1YOU ARE MY REFUGE AGAINST THOSE WHO LIE IN WAIT FOR MY LIFE This psalm represents a personal lamentation by a righteous man who enters into an affliction cause by friends and fellow countrymen; who give false testimonies against him. But the lamentation turn into a praise of thanksgiving to god who save him from his affliction. The prophet David wrote this psalm when king Saul sent men, and they watched the house to kill him; but Michal – David’s wife, and the daughter of saul – rescued him by letting him down through a window (1 Samuel 19: 12); (the same way the apostle Paul escaped in Damascus (Acts 9: 25); and said to the men sent by her father, that David is ill in bed. They stood guard at the door all night long, waiting for him to wake up; and in the morning they discovered the trick of Michal. Some see in that event a prophecy about what was going to happen to the Lord Christ, when the guards were all around his tomb, which was sealed shut, And at the dawn of Sunday, they found the tomb empty, for Jesus was risen from the dead, as though from sleep, by the power of His divinity. 1- David seeks salvation from the wicked 1 -7 2- David trusts in God, his Savior 8 - 10 3- The perdition of the wicked 11 - 15 4- A praise for God the Savior 16 – 17 The title: The assured judgment of the wicked To the Chief Musician. Se to “Do not destroy” A mitcham of David when sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him The psalmist raise this prayer, or this cry, to God to save him; as the animosity of Saul against him was at its beginning. The more Saul’s hatred exploded, the more David’s grief and bitterness grew. Yet he was steady in his belief that the only way od salvation was to take refuge in God by prayer and fellowship with Him, and giving Him praise. The title, according to the Septuagint version came as: “By David for pillar inscription”; which St. Augustine believes to refer to looking at the cross to see the inscription with the cause of His crucifixion written in three languages, to be read by the whole world, to perceive that He is the reigning King. As to the saying: “Do not destroy”, the psalmist refers to the Jews who protested this inscription to Pilate, who refused to change it, saying: “What I have written, I have written” (John 19: 22). St. Augustine ends his commentary, saying: [Let us, as well, perceive the passion of the Lord; and let Christ – the Head and the body, talk to us]. He sees in the title of this psalm a talk directed to us, concerning the Son of David, the crucified King; and also concerns the church, the suffering queen, being the body of Christ. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 145 1- DAVID SEEKS SALVATION FROM THE WICKED: “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God. Defend me from those who rise up against me” (1) If it was Michal the daughter of Saul who rescued her man David from the hands of her father; David, on his side, perceived that the salvation could never be realized without the intervention of the divine care. God alone could lift him up above the hate of Saul and his evil plans Saul devised a perfect plot to kill David, as he goes out of his house in the early morning. He sent a sufficient number of strong men whom David could not overcome, to surround the house on all sides; But God used Michal, the faithful wife of David, and the daughter of Saul to let David down from a window (1 Samuel 11: 12). By that, David’s supplication in the psalm was realized; as he felt that God has lifted him up to a high tower, where no hand could reach him: “Lord, my God, In you I put my trust; Save me from all who persecute me, and deliver me” (Psalm 7: 1). The Hebrew word for “deliver me”, means (Lift me up). If the enemy ‘Satan’ who fell down from heaven, exerts all his energy to bring humanity down with him to the pit; yet the heavenly Savior saves His believers through lifting them up to heaven. St. Jerome likens the true believer to a bird flying up high, that the serpent crawling on earth down below cannot jump and swallow him. Some, like Adam Clark, believe that this psalm suits the events of the construction of the walls of Jerusalem on the hands of Nehemiah under the oppression of adversaries like Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, What preoccupies the heart of the believer, is not to be saved from the nets that the enemy hides in the dust on earth, but rather with being lifted up by the Spirit of God, to soar as though up to heaven. And that his affliction would become a new chance for his depths to set forth to heaven: “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you” (Psalm 20: 1); and, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore, I will deliver him” (Psalm 91: 14). In the midst of affliction, the soul sets forth to gain new knowledge in the name of the Lord, and a new experience of fellowship with Him. Some interpret the Hebrew text: “Lift me up high”, that, if the enemies have arrogantly come upon him , as though