribe of Judah. While the other group quote 2 Samuel 15: 23, 28; 16: 2, 14; 17: 16, 29, to confirm that the title refers to a more late period during the rebellion of Absalom2, based upon the fact that David called himself a king (11). In this psalm David reveals his longing for God; as well as prophesies the perdition of Saul. It is a psalm that suits every soul going through a condition of poverty, lacking everything good, and feeling that by returning to the Lord Christ, it will enjoy every grace. 1- THE SOUL’S THIRSTS FOR GOD: 1 The institutes, 3: 3. 2 Palmer. P. 630. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 35 “O God, You are my God; early will I seek you; My soul thirsts for you; My flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water” (1) It is not a strange thing for men of God like the prophet David and others, to be sent away from, and deprived of the enjoyment of the fellowship in the collective church service (Hebrew 11; 37-38). Sending them away by the flesh, will nevertheless kindle their hearts, souls, as well as their bodies with longing for God. In the wilderness of this world, where there is no human help to support him, the believer looks up to the Lord as his own and personal God; He opens his eyes early every morning, together with the eyes of his soul, to proclaim his longing for Him. In the midst of his anguish, the psalmist felt, that although he has lost temporal things, became a fugitive, persecuted, and denied partaking of the collective worship; yet all those circumstances would never be able to deny him access to the Almighty God, his personal Friend. All the human springs dried up, and could not provide him with comfort and help; but the divine fountain remained open before him, and will never dry up. The prophets so used to refer to themselves Him who is the God of all: saying: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You” (1). Such a language, teaches us, as well, that every individual is justly indebted by great gratitude toward Christ, as though He came personally to Him alone. As He, actually, would never hesitate to condescend even for the sake of a single individual. The measure of His love for every one is as great as His love for the whole world1. (St. John Chrysostom) This is however, the voice of the saints alone, to whom God is their God; as He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For no one can say that God is his God, if his belly, his greed, the glory or pride of this world, or the temporal issues of this life, are his gods; For what man worships more is counted as his god2. (The scholar Origen) Here, the prophet repeats the name of God, to reveal how much he longs for Him. And by saying: “My God”, he shows that the God of all is specifically the God of the righteous. By saying “Early will I seek You” he is as though saying: [My longing for You, O Lord, wakes me up early, and before doing anything else, I would start by praying to you]. By saying: “My soul thirsts for you”, he means to say that the way the thirsty desires to drink water, my soul desires to reach You, by prayer; or by returning to Jerusalem. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalm) My soul thirsts for You, yet I seek you as well through the labor of my body, although I am not able to look up at You in Your temple3. (St Jerome) You can see how Jacob did not go on wrestling until the morning (Genesis 32: 26); as actually, there is no wrestling for those who live in the light. It is befitting of those 1 Commentary on Galatians (Gal. 2: 20). 2 Commentary on Rom. 1: 8. 3 Epistles, 122: 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 36 who reach such greatness to say: “O Lord, my God, I anticipate You in the light” (Psalm 63: 1 LXX). And to add as well: “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up” (Psalm 5: 3).. Once the Light of the morning; namely Christ, shines in our minds, and sends His splendor in our hearts, we anticipate as noble souls, and become qualified for God’s interest in us. “God’s eyes are on the righteous”. Once dawn appears, wrestling will come to an end1. (St. Cyril the Great) God thirsts for your thirst for Him. (St. Gregory the Nezianzen) Here is a wilderness where there is much thirst; and here we hear the voice of him who is thirsty. But if we recognize ourselves as thirsty, we shall also recognize ourselves as drinking; For those who thirst in this world will get satisfied in the world to come; according to the saying of the Lord: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5: 6). It is befitting of us, therefore, not to desire to be filled in this world, as we shall be in the world to come. But now, in order not to let us get weak in this wilderness, he sprinkles on us the dew of His word, and will not forsake us to dry up. “My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You, in a dry and thirsty land, where is no water” (1). The soul and the body thirst for God… He provides the soul with her food, which is the word of truth; and will also provide the body with his needs; as God is the Creator of both. (St. Augustine) Thirsty for God day and night, the psalmist watches all night long, as his soul proclaims her longing for God, until the Sun of Righteousness shines on her. It is therefore, befitting for our soul to watch perpetually, to proclaim her thirst for God. God grants sleep to the body, to replenish the energy of its members, to become able to support the soul in her watch. Yet we should be