MAN AND SALVATION In His love for man, God starts His holy Book by speaking about the creation. All things have been created for His beloved man. He wishes to set man as master or even as king over the earth investing him with sovereignty. Man is God's representative, bearing His image and traits and leading a blessed and joyous life. He finds his fullness in God who has provided his every need. The Bible ends with the Book of Revelation which depicts man living in heavenly Jerusalem where God abides with His people (Rev. 21: 3). There, man shares divine glory and joins the angels' praises to the Almighty. The Book of Psalms is written in the same spirit; it is a miniature Bible. It starts by depicting man blessed by the word of God when active within his heart (Ps. 1: 2). At the end of the Book of Psalms we find man enjoying an angelic life filled with joyous praise and celebrating his salvation. In this section (Ps.1-41) we have a collection of psalms that speak of the state of man: his blessedness, fall, and recovery. It resembles the Book of Genesis: 1. Man's blessedness Ps.1. 2. Man's fall from his high position Ps. 2-8. 3. Man's enmity with God Ps. 9-15. 4. Man's restoration by the glorious work of the Redeemer Pss. 16-41. Here, our Lord appears as the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep [a picture of Calvary, Ps. 22]; keeps them [God's sacramental pastorship, Ps. 23] and rewards them in His glory [Ps. 24]. It is interesting that in this first section almost all of the psalms are prefixed with the words "le David", which means "to David" or "belonging to David." This collection is undoubtedly the oldest, and probably goes back to the liturgical usage of the pre-exilic temple in Jerusalem1. 1 B. Anderson: Understanding the Old Testament, 1986, p. 545. https://coptic-treasures.com/ PSALM 1 THE BLESSED MAN INTRODUCTORY PSALM It is not without reason that the Psalter starts by declaring the blessedness of the godly, and their inner happiness. For the psalms have not been composed to be studied like literary works, but to be sung joyfully in Spirit. They are the love story of the Creator and the creation, which cannot be experienced except by the blessed life, or the new joyful life in Christ. They have been composed to be sung by the heart which is sanctified by the Holy Spirit as a sanctuary, a dwelling place of God and a heavenly kingdom of joy. Some have suggested that Solomon is the author, who has written Psalm one as a suitable introduction to the whole Psalter. This psalm, standing at the entrance to the Psalter seems to be a signpost, and gives clear guidance regarding the way in which believers should conduct their lives. Presumably the author of this psalm deliberately assigned first place to this psalm in order to call worshipers to obedience to God's will and to trust in His Holy Providence. WISDOM PSALMS This psalm is classified as a wisdom psalm, full of practical and godly wisdom1; it depicts and contrasts dramatically the "two ways," the two fundamental options for human beings2. It outlines the lot of the good and of the wicked,( whose lives are viewed as either God-fearing or abandoning His Word). The Lord is our inner satisfaction and joy who secures the stability of our life. Anything which is done contrary to God or away from His Word is bound to perish. The most terrible fate for a man is to be abandoned by God. In wisdom poetry there exists a general tendency to insist on a practical wisdom of life: a religious basis is given for the practice of virtues3. It is impossible to separate this practical life from one of deep faith. The wisdom psalms [1, 37, 49, 73, 91, 112, 119, 127, 128, 133, 139] do not follow a strict literary pattern. In this psalm, The psalmist invites believers to join those who revere and obey the Lord, those who want to be very close to Him, thus avoiding those who rebel against Him. The psalm begins with "aleph," the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, "Ashre" (blessed); its final word "tobet," starts with the last letter of the alphabet, "taw." The letters aleph and taw symbolize all the letters and words in between. Psalm 1 thereby seems to embrace the entire Psalter, as well as the whole Bible4. THE KEY WORDS: 1. "Blessed" or "beatitude" (ashre): It is closely connected with the right way of living in one's daily life. It occurs 45 times in the Hebrew text, of which 26 times occur in the Psalms and 12 occurrences in the wisdom literature. It differs from the priestly blessing (berakah), said to counteract any curse. 