from up high to kill him, assuming that he would never escape from their hands; the psalmist seeks from the One in the highest to lift him up as though to a hevenly tower, where no enemy can reach him, for God Himself is his Tower, Refuge, and the Stronghold of his life. “Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men” (2) We often complain, and we sometimes protest against the oppression that dwells upon us. Here, David comments, that these oppression are but natural, for the wicked, by their nature which they corrupted, became bloodthirsty; longing to confiscate the rights of others, and to unjustly accuse them: “The bloodthirsty hate the blameless, but the just seeks his well being” (Proverb 29: 10). The “Workers of iniquity” are king Saul and his counselors, who, flattered him by presenting the plan to kill David. And the “bloodthirsty” are those who find pleasure in torturing the innocent and the righteous, and shedding their blood. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 146 According to father Onesimus of Jerusalem, the psalmist’s enemies here, are Saul and his men; together with the principalities and authorities of the darkness of the devil and his hosts, who persecute the men of God. He also believes that the talk here is a call upon the Son of God, Savior of the world to come. And he also believes that it is a talk by the Lord Christ Himself, praying to the Father on behalf of the congregation of believers, being His body. If God allows the devil and his hosts to persecute us, and seek our sou;s; It is to let us spend our whole life crying out to God; through which we would enjoy uniting with him, and enjoy the conquest; For there is no weapon to support us to get the conquest like praying and crying out to God. According to St. Augustine, this phrase is the cry out of the persecuted church, and of every believer, presented to the father in heaven, through Christ, Head of the church. That same thing which happened to the body of Christ, is being realized in us as well. As long as we live on earth, our enemies; namely Satan and his angels, will not cease to persecute us on a daily basis, enjoying our weakness and helplessness, before their deceptive schemes, and temptations, and by the nets they keep setting upto catch us. But our voice is raised up to God, and cries in the bodies of Christ, through the Head who is in heaven, saying: “Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men” (2). (St. Augustine) Saying “Deliver me”, or “Redeem me”, he asks for the coming of the Son of Man, who made Himself a ransom for the world. It is, as well, directed from our Lord Himself, seeking from God, His Father, salvation for the congregation of believers, His body, rrom the seen enemies, the workers of iniquity, and the bloodthirsty, who persist on killing Him, His apostles after Him, and all those who follow them. Yet His supplication to the Father is not out of weaknesss, nor of having less authority than that of the Father; Far from it! But it is neant to proclaim the perfection of His Manhood; and to teach us to cry out to God in the time of affliction. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) They were indeed bloodthirsty; those who killed the Righteous, in whom they found no iniquity. They were bloodthirsty when the foreign ruler (Pilate) washed his hands, and intended to release Christ, they cried out: “Crucify Him, crucify Him”. They were bloodthirsty, who cried out “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27: 25). And they were bloodthirsty when they kept fighting against His body; For, even after the resurrection and ascension of Christ, they kept persecuting the church, which started from the Jewish people, from whom our Head Himself came. (St. Augustine) “For look, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord” (3) Whenever the wicked gather against us, and lie in wait for our souls; let us remember what happened to the prophet David; and let us follow his lead. Let us remember how God saved him from the hands of the mighty who were gathered against him. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 147 The wicked gather together for evil, exult together for oppression; and bear animosity against the righteous, not for some harm they did against them, but because the life of these righteous testifies against them. Although David confesses his sin to God; yet what those wicked people did to him was not for any sin he committed, nor a chastisement by God, but because they find pleasure in killing the righteous men of God. Who are the “mighty” who lie in wait for the soul of the righteous, and gather together against him, not for any sin or transgression he committed? They are the hosts of darkness that cannot endure the light. The devil and his hosts keep perpetually on working to destroy those who fear the Lord, not for anything other than their being referred to God their father; the true Life, and the holy One without sin. Those “mighty” are also