THE SECRET OF MY PEACE BEING ATTACHED TO THE SAVIOR THE WORD OF GOD In the last chapter we saw those who come to Jerusalem to enjoy worship in the temple of the Lord; how they start their journey by feeling sojourn in the valley of tears; and how the devil, with his lying lips and deceiving tongue, opposes them and embitters their life to keep them from ascending. The psalmist, on behalf of all sojourners in this world, begins his psalm by crying out to the Lord, the Savior and compassionate, to save him from the fiery arrows of the devil, and ends it with the appearance of the savior who says: “I am peace” (Psalm 120: 7). Now, having crossed over the first step, they lift up their eyes to the Lord, the unique Savior, the Helper of the sojourners. The word “keep” and its derivatives is repeated 6 times, that we may call this psalm: ‘The psalm of keeping and security’. In this psalm the psalmist’s whole thoughts and emotions are absorbed toward that unique Savior in His divine capabilities, fatherly compassion, and eternal features. The psalmist presents to us a magnificent portrait of the unique Savior who helps, keeps, and grants us His amazing peace. 1- The Word of God, the Holy Mountains 1 - 2 2- Attachment to the Heavenly Guard 3 - 5 3- Holding fast to Christ and His church 6 4- The holy behavior 7 5- Feeling the divine presence 8 1- THE WORD OF GOD, THE HOLY MOUNTAINS: Those who come to Jerusalem, once they see the mountains surrounding their beloved city, they lift up their hearts to the secure divine mountain. The Jews used to consider Mount Zion as the most magnificent scenery in the whole nature, on which the city of God is set, and in which the holy temple is built. Now, the Lord of nature https://coptic-treasures.com/ 40 Himself comes as a unique Mountain to save us against all evil and to lift us up to the heavenly city of God. A Song of ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? (1) In the Old Covenant, Noah found his comfort to some extent on Mount Ararat where the ark settled. Moses and Elijah found their comfort in speaking with the Lord on Mount Sinai or Horeb. Elijah dwelt for some time on Mount Carmel. And the Jews found their temporary happiness on Mount Zion on which Solomon built his temple. … The psalmist, on the other hand lifts his eyes up to a unique Mountain, namely, faith in the Savior Messiah, who alone can grant the resurrection from the dead and the glories of the eternal life. … Exulted and amazed, the prophet Zechariah says: “Who are You, O Great Mountain?” (Zechariah 4: 7). What are those mountains, capable of helping man and saving him from the death that dwelt upon him, but the stone that Nebuchadnezar saw in his dream: “The stone that struck the image, … and became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2: 35). This Holy Mountain sets out of the believers of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, holy mountains that carry His light, toward which men, serious to enjoy the divine truth, look to find divine help, not from the mountains themselves, but from God who dwells in them, and who works in their life. The scholar Origen believes that because of God’s love for us, He appears to us on the mountains, to spare us the effort of searching for Him; as we see Him “come leaping upon the mountains” (Song of Solomon 2: 8). Our Christ, the true Savior, says about Himself that He is the Mountain that come down from heaven to be cast into the sea (Mathew 21: 21; Mark 11: 23).; to save us from the abyss, and lift us up to His heavens. St Jerome believes that the mountains here refer to the prophets of the Old Covenant who prophesied about the coming of the Savior Messiah, and the apostles, and the disciples who preached Him in the New Covenant. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 41 And St. Augustine proclaims that the hills and the holy mountains are the Holy Books, by which we are lighted by the sun Himself who keeps us from darkness. And St. John Chrysostom believes that, of the blessings of the tribulations and the temptations, that, feeling loss and confusion, the soul longs to seek comfort in the Lord, who knows what is hidden, when it realizes the helplessness of humanity to give it help. The adulteress soul – Rahab in us – cries out: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help?” (1). The prince of this world truly cannot ascend to those places and reach our Lord Jesus in the heights; although in the temptations he took Him to a high place, and said to Him: “If you are the Son of God, throw Yourself down” (Matthew 4: 6); as he only loves those who fall down to the low depths; where he reigns and makes his dwelling, and from where he goes down to hell1. (The scholar Origen) It is befitting of us to take off the dead leather (the shoe) of the letter, and to ascend barefoot up Mount Zion, together with Moses, saying: “I must run aside and look at this great sight” (Exodus 3: 3) 2. They are the mountains to which we resort when “the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stands in the holy place” (Matthew 24: 15) 3. (St. Jerome) “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (2) In deadly literality, the Jews used to seek their help from the temple set in Jerusalem high on Mount Zion, not caring to return to God Himself. But God allowed for the destruction of the temple, and for their captivation, to let them comprehend that their help would come from their attachment to God who made heaven and earth. Despite His care for His house amid His people, God wishes to set out of them a temple which He sanctifies and where He dwells. 