UNFAITHFULNESS LEADS TO UNGODLINESS Between Psalms 14 and 53: Psalm 53 could almost be a repetition of psalm 14. Both represent a cry out to the ignorant person who denies the existence of God; if not by public atheism, it would be by practical behavior. Atheism would lead to ungodliness, which in turn would lead to denying the existence of God, as a kind of covering or calming down the conscience. In the two psalms, it is to be noticed: 1- The name of God came seven times in each one of the psalms. Yet in psalm 14, it came four times (in Hebrew) as “Jehovah”, and three times as “Elohim”; Whereas in psalm 53, it came as “Elohim” the seven times. As we know, the name “Jehovah” concerns God in His relationship with His people, “The Being” (He who is among His people), who enters with them into a covenant. Whereas “Elohim” concerns God the (Creator) 1. 2- In psalm 14: 1, the expression “abominable works” came (in Hebrew) as (lila); while in psalm 53, the expression “abominable iniquity” came as (awel). 3- In psalm 14: 3, the expression “turned aside” came (in Hebrew) as (hakhalsar); while in psalm 53, it came as “(hullosag), meaning (gone astray). 4- The two verses 5 and 6, in psalm 14, are put together as one verse in psalm 53. Why the repetition? Some may wonder why what came in psalm 14 would be repeated in psalm 53 with minor differences. Could there be a repition in the inspiration? 1- This repetition confirms that there no forgery in the Holy Book; Or else this repetition, counted as meaningless would be omitted. 2- Psalm 14 came in its right place; As the talk in the first division of the psalms as a whole (Psalms 1 to 41), concerns man and salvation. On the personal level, man is committed to confess the corruption of his nature, and consequently, his need of a personal Savior. In the psalm preceding it, the psalmist cried out: “How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Psalm 13: 1). The answer, as it came in psalm 14: God did not hide His face from man, but it is because of man’s ignorance and corrupted nature. Looking down from heaven, God finds no one understand or seek Him. The next psalm (15) gives the features of the pious man who is qualified to dwell in the house of the Lord; particularly, “walking uprightly”, a feature which only applies perfectly on the incarnate Word. Namely, there is no salvation for the believer, except by uniting to Him, in order to be prepared to enjoy the divine sanctuaries. In the second division of the psalms (Psalms 42 to 72), the talk is about the church and salvation. If the wicked intend to uproot the righteous from the church, God, however plants them like fruitful olive trees in the house of God (Psalm 52). Once again, he confirms, on a collective level, that it is our corruptive nature, and not the apparent enemies, that denies us the enjoyment of the holy life of the spiritual church. … Psalm 1راجع المقدمة في المزامیر: مزامیر إلوھیم. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 37 14, therefore, gives the secret of our corruption as individuals; while psalm 52 confirms that, for this same reason, the whole congregation gets corrupted. 3- Each of the two psalm, although very much alike, was used in a different situation. The general frame, and the interpretation: We can get back to psalm 14 to avoid repetition; But I shall only add few commentaries to the previous interpretation: 1- Between lack of faith and ungodliness 1 - 2 2-A collective corruption 3 3- “They eat up My people as they eat bread” 4 - 5 4- The church rejoices for the spiritual freedom 6 The title: Folly of the Godless, and the restoration of Israel To the Chief Musician, Set to ‘Mahalath’. A contemplation of David. The word ‘Mahalath’, only found in the title of psalm 88, some believe it to refer to the tune of the song; others believe it to refer to a special kind of musical instrument used to play it; while still others translate it as “Chief” or a “Band leader”. Some translate it as (our maladies), and believe that it refers to the malady of sin, and the weakness it causes…. And believe that this psalm was used in the time of affliction, when the believers feel as though they entered into weakness because of the scoffing and ridicule against them by the wicked1. … And according to St. Augustine, it means entering into a condition like the pains of giving birth. Therefore, if the wicked bring pain on the church, yet it will eventually transform into a case of giving birth; the church will produce new members, in whom Christ is conformed. As the Hebrew word ‘Malath’ in psalm 53, refers to her, who goes through pains, like that of childbirth; The believer should know that the One who suffers or feels pain in the world where we live, is Christ, both His Head up, and the members of His body below. For He who does not feel or suffer pain, would