God is my Sufficiency and my Joy David was meditating on the fulfillment of satisfaction that he finds in God, and the completion of joy granted by God alone. In this song of confidence, the psalmist is protected in the temple, and he expresses his trust in the Lord who reigns over the land of his people. What proves that David is the writer of this psalm is what is mentioned in its title; also, what was said by St. Peter the apostle on the fiftieth day concerning the Lord’s resurrection (Acts 2: 25-31). Moreover, what St. Paul declared when speaking to the people of Antioch (Acts 13: 35-37). Some scholars, though, think that Levi is the writer of the psalm, because he says, "O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup" (Ps. 16: 5); because the Levites had no position in the land, but their inheritance was in the Lord. David the prophet, as well as every true believer, experienced the same feeling: that he has no position in the land, nor in the throne, but rather in the Lord Himself is his position, for there he finds his satisfaction. The psalmist speaks of every righteous person who has fellowship with the Lord, and his loyalty is in his love other the Lord. He furthermore, speaks of our honesty with the Lord, as well as God’s loyalty towards us. David declares that witnessing the Lord and His presence are the mystery of our joy. Its Sections 1. The honest slave 1-6 2. The honest Lord 7-11 The Title of the Psalm This is the first of the Michtam psalms, which are six in number (16, 56-60). As for the meaning of of ‘Michtam’, this is uncertain1. Some think this refers to the tune in which this psalm is sung. Others think it is derived from the word ‘to cut’ or ‘to engrave’; meaning the psalm is engraved or sculpted on one of the precious and long-lasting pillars. As for the title according to the seventieth translation, this means ‘engraved in God on the pillar’. Some think it may mean ‘in secret’, a song of deep intonation that could prophecy of the deep aim in the spiritual creed in its holy formation. Many think the word ‘Micham’ is derived from the word that means ‘gold’, which indicates that the psalm is ‘golden’, and it was translated as ‘the golden jewel’, because the psalm declares our Christ, the Risen One, for He is the obedient Servant in whom we obtain the glorious and risen life, and thus we accept our Father as our portion and our share. Others think the word here is ‘Michab’ that is found in (Isaiah 38: 9); also in many other passages in the Holy Book, and thus it means ‘written’. A Messaic Psalm At least a part of the psalm speaks of the forthcoming Messiah (Acts 2: 25-28; 13: 35-37). Thus it is one of the Messanic psalms. Gabelein says, “The sixteenth psalm is the third Messaic psalm. The second psalm declares his sonship, and the eighth psalm declares He is the Son of God. But in 1 Plumer, p. 209. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 41 this psalm, we can detect His being the obedient Servant on earth who relies absolutely on God the Father. He trusted in Him totally in life and in death, the death of the cross. The Lord has spoken of the resurrection, and all that followed after, such as being blessed with the divine presence, and sitting on the Father’s right hand. David wrote this psalm as a prophet, and thus we have in this ‘golden jewel’ the voice of the Lord our God, in His deep humility” 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ as our delegate and representing us, the section Adam, He is the obedient Servant who corrected our nature that has been corrupted by the disobedience of our first father Adam. Christ accepted the Father as a portion of His inheritance and His cup, and He asked for nothing else. In His obedience He went to the mire of death, He the only One, who alone knew no sin. This is why He saw no corruption in His death. Christ’s Resurrection “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Ps. 16: 10). The church fathers think our Lord Jesus Christ, who has become the good Servant is asking the Father for His resurrection2. By means of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus who saw no corruption, we have come to have the hope in the glorious resurrection (1Cor. 15: 1-4, 20-23). The Lord, in His passion and His death, He did not submit to the human law (that is, He suffered and died due to sin). Rather in His own free self-will, it was written about Him alone in this way; for He died according to the body, and He did not die according to the Spirit, because His soul was not left in Hades, “and His body saw no corruption”. He himself says “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have the power to take again” (John 10: 18) 3. St. John Casian The fire had no power over Hananiah and his brothers’ clothes, and neither on the bodies of the righteous. Also, at the end, fire will have no power over those who believe in Jesus4. Father Afrahat It appeared as if the body is susceptible to corruption. But He did not remain like this in His nature; for, when He was clothed with the Word He remained with no corruption. Because He came in our body, and was similar to us, this is why we receive Him, and share the immortality that springs from Him5. Pope Athanathius the Apostolic He came forward to speak with them confidently about David the father, that he was a prophet. He knew that God swore to him that out of the fruit of the lions, there will come Him who will sit on his seat. When he prophesied this, he was speaking of Christ’s resurrection. He will not be left in Hades , and His body will see no corruption6. 