1 In Jos., hom 1: 5. 2 Letter 121: 4. 3 Homilies on Psalms. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 42 “My help comes from the Lord”, and not from any human creature, nor from horses, possessions, or allies. Our help which comes from the Lord is not only undefeatable, but is also simple and easy; namely, we do not need to travel a long distance, nor to bribe the guards, to spend a great wealth, or to lift up our eyes high1. (St. John Chrysostom) The Sun of Righteousness has already shone; the gospel has been preached by the apostles; the secrets of the Old Covenant have been revealed, the veil has been torn, and the hidden place in the temple has been proclaimed. Hence, let them lift their eyes up to the mountains from whence come the help … He says: “Of His fullness we have all received” (John 1: 16). The help is from Him, from whose fullness the hills took, and not from the hills themselves2. (St. Augustine) The second of the psalms of ascents (121) presents blessing to him who receives help from the Lord who made heaven and earth; as “the sun shall not strike him by day, nor the moon by night” (6). Prophesying about the church, Isaiah describes it as a special procession (Isaiah 60: 4; 66: 12). And the story shines more when he says: “Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ hands” (Isaiah 4), and your children in covered carriages, protected by shades from the hot sun rays3. (St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa) 2- ATTACHMENT TO THE HEAVENLY GUARD: Looking back at history, the Jews would never forget how they got out of the land of Egypt by a strong hand and a mighty arm; and how God Himself protected them day and night in the wilderness. “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber” (3) 1 Op Ps. 121. 2 On Ps. 120 (119). 3 عظة 2 على نشید الاناشید ترجمة الدكتور جورج نوّار. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 43 No one can keep our feet from being moved except Him about whom the psalmist says: “He shall pluck my feet out of the net” (Ps. 25: 15). According to St. John Chrysostom, this phrase indicates that God, the source of our comfort and security, would never allow our feet to be moved; and would watch over us to grant us comfort and security. “He will not allow your foot to be moved”; namely, will not allow for you to stumble, but would stretch His hand to you, and would never forsake you … Even in what we contribute, we need his grace to stay secure, and to continue undisturbed1. (St. John Chrysostom) You should first notice that he who was once have been among the angels; When his foot was moved he fell, and turned from an angel to a Satan … He fell out of pride; for nothing would make the foot be moved like pride. While love cause the foot to walk, progress, and ascend; Pride, on the other hand, causes it to fall2. Choosing for yourself Him who never slumber nor sleep, your foot would never be moved. If you wish to have a Keeper who never sleep, choose God3. (St. Augustine) “Behold, He who keeps Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep” (4) The creator, the Guard of the soul, does not submit to time; as for Him there is no night in which He seeks sleep and comfort; so how about guarding the believer? All the time He sees all, knows everything, nothing is hidden from Him; and for Him there is no darkness; He is the Almighty. The Lord Christ, while in the body, slept at the rear of the boat in order to wake up the faith of the disciples, and to let them comprehend that, being the Keeper of their life and souls, He rebuked the wind and made it calm down (Mark 4: 35-40). He never slumber nor sleep; is preoccupied with our salvation and comfort day and night; shades over us by day like a cloud that 1 Op Ps. 121. 2 Op Ps. 121 (120). 3 Op Ps. 121 (120). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 44 never quit, and leads us amid the darkness of the night as a pillar of light that precedes us so that we do not stumble. If it is said that the Lord Christ: “He who keeps Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep” (4), His bride, the church, sings saying: “I sleep, but my heart is awake” (Songs 5: 2). … According to St. Jerome, [“there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2: 8); They would not find Christ unless they keep watch; as this is the commitment of the shepherd. Christ would not be found except by those who keep watch1]. St. John Chrysostom believes that this saying indicates that God would never forsake His role to care; He keeps watching over us in great security. In the parable of the good Samaritan, many church fathers believe that, by the good Samaritan, The Lord Christ meant His own Person; as the word ‘Samaritan’ means (a guard) or (a keeper). The Lord Christ is the Guard of the soul who does not trust another to guard it. That good Samaritan who cares for the divine guardianship of the soul, personally cares for the believer; the psalmist says: “Your Keeper”, who never slumber nor sleep, but watches over you and keeps you, that your foot will not be moved, nor fall, as did the feet of some of the angels who fell from their heavenly rank, and through pride became Satans. You are kept by the good Samaritan -- the Savior and the Guard – holy in body and spirit; He, about whom the psalm says: “He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep”. I wish the holy Guard who came down to Daniel, would come to you, to be able to say: “I sleep, but my heart is awake” (Songs 5: 2) 2. (St. Jerome) I wish no man fears perdition, whatever his fall is, as the Good Samaritan, the Guard of souls, will never pass him by, but will have compassion on him and will heel his wounds3. (St. Ambrose) Our Guard is our Creator4. 