LIBERATION FROM THE SERVITUDE OF THE DEVIL In the preceding three psalms of Ascents (120-122), the believer talked for himself, although in the name of all believers, or in the name of the one body of Christ. But once he ascended to the house of the Lord, and got together in the spirit of unity with his brethren, he began to talk in the plural tense, to utter openly, in the name of the congregation as a whole. In their name, every member shows his obedience to the Lord who dwells in heaven, and supplicates to him with the contrition of heart to have mercy upon the church. The liberation from the servitude of the devil, filled with humiliation, is realized through our consent of the servitude to God with our whole free will, with the spirit of joy and exultation. While the work of the devil is to humiliate the soul and to bring its insight down to the depth of hell, the joyful servitude to God lifts the soul up to heaven, and opens the insight on the secrets of God. 1- The eyes lifted up to heaven 1 – 2 2- Our liberation from humiliation 3 – 4 1- THE EYES LIFTED UP TO HEAVEN: Reaching up to the house of the Lord, every believer supplicates to God anticipating His mercy; proclaiming that they are all obedient and submissive to Him. Their eyes are concentrated on the compassionate hand of the Lord which keep on doing good. A Song of Ascents “Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens” (1) According to St. Augustine, the believer here speaks in the singular tense, on account of that all believers praise together as one person. Realizing his true position as a man created out of nothing, he counts himself unworthy of being called a servant or a maid of God; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 66 As there is no point of comparison between the Creator and His creation. He cries out to God, saying: “O, You who dwell in the heavens”, distinguishing Him from humans down below. The Lord Christ is from above, above all, and speaks from heaven (See John 3: 31). God is the One filling heaven and earth, There is no place without Him St. Augustine confirms that it is befitting of the believer to ascend through the psalms of Ascents, as though on a ladder, to Him who dwells in the heavens; … He who does not ascend by his heart would fall. By faith, our souls are lifted up as though to God who dwells in the heavens, in the city of God, the Higher Jerusalem. And by faith the Lord Christ dwells in our hearts, to make them a new heaven. Let the one who praises ascend. Let this praise be in the heart of each one of you; And let each of you be this man; Because, when each of you so says, as you all are one in Christ; he does not say: “Unto You, O Lord, we lift our eyes”, but he says: “Unto You, O Lord, I lift my eyes”. You should imagine that when each one of you speaks, he represents all men on earth1. As you are dwelling in a house (the heavenly house of the Lord), if this house is taken away, you will fall. God dwells in the saints; if He forsakes them, they will fall2. (St. Augustine) Where man’s treasure is, there, his heart will also be (Matthew 6: 21); Hence the proverb saying: “The eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth” (Proverb 17: 24). Those, on the other hand, who are chastised by tribulations, and gain experience and wisdom by sorrows, lift their eyes above the earthly things up to God who finds comfort among the angels and saints. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 1 On Ps. 123 (122). 2 On Ps. 123 (122). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 67 Lift up your eyes to heavens, like the one who says: “Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwells in the heavens” (1). Look up to the Sun of Righteousness; For if you are guided by the Lord’s commandments, which represent the most splendid stars, you would have alert eyes. Do not “give sleep to the eyes (of your soul), or slumber to your eyelids” (Psalm 132: 4); Let the commandments perpetually guide you; as it is written: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119: 105). Actually if you never sleep while being at the rudder that guides your life, you will get the help of the Spirit who will guide you in a gentle breeze, and in peace, until you cross over and reach, by the will of God, the secure port without harm1. (St. Basil the Great) David sings: “Unto You I lift my eyes (my spirit), O You who dwell in the heavens” (1); and: “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul” (Psalm 25: 1). … How could the soul be lifted up to follow the Spirit, until it comes to be in Him?! St. Paul says: “The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is; because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8: 26, 27). The Spirit cries out: “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8: 15) in the hearts of the blessed, and is aware of our groaning in this temple; groaning that intercedes for those who have fallen, or have crossed the line. He intercedes to our account, taking unto Himself our groaning according to His love and compassion toward men. (The scholar Origen) “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters; As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us” (2) They have no hope for help or support from anywhere else; and they do not expect any from any other source; being like the 1 Homily on the Beginning Proverbs 17. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 68 servant and the maid who would have no food, clothes, or any other necessities of life, except by keeping their eyes on the hands of their masters; and would not cease to do that until they get them, and give thanks. It is a practice they do all the time1. (St. John Chrysostom) Everyone is committed to care for his personal task with desire, and to consummate it blamelessly, with zeal, enthusiasm, and watching, lest he would become worthy of curse; as it is written: “Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully” (Jeremiah 48: 10). He is also committed to do it under God’s eyes, to be worthy of saying daringly: “As the eyes of servants to the hand of their masters; As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God” (2) 2. If you seek glory, even through the spirituals, What would be your excuse for refraining to submit to God, as much as you, yourself, seek from your servants and slaves? “The eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters; and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress” (2); … Yet you, whom God has made His minister, look to the eyes of your fellow ministers; when you surely know that God will remember your good works in the life to come; while your fellow ministers commend you only here. Although you can surround yourself with witnesses from heaven, Yet you substitute them with ones on earth. It is natural for a wrestler to have a winning crown. Your wrestling arena is heaven; Yet you choose to get your winning crown on earth! What a folly this is! Let us look at the crowns given in this life: a crown of haughtiness, another of envy, and a third of flattery … Nevertheless, men do that like kids who, in their play put crowns of weeds on one another’s head, then make fun of the one they crown. … So, do those who pour commendation on your head, then scoff you in your absence … They even crown you with a crown of weeds, mixed with dirt. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 On Ps. 123. . 2 القوانین المطوّلة – سؤال 41 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 69 If the psalmist likens himself, together with the whole church, to servants who look to the hands of their masters, and to a maid who looks at the hand of her mistress, anticipating mercy and compassion, yet, on another aspect, there is a difference in analogy. Looking at the masters entails humiliation and fear; while, when the church looks to the Lord dwelling in the heavens, their eyes, ears, and hearts are sanctified by looking at the heavenly Holy One, and meditating in Him. While looking to the masters entails humiliation and bitterness; and the servant or the maid do not dare to lift their eyes up, the believers lift their eyes toward heaven with daring and love. Submitting to Christ a bad ear for the sake of chastisement, so as not to submit it instead to slander the others; You would be worthy of commendation and blessing. You would, as well be, if you train your eyes on the sound vision, so as not ever to desire what is foreign to you. And when you are preoccupied with looking to God, and meditating, together with the Psalmist David, saying: “Unto you I lift my eyes, O You who dwells in the heavens. Behold, As the eyes of servants look to the hands of their masters, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us” (2) 1. (St. (Abba) Serapion, bishop of Tammy) Commenting on the use of the word ‘until’, St. Augustine says that it does not imply that believers will cease to look to the Lord after gaining the Lord’s mercy. The Holy Book often uses the words ‘until’ or ‘till’, meaning (continuation), as in the following examples: “He did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son” (Matthew 1: 25) “Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny” (Matthew 5: 26) “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15: 25). 1 Letters des Peres du Desert, p. traduit de P>G> 40, 925D- 941B. عن : فردوس الآباء ج 1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 70 “(The raven) went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth” (Genesis 8: 7) 1. 