THE LORD OF HOSTS IS WITH US According to some, this is the first of the psalms of Zion, or of the church; close in spirit to psalms 48 and 76; and is bound to the two following psalms: 47 and 48, to form together a trinity of praise. This psalm was written on a certain occasion of salvation work, presented by God to His people in an exalted way; like for example the salvation of Jerusalem from the siege of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19: 8-9); or the salvation of Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah from Aram and the Ammonites; when the singers started praising God (1 Kings 20: 1 – 30); when it was said: “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 2: 15). The psalm proclaims the divine presence, namely, God’s dwelling among His people, being “The Lord of hosts” (7, 11); granting His people the strength over nature, “though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (1 – 3); and over the enemies, being in the midst of His people (4 – 7); and even over the whole world (8 – 11). … God the Savior is awesome in the midst of His church, the new Zion, like an army with banners (Song 6: 4), granting her conquest. Some churches use this psalm during the celebration of the feast of Epiphany (the divine revelation); when God the Savior transfigures in the midst of His people, proclaiming His work in them; during the celebration of the feast of the wedding of Cana of Galilee when the Lord Christ turned water into wine to make glad the heart of His church; and in the celebration of the dedication of a church. The general frame: 1- The Lord of hosts, Grantor of strength 1 -- 3 2- The Lord of hosts, Grantor of gladness 4 -- 7 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3- The Lord of hosts, Grantor of conquest 8 – 11 The antiphon: “The Lord of hosts (of Sabaoth) is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge” (7, 11). The title “The Lord of hosts”, or “The Lord of Sabaoth”, refers to God dwelling over the Ark of covenant, proclaiming His presence in the heavenly royal palace. His church is seen as a spiritual army enjoying the covenant with God, and spiritually striving to set His kingdom in her (Exodus 7: 14; 21: 41; Numbers 10: 36; 1 Samuel 17: 45). The title “The Lord of hosts” touches our life on two aspects: a- The appearance of God as a King, a Warrior, and a Leader; who not only motivates us, by His commands and commandments, to enter into a battle against the devil and his hosts, but He enters into the battle together with us, precedes us, and grants us His unchallenged strength. As, according to the prophet Isaiah, having seen, by the eye of prophecy, the (winepress) of the cross: “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength; … So You head Your people, to make Yourself a glorious name” (Isaiah 63: 1, 14); And according to the apostle Paul: “God always lead us in triumph” (2 Corinthians 2: 14). He provides us with all possibilities for victory, and remains the true Leader who holds the (steering wheel) of the church by Himself. According to the liturgy of St. Gregory: [Neither an angel nor an archangel, or a cherub, You entrusted with our salvation, but You came by Yourself down to us; … And according to the apostle Paul: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all; How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8: 32) https://coptic-treasures.com/ He entrusted no one else with our salvation; He presented His heavenly hosts to minister to us; whom the apostle Paul describe as “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrew 1: 14) Our conquest is a sure thing as long as we are in a fellowship with the Lord of hosts, who dwells in us by His Holy Spirit; who gives His command to the stars to join the battle; and sends legions of angels wherever He chooses; One angel, in one evening, destroyed 185, 000 soldiers of the enemy (2 Kings 20: 35). He is the Lord of hosts to whom the whole nature submit; and obey His commands. + “The God of Jacob is our refuge”. Make yourself like a little infant lifted up by his father; For an infant not lifted up is a forsaken one; while the one lifted up is cared for. (St. Augustine) b- Referring Himself to His hosts, striving on the way of His righteousness; He calls Himself: “The Lord of hosts”; … He calls Himself: “God of Jacob”; For Jacob wrestled with God and men, and prevailed; … He is God of those who strive, and not of the lazy and slothful. The title: To the Chief Musician. To completion. A psalm of the sons of Korah. A song for Alamoth. 