1 St. Jerome: Homily 88, on the nativity of the Lord. 2 Letter 75 to Theodora, 13. 3 In Luc. Chapter 1. 4 In Joan, tract 43: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 45 (St. Augustine) Let us do our best to keep watch together with Him, He who will never slumber nor sleep, the Keeper of Israel1. (The scholar Origen) Concerning the departure of the wise men from the East for their own country another way (Matthew 2: 12); This is an example for us in humility and faith. Once we come to know Christ and worship Him, we should forsake our old way which we took before, the wrong way (coming to Herod); and walk along another route, in which Christ will be our Guide. We should return to the paradise from which Adam has been driven out; that location referred to in the psalm, as bringing pleasure to God in the land of the living2. (Father Chromatius) Let us now go back to some previous parts of the text. Passing by His bride, who did not recognize Her beloved, the Word did not proceed forward, deserting her, but intended to draw her to Him. The bride said: My heart went out to him when he spoke”; namely, her soul went out of the place she was, where “the watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me, The keepers of the walls took my veil away from me” (Song 5: 7). To experience some suffering by a thief, would be a bitter experience for the bride; as “The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy” (John 10: 10); But to be found by the city watchmen, that is actually a grace, as what they find would never be stolen by thieves. … Who are those watchmen? They are the watchmen of Israel; the watchmen on our right side, whom we believe will keep our souls against evil, and guard our coming in and going out. God is the Guard of the city, about whom the psalm says: “Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127: 1). Those to whom the text refers as the watchmen of the city are “the ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrew 1: 14) 3. (St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa) 1 Commentary on Matt., 91. 2 Chromatius: Tractate on Matt. 5: 2. 3 عظة 12 على نشید الأناشید ترجمة الدكتور جورج نوّار. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 46 The soul is enlightened by repentance, to see and practice by work to drive out the whole evil … And seeing that the process is too tough and difficult for her, she calls upon the divine mercies to come to support her effort. She drags the iniquity out of her house, by hiring the divine compassion by her tears to come to her help. She tries to gather all the transgressions that entered into her since her childhood, and knowingly sheds the water of her eyes … The robber, though a beginner in confession, came to inherit the kingdom. By one word he moved all the mountains of iniquity, he has built in his life, because his faith was strong (Matthew 17: 19); having got the help of the divine mercies in such a huge accomplishment. You as well, if you seek it, it will come to your help. You just have to start, then the divine mercies will be on your side. You have just to Initiate a reason, then your Aid will not delay (Psalm 121: 3, 4) 1. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougy) Be Israel! What does Israel mean? It is interpreted as (Seeing God). And How would God be seen? First by faith, then by vision. If you cannot see Him by your eyes, behold Him by faith. Do not lean upon man; for the mortal may slumber, or may sleep in death; Therefore do not seek a guard among the mortals2. (St. Augustine) “The Lord is your Keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand” (5) Being the Philanthropic, He intends to save the whole world. Being His personal God, He wishes to embrace every single man, and to grant him all His love and care. If the Lord has granted Peter to heal infirmities by his shadow, How much more would be the shadow of the Lord Himself, who stretched His hands on the cross to cast His shadow on all mankind?! He is your Keeper, ally, and helper… He is your refuge3. (St. John Chrysostom) . 1 ا رجع الدكتور الأب بهنام سُني: الإنسان في تعلیم مار یعقوب السروجي الملفان، 1995 ، ص 152 2 Op Ps. 121 (120). 3 Op Ps. 121. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 47 Our left hand means all what we temporarily have; and our right hand means what God promises us, which are unchangeable and eternal. Yet, together with the eternal life, He comforts our present life by temporal blessings. He Himself is the maker of both our right and left hands. Your faith is your right hand; namely, the authority given to you to be among the children of God1. (St. Augustine) 3- HOLDING FAST TO CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH: “The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night” (6) The Lord Christ is called the Sun of Righteousness, with healing in its wings; And the church is called the moon that carries the reflection of the Sun of Righteousness2. He who denies faith in the Lord Christ is burnt by the sun; and he who causes dissension in the church is burnt by the moon. God keeps us in the upright faith and in the true unity of