THE SURE DELIVERANCE A lamentation or a praise? In the last psalm, the foolish, thinking that there is no God, come down to devour the righteous, or to eat them as daily bread, and to kill them if possible; Yet God scatters the bones of the wicked, who despises God, boasts of his evil, and seeks to please men. Whereas He grants inner freedom to the righteous, and, out of them, He sets the new Israel, namely, those who see God by the mind; and the true Jacob, who wrestles and overcomes. He grants them the true joy, and the spiritual inner rejoicing. Then comes psalm 54 to present a living example, and the experience of sure salvation, enjoyed by the prophet David, that he presented in the form of a lamentation, or rather a praise, through which he proclaims the power of God’s name for salvation; When David fled from the face of king Saul and his men; when the true shepherd fled before the face of the hired hand, who only cares for his own benefit, even at the expense of his flock of sheep; Or when the meek l;amb fled before the face of the wolf. David took refuge in Ziph, a city in the mountains of Judah (Joshua 15: 55), to hide in its natural strongholds. But the Ziphites, Instead of asking David to depart, they betrayed him. Fearing Saul, they came to him, saying, “Is David not hiding in our land?!” (1 King 26: 1). They intended to deliver David into his hands, but God delivered him. The praise of the cross: In the beginning of the prayer of the sixth hour, the believer, as well as the whole church, sing this psalm, being the praise of the cross, by which the believer partakes of the sufferings of his crucified Christ. If the Lord has, by His own free will, carried the sins of the whole world, to atone by His blood; the believer, as a member in the body of Christ, not enduring the sin, cries out to God, taking refuge in the precious blood of Christ, to destroy evil, and to tread upon the devil and his hosts under his feet; presenting the sacrifice of praise to the name of the Lord, Savior of the world. Some churches use this psalm during the rites of the great Friday. The general frame: 1- Salvation is in the name of God 1 - 3 2- God is my Helper 4 - 5 3- The sacrifice of thanksgiving 6 - 7 The title: Answered prayer for deliverance from adversaries; To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A contemplation of David when the Ziphites went and said to Saul: “Is David not hiding with us?” The first book of Samuel tells us about two events in which David almost fell into the hands of Saul (1 Samuel 23: 14-29; 26: 1-25). We are not sure in which of those two events has David written this psalm, but most of the scholars believe it to be written in https://coptic-treasures.com/ 49 the first one; Namely, the prophet wrote it in En Gedi after his first deliverance, and not in Gath after being delivered in the the second time1: “Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hills of Hachilah which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand’. And Saul said, ‘Blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me…. Then David went up from there and dwelt in strongholds of En Gedi” (1 Samuel 23: 19-21, 29). This psalm constitutes a lamentation or a cry which expresses trust in the complete deliverance of God for the suffering believers along all generations, particularly in the great tribulation. Some believe that the Speaker here is Christ, the Lord of glory, the Son of David who suffers for our sake. According to St. Augustine, the word ‘Ziph’ means (adorned) or (fraud) or (flowering for a short time). As though those who betrayed David were (fraud), like grass that flowers for a short time, but will soon wither. The Ziphites assumed that they will prosper through their treason of David, yet their plan failed and they perished, whereas David got forth out of all afflictions a conqueror and victorious2. On David, in his hiding place, will apply the saying of the apostle Paul about the members of Christ: “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3: 3). Those “hidden in Christ”, When will they prosper? The apostle answers this question by directly adding: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3: 4). And when those “hidden in Christ” prosper, the “Ziphites” will wither. Isaiah portrays the glory of those “Ziphites” in the following way: “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field” Then their end will be: “The grass withers, the flower fades”(Isaiah 40: 6, 7) How about the end of David? the prophet Isaiah directly adds: “But the Word of our God stands forever”(Isaiah 40: 8). Would you like to be “Ziphites”? They prosper in this world, then will wither in the day of judgment, to be cast into the everlasting fire! Would you chose their destiny?! Your Lord is hidden here, So are all the righteous; For their goodness is inside, and hidden in the heart, where faith, love, and hope are; …where their treasure is … All these things are hidden, so is their reward. (St. Augustine) 1- SALVATION IS IN THE NAME OF GOD: Saul was on one side of the mountain, while David was on the other side; and between them, were many inaccessible rough rocks. Although they could see one another, yet Saul could not reach David except through a long route around. To keep David from getting away, Saul sent a group of warriors from one side, and another group from the other side. But God found a way out for David, when a messenger came to tell Saul: “Hasten and come, for the Philistines have invaded the land” (1 Samuel 23: 27). It is said that they have invaded Saul’s personal property3. 