aware not to let our souls sleep; for this implies the forgetfulness of her God. Hence the apostle says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5: 14). “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5: 14). Was the apostle waking up a sleeping body? No! He was waking up a sleeping soul, to arise and be given the light of Christ. In the same way the psalmist says: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You” (1). Christ gives light to souls, make them awake; They will sleep if He is sent away. For the same reason, he says in another psalm: “Enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death” (Psalm 13: 3). (St. Augustine) My God, and my life! My mind is captivated by talking to You; as I have no one but You to talk to! 1 Glaphyra on Genesis, 5: 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 37 What should I do? “My soul thirsts for You; and my flesh longs for You” (Psalm 63: 2) 1. By talking to You, I can ascend to you; and by thinking of You, I will be granted to see Your face. I am thirsty for the water of life, for I, still, have not run to the Fountain of Life! He called me, together with my brethren, saying: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me to drink” And here, the prophet cries loud, saying: ‘All of You, O thirsty, go to the water of life; as those who drink from it, out of their hearts, rivers of living water will flow! (The spiritual elder –John El-Deliaty) “Rebecca went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up” (Genesis 24: 16). So did the church (or the soul); she came down to fill her jar with the pure teachings of wisdom from that flowing Spring, forsaken by the Jews… Hear the Spring Himself say: “They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living water” (Jeremiah 2: 13). The souls of the prophets thirst for this fountain. David says: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42: 2-3); to quench his thirst by the riches of God’s knowledge, and to cleanse the blood of foolishness by the streams of spiritual waters; This is the flow of blood referred to by the law (Leviticus 20: 18), when someone lies with a woman during her period. As the woman here, refers to the gladness and pleasure of the body, beware lest the steadfastness of your mind would collapse and grow soft by the physical pleasure. By lying with her, her flow of blood will open, that which should be shut up by the zealous intention and the sound reason. “You are a spring shut up, a fountain sealed” (Songs 4: 12). Once the steadfastness of mind is loosened, thoughts of very harmful physical pleasure will pour out, and will turn into torrential lust, that leads up to deadly consequences. But when, on the other hand, we have the reasonable sense to watch over the living mind, we can put those body pleasures under control2. (St. Ambrose) “So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory” (2) Now, as the psalmist’s body became like a dry wilderness, thirsty for God, the true Fountain; he longed to appear before God in the sanctuary to see His power and glory. The word “see” here, means to (experience and enjoy) God’s power and glory (See psalm 27: 13;34: 8, 12; Matthew 5: 8; John 3: 36). According to St. Augustine, as the believer’s soul longs for God, he goes to the house of the Lord, and appears before Him, to enjoy seeing His power and glory; Or, as said by the apostle: “After you have known God, or rather are known by God” (Galatians 4: 9). While feeling thirsty to know Him, we will discover that it is God’s pleasure for us to be known by Him. Let us first appear to God, to have God appear to us “to see Your power and glory”. Let us leave the wilderness where we strived to get enough help. Or else we shall not be able to see God’s power and glory, but will remain there to die out of thirst; and will not know the way, the comfort, or the water, by which we can endure living in the . 1 رسالة 6 :51 . 2 إسحق أو النفس، 1 :1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 38 wilderness. But arising up to God, where all the believer would say to Him: “My soul thirsts for You; and my flesh longs for You (with all its members)”, lest he would seek, not what is God’s, but what is the others’, lest he does not long for the resurrection of the body, promised by God By so arising up, he will have a lot of comfort. (St. Augustine) According to the scholar Origen, the Son is the Power of the Father, as said by the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 1: 18); as well as His Wisdom and Glory. The psalmist, therefore longs to see Christ and to recognize the ordinance of his incarnation. As the dry land thirsts for water, so I long for coming to Jerusalem, where the shade of your sanctuary is. While St. Athanasius, the scholar Origen, and others, believe that the psalmist means to say: [The dry wilderness did not keep me from longing for You, but there, I pray to You, and praise You as I do in Jerusalem, as long as I enjoy Your presence, and see Your wonders that manifest Your power and glory. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You” (3) According to the psalmist, death, together with the enjoyment of the love and compassion of God, is better than life without them. Life has no value without the divine love. According to St. Athanasius, he who approaches Christ will rather have His mercy and praise, than to have the longevity of life. The life of men may diverse; but there is only one kind of life promised by God, which He grants to us, not for the sake of our worthiness but for that of His mercy For with justice, He punishes the sinner, and with His mercy He may justify him, and set out of the sinner, a righteous man, and of the oppressor, a good man. “My lips shall praise you” (3). My lips will not be able to praise you, unless your mercy would move before me. By Your gift and your mercy I praise you. I cannot praise God, unless He grants me the ability to praise Him. (St. Augustine) “Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name” (4) The psalmist presents a vow, that while he lives he will proclaim the glory of God. Lifting up the hands is a very old custom which often came in the Old Testament. It does not only mean supplicating to God, but giving Him thanks as well (Psalm 134: 2). Here, the psalmist lifts up his hands, not to seek something, but to seek God Himself the subject of his inner thirst, and of his body as well. He desires to appear before Him, and to praise and glorify Him. Lifting up the hands or the eyes toward heaven (John 17: 1). Implies that the body partakes of the longing of the soul toward God. It is a rite of worship to God (Psalm 134: 2), or to seek something from Him (Psalm 28: 2); a language also used by the New Testament (1 Timothy 2: 8). He whose beliefs in God are upright, and whose religion is sound, by lifting up his hands, his practical powers would be lifted up to the heavenlies, in the name of the Lord; praise Him with his lips and his mouth, and sings for Him by his spirit and mind. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 39 (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) According to St. Augustine, as God grants the believer a new holy life, he praises God with his lips, and blesses Him with his life; namely, he testifies to God’s goodness and mercy through his behavior. We glorify the name of God by lifting up our hands, namely, by stretching them to work according to his commandment and His holy will. Lift your hand up in prayer. Our Lord lifted his hands up on the cross for our sake. he stretched His hands to make us stretch our hands for good works. Look! He lifts up His hands, and offers Himself a sacrifice to God the Father; and through that sacrifice He wiped out all our sins. I wish we, as well, would lift up our hands in prayer. Those hands we lift to God will not return empty if we do good works The apostle says: “lifting up holy hands, without wrath or doubting” (1 Timothy 2: 8). (St. Augustine) 2- THE SOUL’S SATISFACTION WITH GOD: “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips” (5) The tough circumstances, through which the psalmist passed, could not deny his soul the feeling of satisfaction with God; nor could shut up his mouth from praising Him with joyful lips. Because of this verse (5), the Armenian church binds this psalm to the liturgy of the Eucharist. The words “marrow” and “fatness” refer to (richness). The soul that feeds on good things, shall be satisfied with the riches of virtues. On the contrary, the soul that feeds on evil, is full of the riches of iniquities1. (St. Jerome) Like marrow and fatness that provide the body with the pleasure and well being of eating them, Praising You, O God, and reciting Your divine sayings, provide the soul with pleasure, the lips with gladness, and incite the mouth to praise You. Saying “My soul shall be satisfied” refers to the fact that in the life to come, the soul will not feed on sensory food, as some think, but on spiritual food; namely, on beholding the glory of God, and enjoying the eternal joy. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate in You in the night watches” (6) If at dawn he opens up his eyes on praising God, proclaiming the longing of both his body and soul for Him; he will remain all day long preoccupied with Him until he goes to bed at night. A magnificent portrait of the thirst for God day and night. In the laws of the apostles (2: 59), it came, that, it is befitting of us, as members of Christ, to partake of the day and night prayers of the church: [Do not be slothful to yourselves; do not deny Your Savior His members; do not divide His body; do not scatter His members; and do not prefer other circumstances of life to reading the word of God; but gather together every morning and evening, sing psalm 63, and pray to God]. 1 The prayer Job and David, 3: 4: 10. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 40 The prophet teaches us that by remembering God by day, and in bed by night, the evil thoughts will flee away from our mind, as the darkness flee before the light. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) It is befitting of us to remember God perpetually, specially by night, when our mind is not disturbed, and our soul is calm and relaxed, as though in a haven under a clear sky; for then, we can judge ourselves by bringing back to remembrance all what we have done all day; not like in the day when other worries of life would draw our mind away. If we start our early morning by meditating in God; When, by prayer and supplication we make God our help, we can go to our work feeling greatly secure; and in case we encounter an enemy, we scoff him, for God will be on our side1. (St. John Chrysostom) According to St. Augustine, the word “bed” here refers to rest and comfort. If we remember God in the time of our troubles, it would be befitting of us as well, to remember Him when we enjoy rest and comfort. Dawn for those of the world is the time of deep