the church. On the contrary, the deceitful devil appears like a sun, not to give healing to the souls, but to burn and destroy them by his wickedness. And he appears like a moon, a reference to the small jackals that corrupt the vineyard of the soul through depression. Some believe that the strikes of the sun is falling into pride and selfrighteousness; and the strikes of the moon is the destruction by temptations. The Lord keeps His children from both this and that. He intends to confirm His care toward His children in an abundant way; not only by liberating them from troubles, but He even does not allow for them to go through the regular human difficulties … His help is realized by His generosity and compassion beyond any appreciation. His help is not given to us according to the measure of our need, but it even surpasses our requirements3. (St. John Chrysostom) The soldier of Christ walks forward by evil report and by good report (2 Corinthians 6: 8); one on his right side and the other on his left. Commendation does not puff him up, and rebuke does not 1 Op Ps. 121 (120). 2 Gaebelien, p. 445. 3 Op Ps. 121. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 48 destroy him. He does not boast his riches, and is not destroyed by poverty. Both joy and sorrow he despises; He is not burnt neither by the sun by day nor by the moon by night1. (St. Jerome) He who does not err to the Wisdom Himself is not burnt by the Sun; And he who does not err to the church, to the body of the Lord, and to the things done for our sake, is not burnt by the moon2. (St. Augustine) You can see therefore that the sun does not burn the saints in whom there is no evil; As the sun is double-edged: while it gives light to the righteous, it does not give light to the wicked, but burns them; as they themselves hate the light, by doing evil3. The sun of temptations does not burn the righteous who finds comfort in the shade of the Word of God. The sun that burns is not Him Who is praised, but it is rather him who transforms himself to an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11: 14) 4. “Behold, you are fair, my love! Behold, you are fair. You have dove’s eyes” (Songs 1: 15). When the bride heard this commendation, she, in turn, commended the Groom; not commending a beauty she does not see, No but she has seen His beauty and looked at it long enough to say: “Behold, You are handsome, my beloved! Yes pleasant! Also our bed is green!” (Songs 1: 16).I search for a bed where the bride and the Groom find comfort; … It is the human body! The paralyzed who was lying on his bed was called by the Lord to go home carrying his bed (Matthew 9: 6). He used to lie on it while miserable because of the weakness of his members, that got strength by the divine power. That is the meaning of the Lord’s command: “Carry your bed and go home”; As the Son of God did not come down to earth to care about a bed; nor came down to let the one healed go home without his bed. You as well, whom the Savior healed, carry your bed and go home; where the Groom will join you to sleep. Then, 1 Letter 52 to Nepotian, 13. 2 Op Ps. 121 (120). 3 Commentary on Songs 2: 2. 4 Commentary on Songs. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 49 you can say to Him: “Behold, You are handsome, my beloved! Yes pleasant! Also our bed is green! 1”. (The scholar Origen) 4- THE HOLY BEHAVIOR: The care of the Savior is on an eternal level; He cares for our salvation to bring us forth to the eternal glories. “The Lord shall preserve you of all evil. He shall preserve your soul” (7) Being attached to Him like a treasure in an earthen vessel, He preserves and sanctifies us. It is therefore unbefitting of us to get preoccupied with anything, even with church affairs. Those who lean on Him and look at Him are preserved from every ethical evil, namely, from sin, and not from what we wrongly call evil, like sufferings, sorrow, and material losses of temporal things. Preserving from evil implies a secure and exulting life amid the sufferings and afflictions, and not necessarily taking away the afflictions. (The scholar Origen) In other words, He who does not allow for you to suffer even from the simple problems, but his care extends to such a degree, His hands is active and wholly capable of exempting you from others … of saving you from every trouble, whatever it is, and of setting you free2. (St. John Chrysostom) “The Lord shall preserve you of every evil” (7); of transgressions under the sun, and transgressions under the moon; He, who never sleep will preserve your right hand3. (St. Augustine) When you hear good news, despise them, and do not lean on them, as they may not be true; And when you hear bad news, do not be afraid, as they are not steadfast. In this time, both good and bad news come riding chariots, and chase one another day and night; yet none of them is able to settle 1 Letter 52. 2 Op Ps. 121. 3 Op Ps. 121 (120). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 50 down in, nor to come out; Because it is the divine wisdom who intend for them to do that. Do not panic to hear any of them; … Do not let any of them cause you to rejoice or be sorrowful. Let the news come and go; Lean on God and on the hope of faith, and take into consideration the verse saying: “The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from evil” (6-7) 1. (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougy) 5- FEELING THE DIVINE PRESENCE: “The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore” (8) He preserves our going out of the love of the world, and preserves our coming into the experience of the heavenly life. He came out from the Father and came down to carry us in Him, and to bring us forth into the bosom of the Father. By His going out and His coming in, He sanctified our going out and our coming in, Here he refers to everything in life; Life as a whole is covered by this care, both the entrance and the exit; not for one, two, three, ten, twenty, or even a hundred days, but perpetually. Contrary to the case of men who continuously change, and are subject to unceasing events; The friend of today is the enemy of tomorrow; and the helper of today will forsake you tomorrow; … What come from God, however, is unchangeable, eternal, steady, and limitless2. (St. John Chrysostom) “The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and even forevermore” (8). Not your body; as even the bodies of the martyrs were equally destroyed; but the Lord will preserve your soul3. (St. Augustine) The Jews used the expression: “going out and coming in” to refer to (everything) in our daily activity (Deuteronomy 6: 28; Joshua 11: 14; 2 1 الرسالة السادسة والعشرون 2 Op Ps. 121. 3 Op Ps. 121 (120). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 51 Samuel 25: 3). It probably also refers to man’s life from his birth to his departure from the world; namely from the dawn to the setting of this life. Some however, interpret this expression in a spiritual way; namely, that the Lord will preserve man from his entry into this life to his exit, to practice the new life in the Lord; He will preserve him in his weakness until He brings him forth to a fellowship with the Heavenly One. Our going out of our present condition is rather a coming into a world of absolute goodness. It is the going out enjoyed by the soul when it is guided by the Word (the Logos), who said: “I am the Word” (John 10: 9). That soul will never cease going out and coming in; as its comfort is only in its continuous coming in, through its progress in the things that were before; and in its coming out from the condition that it already perceived. In such a way, the beloved face of God passed before Moses; by which the soul of the receiver of the law continued to go out from the condition it was in, to perpetually follow the Word who walked before it1. (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 1 Com. On Canticle, Sermon 12. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 52 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 121 LET ME ATTACH TO YOU, O GUARD OF MY SOUL Who will guard my soul and preserve me from evil but You? For my sake You became a huge Mountain; You carry me to the top; That the devil, who intends to bring me down to the abyss, his ultimate dwelling place cannot come near me; Whereas You bring me up to the summit of the high mountains. For my sake You have incarnated; You came to be a small stone, not cut by human hand; Then You filled the earth, as a huge Mountain, O Holy One! You set out of us holy and enlightened mountains; You shine with Your light on us; To scatter every trace of the darkness of the devil; That he would have no place in us. My soul exults when I see how You have set mountains in all generations; That testifies to Your splendor, Your salvation, and Your divine truth. Let us take away our shoes; To ascend the holy Mount of Zion; To say, together with Your prophet Moses: “I must turn aside and look at this great sight”; Together with him I hear Your voice, And together with him I discover the secrets of Your incarnation; I see You as a fire that burns in the bush, not to consume, but to light it. You have granted me Your holy books, as enlightening mountains; By which I enjoy Your knowledge, and help Your Book is light and life, strength, and sweetness. The believers longed to ascend to Jerusalem; To see Your temple built according to the image of Your heaven; You granted me to be carried to the deposit of heaven; My soul settles down in Your bosom to find perpetual comfort; Let the devil be stirred up together with all his hosts; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 53 For You are my help and Guardian; Let me be attached to You, O my Guardian. If the enemy is only preoccupied with plotting against me; You take my feet out of his snares. . You are the way with no offense; You carry me and bring me forth to the eternal comfort. You are the keeper who never slumber nor sleep. You grant me the spirit of watching, that my soul sings saying: “I sleep, but my heart is awake” My heart will never sleep as long as I am with You. You keep me from the strikes of both the sun and the moon; I shall not sin against faith, to fall under the strikes of the sun; Nor shall I sin against the church, to fall under the strikes of the moon. Take the pride away from me, lest I would be destroyed by the sun; And take the smallness of the soul away from me, lest I would be destroyed by the moon. By You, I shall not be destroyed by the riches. By You, I would not be corrupted by the unbefitting joy, nor by the deadly sorrow. Preserve my going out and my coming in; By You, my heart will find comfort in going out of the love of the world; And by You, my soul will find comfort in coming into the deposit of heaven. Preserve me from my coming into the world, till my departure from it. Preserve me from the time I am conceived till the day I set forth to You.
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