those of authority along the eras, who use their authorities to oppose the righteous They are, as well, the leaderships who were stirred up against our Lord to crucify Him, to get rid of Him. And the “mighty” are also the sins that use every possible chance to bring man down to corruption. The sin is described as “the reproach of peoples”, that sets out of man a slave, helpless to act on his own, and does, not what he likes, but what the sin that dwells in him likes. Its fruit is death; If it has a place inside me, it lives, and I die. It is deceptive and deadly; its law fights the law of my mind, that I behave unconsciously. Resisting it, though, needs striving even to blood. Finally, he who practices it is the devil. That is the sin as portrayed by the Holy Book. The first of the “mighty” (or strong) is the devil himself; as he is called by the Lord, saying: “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house” (Mark 3: 27). He binds the “mighty” by the chains of His authority; take his goods outside his house, and make them the goods of Christ; as all the wicked were goods (or vessels) of the devil. The “mighty” (strong, or most excellent) as they are often called, are Saul, Antiochus Epiphanus and others among the kings, as well as the leaders of the Jews, who diligently tried to catch our Lord to have Him killed; and also the sin that, by its harm catch the soul of man to kill it. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold …” (4) The righteous sometimes suffer affliction in his soul because the wicked gather together around him, and persist on lying in wait for his life, as though they are mighty, playing with a weak prey, helpless to defend itself. Here, the “mighty” seem as though they never sleep to realize their goal; whereas God seem as falling asleep, not aware of the oppressed poor; hence the psalmist cries out: “Awake to help me, and behold” (4). They run like warrior going into a battle (Psalm 18: 29). They prepare themselves; they do not run haphazardly, but according to a plan, like troops charging against a city (Job30: 14). They did not leave a stone unturned to ruin me completely. Being a matter of life or death for the psalmist; and feeling as though God is asleep concerning his safety; and not aware of the violence of the wicked against him, he calls upon Him to awake to encounter him, and give him help. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 148 Some may wonder how would the psalmist David seek from God to encounter him, in order to behold that he walks without iniquity, and run without sin. Is God in need to encounter him to know how he is? According to an interpretation by St. Augustine, the psalmist means that, once God encounters him, He would proclaim to us what He beholds in Him. We can accept the interpretation of the expression “Awake and encounter me”, meaning (Awake and help me); as to the addition “and behold”, we should understand it as such: (Behold, I am running to become an object to be seen as walking without iniquity nor sin). According to the same interpretation, it was said to Abraham “Now, I know that you fear God” (Genesis 20: 6), “Now, I know” means (I let you know). (St. Augustine) He who runs fast, his feet may seem as not touching the ground, as though he has wings; according to the words of the righteous ‘job’: “My days are swifter than a runner” (Job 9: 25); “ It may not seem as touching the ground, yet “I run not with uncertainty” (see 1 Corinthians 9: 25. The righteous, intending to reach the line of arrival, keep on running, even among hurdles; as David says that he runs without iniquity, and keeps on running steadily forward1. (St. Dedymus the blind “You therefore, O g Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations; do not be merciful to any wicked transgressor” (5) If the wicked assumed that they are “mighty”; and in his weakness, the righteous counts them as such; yet, looking up to his God, he perceives that no creation could stand before Him; For He is “the Lord of hosts”, and at th same time “God of Israel”; namely, God who loves His people and believers; “The Almighty”, who protect His beloved children from all the wicked nations. The two expressions: “The Lord of hosts”, and “God of Israel”, are often used whenever the believer (or the people) see that they are surrounded by adversary armies, and became in danger; Then they seek help from God, the Lord of the heavenly hosts, before which all the armies of the world cannot stand. “God of Israel”, or (God of the Hebrew people, the descendents of Jacob or Israel), God the defender of His people; “Awake and save me”; for I am one of Your people with whom You entered into a covenant, and presented to them promises to protect them. He seeks from Him to visit all the nations with punishment or chastisement, probably counting his wicked opponents, full of violence, like theheathen nations. This expression was often used by the prophet David. There is nothing hidden from God; Yet He, with His longsuffering, He chastises all the nations, being the Judge of the whole world; and lets the wicked fall into nonmercy, having not practiced mercy, nor knew it. He who does not hve mercy on his neighbor would not enjoy the divine mercy. Some fathers believe that the phrase here does not imply avenging all the nations, as much as calling upon the nations to the faith, rejected by Israel, or the Jews in the day of Christ. 