1 W .Plumer: The Psalms, p. 574. . 2 للمؤلف: صموئیل الأول، 1977 م، ص 164 . 3 للمؤلف: صموئیل الأول، 1988 م، ص 166 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 50 Perceiving that his deliverance was realized, not by any human plans, by human capabilities, or through human friendship, but in the name of the Lord of hosts; the prophet David sang: “Save me God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength” (1) That is David’s experience since his young age. By it, while a boy, he spoke to king Saul, who said to him: “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he, a man of war from his youth” to this David responded by saying: “The Lordwho delivered me from the paw of the lion, and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17: 33, 37). To Goliath he said: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts …” (1 Samuel 17: 45). Perceiving the strength in the name of God, the psalmist says: “We have trusted in His holy name” (Psalm 33: 21) “Through Your name we will trample those who rise against us” (Psalm 44: 5) “I will lift up my hands in Your name; My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness” (Psalm 63: 4, 5) “Help us, O god of our salvation, For the glory of Your name. And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins” (Psalm 79: 9). “In Your name they rejoice all day long” (Psalm 89: 16). In the name of God, the psalmist sees the secret of salvation, In Him he trusts; destroys the devil, the enemy; lifts up his hand, to satisfy his soul; For his sake he enjoys the forgiveness of his sins, and his life would turn into a continuous and unceasing gladness. It is obvious here that the divine name refers to the “divine presence”, and the enjoyment of the divine work; and not just to a name uttered by the lips. When the wicked said to the Lord Christ: “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, an done many wonders in Your name?!”To this He answered them: “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7: 22, 23). I wish we do not misuse the name of God, for anything but the salvation of our souls; as it was given to us to find in it the sweetness of salvation. Let us call Him by His name, to hear Him call us by ours. Let us seek in His name to get saved; then He would bear us in His bosom, to sing, saying: “Save me O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your strength” (1). While the Ziphites cared for pleasing Saul; David took refuge in the name of God, delivered everything to Him, being the supreme Mighty One, and the Judge of all. No wonder that the believers in all eras, confront treason even from their own, who may oppose them more than their enemies, something that cause them great sorrow. Yet the sorrow cannot swallow them, when they perceive that they are in the hands of God, the Just, who may allow for them to pass through affliction, yet for a limited time. According to St. Augustine, the church, like David; while the Ziphites practice deception, and plan plots, the persecuted church finds in the name of her crucified and insulted Groom, her salvation; and in the power of His cross, what would set her up on the great day of judgment. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 51 As said by the teacher of the Gentiles: “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2: 2); to let us prefer that name more than the boasting of the Ziphites. Yet, about Him he says: Although He died in weakness, yet He lives in the power of God. He, therefore, came to die in weakness; And He will come to judge in the power of God. Through the weakness of the cross His name became famous; and he who does not believe in that name that became famous through weakness, will come to be terrified before the Judge when He comes with power. (St. Augustine) The name of “Jesus” which means (God is salvation), is the secret of our salvation, and our justification on the Day of Judgment. This same name is, however, terrifying for the wicked, which reject His salvation. The name of God is greatly majestic, and wholly mighty. For the believers it is conquest and help; while for the opponents, it is defeat and devastation … Up till now, the name of our Lord, if called upon faithfully, will bring forth salvation. David, as well, seeks salvation in the name of God; and by His power he reigns, and takes revenge against his enemies; without boasting his personal righteousness. Let us also seek the forgiveness of our sins, and our salvation from the tribulations in this world, as well as in the world to come; Yet not by our own works, but in the name of our Lord, by which we are called. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Vindicate me”. Depending upon his own righteousness, but upon the grace and the love of God; and trusting in the possibility of His Savior; the believer can confront the devil, saying, together with David: “Let the Lord be Judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand” (1 Samuel 24: 15); And say: “For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness” (Psalm 9: 4); ad, “Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation. Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust ma” (Psalm 43: 1). Perceiving the power of God’s name for salvation, provoked the psalmist’s life to inner prayer, and, as well, to cry out with his lips, trusting in the possibility of God’s response. “Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth” (2) What is the difference between hearing the prayer and giving ear to the words of the mouth? The prayer refers to the secret talk of the heart to God, or connecting with Him, even by the language of silence; as God often hears the cries of our hearts which we cannot express by our words. No weapon is stronger than a prayer, if it is coming with a good intention; for to it God give ear, and if it is supported by good works, He will listen and respond to it. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) A prayer is to talk with a great daring, debating God. When we whisper without opening our mouth, we talk in silence, yet we cry out inside; And God always give ear to the inner talk1. 1 Stromata 7: 7. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 52 (St. Clement of Alexandria) According to St. Augustine, the secret of God’s listening to David’s prayers, and giving ear to the words of his mouth, is delivering the things to the hands of God; saying: [If you are ill, let the physician choose the medications to give you. If the teacher of the Gentiles says: “We do not know what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8: 26); how much more would we be?! I wish that you, as a patient, do not give counsel to the physician. And I wish it be the case in all temporal things]. Opening his heart and mouth in an open talk with God, the psalmist complains against his spiritual enemies, not to seek revenge, but to seek salvation for their souls, lest they would eternally perish. He presents the following three features for his enemies: a- Strangers b- Ruthless c- They have not set God before them. “For strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life. They have not set God before them” (3) “Strangers”. Although the “Ziphites” were of the same tribe as David, namely of the tribe of Judah, yet they had the spirit of strangers. Someone may be your close relative, of your very family, yet instead of helping you, he stand against you. The Lord Christ came to His own, but His own did not receive Him; and He, Himself says: “A man’s foes will be those of his own household” Matthew 10: 36). When your most close relative is used by the devil to destroy your spiritual life, and to corrupt your soul, he would bear the spirit of sojourn and animosity. “Oppressors”. Admonishing his friends, the righteous ‘Job’ cries out, saying: “Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me? Or offer a bribe for me from your wealth? Or deliver me from the enemy’s hand? Or redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?”(Job 6: 22, 23). And the divine promise came as: “I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible” (Jeremiah 15: 21). “They have not set God before them”. They do not fear God, and do not heed His commandments, His word, or His will. And as it is said about the wicked: “There is no fear of God before his eyes” (Psalm 36: 1). Counting the Word of God (the Lord of God), as his enemy and adversary, the wicked gives Him his back, and does not set Him before him. Evil corrupts the heart, that he does not endure to see the divine light, nor to look at the crucified Christ. According to St. Augustine: [Loving your sins, you would hate God’s commandments; and the incarnate Wisdom of God would become your adversary. But, if you become adversaries of your sins, the Word of God would be your Friend and an Adversary of your evil1]. A sojourner from the church of God would persecute it; And counting himself as strong, and no power can stand against him, he does not set God before him, but trust in his own strength, authority, possessions, and friends. The ‘Ziphites’ were the sojourners; and Saul and his men were the oppressors. 