A CRY-OUT SEEKING HELP Whether this psalm was written as an annex to psalm 34 or not, it is as well that it came directly after it; not only for the sake of the likeness of texts, and the presence of analogies between them, (particularly concerning the talk about the angel of the Lord, which is not found anywhere else in the book of psalms except here in psalm 34: 7 and psalm 35: 5, 6), but the reason is also in talking about the kind of darkness that scattered in the last psalm. Here, we also see that the salvation celebrated in the last psalm, is not soon realized, nor without suffering; but the believer is exposed to sufferings that may take a long time according to the will of God. The prophet David, however, never doubted that the day of deliverance is definitely coming. With every cry-out coming out of his heart, seeking help, his eyes anticipate the certain moment of deliverance; Hence he ends each of the three divisions of this psalm with hope. … This psalm is considered as a personal lamentation. In this psalm, the prophet David supplicates the Just divine Judge against his enemies who hate him and persisted on persecuting him; supposed to be king Saul and his followers (1 Samuel 24: 9-15). According to the Syrian version, this psalm was written on the occasion of the attack of the Edomites; while according to the Arabic version, it is a prophecy concerning the divine incarnation; and the troubles confronted by the prophet Jeremiah from the people. The whole psalm is a strong supplication to the Just God, to condemn his enemies, those who persecute his people who fear the Lord. His cries do not imply that the prophet David bore a personal hatred against his oppressors, but, as we already said, they represent a prophecy concerning what will dwell upon those who persist on oppressing God with no repentance; They also represent a cry against the man of sin https://coptic-treasures.com/ (the anti-Christ), the violent and vicious oppressor of the church of God, during the days of the great tribulation; And they represent, as well, the cries of the martyrs, and the righteous who departed from this world (Revelation 6: 10). As the prophet David, in many circumstances was a symbol of the Lord Christ; Our Lord quoted a part of verse 19, and applied it to Himself (John 15: 25); And this psalm could be counted as a statement by the Greatest Intercessor who was hated without a cause. According to St. Augustine: [The Talker here, without doubt, is the Lord Christ Himself, who was subjected to tribulation, once being the Head; and other times in His body – the church. Nevertheless, He grants all His members, the eternal life through sufferings; a promise that became the object of longing of every man. Its general frame: 1- A supplication to the Righteous God 1 - 10 2- A description of the sufferings 11 - 16 3- The intervention of God 17 – 28 1- A SUPPLICATION TO THE RIGHTEOUS GOD: (1 – 10) “Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’” (1 – 3) The military terms mentioned here bear symbolic concepts. The spiritual war is running now, and we are in urgent need of help from God. And as the enemy has sought David’s soul, he is also chases us to destroy our whole being, our bodies and souls, to corrupt our minds and hearts, and to distort our energies and talents. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The psalmist pleads his case before God, the Just Judge, to defend and avenge him. The psalm as a whole is a supplication coming from a heart that has a daring with God, and from a pure conscience, yet bitter because of what he suffers of persecution; … It is indeed tough to endure persecution and denial. but with the holy life in Christ Jesus, and with prayer by a contrite spirit, God will stand by our side, and work to our account. When someone is wronged by another, he pleads his case with the ruler of the land; the way the apostle Paul did when he appealed to Caesar (Acts 25: 11). And in case he is not given justice, he resorts to the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Supreme Judge of the whole universe. When king Saul, his judges, and leaders stood against the prophet David, he resorted to God, crying: “Plead my case, O Lord, with those who strive with me”…. And we, encountering oppression and tribulation, and perceiving that it comes, not from our brethren, but from the devil who finds pleasure in controversies, dissensions, and provocation of the spirit of oppression; we lift our hearts up to God, who alone can help us against our evil enemy. Our complaint is not against men, for, according to the apostle Paul: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6: 12). “The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5: 19);… It is a war against the devil and his evil hosts. Seeking from God, not only being a Judge, but a leader of war, as though He bear His weapon to lead the battle by Himself; we say to Him: “Fight against those who fight against me”. + “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8: 31) How marvelous to see the Lord put on a shield to fight to our account! But, what is his shield? What are His