1 Artur Weiser: The Psalms, 1962, p. 109. 2 The Collegeville Bible Commentary, p. 756. 3 Leopold Sabourin: The Psalms, their origin and meaning, 1969, Vol. 2, p. 258. 4 C. Stuhlmueller, p. 61 https://coptic-treasures.com/ The blessed person fears the Lord (Ps. 112:1; Prov. 28:14; 20:7), cares for the poor (Ps. 41:1; Prov. 14:21) and follows the Lord's instructions (Prov. 29:18). [God] made man in order to share His own blessedness, and He perfected a rational animal, alive and conscious, in order to utilize His benefits in eternity1. St. Hilary of Poitiers [God is the source of our inner blessedness:] Since therefore those who are scourged are more blessed than the scourgers, and those in tribulation among us more than those who are free from it outside the Christian pale; and those who are sad are more blessed than those in pleasure; what further source of tribulation shall we have? On this account we shall call no man happy, save him only who lives according to God. For "blessed," it is said, "is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly [1]. Blessed is he whom You chasten and teach him out of Your Law,(ps94: 12) Blessed are the undefiled in the way, (ps119: 1) Blessed are all they who trust in Him, (ps2: 12) Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord, (ps33: 12) Blessed is he whom his soul condemns not, ( sirah14: 2) Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, (ps112: 1) Blessed are they that mourn; blessed are the humble; blessed are the meek; blessed are the peacemakers; blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake (Matt. 5: 3-10). For what is required of us is, that in every thing we do or suffer, the fear of God should be the foundation2. St. John Chrysostom It is indeed a sign of the utmost blessedness and of singular goodness both continually to learn and to teach that love by which we cling to the Lord, so that meditation on Him may, as the Psalmist says, occupy all the days and nights of our life, and may support our soul, which insatiably hungers and thirsts after righteousness by continually chewing the cud of this heavenly food3. Abbot Chaeremon 2. "The way": A common biblical term for "manner of living," or moral conduct as a result of man's participation with God or conversely turning his back to Him. It occurs 66 times in the Psalter, 16 times in Ps. 119, frequently also in the wisdom literature. It comes into popular use with the later prophets. Our Lord Jesus Christ presents Himself as the "Way" (John 14:6). Through Him we enter the heavenly kingdom, and without Him there is nothing but vice and death. What are the two ways? Or what is the way of the just, and that of the wicked? St. Jerome says: [If Christ is the way of the just, then Satan is the way of the wicked4]. In other words, what distinguishes believers is their union with God's word, i.e., Jesus Christ. The "way" does not merely contest ethics, but of being members in 1 On Ps. 2, p. 15. 2 Concerning the Statues, 18: 10. 3 Cassian, Conf. 11: 15. 4 In Ps. Hom. 55. https://coptic-treasures.com/ the body of Christ or rejecting Him. Either we live by the Spirit of God, or by the evil spirit. OUTLINE 1. The contrast of two ways [1-2]. 2. The way of the godly [3]. 3. The way of the wicked [4-5]. 4. The concluding judgment on the two ways [6]. 1. THE WAY OF THE GODLY This psalm offers a main theological principle,ie. "man's freedom." Man has the choice to embrace the godly way or the ungodly way, to revere the Lord or even to rebel against Him. The psalmist reveals the qualities of a godly man, marked by a blessed nature and characterized by these aspects: a. a negative aspect: does no evil[1]. b. a positive aspect: clings to God's word [2, 3]. c. an opposing instance: since we often clarify a point by stressing its opposite [4-6]. 