1- The word “alam” means (a secret) or (a hidden thing). Hence it came in the Septuagint version as: “For the sake of secrets”, (For the sake of hidden things). https://coptic-treasures.com/ For this psalm proclaims the secret of God concerning His dwelling in the midst of His church, being her refuge, salvation, and peace. According to some, “A song for Alamoth” means (praise by the church, the virgin); for the word ‘alamoth’ is derived from ‘alama’, a title given to St. Mary, the mother of God, in Isaiah 7: 4, being a betrothed virgin. This psalm, then, is the song of the divine battle, led by the Lord of hosts, to sanctify His church, and to present her as a virgin bride. … By such a Spirit, His minister work, saying together with the apostle Paul: “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11: 2) According to others, the word ‘alamoth’ refers to a musical tune of a song that starts by the word “virgins” 2- We already spoke about “To completion”, as being an expression of the consummation of an issue in the fullness of time; As the Word of God incarnated and consummated our salvation, and became, Himself, “the ultimate goal of our longings”; as well as the ultimate goal or The ultimate end of the law. + We should understand the expression “To completion” as concerning Christ; “For Christ is the end of the law, for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10: 4); And He is called “the End”, not that He brings it to an end, but He completes or consummates it. (St. Augustine) 3- “The sons of Korah”, namely, (the sons of Golgotha or of the cross) as we already said. No one can enjoy praising the Lord of hosts, as https://coptic-treasures.com/ the victorious Lord of the church, unless he is bound to the cross, “The power of God for salvation” (1 Corinthians 1: 24). Every time the sons of the Crucified sing the praise of Zion, victorious by the cross of her Savior, they discover divine hidden secrets with new depths, longing to reach its completion … and that will bring to them more thirst toward the spiritual knowledge, and the enjoyment of the divine secrets. + The secret, therefore, is Christ Himself; Who, through being crucified at the Golgotha (Calvary), He, as you know, has split open the veil, to reveal the secrets of the temple. (St. Augustine) 1- THE LORD OF HOSTS, GRANTOR OF STRENGTH: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (1) When troubles and sorrows get more intense, whether because of the seen enemies, as when the army of Sennacherib the Assyrian king put Jerusalem under siege in the days of the prophet Ezekiel; Or because of hidden enemies like the sins; We find in God a refuge, strength, and help. If we are sanctified to Him, and enjoy fellowship with Him. This is the praise of the church, united to Christ her Head; In whom she hides, and by whom she resist evil. According to St. Basil the Great, many utter these words by their mouths, and not by their hearts; as proved by the fact that when they fall into a tribulation, they hasten to seek human help, and not the divine help. What does the church find in her Warrior King? https://coptic-treasures.com/ a- “A Refuge”: Being targeted by persistently by the devil; we are in need of a perpetual Refuge, a capable Stronghold. b- “A Strength”: Lest it would be thought that she stands negatively by fleeing to God her Refuge, He present Himself to the church as “Strength” to work through Him, and to say together with the apostle: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4: 13). c- “A Help”: He stands beside her, even in her as a Helper. He may allow for her to go through temptations, but He helps her in the midst of her sorrows, to stay growing, and progressing in maturity. + Many are the sorrows, and in every sorrow; whether it touches our processions, our health, or one of the necessities of life, or of those of our loved ones: we are committed to flee to God For it is not befitting of a Christian to resort to anyone but to His Christ, His God; by whom he would be strengthened. + But, beloved brethren, among all the sorrows that may dwell upon the human soul, nothing is more serious than the feeling of sin. (St. Augustine) “Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountain be carried into the midst of the sea; though its water roar and be troubled; though the mountains shake with its swelling” (2, 3) Man sees the earth as his carrier; if it is removed, he would lose his life and being; and sees the mountains as being so well-established and unshakable. But in case it so happens that the believer feels that the earth shakes under his feet; and that what he https://coptic-treasures.com/ considers as well-established and unshakable, like the mountains, are carried into the midst of the sea; he should not fear, for his God is the Creator of the whole nature. By “the earth”, he probably meant the armies that put Jerusalem under siege; and by the “mountains”, the mighty leaders of Assyria. But God is capable of shaking the first, and carrying the second into the midst of the sea. If the “earth” refers to the body, and the “mountains” to the strong personality and the great gifts; When it so happen that your body collapses, and you assume that you have lost many of your gifts, even your personality, you will not fear, for God, your Savior can sanctify your body, souls, and capabilities, and, by His might, can restore to you the perfection of your personality. + Let us then, seek another kind of mountain in which would put our hopes. The Lord said to His disciples: “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain: ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move” (Matthew 17: 20), “or cast into the sea, and it will be done” (21: 21).. By saying “this mountain”, He referred to Himself; to whom the prophet Isaiah also, saying: “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains” (Isaiah 2: 2). Yet, this “Mountain” will be established on the top of all mountains; namely, the apostles, also considered as “mountains”, who work and preach to the account of that “Mountain”, referred to by the prophet Isaiah 2: 2. The “sea” refers to the nations of this world; … Namely, It is as though the Lord says: [This Mountain “Me” will be preached among the peoples, and glorified among them, realizing the prophecy saying: “A people I have not known shall serve Me” (Psalm 18: 43) + “The water roar and be troubled” (3). Preaching the gospel to the people of Athens, they said: “He (the apostle Paul) seems to proclaim of foreign gods” https://coptic-treasures.com/ (Acts 17: 18); Whereas the Ephesians, in an uproar, cried out for about two hours: “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” (Acts 19: 34). (St. Augustine) + There is a great difference between “The mountains of God” and those of the world. The ‘mountains of the world’ have the devil as their head. The “mountains of God” have Christ as their Head.. As the “mountains of God” defeat ‘the mountains of the world’, the latter make troubles against the Christians. When the mountains are shaken, the earth quakes, and the waters roar,… But against whom? Against the church, established upon the Rock! (St. Augustine) 2- THE LORD OF HOSTS, GRANTOR OF GLADNESS: (4 – 7) “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God” (4) If the Word of preaching shakes the earth, moves the mountains, and troubles the seas, it will be to destroy evil, and to set a holy land; well-established mountains that bear “the Mountain” – the Lord Christ – on their tops. …. It will turn the salty and troubled waters of the sea into “rivers of sweet water that shall make glad the city of God. …. It will set the church of Christ, the new earth where God dwells; holy mountains, and rivers of living water of the Spirit that flow to satisfy. According to the gospel: “Jesus stood and cried out, saying: ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’, but this He spoke concerning the Spirit whom those https://coptic-treasures.com/ believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given” (John 7: 37-39). About this sweet fountain, the prophet Joel said: “It will come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drip with new wine; the hills shall flow of milk; and all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; A fountain shall flow from the house of the Lord, and water the Valley of Acacias” (Joel 3: 18) This flow will destroy evil, destroy the old man with all his works, and set and build the new man; granting the church as a whole, and each of her members, heavenly love, joy, and peace. And according to the apostle: “For we are to God, the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved, and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death to death, and to the other the aroma of life to life” (2 Corinthians 2: 15, 16). According to the scholar Origen, “the River” is the Holy Spirit who carries to the believers (the trees planted on its banks) the evangelic and apostolic writings; as well as the help, presented to them by the heavenly hosts from God. And St. Ambrose speaks to us about this river surrounding us (See Jonah 2: 3), as being the Holy Spirit who waters the heavenly Jerusalem, who flows on the church with the crucified Lord Christ. + The Holy Spirit is the (River), the rich River, the great River, that perpetually and unceasingly flows. … The heavenly Jerusalem is not watered by an earthly river, but by the Holy Spirit; A River, of which a small brook is enough to water us;… A River that flows more abundantly in the midst of those heavenly thrones, authorities, hosts, angels, and archangels; flowing with the abundance of the seven virtues of the Holy Spirit. … If an earthly river could flood over and cover its banks, How much more would the Spirit do, who flows over every creature He touches; as though over the lowly valleys of our minds, to make glad the heavenly creatures with the abundance of His holiness. https://coptic-treasures.com/ + The Old Testament is a deep well, from which water is drawn, yet with difficulty…. Whereas the New Testament is not only a river, but “out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7: 38); rivers of meditation, spiritual rivers. (St. Ambrose) + The prophetic rain “are over and gone” (see Song 2: 11), yet not for a loss to the believers, but rather for more benefit to the church; For what would be our need for rain, when the rivers make glad the city of God? When a fountain of eternal water flows in the heart of every believer? (The scholar Origen) The rivers of living water are also the baptism (and the Sacrament of anointment), through which we enjoy sonhood to God, and the dwelling of the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies us as members of the body of Christ; Hence it is said: “The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn” (4, 5) According to St. Augustine: [Referring to the sanctification, it is obvious that those rivers would be understood as the Holy Spirit, by whom every godly soul believing in Christ, is sanctified, to become a citizen of the city of God]. What does the Holy Spirit present to the believer through the church of Christ? 