sleep; while for the true believer, it is the time for praising the Lord. We sing praises for Him at dawn, namely, with the shining of the Sun of Righteousness on us. He who thinks of God while comfortable in bed, and meditates in Him in all his behavior, Christ will help him to do good work, and would not let him fail because of weakness. (St. John Chrysostom) “Because You have been my help; Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice” (7) What was the help given by God to David, and what is the shadow of His wings that made him rejoice, other than the satisfaction and gladness of having God Himself. There is nothing better than the storehouse from which we draw help through our prayers; Listen to the psalmist says: “When I remember you on my bed, I meditate in you in the early morning” 2. (St. John Chrysostom) Those who lose the ability to distinguish between the taste of the different kinds of food, because of the tough battles they go through, will enjoy the sweetness of the Creator instead3. (St. John Saba) I am glad for the good works, because I feel the shadow of Your wings on me. If you do not protect me, the vulture will devour me as a little hen; For the Lord Himself says about Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem how often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23: 37). As little hens, I wish God protects us under His wings…. Hoe will it be when we grow bigger? I wish He keeps on protecting us; we shall always be little, and He will be always the Mightier! 1 On The Epistle to Hebrews, 14: 9. 2 Homilies on The Acts if the Apostles, homily 26. 3 الرسالة الحادیة عشر: 6 (ترجمة الأب سلیم دكاش الیسوعي). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 41 (St. Augustine) 3- THE SOUL’S CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN GOD: “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me” (8) The goal of the psalmist from singing praise to God in the time of anguish, is not to lift up the anguish from him, as much as to cling to the Lord his God, to embrace him with His right hand, and proclaim Himself to him; he wishes to have a fellowship with God, to get enlightened by Him, and to cling to Him forever. Walking with God will kindle more the longing for Him; the believer will forget all what is around him, and, thirsting for God, he clings to Him. In a message to Demetrias, a noble Roman woman, who vowed herself to a life of virginity, St. Jerome clarified to her that he who clings to the world will find it difficult to grow spiritually, while he who clings to God, the way before him will be much easier. [Preoccupy your mind with readings from the Holy Book Say together with the bride of the song: “By night on my bed I sought the one I love; Tell me, O you whom I love, where you feed your flock, where you make it rest at noon?” (Songs 3: 1; 1: 7). And with the psalmist, say: “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63: 8); and with Jeremiah, say: “I have not run away from being a shepherd following You” (Jeremiah 17: 16 LXX); For “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel” (Numbers 23: 21 LXX). When you were in the world you loved the things of the world1]. This conforms to the words of Jeremiah: “I have not run away from being a shepherd following You” (Jeremiah 17: 16); and of Hosea: “They shall walk after the Lord” (Hosea 11: 10); and of the apostle Paul: “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6: 17). He who hates evil, would cling to goodness; is joined to God by faith and works; and God will support him and hold him by His right hand; namely, by His only-begotten Son; that no one can do him harm. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) David flew away from the face of king Saul, not to forsake his land, but to avoid the confrontation of someone so cruel and vicious. He flew away to cling to God; saying: “My soul clings to You” (8). He withdrew, utterly exalted his soul, and kept himself away from the iniquities of this world; as did Isaac when he “went out to walk in the field” (Genesis 24: 63) It is a clear testimony concerning clinging to the virtues; when man walks with an innocent heart and a free, namely, blameless mind; when he does not partake of the earthly lusts; and has no place for corruption within himself2. (St. Ambrose) I want you to have knowledge of the features of the different kinds of weapons; As, in case we intend to fight the divine battles against the devil, and to be counted among the spiritual (centurions) of the gospel, we have to gird ourselves with these weapons. The gospel says: “Above all, take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6: 16). Faith will stop these darts and destroy them through fearing the judgment, and believing in the kingdom of heaven. 1 St. Jerome: Letter 130 to Demetrias, 7. . 