1. Negatively we should not think evil, nor persevere in sin or teach evil, for the psalmist marks the progression of the ungodly person: walking, standing and sitting with the unrighteous, saying: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodlynor stands in the way of sinnersnor sits in the company of the scornful" [1]. a. Fr. Abu-El-Farag Abdellah Ibn-El-Tayab says that the psalmist distinguishes between ungodliness, sinning, and scorning. Ungodliness devotes physical evilness due to lust, adultery and fornication. Sinning arises from separation from God, and idolatry or atheism. While scorning springs from one's attitude towards others and appears in the form of gossip, insults, and contempt. Blessedness, on the other hand, is marked by a sanctified existence and a proper view of one's own life, of a strong relationship with God and with one's fellowmen. b. Some have interpreted "who walks in the counsel of the ungodly" to mean "thinking evil." As for "standing in the way of sinners," this indicates intending to enter and to work with them. Finally "sitting in the seat of the scornful" has been interpreted as "responding eagerly to the wiles and teachings of the wicked." It is as though the progression to wickedness consists of three stages: thinking, doing, and teaching. c. The psalmist denotes three successive steps in a career of evil: I. Walking in the counsel of the ungodly means adoption of the principles of the evil-doers as a rule of life, by letting oneself be guided by their advice. A godly person avoids the evil by utterly renunciating the companionship of the wicked, so that he will not be led by them. The godly sees evil-doers round about him; the world is full of them; they walk on every side. He loves them but not their ways and evils. He prays for them and wisely deals with them, avoiding their evil ways. He hates sin but not the sinners. II. Standing in the way of sinners as if they were starting a journey with them, means conforming to their example, by persisting in the practices of notorious offenses. https://coptic-treasures.com/ III. Finally the worst sin is that of taking a seat in the meeting of the scoffers, associating with those who openly mock at sacred things. It is difficult for one not to sin. John, the Evangelist, says: In fact, as anyone who denies that he has sinned is a liar (cf.1 John 1:8). If therefore, we all sin, what do the words mean, "nor has stood in the way of sinners" The Scriptures do not say "blessed is the man who has not sinned," but rather, blessed is the man who has not persevered in sin. St. Jerome We must study the gradation:"walked, stood, and sat" [1]. Man walked in effect when he turned his back on God; he stood when he took pleasure in sin; he sat when, hardened in his own pride, he was incapable of retracing his steps unless He who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence, came to deliver him. St. Augustine d. The state of blessedness is granted by God to those anxious to attain the light and avoid the darkness of sin. The scholar, Daniel El-Salhy, says: [Let those who desire the blessedness granted by the Holy Spirit to draw near and hear: to whom has David assigned this blessedness? Drawing near to godly blessedness draws us away from the darkness of sin...those who knew the Hebrew language at David's time claimed that this psalm was written on the occasion of Saul's contact with the witch at Endor. He asked her to call to life the spirit of Samuel the prophet, so that the psalmist depicts how Saul left the straight way and walked after the wicked one, how he lied, cheated, and oppressed his people, he forsook the seat of righteousness and sat on the chair of the witch. The spirit of David was therefore stirred to write this psalm to depict the state of the king of Israel and to chastise him indirectly]. Daniel, the scholar also says that Adam is the one who fell from a state of blessedness to a state of wickedness, thus comparing him with Israel's first king, Saul. He says: [Adam became the follower of the snake, just as Saul became the slave of false priesthood, the first beguiled by Eve, the latter by the witch. Thus the first fell out of paradise being banished by God, while the latter was deviled union with the saints after erring from the way of God's people.] e. Since the scholar Daniel conceives blessedness as a gift of the Holy Spirit, granted to those who desire it, then the word "blessed" can be considered as one of the titles of Christ. St. Paul accordingly says: " who is the blessed and only Potentate, the king of kings, and Lord of lords," (2 Tim.6:15). Blessedness is the work of the Holy Spirit in us as we are united with the Blessed, who is our head, the Lord Jesus Christ. See the wicked in the temporary pleasure of sin, which attracted no happiness no fill will be a mirage in their lives but the believers are united with Christ ones find happiness and blessed not in things but also in the time transient Union the lord Jesus Christ f. Why has the psalmist used the singular: "Blessed is the man"? I. Probably because those who walk in the way of the Lord