1 On Ps. 36 (35). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 53 Those who sojourn from God are also called “strangers” … even if they are our fellow citizens, and our own relatives; because they seek the perdition of our souls; having desregarded God’s care, and despised His Might. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) When man does not set God before him, what would be before his eyes other than the world? In other words, he would collect wealth above wealth; cares to increase his herds, and to fill up his storehouses; and would say to his soul: “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12: 19). (St. Augustine) Yes, Those who talk the words of God before God, should understand that they have received the words of teaching from God; and should accordingly seek God’s pleasure, and not their own. They should also listen to the words of the Holy Book: “Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to God” (Proverbs 16: 5). It is obvious that when those who seek their own vain glory, by misusing the word of God, they are taking by force the right of God, the Giver; for they do not fear robbing the commendation from those who received the teachings of the holy things. Let them listen to Solomon’s words to the teachers: “Drink water from your own cisterns, and running water from your own well. Should your fountains be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for sharing with strangers” (Proverbs 5: 15-17) 1. When a teacher searches the depth of his heart, and hears his own words, he drinks from his cistern, and drinks running water from his own well; if he gets satisfied by the fountain of the word. And adding: “Should your fountains be scattered abroad”, he means that the teacher should drink first before he quenches the thirst of others by his teachings. And saying, “streams of water in the streets”, means distributing the divine word on a multitude of listeners. And as, together with the spread of the divine word to the knowledge of many, vain glory may crawl into the teacher, he adds: “Let them be for yourself alone, and not for sharing with strangers”. In this concern, the Wisdom calls the evil spirits “the strangers”; as according to the prophet: “Strangers have risen up against me, and oppressors have sought after my life” (3). It is important for the teacher to come out to teach like “streams of water in the streets”, yet he should not join forces with the unclean spirits, through arrogance.. We should not let enemies share in ministering the divine word. And we should, as well, not be swayed away by any desire for vain commendation2. (Father Gregory (the Great) 2- GOD IS MY HELPER: My relatives according to the flesh have become strangers and adversaries. But You, O the heavenly Father, has become a Relative, to support me, and to give me victory. “Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life” (4) We may say that the previous verses represent a lamentation for the cross; Yet, not a lamentation of sorrow, filled with despair, but a lamentation on humanity, that do not perceive God’s love and His salvation work. Now, through the cross, the lamentation 1 یستخدم الأب غریغوریوس ھذه الصورة الاستعاریة للجب والینابیع لتشیر للعلاقة ما بین الزوج وزوجتھ، وھو ھنا یطبق ھذه الفقرة على تعلیم المرشدین. 2 Pastoral Care, 3; 24. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 54 turns into a praise of rejoicing in salvation, and a song of the resurrection, the grantor of the exalted new life. “Behold, God is my helper. The Lord is with those who uphold my life”; And as said: “I lay down and slept. I awoke, for the Lord sustained me” (Psalm 3: 5); And also: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51: 12) “He will repay my enemies for their evil. Cut them off in Your truth” (5) By “My enemies”, he means the devil and his hosts who go around to devour; as according to Hosea: “So, I will be to them like a lion, like a leopard by the road I will observe them” (Hosea 13: 7). He seeks from his Savior to destroy the devil, to become no more able to oppress the children of God. Let them proclaim their sojourn from God, and from me; and let them use all violence against me, disregarding the face of God! I shall have no fear as long as God is on my side; He will let the wicked collect the fruit of their work, and will repay them for their evil. When they seek to cut me off, they will cut themselves off. How will God help you? …. “The Lord will uphold my life” Those wicked men may prosper in their faithfulness to the world; yet, they will eventually perish by the power of God. They will not be cut off the way they prosper! For they may prosper for some time, but they will perish forever. They may prosper in vain goods; and they will perish in true sufferings. (St. Augustine) 3- THE SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING: The oppression of Saul and his men presented to David