not say: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9: 4). Yet, Saul who persecuted Him, and caused Him pain, came to believe in Him, and to suffer pain. He, himself, got enlightened, and was grafted in the same members he used to persecute, to proclaim: “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again, until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4: 19). (St. Augustine) 1- BETWEEN LACK OF FAITH AND UNGODLINESS: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’. They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is none who does good” (1) The word “fool” here, does not mean ignorance or lack of knowledge or of wisdom, but it bears, as well, behavioral corruption, particularly in opposing faith in God, and foolishly rejecting His will. In psalm 74: 22 it came: “Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily”….. The righteous ‘Job’ called his wife, who grumbled against the will of God: “like one of the foolish women”; …. And the prophet Isaiah says: “The foolish person will no longer be called ‘generous’, 1 Cf. The NIV Study Bible, 1985, p. 840 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 38 nor the miser said to be bountiful. For the foolish person will speak foolishness, and his heart will work iniquity; to practice ungodliness, to utter error against the Lord” (Isaiah 32: 5-6). The “foolish” here means a no-body, licentious, lowly, with a mud-filled head, and a defiled heart; who walks in the darkness1. “There is no God”. This expression should not be taken literally; namely, that the foolish is always an atheist who denies the existence of God. But it means here the practical atheism; Despite not denying the existence of God, yet they deny His divine care; if not by their tongue, it will be by their hearts and inner thoughts; They see in God, the cruel Being who looks for any fault done by man, or for any weakness in his life, to punish him. Who can think right, and does not know that God is there?!… Yet, it so happens once, and often, despite the fact that everything commits us to recognize God, but the evil pleasures provoke us to deny His existence; to utter in our hearts the counsel of evil to receive it, that is against faith2. (St. Hilary, bishop of Poitier) He who dares to say that there is no God is foolish; which was the feature of the ‘Rabsaris’, and the ‘Rabshakeh’, who said: “Who among all the gods of the land have delivered their countries from my hand,; that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand? (2 kings 18: 35). The prophet, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has known what they believed in their hearts that ther is no God. We say that those who deny the Deity of the Lord Christ are foolish; for they deny the great wonders He performed, that proclaim His Deity. And also who say: Yes, There is God who created things from the beginning, but He cares no more! Those are all foolish. He who says in his heart “There is no God”, departs from the true faith, and falls in unbelief; for by this he corrupts what God has planted in the hearts of men of sound dogma; for faith is only set on works; as it is said about the good works of Cornelius (Acts 10) and others, who were enlightened by the light of upright faith; whereas he who is against this is corrupt. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) Corruption begins by evil dogma, which leads to ungodliness, then to iniquities. How corrupt and ungodly were those who cried out, saying: “If He is the Son of God, let Him come down from the cross” (Mathew 27: 40); they are publicly saying: There is no God. (St. Augustine) “They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good” (1). Here, the psalmist talks about the collective corruption that dwelt upon humanity since the fall of Adam and Eve: “And God saw that the earth was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth” (Genesis 6: 12). Here, the psalm uses the Hebrew word “Elohim”, meaning (God the Creator). If the peoples have rejected entering into a covenant with Him, and His dwelling among 1 Cf. Adzm Clarke on ps 14: 1. 2 On Ps. 52 (53): 2. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 39 them, He, being a Creator who loves His creation, looks at mankind, hoping that, when they come to understand His feature as Philanthropic, they would seek Him. Psalm 33 says: “The Lord looks from heaven, He sees all the sons of men; from the place of His habitation He lloks on all the inhabitants of the earth” (Psalm 33: 13, 14). If man foolishly thinks that God lives in seclusion in His heavens, and does not care for mankind; the psalmist, on the other hand, shows that God, in His humility, using human expressions, says He looks at the sons of men, to pour in them the understanding and wisdom, to perceive His mercy, and to come to have a covenant with Him. By saying: “They have together become corrupt” (3), the psalmist demonstrates the collective work; as though all men have done together a joint pact to apostate from God their Creator, who cares for them. Humanity has rejected the divine Truth, and decided together to take the twisted ways. “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God” (2) According to St. Augustine, may lead one to wonder: Is God not aware of everything, to have to look down from heaven to see?! To answer this question, we say that the Holy Book often refers to the works of God in human way for our sake. Saying: “The Spirit searches all things, yes, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2: 10), does not mean that the Spirit needs to search to know the deep things of God; but this is written to exhort us to search the divine secrets by the Holy Spirit of God. The same thing when it is said that “God looks down from heaven upon the children of men”, to see that “they have together become corrupt”; It does not mean that God was not aware of that; but the goal of using this expression is to proclaim to men their actual status, that they may seek salvation from corruption that has dwelt upon them. 2- A COLLECTIVE CORRUPTION: “Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, No, not one” (3) The expression “turned aside”, means that man was created upright by God; but, through his own choice, has turned aside from uprightness; and made void the authority that was given to him by God, and submitted as a slave to abominable reactions. By preferring evil to good, he made void the sharpness of his insight. By saying that, as mankind have not enjoyed sonhood to God, “there is none who does well; No, not one”, St. Augustine believes, that the psalmist prepares everyone to enjoy the divine work. As, if all mankind have become corrupt, God would not hasten to condemn them, but would instead work to set some of them children for Himself. Before the appearance of Christ, the Word of God, in flesh, the darkness of sin and disobedience was prevailing upon the whole earth; Then, as is written in psalms 13 and 53: “God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God; … There is none” (Psalm 14: 2; 53: 2, 3). By the incarnation of Christ, the Word of God, the Light begotten by the Father, without separation from Him, like the ray from the sun; and gave us the Holy Spirit by baptism; He shed His light on us, brought forth fear into us; and the light of His https://coptic-treasures.com/ 40 promises into our hearts; And we came to believe, to love Him, and to keep His commandments1. (St. (Mar.) Ephram the Syrian) 3- “THEY EAT UP MY PEOPLE AS THEY EAT BREAD” “Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God?” (4) Here, it is God who speaks; He who provided humanity with all their needs; who created everything on and under earth for the enjoyment of men; And who, above all things, presented to them Himself to satisfy their depths by His exalted love. But man, in his evil, intends to eat his neighbor; and as is written: “Pour out Your fury on the Gentiles, who do not know You, and on the families who do not call on Your name; for they have eaten up Jacob, devoured him, and consumed him, and made his habitation desolate” (Jeremiah 10: 25); And: “Their rejoicing was like feasting on the poor in secret”(Habakkuk 3: 14); And, “Who also eat the flesh of My people, flay their skin from them, break their bones” (Micah 3: 3). How about the good men who are devoured by the wicked? According to St. Augustine: [Those people who are devoured, who suffer from the wicked, who moan among them; they, instead of being men, they will come to be the children of God! For they have been devoured as men!]. And how about the wicked? St. Augustine often say the human wolves, while devouring the human lambs, and drinking their blood; will, themselves, sometimes be transformed into meek lambs; as it happened with Saul of Tarsus. … The wicked, intending to prey upon men, and to devour them, perpetually, and unceasingly, as they daily eat bread, Some of them, while doing that, happen to become children of God, through receiving faith, and enjoying baptism. Devours this people, who suffers from bad guys, that which sighs and ache amid the bad guys, this gobble up St. Augustine When the Assyrians put Jerusalem under siege, despised and reproached God, He sent His angel and terrified them (2 kings 18). He who calls upon God, yet not for His sake, but for the sake of temoral things, would lose his joy and gladness of salvation; and instead of peace, fear would dwell upon him, for no other reason except for his deprivation of God, the Source of peace. Some do call; Yet, “They do not call upon God” (4). You call upon what you love, you call what you are drawn to. When you call to get wealth, inheritance, or