1 Gaebelein: Psalms, p. 72. 2 St. Hippolutus of Rome: Expository Treatise against the Jews, 3. 3 The institutes, 3: 3. 4 Select Demonstration, 21: 19. 5 Four Discourses against the Arians, 3: 57. 6 Adv. Haer. 3: 12: 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 42 St. Irianus 2. God’s Blessings God keeps his believers by means of His love to them “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust” (Ps. 16: 1). The worshiper begins his prayer entreating God to protect him and take care of him. this prayer is suitable for David the prophet and the Lord Jesus. David had overcome the mighty Goliath, and the women went out to meet Saul, singing “Saul thousands and David beat numberless of people” despite all of this, David’s life was constantly threatened and endangered by Saul and his men. There was no one to keep his life safe except God alone. As a Shepard, he knows how to embrace the weak sheep and take him in his arms, and He carries him on His shoulders. Here, he can find greater care from the Shepard of the talking sheep. As for the Lord Jesus, in His incarnation, He offered prayers and pleadings in a loud voice, and in tears, to Him who is able to save Him from death (Heb. 5: 7). In the book of Isaiah, the Father’s promise came to the Lord Jesus, that He would keep Him safe “Thus says the lord. In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people” (Is. 49: 8). This has been fulfilled, as manifested in the farewell prayer of the Lord Jesus, since He is our Intercessor, and the chief heavenly priest. By Him, we are protected, for He says, “Holy Father, keep through your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are one” (John 17: 11). For our sake, our Christ entered the hardships to cry out as our representative, asking of the Father to keep Him. Because He has been heard, due to His divine righteousness we have been kept safe too, for we are members of His body. Some scholars think the psalmist did not write this psalm so as to face a particular disaster for difficulty he wished to get rid of. It is rather the fruit of a test of piety by which means the psalmist realizes, as well as every other pious worshiper, that his protection is in God. The believer experiences this on the basis of being blessed with God’s divine presence in the temple or sepulcher1. “O my soul, you have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You” (Ps. 16: 2). When the soul encounters God, the source of its protection, it starts what is like a covenant. It says ‘You are my Lord’; the soul speaks to Him, and proclaims its confidence in Him, for He is its Lord. The soul does not possess itself, neither is the master of itself. Rather, it has yielded its life to him for He is its Lord and the leader of its life. Once we trust in Him, he keeps us in him as our own refuge. He deals with us, for we are His own, and He is ours, for He is our Lord. (Job 22: 2- 3؛ 35: 7- 8 Luke 17: 10). He does not need our goodness for we are unable to offer the Almighty God anything of use to Him. He asks for our hearts and our love, for we are His children. by means of this love He reveals our weakness, not to condemn us, but rather to correct our nature. Even with Christ Jesus, being our representative, He did not become incarnate and die so as to show His love towards the Father, but rather towards sinners. He thus revealed the Father’s love and His Son’s love to them. The goodness He offered was for the sinner’s account, and not for the father’s account against whom we sin for He 1 Weiser, p. 173. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 43 says, “for God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 13: 6). God does not need our righteousness; rather we are in need of his righteousness. As the prophet says, “My goodness is nothing apart from You” (Ps. 16: 2) 1. St. Gregory bishop of Niscus The psalmist moreover says, “My goodness is nothing apart from You”; therefore, you tell me, of what is God’s use if I am righteous and just? How will He be harmed if I am wicked? Isn’t His nature incorruptible? Isn’t His nature unharmed, and above any kind of pain? The slaves, however rich they may be, have nothing of their own. What they have, only belongs to their masters2. St. John Chrysostom St. John Chrysostom thinks the speaker in this psalm is the Lord Jesus Himself, for He says, “It is written that the Lord said to the Lord ‘you are My Lord’”. Here he is referring to the Trinity of the same essence. We do not understand the existence of two different trigasion, but we understand the Trinity, all of the same nature3. 