1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 149 The prophet David often spoke of the multitude of enemies opposing him (Psalm 27: 3; 118: 10-12). Here, he puts God before his eyes as a Judge of all the heathen nations; proclaiming that he will no more be disturbed, because of their great number, nor of their might, as long as God will intervene to come to his help. “Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressor” (4). Although it is a sound saying, that should not be disregarded in any way, as being haphazardly said; Yet He was merciful to Paul, who, for long, has committed iniquity as Saul. For what good work he has done, to be worthy of mercy?! … Dod he not hate His saints even to death? Did he not carry messages from the high priest, authorizing him to persecute and punish any Christian he may encounter on his way?! Has he not been a killer, “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9: 1)?!. Did not he hear a voice from heaven calling him, cast him to the ground, then sets him up, blinds him, then give him enlightenment; kill him, then give him life; destroy him, then reform him?! For what worthiness did all that happen? Do not say anything; but listen to him say: “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1: 13). “Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressor” (5) could certainly be interpreted in one of two ways: That truly there is no sin without punishment (as long as man did not repent it); Or that there is a kind of iniquity that God will never have mercy on its doer (which is the kind of iniquity dine by intention, with knowledge, and without repentance). (St. Augustine) “At evening they return; they growl like a dog, and go all around the city” (6) If God, his Savior, is the Lord of hosts, the all loving god, Judge of the whole earth, How could the wicked stand before Him? They are like dogs wandering around the city, and gathering together sometimes as though fighting one another. The prophet David likens his enemies who plot to kill him, to fierce and unclean dogs (Psalm 22: 16-22), which wander all night in the streets, feeding on unclean trash, or search for a prey to attack and kill. Those enemies probably used to wander all night long to spy on David’s movements, to plan the right plot to kill him. The Holy Book often calls the wicked ‘dogs’ (Psalm 22: 16, 20; Matthew 7: 6; Philippians 3: 2; Revelation 22: 15); on account that they growl, as though intending to attack; yet they fear him who comes against them without fear. Dogs have been included by the Jews among the unclean animals (I Kings 14: 11). The Holy book likens the wicked, as well to pigs, donkeys, and dumb dove. While the righteous sllep all night in deep peace, the wicked, on the other hand, gather together by night, to plan evil against the righteous. “ At evening” means the end of the day, referring to the dwelling of our Lord in flesh at the end of time. The prophet says that the Jews get hungry on account of not receiving the divine bread coming down from heaven, and become rude like dogs. The prophet Isaiah calls them: blind, ignorant, dumb dogs that cannot bark (Isaiah 56: 10). He called them dogs because when our Lord was delivered, they insolently cried out against Him, not knowing what they said; Hence God deprived them of all the talents that were theirs, and let them wander around hungry for God’s goods like dogs; And their city which they defiled by https://coptic-treasures.com/ 150 killing the Righteous, they were driven out of it, go all around it, but no more allowed to dwell in it as they used to. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) Having received from me the testimonies concerning Christ’s; first coming, and walking on the sea: as it was written: “Your way was on the sea” (Psalm 77: 19). Let us now seek the testimonies concerning His passion. Judas was a traitor; Although he addressed Him with words of peace, yet he planned treason against Him; Hence the psalmist says: “My loved ones and my friends stand allof from My plague” (Psalm 38: 11); and, “His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords” (Psalm 55: 21). He addressed Him, saying: “Greetings, Rabbi” ; while he intended to betray Him even to death. He did not care for His Lord’s warning: “Judas, are ou betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22: 48). What the Lord said refers to the meaning of the name ‘Judas’, meaning (confession); as though saying to him: Come on, Confess that You betrayed and received the price! “Do not keep silent, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitful have opened against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause” (Psalm 109: 1-3). Some of the high priests were there at the gates of the city, when they arrested the Lord; by which the psalm was realized, saying: “At evening they return, they growl like a dog, and go all around the city” (6) 2. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem) There was a famine, not in a specific location, but all over the world; as there was no one who does good. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ, having compassion on the hungry of the world, opened up the storehouses of wheat, and revealed the storehouses of the hidden heavenly secrets of wisdom and knowledge; so that no one would feel in need of food; for wisdom proclaimed: “Come, eat of my bread” (Proverb 9: 5). He who get filled with Christ would alone be able to say: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23: 1) 3. (St. Ambrose) Presenting a symbolic interpretation of (Psalm 59: 6) , St. Augustine sees the dogs as though have changed from fierce animals to useful guard dogs; and says that after the shedding of the blood of Christ, namely (at the evening of time), our sins are forgiven us by the grace of God, we come to be like Saul of Tarsus, who, after being like a violent fiercce wolf, he was changed into what is like a docile (guard) dog that goes all around the cities of the world, in great hunger for the salvation of every soul; and runs here and there to gain every soul for the Lord Christ. “Indeed they are bellowing with their mouth; swords are in their lips; For they say: ‘Who hears?’” (7) The mouths of the wicked are filled with oppression, vain accusations, threats, and blasphemies, like drawn swords; thinking that God does not care for His believers; saying; “Who hears?”; and as the psalmist also says: “The wicked, in his proud countenance does not seek God;God is in none of his thoughts; ,,, He said in his heart, 2 3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 151 ‘God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see I; tHe will not require an Account” (Psalm 10: 4, 11). They spit fire out of their mouths; unceasingly throw a flood of vain accusations and slanders. They say: “Who hears?” For God in His longsuffering, hopes for them to return to Him with repentance, and not to consummate their wicked plots; they despise Him, as. “They say with their mouths”; namely by the cry outs of their mouths to Pilate, saying; “Crucify Him, crucify Him”; and, as a reaction to what their lips uttered, the soldiers of Pilate stabbed His side; as though by the spears of their mouths. Here there is a sword that is sharpened twice, about which the apostle says: “The sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6: 17). Why is it sharpened twice? If not because it strikes by the two testaments1 By this sword are slain those about whom it was said to Peter “Rise Peter, kill, and eat” (Acts 10: 13). . “And a sword in their lips, for they say: ‘Who hears’” (7) … Those who were before not wishing to believe, now they feel disgusted for those who do not believe. (St. Augustine) 2- DAVID TRUSTS IN GOD, HIS SAVIOR: “But You, O Lord shall laugh at them; You shall have all the nations in derision” (8) Whatever the number of the oppressors, even though all the nations join forces against God, to oppose His children, yet God will laugh at them. Hence the psalmist turn his eyes away from the wicked, their meetings, and their evil possibilities, to concentrate on God, against whom no might can stand. Counting his wicked adversaries like heathen nations, David scoffs at them, and has their movements and plans in derision. So did the prophet David trust that God follows their steps, listen s to their whispers, and makes all their works against him vain, saving him from all their evil plots. The prophet already said to God: (59: 5): “Awake to punish all the nations”. And now he says: “You shall have all the nations in derision” (8). Is there contradiction between the two saying? … No, for, according to St. John Chrysostom: [By the first saying he means the nations and their peoples, who believed in Christ. While here, he talks about the nations of devils, workers of evil, those who persecute the faith of Christ. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) All the nations have become Christians; And yet you say: “who hears?” Whom does he ridicule? You count all the nations as nothing. Yes, they will all be as nothing. It is so easy to have all nations believe in You. (St. Augustine) “O my strength, I will watch for You. For You, O God is my fortress” (9) God laughs at everything that the enemy does. Yet, although David does not deny the power of the enemy, he trusts in God his Savior; and watch for His salvation, for He is the Fortress in whom he takes refuge. Although David cries out because of the dangerous power of Saul, which is beyond all his possibilities, he has no other refuge except in God the Almighty, and will https://coptic-treasures.com/ 152 watch for His divine work. God is David’s fortress, the secure place in which he hides, and the high exalted location, where he is lifted up, where no net can catch him. Some believe that the word “watch” here means that, if Saul has sent men to watch the steps of David to kill him, David, on his side, watches the movements of God the Almighty to scatter Saul’s plan. If Saul is strong, God is Almighty. That is why the psalm will always say “”my strength”. According to the Hebrew text: From the strength of the enemy, or the strength of Saul, the psalmist watches for God to protection. And, according to the Septuagint version, the psalmist says: I keep my strength for You to use, being my Refuge, and the Worker in and by me. The psalmist makes God his Refuge from the strength of all the wicked, for God Himself is the strength of the psalmist; and in taking refuge in God, he finds protection in Him. “I will love You, O Lord, my strength” (Psalm 18: 1) “But You, O Lord, do not be far from me, O my strength, hasten to help me” (Psalm 22: 19) “To You, O my strength, I will sing praises, for god is my defense, the God of my mercy” (Psalm 59: 17). “In God, my salvation, and my glory, the Rock of my strength, And my refuge is in God” (Psalm 62: 7). “The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation” (Psalm 118: 14). David has been anointed a king by the prophet Samuel, in the name of God. And, although, by the spirit of prophecy, David knew that he was going to become a king after Saul. Yet he did look forward for Saul’s perdition; lest he would appear as though he took the reign by force. So he endured all Saul’s persecutions, waiting for God’s decision, saying to Him: I keep my reign in Your hand, until Your will is realized. We, as believers, should let our life (and reign) in the hands of Christ our God. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) All those “mighty” ones, would fall because they do not keep their strength if or You; namely, they attack me, depending on their own strength. I, on the other hand, keep my strength for You; for, if I retreat from You, I shall fail; and if I come close to You, I would become stronger. Now, look brethren, how the human soul has no light of her own, has no troops; has no wisdom, and has no strength, and has o virtue of her own. Come close to Him, to become light; as retreating from Him, you would become darkness. That is why “O my strength I will watch for you”, I will not retreat from You, and I will not lean upon myself. Now, where have I been? Where am I? Where have You lifted me up? And what iniquities have you forgiven me? (St. Augustine) "My merciful God will go before me. God shall let me look in triumph on my enemies” (10) The psalmist often seek from God to go before him; saying: “I went forth and saw God always go before me”. Now he seeks from him to let the divine mercies go before https://coptic-treasures.com/ 153 him; For, in his own eyes, he is not without sin, but is in need of God’s mercies to forgive his sins; by which the enemy would not have authority over him. The Lord Christ presents Himself as “the Good Shepherd who goes before His flock, , and the sheep follow Him” (John 10: 4) so the wolves cannot come close to them; and the sheep could walk along the way of truth without diversion. In some versions it came as: “God of my mercy goes before me”. Looking at the Lord, being His God, He Him His mercy, precedes him, flows the blessing on him, fulfill all his needs, and helps him in all his worries. “God shall let me look in triumph on my enemies”. He will let me see them in confusion, all their plans falling apart; grants me victory over them; or He will not let them have victory over me. “My merciful God will go before me”. What goodness did You find in me, that makes You grants me Your mercy, and justify me?! In me, you shall only find the nature You created; As for other things, they are all evil that, by Your mercy, You shall wipe out. (St. Augustine) 3- THE PERDITION OF THE WICKED: “Do not slay them, lest my people forget; Scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield” (11) He asks God, not to wipe out the enemies once and for all; but to allow for a remnant of them to remain and be scattered, as a testimony and a memorial for the work of God; so that the people would not forget the work of God to protect them from the enemies. He asks God to scatter. He asks God to bring them down from their haughtiness, to let them perceive that they are helpless to oppose God. When Cain murdered Abel, God did not punish him by killing him right away, but let him live s a fugitive, and a wanderer on earth (Genesis. 