a worldly honor, you are calling to get your heart’s desire, and make God a Helper to realize them, and not to listen to your needs. … Suppose you ask for something evil, Would He not be merciful to you, if He does not let you have it?! … Yet, in your sight, He would become nothing to you…. How often you say: I prayed, and prayed, yet He does not listen2! .5- 1 تفسیر التكوین 3 :1 2 On Ps. 86: 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 41 It is befitting of us to call upon God to seek, not His temporal blessings, but seek His Person. Although they call daily upon God, yet “They do not call upon God”. Let me tell you that we are committed to worship God for free (and not for the sake of His good gifts). We are committed to love Him for His own sake; namely, with purity; Not for expecting that He would give something to us, but to give Himself to us. (St. Augustine) “There they are in great fear, where no fear was. For God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you; You have put them to shame, because God has despised them” (5) “You have put them to shame”. If God allows the wicked to afflict His people and believers, yet it would be for some time; But “He who sits in the heaven shall laugh; The Lord will hold them in derision; Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and despise them in His deep displeasure” (Psalm 2: 4, 5). And as God says on the tongue of His prophet Isaiah, concerning Sennacherib, king of Assyria: “Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom has you raised your voice, and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel By your messengers you have reproached the Lord, and said:’By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains …. But I know your dwelling place; your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me, because your rage against Me and your tumult have come up to My ears. Therefore, I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips; and I will turn you back by the way which you came” (2 Kings 19: 22-23, 27-28). When the Assyrian was feeling secure, terror dwelt upon them, when the angel of the lord went out and killed in their camp one hundred and eighty-five thousand of their soldiers (2 Kings 19: 35). There was no cause of fear from the Lord Christ, who came down to save the world, and not to set up a temporal kingdom for Himself; And yet Herod got terrified from Him, and plotted to have Him killed; And the Jewish leaderships were also terrified, and sought to have Him crucified. According to St. Augustine, he who calls upon God will never fall into fear, where no fear is; saying: [There is no fear when man loses wealth; and yet men do fear in such conditions! But, in case man loses wisdom, he should rather fear; and yet men have no fear! … You have fear to give back to God what He has given you; and yet you intend to lose salvation]. He who does not call upon God fears when there is no fear; for he cares how to satisfy his own body, and to please men, and not to please God. But he, who calls upon God will not fear except from God whom he seeks to please. The former, seeking to please men will be destroyed, lose his spiritual temple, and his bones will be scattered. “God scatters the bones of those who (please) other people” (5)…. Here, he does not mean the bones in the body, but he means the strength of the heart and mind, by which man can practice goodness. These strength of the soul are the zeal that leads to serious persistence, the spiritual maturity, perseverance, and endurance; God scatters these features in those who are keen on pleasing other people1. 1 Comm.. on Luke, hom 70. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 42 “God scatters the bones of those who (please) other people (5) … Because the desire to please other people is always food for the cursed pride, hated by God, as well as by men. It is the head and the roots of pride. He who falls a victim to such lust, would seek honor and commendation, hated by God who abhors the proud, and loves the humble in mind, who does not seek glory; God would show him mercy1. (St. Cyril the Great) The believer is committed to give thanks to God, the awesome and the glorified; and not to practice anything with the spirit and conceit and vain glory (Philippians 2: 3); but for the sake of the glory and pleasure of God; As “God scatters the bones of thase who are (pleased with evil” (5) 2. (St. Basil the Great) The apostle warns us, saying: “Let us not become conceited” (Galatians 5: 26). And the Lord rebukes the Pharisees, saying to them: How could you believe, when you receive glory one from another; and the glory from the One God, you do not receive?!. About those, the blessed David also threatens: “God will scatter the bones of those who flatter other people” (5) 3. A soldier of Christ, who desire