are very few, or because the psalmist wishes to stress their union in the spirit of love and faith. Thus they are considered one person, as St. Paul says: "one Lord, one faith, one baptism. one God and Father of all..." (Eph. 4:5, 6). II. Some fathers, as well as St. Augustine, believe that the one blessed here is Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who carries the Church as the holy body of the Holy Head, granting her a blessed life. https://coptic-treasures.com/ It is worthy to note that the psalmist blesses those who oppose evil and resist it. This confirms that blessedness is granted to those who resist sin. St Augustine stresses that a youth who resists sin and evil thoughts does not do so out of childishness, and in fact attains a greater reward than a child who keeps pure due to his age. A youth therefore attains a crown for his love and resistance. His struggle against sin arises out of a mature purity. In contrast, a child's purity arises out of his weakness. III. Positively : Since Jesus Christ - the Word of God Incarnate - is the Way, then we have to be bible-centered. God's Law that leads man in the right way is contrasted with the way of human seducers. His word supports us in our fight against evil and satisfies our need, hence our joy and pleasure. This psalm is among the Torah Psalms: 1, 19, 119 which express such a state1. The psalmist pronounces a blessing on the godly man who meditates on the Law day and night. He attains delight in it, for it achieves an interior peace and satisfaction in the Lord. He does not regard the Law as an irksome burden but as a joyous way of participation with God. L. Sabourin says, [It is the God revealing law that Jesus has come not to abolish but to fulfill (Matt. 5:17). The Psalmist sees it as the expression of divine will, affording guidance under God's providential rule.] This psalm is among the Torah Psalms: 1, 19, 119 which express such a state! Origen says that the Church or the soul finding sweetness in the Word of God meditates continuously on the Law of God, chewing as it were the cud thereof like a clean animal (Lev. 11:1-4)2. Meditation on the Law does not simply consist of reading, but of doing. Just as the apostle says in another place, "Whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, do all for the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10 :13)3. St. Jerome Let us consider all things secondary to hearing the word of God and to deem no season unseasonable ...; let every season belong to it4. St. John Chrysostom Let each of us seek how to build within him a dwelling place for God! Let him carry within himself the altar with the commandments so that he will meditate by day and night [2]. Let his very thoughts be an altar where God's word is preserved, as the prophet says: "blessed is he who keeps the word in his heart and obeys it." May he bear in his heart manna, ie. the sweet knowledge of God's word. May he have Aaron's rod, i.e., accurate and pure understanding of the holy teaching5. St. Jerome 1 Childs: Introduction to the O. T. as Scriptures, p. 513. 2 Comm.. on Songs 3: 5. 3 In Ps. Hom. 1. 4 In John hom. 18: 4. 5 An Exod. Hom. 9: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Meditation on the divine words is like a trumpet arousing your souls to battle, lest perchance you sleep while your adversary is awake. Therefore, let us meditate on the law of the Lord, not only during the day, but also at night, as the Lord says in the Gospel:"Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation" Matt. (26: 41)1. Fr. Caesarius of Arles "He will meditate by day and night," is to be understood either as without ceasing; or "by day" in joy, "by night" in tribulations. For it said, "Abraham saw my day, and was glad" (John 8: 56), "my reins also have instructed me, even in the night" (Ps.16: 7). St. Augustine If the book of Psalms is the book of heavenly songs, then we cannot enter heaven without the written word of God made incarnate. The Holy Word alone can open our inward eye and through His Holy Spirit can we enjoy seeing and sharing heavenly life, while being still alive in this world. We attain the Holy Word as a promise to enjoy perfect union with Him on the Day of Judgment. The early church found her paradise in the written word of God and in the Word Incarnate. Thus she lived a heavenly life, fully blessed and satiated. THE FRUITFUL TREE AND THE CHAFF: A symbol of the blessedness of the righteous is the fruitful tree, that withstands