1- The sanctification: Making him a holy dwelling place for the Most High. + The Holy Spirit who proceeds from God the Father, is the Source of holiness, the life-Grantor of power, the perfection-Giver of grace; through https://coptic-treasures.com/ whom man enjoys adoption; and the corrupt would become in noncorruption. He who is One with the Father, and the Son in everything: in glory, eternity, power, kingdom, and Divinity. This is to be experienced by the tradition of the baptism of salvation. (St. Basil the Great) 2- The eternal dwelling of God in man: + The baptized will gain in himself the Holy Spirit; and will actually bear the title: ‘the temple of God’. (St. Cyril the Great) 3- Will restore to man his honor and his daring with God: “God shall help her” (5). That is the secret of gladness and joy of the believer. On the positive aspect, the believer, being the “city of God”, he is watered by the rivers; to enjoy the holy life in the Lord, the dwelling of the Holy Spirit; and the daring of sonhood before God. On the negative aspect, God would take evil away from us, and would destroy the works of the old man in us; Hence it is said: “The nations raged; the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted” (6) 4- THE LORD OF HOSTS, GRANTOR OF CONQUEST: (8 – 11) “Come, behold the works of the Lord, see what desolations He has brought on the earth; He makes wars cease to the end of the earth” (8, 9) https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord granted conquest to His church, set her all over the world, and granted humanity an inner peace instead of trouble and grief. God reigned over the nations, and established the kingdom of His spiritual peace in the hearts of many. According to some, the word “behold” here, came to mean the insight, when the heart sees the inner kingdom. And by the expression: “to the end of the earth”, he probably means the body of man as a whole; For when the Lord reigns upon the heart of man, He sanctifies his body with all its members, senses, and feelings; so that he no longer fears the devil, nor his tools, that the Lord destroys by His cross. “He breaks the bow, and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire” (9) By this he probably refers to an old custom, that after getting a definite crushing conquest, the weapons were gathered together and burnt in fire (Joshua 11: 6; 2 Samuel 8: 4; Ezekiel 39: 8 – 10). It was said that the Roman emperor Vespesian, celebrating the end of war in Italy and all over the world, made a medal showing the goddess of peace holding in one hand an olive branch, and in the other hand a torch she was about to throw over a heap of weapons to burn them in fire. Our Lord Jesus Christ, being the King of peace, casts the flame of His Holy Spirit into our heart, to burn the thorns that strangle the soul; and destroy all the weapons of the devil; to grant us His exalted peace. St. Augustine wonders: [Is that already realized? … It is realized concerning some; … It is realized concerning the wheat; but not concerning the tares]. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth” (10) https://coptic-treasures.com/ It is as though God says: Do you wish to experience My peace? Do you wish to see all the destructive tools of war burnt in fire? … Cease trusting in human arms! Get bound to Me, and I shall lift you up above the nations (the seeking of the body); and exalt you in the earth; carrying you as though by the wings of a dove up to my heavens. ---------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 46 THE LORD OF HOSTS, GRANTING US CONQUEST + How amazing You are, O Lord, in Your love; As a Leader, You go by Yourself foremost in battle; To bring us forth to a certain conquest’ And, as a Father, You bear us, Your little children, to the bosom of Your Father. + You instruct us how to strive even to blood; You compassionately satisfy our emotions; We, Your hosts, and Your little children. + Let the earth of my cruel heart be moved; Turn it into a new land full of love; Let the earthly mountains in me be destroyed; Establish in me Your holy mountains; Turn my heart, from being the haughty Babylon, into the humble Jerusalem; Turn my life from a city of the devil into the city of God. + Let Your Holy Spirit work in me; Let it flow like a divine river, to turn the wilderness of my valley into fruitful gardens https://coptic-treasures.com/ + Dwell in me; Let Your peace dwell in me; Burn, O Lord, all the weapons of the devil; And set in me the weapons of the Spirit.
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