2. God reveals His Mysteries to His Saints “As for the saints who are on the earth, "They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight” (Ps. 16: 3). The word ‘saints’ is derived from its original meaning, the concept of the ‘holy people’ that God has chosen for Himself and has selected for Himself. He chose those people to declare God’s sanctity and His glory to the world by mean of God’s dealings with them and their testimony of Him4. The scholar Oreganus says the believers who seek sanctity, these are called ‘saints’, due to their advanced saintly life, even though they have not reached it to perfection. They enjoy a holy life by means of the fellowship with the Holy Lord Jesus. They are washed with His blood from all their sins and their infirmities. They get clothed with his righteousness and His sanctity by the work of the Holy Spirit in them. These saints live in His land or earth, they live in the same world and one the same land in which the wicked ones do. But the saints see in this world and in this universe God’s fingerprints, the Maker of the impossibilities, all made for their sakes. They therefore realize they are in God’s land, like those living in their Father’s protective house. With this, they can see themselves in His holy church ‘the Savoir’s land, and thus their spirits rest until they are exalted to His heavens so as to see Him face to face. Indeed we are badly in need of realizing we are under our Savior’s shelter who sanctifies our world in spite of what the evil ones do. We need to be blessed in living on God’s land, or His church. The Lord manifests ‘his wonders’ in our life, and He changes even the most wicked things to our won good. He brings out of the eater food, and from the bitter He brings out sweetness. At this point, when we are in His land, we not only come to know His will, but He also performs His will in us, for the psalmist says, ‘He made in them all of His will’. He has fulfilled all of His salvation plan in us so we be blessed with the fellowship of His glory. 1 Comm.. on Canticle, serm. 4. 2 In 1 tim. Hom., 16. 3 In 2 tim. Hom., 3. 4 See weiser, p. 174. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 44 What are the wonders of His will in His saints other than His work of salvation, particularly His resurrection and His ascension and His second coming? These are issues proclaimed to His saints. They are His loved ones to whom He grants Himself, so they be blessed by His risen life as a new life, and thus their holy will is in harmony with His will. They are keen on being ascended up to Him and being blessed with the glory of the great day of the Lord. Who are those saints who are in the Lord’s land? The saints who gladly put their trust and hope in the land of the living, they are the dwellers of the heavenly Jerusalem, who have their spiritual history firmly set in the anchor of hope in this city that is truly called God’s land, even though they still live physically speaking, in this earth. These saints are Christ’s disciples and the Marys and others who have been blessed with the apparitions of Christ, the Risen from the dead. The crucifixion was in public, for the Jews as well the Gentiles witnessed the crucified Christ, and this is why there is no excuse for them. as for the resurrection, this is granted as a divine gift to him who seeks the eternal life, and Christ the Risen would thus become their portion and their inheritance “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup” (Ps. 16: 5).S t. Augustine In this way the Lord our Savior uncovers the mysteries of His resurrection in the hearts of his saints, so they be blessed as their portion and their inheritance. He satisfies their souls with the eternal joy, and sanctifying even the land they walk on, so it be counted as His land. It is as if He grants His saints His resurrection as a life risen for them, and He takes their land, or their bodies, to be attributed to Him. in other words, our Lord begins a reciprocal love with His saints, by means of which what is ours becomes His and what His becomes ours. But as for the evil ones, it is said “Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god” (Ps. 16: 4). The Lord permits them to have sorrows and pain, for they might realize their inward disease by means of their physical ones. Then they would hasten to the Savior, the only Physician of the bodies and the souls. ‘Their sorrows shall be multiplied’ this is not to wipe them out, but rather, so they cry out asking for the Physician. St. Augustine The Lord answered saying, “I tell you even until seventy times seven times”, because even the prophets, after being anointed with the Holy Spirit, they sinned in their words. St. Ignatius the apostolic and the martyr wrote daringly, “the Lord chose apostles who were more sinners than anyone else”. Due to their hasty change, the psalmist says, “Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god"1. St. Jerome Hardships are allowed to the wicked ones for they might search for repentance, and turn to God as the Physician and the Savior. The Lord allows these hardships for his saints so they be distinguished and grow and be glorified. St. Cyril the great thinks this prophecy has been fulfilled when the Gentiles accepted the faith in the Lord Jesus, as the Healer to their wounds. They had many infirmities, but they hastened after another god. Their disobedience was endless by which they were accused; these are they which He called gently ‘infirmities’. They were lost in their sins, and were greatly of many terrible crimes, not in one way but in many ways. But they were quick to go to the faith, and were 1 Against the Pelagians, 3: 36. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 45 not slow to accept Christ’s commandments. In readiness, they were converted to the faith. This is why Christ’s net caught them and He is teaching you by one of the saintly prophets’ words “Therefore, wait for Me says the Lord, till the day I rise for plundering; because My judgment is to gather the nations” (Zeph. 3: 8) 1. St. Cyril the great If God declares his mysteries to his saints, and at the same time He asks the wicked to return to Him for He is the Physician who heals the wounds of their souls, the saints therefore, on their part, avoid the sharing of the wicked in their wickedness, particularly in their worship. “Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips” (Ps. 16: 4). It was the atheists’ custom to drink a cup of blood as an oblation, or a kind of worshiping. The psalmist may have also meant by ‘the blood’ here the offering of the human sacrifices’ blood, as part of the atheist rituals. As for the mentioning of their names , for it was said “make no mention of the name of other gods, nor let it be heard from your mouth” (Exodus 23: 13). “You shall out down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place” (Deut. 12: 3). “For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, and they shall be remembered by their name no more” (Hos. 2: 17). it is as if God wished his people to be absolutely sanctified, and would not have their mouth defiled even by mentioning the names of atheist gods. Under the difficult circumstances, David the prophet was obliged to flee to Gath where he stayed there (1Sam. 27: 3). He also went for a second time to the land of Moab (1Sam. 22: 3, 4). His enemies found this an opportunity to accuse him of sharing the atheists their life, their assemblies and their worshiping, and that he has been defiles with their iniquity. This is why the psalmist justifies himself of this accusation; for even though he resorted to them, yet he did not share them their bloody assemblies, and neither did he defile his lips by mentioning the names of the gods. Some think those atheists may have suggested to David that he share them their worshiping, as is clear when speaking to Saul when he met him wilderness of Zef “Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods(1Sam. 26: 19)”. 3. God Gives Himself a Cup and a Portion for us “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot” (Ps. 16: 5). The wording of this verse and what follows is undoubtedly due to the division of the land of Canaan, since each person obtained his inheritance portion by means of lottery. Lines were set to put limits to the site. So, by lottery the land division and distribution was done. As for the priests and the Levites, there had no portion, for God himself was their portion and the inheritance of their lot. This is why David, who was of the Judah’s tribe, but he was not preoccupied with the land inheritance, this is why he says that God is his portion. He confirmed this in other places as well (Ps. 119: 26), Asaaf also confirmed the same matter (Ps. 73: 26) 2. 1 Comm.. on Luke, hom. 36. 2 Plumer, p. 212. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 46 This is beatitude of enjoying the fellowship with God. The cup here may mean the cup of God’s feast that used to pass around those attending a banquet of worship those shares in the feast. It is a symbol and an earnest of God’s grace for salvation1. Satan thought that he is able to overpower man by promising man that he would be given all the kingdoms of the world if he only worshiped him (Matt. 4: 8, 9). But the Son of Man rejected this, because He did not come to rule the world, but rather to rule over the hearts. He preferred the Father to be his portion and His inheritance and His cup, for He said “Let it be thy will, and not Mine”, though He is One in the same divine will. Christ rejected to receive the cup from the enemy’s hand, so He might drink the cup of the cross. He obeyed until death; the death of the cross, for it is the cup of obedience to the Father, and the cup of love to mankind. Let others choose portions for themselves, portions that are vain and earthly, so they might enjoy them. as for the saints’ portion, it is the Lord, an eternal portion. Let others drink of the fatal drinks’ but as for my portion and my cup, it is the Lord. “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places” (Ps. 16: 6). The lines for dividing my portion in Your glory are as in a lottery. In this way just as God is the possession of the priests, the Levites and their portion (Num. 18: 20). St. Augustine Obey the Lord’s commandments ‘Follow Me”, and take the Lord of the world a possession and a portion to you, so you give praise with the prophet “The Lord is my portion”. The Lord does not rule with anything else2. If he possesses anything with Him, then the Lord is not his portion3. St. Jerome The cup contains all the strong liquor. It is moreover, “a mystery” in which Christ manifest Himself4. St. Mar Avraam, the Syrian When we obtain the title ‘Levi’, which means ‘he himself belongs to me’ or ‘he is mine’, then our honor becomes greater. For God tells man ‘You are Mine’, or, as St. Peter was told about the piece of money that was found in the mouth of the fish “Give this for Me and for you” (Matt. 17: 27) 5. St. Ambrosios “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance” (Ps. 16: 6). David seemed to have been very happy with his portion in the Promised Land which is the down-payment for the heavenly Canaan. Even the waters of his city, this seems to him better than any other water anywhere else (2Sam. 23: 15; Job 11: 17). The true believers who experience the gift of salvation feel very happy now for what they have been blessed with from God; Also, because of their expectation in age to come. By means of faith, they could witness here the lord Jesus dwelling in their hearts, and giving satisfaction to the church, and there they would see Him face to face. Our eternal inheritance rejoices our hearts while we struggle in this world, for 1 Weiser, p.175 2 Ep. 118: 4. 