4: 12-14); as a testimony to the fruit of sin, and a fulfillment of the divine justice. Many fathers see in this saying a reference to the Jews who crucified the Lord of Glory, to become scattered all over the earth. Some may wonder why has God not punish Satan and his angel, to save the believers from their attacks! But letting them survive gives us a chance to enter into continuous battles; and consequently to get united to God our refuge, to enjoy the conquest, and get the crown. For the same reason God let the wicked live, for the sake of the justification of the righteous, beside giving the chance to he wicked to repent; when they perceive that God defends His believers. God often let the wicked live, yet scattered, without peace, that the believer would see; yet, not to gloat in them, but for their faith in God to become more steadfast. “Bring them down, O Lord our shield” (11). While the believer is lifted up in he midst of afflictions, and the doors of heaven become open before him; The wicked, on the other hand, will be brought down, together with their father, the devil: “But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men, shall not live out half their days” (Psalm 55: 23). By saying “Scatter them by Your power”, in the Septuagint version, the scholar Origen, believes it to be a cry out by the psalmist to God, seeing, by the spirit of prophecy, those who crucified the Lord, asking Him to strike them by Jesus Christ, as a https://coptic-treasures.com/ 154 sword, that does not kill, but scatters. By that, the Jews are scatterd to this very day, because they crucified the Lord. How can we prove that Christ is the sword? By what came in the psalm, asking God not to hear them, but scatter them, saying: “Scatter them by Your power” (Psalm 59: 11 LXX) 4 (The scholar Tertullian) “Scatter them with Your power” (11). Is realized now; as the Jews are scattered all over the nations; as testimony to their iniquity; and to the truth, which is ours. (St. Augustine) They used their tongue, that is would not be reined against Christ; raised their horns high, and uttered iniquity against God, as is written: “They fell into their pride” 5. (St. Cyril the Great) The psalmist stands in awe, meditating in the amazing mercies of God, comparing between, His work for his salvation from the wicked; and what dwell upon the wicked, who persist on their opposition of the divine truth, of scattering and troubles; Revealing that it is caused by the difference between his acceptance of approaching God, and the persistence on forsaking Him. How amazing is the mercy He presents to me, and shows to my enemies; for man to compare between himself and those forsaken by God; the chosen, compared to the forsaken; the vessel of mercy to that of wrath; to show that God conform from the same lump of clay, a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor (Romans 9: 21). He shows His mercy to the wild grafted olive tree (Romans 11: 17), compared to branches broken because of pride. Look where they fall if they are proud; and where you are grafted instead of those who have fallen. So, do not be proud, lest you may be qualified for cutting (John 11: 24) (St. Augustine) “For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips; Let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak” (12) Here he talks about two serious ins: a- The sin of the tongue: When their lips utter cursing with lying, slandering, and threatening; Yet, the more their words increase, the more their sins become. b- The sin of pride: Trusting that their plan would never fail, and confirming that they will succeed and conquer, their hearts become haughty; Yet, while in their pride, they are arrested and caught. This applies to king Saul in his opposition to David, counting that getting rid of him is something sure and done with; cursing him, and charging him of many false accusations. By their lips, the wicked set their nets to catch the righteous, to fing themselves fall into them. In their pride, they anticipate to catch the righteous; to be caught in the same nets they set, “The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid; their own foot is caught” (Psalm 9: 15). “The righteousness of the 4 5 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 155 upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be taken by their own lust” (Proverb 11: 6). What do you intend to slay in them? What they cried out, saying: “Crucify Him, crucify Him”, and not them who cried out themselves. They intended to wipe out Christ, to cut, and to destroy Him. As for You, By the resurrection of Christ whom they intended to destroy, You kill the transgression of their mouths, and the uttering of their lips. For in Him, for whom they cried out to be crucified, He lives, and they are terrified. He, whom they despised on earth, Is He not worshipped by all nations under heaven, while they are scattered all over the earth?! By that, You kill their transgressions, and the uttering of their pride. Pride does not allow man to become perfect; Nothing like it would hinder perfection … How can I talk about the multitude of evils, that are in pride? … Satan is punished just for it alone! … Being in short, the head of all sinners; and the one who temps by