2- OUR LIBERATION FROM CONTEMPT AND HUMILIATION: The believers become a subject of humiliation, scoff, and insults, the way their Christ did. In the house of the Lord, the believers cry out seeking help; yet without complaint or murmur. “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt” (3) The Babylonians used to parade processions of their gods through the Jewish quarters in Babylon, as a kind of scoffing of the God of the Jews, who, according to them, is helpless to protect His subjects, who, accordingly were filled with contempt and humiliation. Do not you see the extent of contrition?! They supplicate to God to save them from such tough conditions, for the sake of His mercies, and not for worthiness on their part. According to Daniel: “We have become the least of all nations; humiliated in the whole earth; because of our sins” (The Septuagint version). That is exactly what the captives in Babylon say in their supplication: We suffer a tough calamity; were taken away from our home, are deprived of our freedom, became slaves to savages, spend our days in humiliation, hunger, and thirst; are beaten and treaded upon by feet. … Have mercy on us , O Lord, Have mercy on us2! (St. John Chrysostom) “For we are exceedingly filled with contempt”. All those who live with Piety according to Christ, will necessarily need to endure contempt. … Those who do not choose this way, those with earthly happiness, should be despised. As long as we hope for the things to come, and long for the future happiness; even if it is not yet apparent how we shall be, although, actually, “ we are the children of God” (1 John 3: 2), and 1 City of God, book 20. 2 On Ps. 123. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 71 “our life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3: 3), … We are utterly despised by those who seek to enjoy happiness in this world. (St. Augustine) He says: “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Have mercy on us”; For, when we were in prosperity and honor, we did not thank You as we should have! … You have allowed for us to fall into contempt and humiliation as a chastisement and reform. … Now, pray, Put the shame, instead, upon those who boast the riches of this world, and who despise the poor. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) This awful attitude (despair) weighs upon the soul like a yoke, make her bend, and so depriving her of being able to lift her eyes to look up to God. A man of courage, therefore, is committed to break that yoke, and to remove every burden over Him, uttering the words of the prophet: “As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us! Have mercy on us, O Lord, Have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt” (2, 3). He says: “We are exceedingly filled with contempt”, Although we are under so many afflictions, we shall never cease to look to God, nor to pray to Him, until He responds to our supplication. A sign of a noble soul, is that it would never bow, nor be terrified, under a multitude of calamities that weigh on her, nor make her stop praying to God, but would rather persist on this until He has mercy on her, according to the previous saying of the blessed David1. (St. John Chrysostom) “Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, With the contempt of the proud” (4) According to St. Augustine, ‘scorn’ and ‘contempt’ are one and the same; So are ‘at ease’ and ‘proud’! Those who lean upon their riches in haughtiness and pride, scorn those who trust in the promise of eternal life by the Lord Christ; on accountof that it is not perceivable in the present time. … The true 1 رسالة من القدیس یوحنا الذهبي الفم إلى ثیؤدور بعد سقوطه. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 72 Christian, on the other hand, even though he may be rich and wealthy, yet he considers himself poor, because he anticipates the heavenly riches and wealth; And does not boast what he posses now; counting what he has, as not his, but he is just a steward on what is the Lord’s.. … At the same time, the true Christian feels that he is rich, for he needs nothing, nor covet anything. Do not get terrified, O beloved brethren, when a temptation dwells on you; but you should rather recall the words of the inspired David, saying: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119: 71). Accept the affliction as a medication; And use the temptation befittingly, to be worthy of great joy1. (St. John Chrysostom) 1 On Ps. 123. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 73 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 123 DWELL IN MY HEART THAT MY EYES BECOME LIFTED UP TO YOUR HEAVENS As though from a deep pit, I cry out to You; Come to dwell in my heart, O heavenly One; That my eyes be lifted up to You; And with joy and exultation, they would meditate in Your glories. The devil has enslaved me; and with humiliation he drew me to him; He humiliated my whole life’ And brought my insight down to the depth of hell; He destroyed every hope in me; I lost every taste of peace, comfort, or joy; Counting myself a captive and a prisoner, I had no hope of being set free from humiliation; And I counted myself as created to lead a life of a humiliated slave. Come, O heavenly One, and dwell in my heart; To become my Treasure, Glory, Joy, and the exultation of my soul; Together with my eyes, my heart will be lifted up to You; I shall find every sweetness in worshipping You; Your authority is sweet, and Your Kingdom is joyful. Let me be liberated from everything earthly and temporal; Let me set forth, as though from the depths of hell; Let Your Holy Spirit carry me and fly away with me; To settle down eternally in Your bosom.
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