2 إسحق أو النفس، 6 :3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 42 According to our experience, we can hold fast to God through bringing our will to death, severing the lusts of this world, and following the lead of those who, in their relationship with God, say with faith: “My soul clings to You” (8); “I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame” (Psalm 119: 31); and: “It is good for me to draw near to God” (Psalm 73: 28). … We should not despair because of slothfulness and distraction of mind; because “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread; but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough” (Proverbs 28: 19). We are committed not to withdraw from our strife in watching, because of despair; because “Now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it” (Matthew 11: 12). Virtue could not be taken without strife; and the mind could not be controlled without deep heart grief; for “Man is born to trouble (Job 5: 7); and in order to reach up “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 13), we are perpetually committed to great strife and endless care1. (Father Serinus) Having heard all that, the great David says: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty; under His wings, you shall take refuge” (Psalm 91: 1, 4); and: “My soul clings to You, Your right hand upholds me” (8) You can see how the psalms conform to history in the Holy Book: The psalm says that God’s right hand helps him who clings to Him, and follows Him. And history in the Holy Book says that God’s hand touches him who waits in the cleft of the rock, as he hears the divine voice, and prays to follow God2. (St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa) According to the apostle Paul, “He who is married cares about the things of the world – how he may please his wife” (1 Corinthians 7: 33); whereas you (who have forsaken the world), who love God, would live without ever being separated from Him, unceasingly saying the words of the prophet David, longing for God: “My soul clings to You, Your right hand upholds me” (8) You do not care for the possession of fields, houses, or the like; You keep yourselves away from shameful lusts, slander, greed, and any deception; and on the contrary, “You fear the Lord Your God, serve Him, and to Him you hold fast” (Deuteronomy 10: 20). In your life you actually realize the words of the Savior: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19: 21). The power of this saying is realized in you when you firmly keep yourselves free from the worries of this world, despise its cares, and wholly lean upon God who says: “Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6: 33) 3. (St. (abba) Serapion, bishop of Temmy) A brother once came to St. Maccary, with the intention to serve Christ as a monk; and begged the elder father to guide him, and provide him from the spring of the monastic principles that abundantly flowed from him, by the grace of the Holy Spirit; and to clarify to him, how he could, by the help of God, avoid the traps of the enemy, and his evil attacks. The saintly father answered him, saying: [If you, O my son, truly desire, 1 Cassian: Conferences, 7: 4-6. . 2 حیاة موسى، 250 3 Letters des Peres du Desert. P. 133, traduit de P.G. 40, 925 D – 941 B. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 43 from your whole heart, to desert the world, and cling to the Savior Lord, according to the words of the prophet: “My soul clings to You, Your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63: 8); And the right hand of the Lord is always prepared to receive those who resort to Him; You should despise the world, and reject all its works, according to the words of the apostle Paul: “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3: 3, 4). (Paradise of the fathers) 1 Commenting on the verse: “My soul clings (behind) you” (Psalm 63: 8 LXX), St. Augustine say: 1- Clinging (behind) God, is only realized by the (glue) of love. 2- Clinging behind God is realized by longing to God; the soul should thirst for Him. 3- The clinging should be (behind) God; lest we would wrongly count ourselves as giving Him counsel, and he would be walking according to Our will; instead of being the Leader who precedes us, we follow Him, receive His will, and observe His commandments. The (glue) by which our soul clings to God, is ‘Love’. But we should not cling to God, but (behind) God; so that He precedes us, and we follow Him. (St. Augustine) “But those who seek my life to destroy it, shall go to the lower parts of the earth” (9) The prophet does not mean that the earth would open its mouth and swallow his enemies, as it did with Korah and his company in the time of the prophet Moses (Numbers16: 31-34). When the Jews sought to destroy Jesus Christ by the cross, they did for fear for their temporal positions, and the loss of their earthly possessions (John 11: 48). Fearing the loss of the earth, they went down to its lower parts; which, according to St. Augustine, are the earthly desires. Walking on the earth is better than going into its lower parts through the evil lusts. He who, instead of his salvation, seeks the earthlies, is in the lower parts of the earth. Those who feared losing the earth, having seen the multitudes go after the Lord Jesus Christ, said: “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation” (John 11: 48). Fearing to lose the earth, they went down to its lower parts, and what they feared dwelt upon them. They intended to Kill Christ so as not to lose the earth; while by slaying Him, they lost their land to the Romans. (St. Augustine) “They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals” (10) The second book of Samuel (18: 16-17) tells us how Absalom and those who followed him died, and found no one to bury them; how Absalom himself was cast into a pit in the woods, and a very large heap of stones was laid over him2. . 1 عن فردوس الآباء ج 1 2 Plumer, p. 633. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 44 According to St. Augustine, the jackals refer to those who rejected Christ to be their king, and said: “We only want Caesar to be our king” (John 19: 15). They rejected the Lamb and chose the jackals, and so deserved to be a portion for the jackals. Those who intend to kill me without reason, according to the weight of their wickedness, will go down to hell, falling by the sword. Saying: “they shall be a portion for jackals”, refers to the fact that the lion after choosing the best parts of its prey, leaves the remains to be eaten by the jackals. The prophet means that the wicked shall miserably fall before the weak, after being defeated before the strong. He also means that after being killed in battle, there will be no one to bury them, but will be left to be devoured by the beasts, even by the jackals. The evil hosts are also mental jackals, because, by their deception, they deceive the ignorant, and divide them as portions among themselves. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) In the time of the resurrection, The Most High will distinguish between the nations, and divide mankind according to their worthiness: some of them “will go down into the lower parts of the earth” (9), “be a portion for jackals” (10); namely, for the demons; as “the little foxes (jackals) spoil the vines” (Songs 2: 15); ‘Herod’ is one of them, according to the Lord Christ who said about him: “Go and tell this fox”(luke13: 32). Let us, therefore, forsake from ourselves, our earthly behavior, lest we would be weighed down by the earthly thoughts, go into the lower parts of the earth, and become a portion for the jackals… The apostle clearly says: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God; Set your minds on things above, not on things of the earth” (Colossians 3: 1-2) 1. (The scholar Origen) Because all men who dwell under the sun, have become, as it is written “a portion of jackals” (10); and because of their evil; they were overcome by the darkness of ignorance, and have fallen into the deepest of depth of sin; We hear the psalmist pray to God the Word to come down to us from heaven, saying: “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel; You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the Cherubim, shine forth! Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us” (Psalm 80: 2-3). And when the psalmist perceived that the coming of the Word is going to happen in due time, as we are fallen down and cast away, he cried out, saying: “Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10: 1). Before incarnation, the Savior, haas not yet taken our likeness, and has been far away from us; as the distance was great between the human nature and that of the Word of God2. (St. Cyril the Great) “But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped” (11) Despite David’s grief on the death of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 18: 33; 19: 1-7), yet his rejoicing in the Lord has not forsaken him. 1 In Lev. 11. . 2 الرسالة الفصیحة الأولى، ترجمة د. میشیل عبد الملك، مایو 2004 ، ص 15 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 45 This, as well, bears a prophecy about Zerubbabel who ruled over the Jews after their return from captivity, those who, after being liberated from their enemies rejoiced in the Lord, and praised God whereas the mouth of those who vainly reviled them were stopped. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) Jesus Christ own, and established his Church with Cross, Kingdom of joy and peace, while the dispersion of the crucified and closed their mouths, who sentenced him to be crucified! https://coptic-treasures.com/ 46 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 63 WHEN WILL MY SOUL BE SATISFIED BY YOUR LOVE? My soul will stay thirsty for You in the wilderness of this world; But by Your grace You will pour on it the dew of Your Word; My soul will taste its sweetness, and the fire of my Love for You will kindle more and more; My soul will quench her thirst by Your splendor, and my thirst for You will grow even more. By Your mercy, You allow my body to rest; But my soul will perpetually watch, and proclaim her intense thirst for You; My soul will never sleep, anticipating the Sun of Righteousness to shine on her. By Your love, You shine with Your light on my soul, to behold Your power and glory; She desires to set forth to You, to enjoy Your divine bosoms; Both my soul and my body will shout together, and my lips will unceasingly praise you; And my hands are lifted toward You to practice Your work. My whole being calls You, to cling to You; To follow You; for You are the Way, and the eternal Life; I shall walk behind You, O faithful Shepherd of the souls; The shadow of Your wings will protect me against the fiery darts of evil; How can I cling to You, except by Your work in me? There is no (glue) to let me cling to You; but the (glue) of love; The enemy will not be able to separate me from You; You are Love; Grant me Yourself; as in You my soul will cling. I will cling to You, O crucified, to let You reign in me, and satisfy my depths; I see the cause of Your cross: “The King of Jews”; Reign on me; and I shall not seek another beside You! I shall not desire the earth, lest it may have authority on me, and I would go down to its lower parts. And it would crush me with the weight of its pleasures Set Your kingdom of joy, O King, inside me; For You are the amazing divine Lamb; The jackals of the world will not be able to devour me; For You are my Portion; And I am Yours; The enemy will not dare to take me away by force from Your hands; To You be the power, and the glory, O King of kings.
Welcome