weapons? … The Holy Book calls the soul of the righteous “the sword of God”, “the throne of God”. and “the throne of wisdom”. The Lord, who makes our souls according to His goals; and has them in His hands; Let Him use them according to His will. https://coptic-treasures.com/ We call Him to fight by Himself, and by His divine weapons. He allows for the battle; precedes us, provides us with His weapons, gives us the strength to strive, let us enjoy conquest, and gives us the crown, and be crowned in us. Telling us about the unseen spiritual weapons, capable by Christ Jesus to destroy the unseen enemy, the apostle Paul mentions: “the shield of faith”, “the helmet of salvation”, and, “the sword of the Spirit”, which is “the Word of God” (Ephesians 6: 16, 17). The apostle sees in faith, in holding fast to the cross (salvation), and in getting attached to the Word and promises of God, “the spiritual weapons” of the believer. + Lord, You know the alertness of my enemies; My Creator, You are aware of the weakness of my nature; In Your hands I commend my spirit;; So give me a shelter under the wings of Your goodness, Lest I may sleep to death; https://coptic-treasures.com/ Give my eyes the light Through Your great sayings; For You alone are the good One, and the lover of mankind. (prayer of the veil – Agpeya – first piece) + In our souls, there should be zeal against the demons. + The devil is allowed to fight against the saints, to test the extent and abidance of their love for God.. (Mar. Isaac the Syrian) + No one is stronger than him who enjoys the heavenly help; And no one is weaker than him who is deprived of it. + We should have no fear. For, in order to overcome the devil, we should know that our own strength will be of no benefit to us; and that everything is a grace from God. (St. John Chrysostom) Confirming that the spiritual weapons, in essence, are nothing but the enjoyment of God, the Savior Himself, and the Grantor of conquest; the psalmist sings: “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’” (3). What would be my profit, if the devil is destroyed, together with all his works; if I have no portion in the bosom of the Father; enjoy fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ, and bear His Spirit in me?! … My salvation is the Lord, who came down to our earth, presented Himself to me, to unite with Him, and to enjoy His life in me! … Entering into battle with the enemy; it is not that I love war in itself, nor that I seek a crown, if the Lord Himself is not my crown! https://coptic-treasures.com/ There is a great difference between reading a book, listening to a sermon, or entering into a debate about salvation, and the configuration of the Savior Himself in me, to proclaim to me, personally: “I am your salvation”; and to present to me salvation through dwelling in me! Moving from supplicating to God for the sake of deliverance (1 – 3) to proclaim what would dwell upon the persecutors and oppressors, of curses (4 – 6); the psalmist says: “Let those be put to shame, and brought to dishonor, who seek after my life; Let those be turned back, and brought to confusion who plot my hurt” (4, 5) They sought the soul of the Lord Christ, not to enjoy it, but to destroy it; But the Lord did not deny it to them, but said to them: “Whom are you seeking?” (John 18: 7); and instantly, the prophecy was realized, when “they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18: 6). He delivered Himself into their hands; And when St. Peter asked Him to escape from His oppressors, saying: “Far from it for You, Lord”, He answered him, saying: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16: 22, 23). + Having delivered Jesus into Pilate’s hand, they brought perdition upon themselves; for the Roman enemy destroyed them by the sword, and burned their land by fire, even the Holy temple, most revered by them. (Pope Cyril of Alexandria) + “Let these be put to shame, and brought to dishonor, who seek after my life” (4). He did not utter curses against those who caused him material losses, robbed his land, or plotted to have him physically killed; but cried out against those who sought to sojourn his soul from God. … Yet, as the human soul would never be https://coptic-treasures.com/ sojourned from God, except if the mind is enslaved by lusts, he prayed, therefore, seeking the help of God to conquer his enemies; namely, the lusts. (St. Gregory, bishop of Nyssa) According to some fathers, the psalmist cries, not against outer enemies, but against inner ones; against the sins, and lusts, corruptive to his relationship with God, and destructive of His eternal life. “Let them be like chaff before the wind; and let the angel of the Lord chase them” (5) By “the chaff”, the psalmist imagines the Lord Christ as a farmer winnows the crop, to separate the wheat from the chaff and dust, by the action of the wind. By His Holy Spirit, the Lord Christ separates the sins and covetousness, and blows them out of the heart. Sins could not endure before the Holy Spirit of God, who dwells in our hearts – the temple of God; and grants us the righteousness of Christ working in