the buffeting of the winds, and flourishes. It blesses man, animals and birds with its unfailing fruit and shade (Jer. 17:8). As a result of meditating on the Law of the Lord, we bring forth fruit (John 15:8), and our fruit will be lasting (John 15:16). But we can't be fruitful or prosperous without the waters of the Holy Spirit, who grants us the power to endure the hardships of life [3]. The person who has his will in harmony with God's law and cares for it day and night becomes a flourishing tree fed by streams of water, yielding its fruit in due season (Matt. 21:41) How happy is that orchard whose fruit resembles the Bridegroom's beauty. For He is the true light, true life, and true righteousness, and all the rest, as Wisdom says (Prov. 1:3). When a person achieves these qualities by good works, he looks into the cluster of his own conscience and sees the Bridegroom there and mirrors the light of truth by his own pure life2. St. Gregory of Nyssa We must struggle with all our strength to free ourselves from the preoccupations of the world and from mundane activities, and even, if it is possible, leave behind us the useless talk of our companions, and devote ourselves to God's word and "meditate on His law day and night" [2], so that our conversion might be wholehearted and we might be able to look upon Moses' unveiled face3. Origen Fr. Martyrius quotes the words of st. Gregory the Theologian: [We should remember God even more than our breathing4], saying that meditating on the law of 1 Serm. 116: 2. 2 Comm.. on Canticle, Serm. 3. 3 On Lev., hom. 6: 1. 4 Oration 27: 4 (PG 36: 16 B-C and 20 B). https://coptic-treasures.com/ the Lord is the way to attain this remembrance. He says, [We ought to open our mouths at all times to God, and breathe in the breath of His grace that nourishes our souls with the recollection of Him... Let us do this, meditating continuously on the things of God, and by means of the Lord's law, let our will be grafted on to Him1]. According to St. Jerome, the tree here is a figure of our Lord Jesus Christ and also of us. He says that there is one river that comes forth from the throne of God and one tree alongside the river (Rev. 22: 1-3; 4: 2). This river is the Holy Bible, which has two banks, the Old Testament and the New Testament. During the year, this Tree (Christ) yields twelve fruits, one for each month (Rev. 22: 2), for we are unable to receive the fruits except through the apostles2. St. Jerome Now through the redemption wrought by the Tree of Life, that is, by the Lord's passion, we shall ourselves be like the tree of life; and all that is in us will be eternal and we will have for eternity a sense of blessedness. For they shall prosper in all they do, being no longer uncertain by reason of change nor by nature infirm, when incorruption will swallow up corruption, and eternity will swallow up weakness, and the form of God will swallow up the form of earthly flesh3. St. Hilary of Poitiers The fruit of the cross is a glorious resurrection. This fruit of the wood is truly planted "near running water," for baptism is always joined to the cross. However, this wood produced "its fruit in due season," at the Lord's resurrection4. Fr. Caesarius of Arles The godly man looks like a productive tree, for he practices the joyous and unshakable trust in God, and to him He is everything. The psalmist says, " And whatever he does shall prosper." In other words he succeeds not only in his spiritual life but also in all the aspects of life, for prosperity and success are the characteristics of the true blessed life. Be eager, therefore, to be firmly set in the decrees of the Lord and the apostles so that "in whatever you do you may prosper" [3] in flesh and spirit, in faith and love, in the Son and the Father and in the Spirit, at the beginning and at the end5. St. Ignatius of Antioch The wicked are used here by way of contrast. As a result of the Fall we find it very hard to appreciate goodness in itself; we must contrast it with badness to see it properly6. In sharp contrast are the wicked, "chaff" carried by the lightest wind [3, 4],and its removal brings about cleansing by extracting what is utterly useless. Thus, the way of the wicked will perish, and his life is meaningless and worthless, for a life lived apart from God is just as empty as the chaff. 1 Book of Perfection, 60. 2 Hom. 1. 3 On Ps. 1: 18 (13). 4 Serm. 112: 3. 5 Letter to the Magnesians, 13. 6 Scripture Union: The Psalms, p. 