3 Ep. 52: 5. 4 Hymns on the Nativity, 3. 5 Duties of the Clergy 1: 50: 255. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 47 we are blessed with the earnest beginning inside us, as an inward glory for the king’s daughter. Our inheritance is firmly ours, and it cannot be taken away from us, for it is “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1Pet. 1: 4). 4. God Grants us Wisdom and Understanding “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons” (Ps. 16: 7). Pope Cyril VI often said this statement, and would write it to his beloved sons. Wisdom and understanding are the most precious things God can offer man for the Word of God Himself is ‘the Wisdom’. We are not to be surprised to see the Gospel testify about the Lord Jesus that He was joyful in the Spirit and glorified the Father because the simple church has been blessed with the spiritual understanding. For it is said “in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed it them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your right(Luke 10: 21)”. the Word of God rejoiced for the church to be blessed with the hidden heavenly understanding than those who believed to be wise and knowledgeable! The Father is pleased with His wise church in the Spirit and the Truth. We have previously mentioned more than once that the school of Alexandria counted the spiritual knowledge of ‘gnosis’ a divine gift granted to believers by means of the life of meditation, and the practical application of the commandment and the spiritual church attitude, or the good righteous life in the Lord1. St. Clemendos the Alexandrian called the spiritual Christian ‘gnosis’ – which is the knowledge, and knowing the issues pertaining to the present, the future and the past as certain issues to be assured of. The Son of God grants this, for He is the ‘Wisdom’2, and he declared it. He also showed that the Lord Jesus grants ‘gnosis’ when reading the Holy Book in a churchlike Spirit3, so we do not misunderstand its meaning as heretics do. In such a way we are made perfect by our perfect Gospel attitude. He also confirms that the baptism makes ‘gnosis’ possible for us, by our inward eyes being enlightened4. The real knowledge is linked to the spiritual work, particularly that of repentance. The psalmist ways, “my heart also instructs me in the right reasons”. Repentance is usually fulfilled at right when all is silent. Man returns to himself and he discovers his sins, and relies on God, the Lord of glory as the Savior of sinners. Just as the kidney purifies the blood, likewise does the constant repentance purify the soul to prepare it for the eternal inheritance that is sinless. The night may refer to the darkness of sin, for by repentance we come to feel the bitterness of our darkness. We look up hopefully to the Sun of Righteousness who shines in his splendor in our very depths. It is most probable that man uncovers his depths at the silence of midnight. The evil ones find the nighttime a good opportunity for making all evil and conspiracy. The saints on the other hand, find the nighttime a good opportunity for prayer, meditation and the soul’s release in love towards the heavenlies. للمؤلف: آباء مدرسة اسكندریة الأولون، 1980 ، ص 1 77 2Stromata 6: 7. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 4: 21. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 48 When Organus commented on the psalmist’s words “my heart also instructs me in the night reasons” he said “if a saintly person like almost reaches perfection, he is released from the human drawbacks even at nighttime, and he is not tempted by any evil thought” 1. St. Jerome St. Clemendos the Alexandrian speaks of the link between the true spiritual knowledge with that of repentance and struggle, saying, “The gnosis person is pious and cares primarily about his own salvation. After that, he is concerned about his relative so that everyone would be really righteous. The son, for instance, gives pleasure to his good father by proving himself to be as good as his father by proving himself to be as good as his father. We are able to believe and to obey2”. Knowledge is not only by means of the mind alone but also by the life experience that we live by, so we be in the image of God our Father. St. Clemendos says, “The gnosis person is a truth-lover of the real One, and he is a perfect man, God’s friend, and he is counted a son” 3. 5. God Grants Us to see Him continually “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Ps. 16: 8). God has granted His believers the true knowledge so they are blessed with His love and live according to His will. The aim of this practical knowledge, therefore, is to see Him here in faith, as a preparation to seeing Him visually in the life to come. We are able to see Him here in everything, day and night, when walking and when sitting down. We can see Him in all that we do, and in all the pain we endure. To see God before us is a sign of His leadership to us and His guidance, just as He used to appear as a pillar of light in the wilderness leading His people. We can see Him on our right, as a mystery of our strength, and thus be not move. The Christian directs every piece of work, big or small according to God’s will. He fulfils it meticulously and very accurately. He keeps his thoughts firm in the Only God who