us, if we respond to His work. According to the Hebrew text, by the word “chaff”, the psalmist exposes the enemy, however violent and voracious, and even “if sin is very sinful”; but before the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, our enemy the devil would become like chaff before the wind, or like particles of dust, powerless and helpless. I wish we do not fear the devil, nor the sin; for the Holy Spirit in us, grants us strength, turns our life from dust to heaven! And the Lord sends His angels to overcome the evil one together with his works. https://coptic-treasures.com/ In the last psalm the psalmist talks to us about the angel of the Lord, dwelling around those who fear Him, to save them. Here, in this psalm, the angel of the Lord appears to oppress those who oppress the godly men … He brings joy to the hearts of the good, and brings the enemies who persist on not repenting to perdition. …. When king Hezekiah prayed, God sent an angel, who, for his sake, stroke the Assyrian army, and killed in one night 185, 000 men, like chaff before the wind. “Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord pursue them” (6) Persecuting the children of God, who liken His angels, God sends His angel to persecute them. In their pride they rejected the Lord Christ, the meek and humble in Spirit, the Sun of Righteousness, and their way became dark and slippery. … He who rejects Christ as his Way, the devil will become his way;… Instead of the Light, he chose the darkness. Weeping for the sake of his people who, in their pride, chose the darkness as their way; the prophet Jeremiah says: “Give glory to the Lord your God, before He causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains; and while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it dense darkness. But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive” (Jeremiah 13: 16, 17). Having diverted to the way of darkness, and the angel of the Lord came to persecute them, it was befitting of them to return to the Lord, and seek Him as Light to them; But, instead of repentance, they set snares in the darkness to catch the souls of the righteous; eventually to fall into https://coptic-treasures.com/ them themselves. That was the long experience of the prophet David with king Saul, on whose heart the kingdom of hatred had authority against David; that he dedicated the rest of his life, his possibilities, and those of his counselors, to destroy and kill David; … Eventually to find himself fall into the pit; while David increased in glory and splendor before God and men…. The psalmist says: “For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without a cause for my life. Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, and let his net he has hidden catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation” (7-9) The wicked, with their blindness and foolishness, who set their nets for the righteous, on a dark way without a cause; soon forget all about them, to pass through, and eventually fall in them, because of the blindness of their insight. The wicked sow thistles in the darkness to persecute the righteous; to have them pierce their own bodies; … They set nets to fall, themselves into them; … They seek the destruction of others, to have destruction dwell upon their heads through their works; according to the words of Solomon the Sage: “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him” (Proverb 26: 27). On the same cross the wicked Haman prepared to crucify Mordecai on it, he himself was crucified; and the cross set by the devil to destroy the kingdom of the Lord Christ, destroyed his own kingdom. While the wicked are preoccupied with setting nets and snares, and acquire the work of their hands snares and bitterness; the righteous, on the other hand, being preoccupied with God, who listens to their prayers, and cares for their salvation; acquire Him as the secret of their true joy; and rejoice in the Lord and His salvation…. Here we notice that https://coptic-treasures.com/ the soul of the righteous is not preoccupied with deliverance from the tribulation itself, as much as with the Lord Himself who transfigures amid the tribulations, giving salvation. + The commandment, general for them all, saying:: “Rejoice in the Lord, O righteous” (Psalm 9: 14; 35: 9; 33: 1); exhorts them to gather together to sing this psalm concerning feasts: “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95: 1); and not to rejoice in ourselves. (Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic) “All my bones shall say, ‘Lord, who is like You?’, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him; Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him” (10) Rejoicing in seeing the Savior, the inner depths of the soul of the psalmist, namely, the skeleton of his inner being (his bones) cry out, saying: “Lord, who is like You?”; quoting what the prophet Moses previously said: “Who is like You, O Lord among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness; fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus !5: 11). The psalmist, with the eyes of prophecy, probably seeing the Lord Christ, his Savior from the real enemies, hanged on the cross for his sake, cried out, saying: “Lord, who is like You?”