to strive in this true spiritual battle, is committed to strive by every way to overcome that distorted, inconsistent, multi-faced (being), he who attacks us from every side; from whom we could be saved by thinking of the saying of David: “God will scatter the bones of those who flatter the other people” (5). At the beginning, we should do nothing out of conceit or seeking the vain glory. And if we start to do something good, we should strive to support it with the same amount of care; for fear that the sickness of vain glory would crawl to us, and destroy all the fruit of our labor4. (St. John Cassian) In case you wish that no one would get in your way, supplicate to God in secret, and fast; then no one will harm you.If the demons provoke you to flatter other people, do not listen to them; and remember the saying of the Lord: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them; but your charitable deed may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6: 1-4); And remember the saying of the prophet: “For God will scatter the bones of those who (flatter) the people; God will put them to shame, for He despises them” (5). He will not listen to their prayers, but His wrath will rather be on them5. (Pope Abba Theophilos) “Let your light shine before men, to see your good deeds, and glorify your Father in heaven”. If He only says: “Let your light shine before men, to see your good deeds” His words would seem as though He made the commendation of men a goal in itself; something sought by the heretics , the honor-seekers, and vain glory seekers; on whom Paul the apostle says: “For If I still please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1: 10); and: “For you have become conceited” (Galatians 5: 26); and: “Let 1 Comm.. on Luke, hom 110. 2 A Discourse on Ascrtical Discipline, (Frs. Of the Church, volume 9, p. 35). 3 Deinstitutis caenoborum, Book 11: 12. 4 Deinstitutis caenoborum, Book 11: 19. 5 رسالة القدیس أنبا ثیئوفیلس إلى الرھبان، 16 (فردوس الآباء). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 43 each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another” (Galatians 6: 4); And David the prophet says: “You have put them to shame, because God has despised them”; and: “God has scattered the bones of him who pleases men” (Psalm 53: 5) 1. (St. Augustine) 4- THE CHURCH REJOICES FOR THE SPIRITUAL FREEDOM: “Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad” (6) If foolishness will let the congregation (and the individual) lose faith in God, and their spiritual behavior, live in corruption, and call upon God, yet not for His sake, but for what is temporal; which would end up in scattering their bones, and in the loss of their peace, and even theur being; Salvation would, otherwise, grant the church freedom from the captivity of the devil, tp rejoice and be glad. Father Onesimus believes that the word “Israel” here, means every believer who sees God by his mind; and the word “Jacob” means everyone who wrestles and chases the enemy. The rejoicing church sees her Savior by faith, and strives by God’s grace in her battle against the devil, her enemy. The expression: “When God brings back the captivity of His people” (6), does not refer to the Babylonian captivity; but the return of the people to their prior glory, after being humiliated by the enemy for some time. That was the Holy Book meant who it spoke about the captivity of the righteous “Job’ (Job 42: 10), when God restored him to his prior glory before he got into the temptation. Return from captivity means return to glory and prosperity as it came in (Ezekiel 16: 53; Zephaniah 2: 7; Amos 9: 14; Hosea 6: 11). If sin humiliates man, and brings the soul forth as though into captivity; repentance or the return to God, will grant liberation from captivity, enjoyment of exultation, prosperity, and glory. 1 Sermon on Mount, 1: 7: 18. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 44 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 53 FRUITFUL SUFFERINGS On the cross, O Savior, You received the sufferings of love; And You gave birth to us, Your church and Your children; You granted us to partake of Your sufferings; So that we, in turn, would give birth to new children; Who would conform to Your image. You allowed the wicked to eat us as they eat bread; To be transformed from being the children of men to be the children of God. They devour us daily, without ceasing; And the anguish would turn into a fruitful testimony of the truth. The wicked do not call upon You; Because they do not know You; They will be deprived of the inner peace They will fear, when there is no fear; As for us, we see You; And strive with Your grace; To get liberated from the authority of the enemy; And to enjoy the perpetual rejoicing and the heavenly exultation.
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