has given him the job so that he finishes it. in such a way, the words are fulfilled that say, “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” 4. St. Basilious the great The expression ‘at my right hand’ refers to strength. This is why it was said at Christ’s ascension that He sits on the right hand of His Father, that is, that he has the strength of the Father has a left and right in a materialistic or place-like manner. Therefore, sitting on the right does not mean that the Father is on His left5. But all what is on the right of the Father and is precious, this is also for the Son , who has said “all things that the Father has are Mine” (John 16: 15). Thus when the Son sits on the right, the Father is seen also on the right; for because the Son has become man, He says, “I have set the Lord always before; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved”. This, moreover, reveals that the Son is in the Father, and the Father is in the Son, because the Father is on the right and also the Son is on the right. And as the Son sits on the Father’s right, therefore, the Father is in the Son6. 1 Ep. 133: 3. 2 Stromata7: 9. 3 Ibid 7: 11. 4 The Long Rules Q. 5. 5 Cf. August. De Fid. Et Symb. 14. does this passage of Athan's shew that the Anthropomorphites were stirring in Egypt already? 6 Plumer, p. 214. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 49 Pope Athanasios the apostolic 6. God Stands Beside Us and We Shall Not Be Moved We are sure of his love, whatever the danger or the hardship may be like. We are sure of His guidance and His will so that we take the right decisions. 7. He Grants Us the Hopeful Rejoicing “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Ps. 16: 9, 10). God, being the source of the human soul’s satisfaction, He offers us ‘rejoicing’ that is a gift from Him to those who are in fellowship with Him. Therefore, our hearts are filled with joy and gladness, for we feel the safety as long as we are in God’s embrace. The heart inside is joyful and the outer tongue is rejoicing. It is as if all of man’s being – inwardly and outwardly – is responding to God’s grace in joy and gladness. The body and the soul are praising God. Though the body impedes fasting and abstinence, and what may seem as deprivation and tiredness, yet it lives in the hope of the resurrection. The body is aware though in the midst of suffering, that it is crossing till the tomb, so as to rise a spiritual body. As for the soul, it realizes its eternal wedding with its Savior who grants it the constant immortality. As the beginning of the book, we saw how this phrase referred to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Someone may say, “If this phrase is a prophecy of the Savior’s life, then why are we speaking of the joy and the wedding?” Indeed, most of His life on earth consisted of tears and sorrows; But He also rejoiced in the Spirit for what the church is blessed with concerning the knowledge, the understanding and the wisdom in Him (Luke 10: 21). Amidst His intolerable suffering, there was a mysteries awareness of the goodness that will follow by means of His cross. For the sake, therefore, of the joy set before Him, He counted the measureless pain as nothing. Christ scorned the shame (Heb. 12: 2), and when the heart rejoices, it is blessed with the inward glory, and thus man’s tongue signs in praise1. 8. He shows us the path of life “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16: 11). The phrase ‘the path of life’ is mentioned only once in the Book of Psalm, and has been repeated three times in the Book of Proverbs (Prov. 2: 19; 5: 6; 15: 24). This is an expression identical to the ‘abyss’ or ‘Sheol’ and ‘death’. It could not be understood except that it be ‘the life we live’ in fellowship with God, and that continues after death. The psalmist has previously spoken of the Lord Jesus’ resurrection in the verse ahead. And now he is declaring ‘the path of life’ or ‘the path of eternal glory’ by means of the ascension. There we shall see God’s face and he filled with joy, and live with the lord Jesus on the right hand eternally. The Lord has ascended and sat on the Father’s right hand; thus opening the way of heaven and glory to His church, so it be exalted with Him as a queen. The church will see Him and will sit on his right hand. In this way, the temporal church sorrows will be changed to the cause of eternal glory. 1 Weiser, p. 178. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 50 My God You are my Sufficiency and my Joy Lord …You are my portion and my cup You are the secret of my satisfaction and the joy of my soul. You have possessed me with Your love that has shed for me, Teach me how to own you and I will ask for nothing else beside You! Grant me that I be happy with fellowship of the saints, as much as You are blessed with them. Permit me not, to share the wicked ones their opinions or words or attitude! You are my Leader I rely on You alone, and thus You keep me. You reveal Your mysteries to me, and You fulfill Your will in me. You grant me the beginning of Your inheritance, and take me to Your secret glories! Grant me wisdom, You divine wisdom! Declare Your divine presence in me, so I be not moved! Show me the strength of Your resurrection, and carry me to your heavens, just as in the royal way of life! I am eager to see Your face, and so praise You forever, joyfully with your angels.
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