… You delivered me, the poor, from the strong enemy who plotted to devour me! …”Who is like You?” in Your love, dying for my sake? …”Who is like You?” in might, granting me the strength of Your resurrection? … “Who is like You?”, glorious in holiness, sanctifying me by Your Holy Spirit? Preoccupied with God’s love, care, compassion, might, etc., the psalmist says: Lord, who is like You?”, with the perception that the Savior intends to grant him Himself, to make him bear His might, to live a conqueror of his strong enemy, and to enjoy the fellowship of His glories. https://coptic-treasures.com/ That is the true work of the church: … To praise her Savior, saying: “Lord, who is like You?”, He who entered the strong man’s house (the devil’s), plundered his goods (the believers’ souls), after binding him to the cross (See Mathew 12: 29); disarmed him, and made a public spectacle of him, triumphing over him (Colossians 2: 15); … To praise her Head, her strength, glory, righteousness, holiness, and everlasting inheritance; … To praise Him, who became poor to encounter her in her dwelling place, granting her His riches; To praise Him, who came down to her earth, to liberate her, and to bring her forth up to the bosom of His heavenly Father. In the name of the whole church, singing amid his tribulation, and trusting in the salvation of the Lord, the psalmist says: “Lord, Who is like You?”. In a sermon about “the work of grace”, Mar Isaac the Syrian says: [If man is worthy to receive the strength of the Lord in himself, his thoughts become swallowed in an awesome way, his senses become muted, and his tongue becomes unable to talk; Yet his bones, in their silence, glorify God]. 2- A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUFFERINGS: In a concise way, the psalmist describes his sufferings in the following way: a- Unjustly accused: “Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know” (11) Being the prince of the kingdom of darkness, the devil provokes the witnesses of the darkness, to falsely testify against the Lord Christ, Himself, and against His church, through the blindness of their hearts, and the darkness of their souls. Unjustly accusing David, of national treason, rebellion, and partaking of idol worship; king Saul provoked the rulers and the whole people against the man of God (1 Samuel https://coptic-treasures.com/ 24: 17). Our Christ, likewise, was accused of being “Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons” (Luke 11: 15); an evildoer, a provoker of mutiny, and refraining to pay taxes to Caesar; all of which he knew nothing about, and never did. He who attaches himself to Christ, will not be disturbed if unjustly accused; as in that he would have a fellowship with Him who says: “If they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?” (Luke 23: 31) b- They pay His love back with hatred: “They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul” (12) King Saul, himself, admitted it, when raising his voice crying, he said to David: “You are more gracious than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil” (1 Samuel 23: 17) The Lord Christ presented His love to mankind, to be rewarded with hatred; … He came to heal their wounds, to have His hands and feet nailed, and His side pierced; … He granted them His life; to be brought forth to death; … He intended to honor them; and they sought to crucify Him. Revealing his amazing love, even to his oppressors, with a spiritual evangelic thought, the psalmist says: “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer would return to my own heart” (13) That was what the psalmist has practically done; hearing that king Saul and his son Absalom were killed, he wept with bitterness. https://coptic-treasures.com/ While under the law, the prophet David knew how to pass forth to the evangelic thought; to reward the evil of the wicked with the true inner love. Seeing his enemy sick, he wore sackcloth for his sake, humbled himself before God, and prayed for him. … Putting on sackcloth were not done for minor issues, but in circumstances of losing a son, a great man, or in case of a bitter national disaster. . What does he mean by saying: “My prayer would return to my own heart”? -- According to some, it means continuous prayer; as though his supplication, coming from the heart, goes up, then return back to him, to go up again, and so on without ceasing. -- According to others, it means that his prayer returns back to his heart and depths; not benefiting those who despised it. -- It may refer here to the eastern custom, when praying fervently and with sorrow, to bow the head toward the chests; implying herewith, that the prayer would return to where it came from. -- Being sure of the truth of his heartily wishes for them, the prophet David intends to say that, iWhether he sought evil or good for them, let it return to him either way. c- They paid his friendship back with persecution: The psalmist saw his sick enemy as a friend and a brother, for whose