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The image of the winnowing of the chaff which is frequently used is an illustration of God's judgment (Hos. 13:3; Zeph. 2:2; Isa. 29:5; Ps. 35:5; Matt. 3:12)1. For even as chaff lies exposed to the gusts of wind, and is easily caught up and swept along, so is also the sinner driven about by every temptation; for whilst he is at war with himself, and bears the warfare about with him, what hope of safety does he possess; betrayed as he is at home, and carrying with him that conscience, which is a constant enemy? Such, however is not the nature of the righteous man2. St. John Chrysostom Here we must distinguish between the wicked who insist on living in sin and the sinner who is struggling against sin, trusting in the Savior. St Augustine says, [Every wicked man is a sinner, but not every sinner is a wicked man.] "So the ungodly will not rise at the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous" [5]. The wicked will not be able to rise to defend themselves as in a court of law, when the judgment comes3. On the last day they will see God in awe looking at them with fiery eyes. As for God's children, they will see Him as the bridegroom coming to carry them to His heavenly glory! GOD KNOWS THE GODLY "The Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly is doomed" [6]. The Lord's knowledge is not simply intellectual apprehension but an active sharing (Amos 3:2). God knew that Adam was in the garden and He was well aware of what had happened, but because Adam had sinned, God knew him not. And God said, "Adam, where are you?"... Because Abraham had such great faith in sacrificing his own son, on that account God first began to know him (Gen. 22:12). Why have we said all this? Because it is written, "For the Lord knows the way of the just." Let us put it in another way: The Way, the Life, and the Truth is Christ (John 14:6); let us walk, therefore, in Christ and then God the Father will know our way4. St. Jerome I do not see you, who are evil in my light, in the righteousness that I know28! St. Augustine God knows the godly man [6], for the latter knows God [2]. It is said that God knows goodness, meaning that He loves it and honors it. But evil is unworthy of God's knowledge. According to St. Augustine, [With God, knowledge partakes of being; to be unknown is to cease to exist. "I am who I am," says the Lord; and, "He who is has sent me" (Exod. 3:14).] Many of the Fathers of the Church state that the godly man here is our Lord Jesus Christ, who became Man to grant us Himself as our righteousness. In Him we attain the new blessed nature through the water of baptism. 1 Weiser, p. 107. 2 Comcerning the Statues, 8: 4. 3 Nelson: A New Catholic Comm. On Holy scripture, p/ 443 4 Hom. 1. https://coptic-treasures.com/ He (Christ) came indeed in the way of sinners, by being born as sinners are; but He "stood" not therein, for that the enticements of the world held Him not St. Augustine ADAM, THE BLESSED MAN As this section of the Psalter (1- 41) corresponds to the book of Genesis which starts with the creation of the first man, Adam, in his blessed nature, so now the Prophet David starts the Psalter with the blessed "Second Man", for in Him we have been renewed and united as if we are one blessed man, or "one heavenly bride". According to the Talmud, the three Hebrew letters of Adam's name represent the initials of three persons: Adam, David and the Messiah1. Adam began, David prophesied and the Messiah (the Second Adam and the Son of David) realized the blessed life. ADAM: a. Adam = the blessed nature is lost. d. David = the blessed nature is promised inChrist. m. Messiah = the blessed nature obtained. NOTE Psalm one is recited or sung in the "Morning Prayer" every day while we are commemorating the resurrection of Christ. Thus, before we start our daily life we ask our Risen Lord to grant us blessed life as a life blessed by divine grace. 1 See Rabbi Avrohom Feuer tehillim, Psalms - A New Translation with a Commentary Anthologized from Talmud, Midrashic and Rabbinic Sources, (Brooklyn, N.Y.: Messorah Public. Ltd 1985, p. 51.) https://coptic-treasures.com/ A PRAYER O True Word, grant me a reflection on Your love day and night; in prosper and in tribulation! Carry me, O Way, within You, that I may attain Your righteousness! O Crucified One, who changed the wood into a tree of life, make me a fruitful tree, planted beside the flowing waters of Your Holy Spirit.
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