a new experience in God’s compassionate and free dealings. That is why he pays love back with love; he presents his heart, and his whole life as a burnt offering; he presents them freely, with joy and gladness, without expecting any temporal reward. “I will freely sacrifice to You. I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good” (6) What shall I present, but what You seek: “Whoever offers praise, glorifies Me” (Psalm 50: 23). Why “freely”? For I truly love whom I praise. I praise God; and my praising Him I rejoice! “freely” means, for the sake of God Himself, and not for any reward. For, if you praise God to get any reward, you do not love Him freely! “I will freely sacrifice to You” Do not do it because you have to. Because if you praise God to get any reward, you are praising Him because you have to! “I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good” … I find nothing better than Your name. (St. Augustine) Listen to the voice of the prophet, saying: “I will freely sacrifice to You, O Lord”. Learn how to endure labor by your own free will. He who discover his slothfulness, accuses himself, and freely endures labor, not a single day will pass without remorse. Let everyone of you contemplate in the amazing gift of freedom, granted by Christ to His faithful people, through the new birth, the giver of life … and through the pouring of the Holy Spirit. God would not be ministered with a lukewarm kind of ministry. Even if we present to him every day any honor or gift within our ability, we https://coptic-treasures.com/ 55 shall never fulfill His due… Let us, therefore, set our hearts free of any attachment to evil, so that we can better feed upon the fruits of justice. “”I will freely sacrifice to you” . The prophet did not use this expression haphazardly, without a cause; He perceived that there many, ministering to God through commitment, their hearts are actually against ministry; they promise something by their mouth, and plan something else in their heart. … Even with the little value of our gifts, they would be great if we give them with pleasure; whereas those given out of commitment, will mostly corrupt the giver of the gift; the way when someone is committed to prepare a banquet; he will keep complaining about how much it costs him. Present an offering to your Creator every day with joy; Offer a little by your tongue; but offer the sacrifice of praise with words that utter sweetness. Hasten, as well, by the spirit of piety to consummate the ministry you are asked to do. Give heed to the words of the prophet: “The freely presented offerings of my mouth, let them be received by You, O Lord” 1. (Father Valerian) “For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies” (7) Here, the psalmist speak with surety through his past experience of God as His Savior from every affliction; He has seen, as well, the failure of the devil, despite all his endeavor to plan and dedicated his talents to destroy the children of God. It is therefore, not gladness on his part to destroy someone, as much as it is rather to destroy the spiritual hosts of darkness. 1 Fr. Valerian: Homilies 3. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 56 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 54 HOW AMAZING IS YOUR NAME, O LORD! How amazing is Your name, O Lord! It is my strength to salvation; “We have trusted in His Holy Name” (Psalm 33: 21); “How excellent is Your name in all the earth”(Psalm 8: 1, 9); “Through Your name, we will trample those who rise up against us” (Psalm 44: 5); “I will up my hands in Your name; my soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness” (Psalm 63: 4) “For Your names sake, You provide atonement for our sins” (Psalm 79: 9). My life turn into a joyful day; Into which no spirit of sorrow will enter (Psalm 89: 16) Teach me, O Lord, how to call upon Your name with the spirit of love; To find in it all my pleasure; That You, in turn, will call upon my name; As You did when You called Zacchaeus by his name; And You enter into my house And proclaim the dwelling of salvation in it. Your name is sweet in the mouths of Your saints; In it there is the sweetness of salvation; In it there is the sighn of fellowship with You; I call upon You, unite with You, and take refuge in You. You, O Heavenly One, became a relative of mine; You received mr as a member in Your body, O heavenly One; My relatives according to the flesh became strangers; When they opposed me without a cause; Except that they did not set You before their faces. Let the wicked do whatever they intend to do to cut me off; Their work will get back to them, and they will, themselves, be cut off. They will fall into what they intended to do against me. You are my Helper and Savior; I praise You, and freely confess Your name; I wish I can acquire You; For with You, I shall not seek anything more.
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