sake he humbled himself before God, fasted, and prayed, not just in his secret place, but publicly proclaimed it with the spirit of humility, in his dealings with the enemy, saying: “I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother” (14) https://coptic-treasures.com/ My enemies have no more excuse in oppressing me, for I did my best to please them. As a member of the congregation. I count myself a friend, and a brother of all, partaking of their feelings, particularly amid their sickness and sufferings. They nevertheless persisted on persecuting me! “But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered together; attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it; they tore at me and did not cease; with ungodly mockers at feasts, they gnashed at me with their teeth” (15, 16) A great difference between the attitude of David and that of his enemies: a- While David partook of their sufferings in his depths, worship, and behavior, they gathered together, rejoicing in their plots against him. b- While, for their sake, he humbled himself before God and before them, to appease them, they prepared whips to strike him, and he did not know it. c- While counting them as his friends, brethren, and fellow members of the congregation; they, like vicious beasts, gathered together, as though around a fold of sheep, gnashing their teeth to devour one of the lambs. What the psalmist proclaimed was realized as a prophecy in the Person of the Lord Christ, He “who came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1: 11); they tore at Him and did not cease; tempted Him, ridiculed Him, and gnashed at Him with their teeth to devour Him. According to St. Augustine: [What dwelt upon the Head, also dwelt upon the body. What happened to our Lord Jesus on the cross, happen to the members of His body through the contemporary persecution (probably that provoked by the ‘Donatists’) … who, when they encounter a Christian, used to slander and ridicule him, call him idiot, crazy, https://coptic-treasures.com/ coward, and with no experience in life; … Yet, let them say and do whatever they wish, for Christ has glorified His martyrs, and sealed their foreheads with the sign of His cross]. 4- THE INTERVENTION OF GOD: (17 – 28) After describing what he goes through of sufferings and persecution, despite having a heart wide with love for His adversaries, the psalmist proclaimed the intervention of God in his life, and in chastising the wicked who persist on their evil ways: a- An enjoyment of a personal salvation: “Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages; my precious life from the lions” (17) Amid his tribulation, feeling lonely, and that no father, mother, or friend, can partake of his sufferings, man feels a great need for the intervention of God Himself, to rescue his soul from the ravages of the wicked. Saying “Rescue me”, the psalmist, through the eye of prophecy, refers to the supplication of the Lord Christ, saying: “O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17: 5). For what the Lord Christ, has got by His resurrection and His ascension, are a payback for what He has done, of emptying Himself for our sake, to bear our reproach and shame, presenting His glory to us; and of bringing His precious soul down to Hades, then came back to His body, as a young lion, to set strong young lions, out of our souls. b- An enjoyment of collective salvation: “I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among many people” (18) https://coptic-treasures.com/ God rescued the psalmist’s soul, who fulfills his vow, to praise God and to give Him thanks among the congregation, for the sake of the blessings of salvation; he gets as personal gifts, that touch the congregation as a whole; and of what the congregation enjoy, that he tastes as personal gifts. There is no separation between the believer’s personal life, and his life as a member of the congregation (the church). What is “the great congregation” (18), praising God, but the church of the new covenant, that embraces many peoples and nations, who testify to the salvation work of God, and unceasingly praise Him! … A church, strong with her Christ, honored in Him, and partakes of the angels’ praises for Him. c- The rejoice of the wicked will come to an end: It is as though the wicked have dedicated their whole time and energies to ridicule and scoff the believers, for no profit for themselves, and without any cause or reason, except for their love of evil and hatred, for their own sake. “Let them not rejoice over me, who are wrongfully my enemies; nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause. For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against those who are quiet in the land. They also opened their mouth wide against me, and said, ‘Aha, aha’! Our eyes have seen” (19 – 21) The wicked have dedicated their hearts for hatred; their eyes for winking in ridicule; their lips for uttering deceitful words, sweetened with false peace; their minds with craftiness and anger; and all their members and energies for doing evil… Yet, God, the Creator of the body and the soul, will turn all their works against His children, hidden and manifest, to no avail. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Having become a fugitive, David’s enemies rejoiced, and publicly ridiculed him, saying: “Aha, aha, Our eyes have seen”; as an expression of rejoice over their conquest on others, and humiliating them. Those who crucified the Lord Christ, ridiculed Him, saying: “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You!” (Matthew 26: 68); and, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27: 40); and, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him” (Matthew 27: 42). d- “Wake up, O Lord” By the resurrection of Christ, the Conqueror of death, the rejoice of His enemies comes to an end; as though He wakes up among those falling asleep. “This You have seen, O Lord; Do not keep silence, O Lord, do not be far from me. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, ‘Ah! so we would have it’. Let them not say, ‘We have swallowed him up’. Let them be ashamed, and brought to mutual confusion, who rejoice at my hurt; Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor; who magnify themselves against me. Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause, and let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness, and of Your praise all the day long” (22 – 28) https://coptic-treasures.com/ These verses reveal the following fruits of the work of the cross and the resurrection in the believer’s life: a- While the wicked assumed that the Crucified became utterly mute by His death and burial; the psalmist, on the other hand recognized Him as the Word of God who would never become mute, but continually works in His people’s life: “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5: 17). Crying out to Him: “O Lord, Do not keep silent”, we ask Him to proclaim His resurrection in our life; to say a Word, and we are risen, and would not remain any longer in the tomb of lusts and sins. b- The wicked assumed that by the burial of Christ, He was separated from His people and disciples; not perceiving that, while in the grave, His soul set forth to carry the souls of those who have fallen asleep on the hope, to bring them forth as living spoils into His paradise. His resurrection proved that He will never forsake us, but will bring us into His everlasting kingdom. c- Let us say, together with the psalmist: “O Lord, Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication”; namely, awake our faith in You, so as not to be counted asleep, slothful, and dead, but living with You, O Conqueror of death! d- Rejoiced over His burial, the Jews cried: “Ah, so we would have it”, commending themselves over getting rid of Him. But their joy did not last long, being risen to congratulate those who partook of His passion, crucifixion, and burial. Saying, “We have swallowed Him up”, namely, death has swallowed Him, they did not perceive that He entered into it by His own authority to save His believers, whom death has previously swallowed. As, according to Mar Isaac the Syrian: {Death, like a wolf swallowed the Lord Christ the Lamb; but his stomach, not enduring His presence inside it, exploded, and He came out together with His https://coptic-treasures.com/ believers. … By His resurrection, neither the grave, nor the whole world, or even Hades, could swallow us! By His resurrection, the church swallowed the world, and turned it from atheism and idol-worship to the living faith. e- By His resurrection, the wicked entered into shame and disgrace; whereas the church set forth to an unceasing joyful life of praise, magnifying and glorifying the Lord. f- By His resurrection, the Lord shone on us, to turn our life into a day without night. He scattered the darkness of our inner grave, and turned it into a holy temple for Himself. + The psalm ends with a shout of joy and praise for God who raises us from the death of sin; So let us give Him thanks, and say together with the psalmist: My tongue shall speak of Your praise all the day long”. (Pope St. Athanasius the apostolic) ---------------------------- AN INPIRATION FROM PSALM 35 A CRY-OUT TO THE ONE, RISEN FROM THE DEAD + Look on my humiliation, You who entered into the battle of the cross; Be my weapon, conquest, and crown; Be my salvation; for I wish to acquire You. + Teach me how, together with You, I would be delivered for the sake of my oppressors and persecutors; https://coptic-treasures.com/ Let them plot against me; but as for me, I shall die together with You for their sake; Let them set nets for me in their dark way; For You will lift me up by Your Holy Spirit, and bring me forth safe to Your heaven; Let my prayers for their sake return to my own heart; to enjoy what I desire for them; + If my tongue is silent, my bones shall not cease to glorify You; You are the divine Word whom the grave could not keep silent Resurrect, and raise me up together with You, to make me live by the light of Your resurrection; O Sun of Righteousness, turn my life into a day that knows no darkness of sins; To sing Your praise as long as Your light shines in me
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