sin, Adultery, drunkenness, fornications, robbery, are not referred to him, but only by pride he has fallen. (St. Augustine) “Consume them in wrath, consume them that they may not be; and let them know that God rules in Jacob, to the ends of the earth” (13) By saying “that they may not be”, means not to let them enter into the land of the living, of the righteous. If he asked before, not to kill them once and for all, but here, prophesying about the destiny of Saul’s household, he says: “Consume them in wrath, or anger”; namely, through the divine justice; for they are not worthy of mercy. It carries, as well, a prophecy about the ‘anti-Christ and his followers in the end of days6. Before God’s wrath on the ant-Christ and his followers, they truly perceive that God is the One with authority, and He who rules over the new Jacob, namely, over the church of the new covenant, spreading from one end of the world to the other end. Although the word “Consume” may sound as (burn with fire); yet it does not mean that fire will be the way of their perdition, but it is rather the fire of God’s wrath on the anti=Christ and his followers. The repetition of the word “consume”, for the sake of confirming the utter and complete perdition. The psalmist asks God to consume the wicked by His divine wrath, to perceive that God is the Almighty One. “And at evening they return, they growl like a dog, and go all around the city” (14) Here he repeats what already came in verse 6, with the addition of the word ‘and’, showing that, having lost their peace, once they know that God the Almighty is the king of the church, and its Protector; they, like unclean animals, go all around the city, seeking to devour it, and thirsty for shedding blood. Here, the psalmist ridicules the anti-Christ and his followers, saying, that they return like dogs, for they realized that they are helpless to cause the church of Christ any harm, as king Saul and his men were unable to do to David and his men. 6 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 156 Here, the prophet calls the enemies of Christ his own enemies, as the Lord Christ comes from his seed. He seeks for their sake, not to kill them once and for all, but to scatter them everywhere; lest the peoples would eventually forget the justice of God and the truth of His law. For, if He has chosen to wipe out the Jews who crucified Christ altogether, they, with the passing of time, would have been completely forgotten. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) How can you see a quadruped animal? You will notice that its head bows toward the ground, and its eyes are directed toward its belly, looking at its body parts that give it pleasure. You, on the other hand, being human, Your head rises high toward heaven, and your eyes look up high. For, if you are preoccupied with the lusts of the body, and worship the pleasures of the lower being, you, by this, would become like irrational animals. I suggest that you should care for something befitting of you as man; “Seek things which are above, where Christ is” (Colossians 3: 1), Rise up above the things of the mortal world; Learn from the upright form of your body. Make it a law for your life, that your city is heaven, your true country is the Hiher Jerusalem, and your fellow citizens are the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven7. (St. Basil the Great) I beseech you to “renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4: 20- 24; Romans 12: 1-2). Learn that it is possible for you to be renewed, and cast from yourselves the image of (pigs), which is the character of the unclean soul, and that of the (dog), that describes him who growls and barks unclean words. It is possible to change even from the image of the (Serpent), by which the Lord addressed the wicked, saying: “Serpents, brood of vipers” (Matthew 23: 33). If we believe that we could change from the images of serpents, pigs, and dogs, let us now learn from the apostle, how this change could be realized, which depends on us; saying: “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3: 17).. If you were before a barking dog, then you were transformed and changed by the word, you have turned from a dog to a man. If you were before unclean, and your soul was touched by the word, and you presented yourself to the word to conform you, you have turned from a pig to a man And if you were before a fierce beast, and through listening to the word you were domesticated, and turned into a man; you will never, any more, be addresses as: “serpent and brood of vipers”. But if we are slothful to learn the lesson, the truth that we already possess, will lose its appeal, as the book of psalms teaches us. (The scholar Origen) We have already seen how St. Augustine began to look at the dogs in a more respected way, to see them return in the evening to go all around the city, as a reference to the return of the wicked by repentance to testify to God their Savior; even though they may seem to return at evening, namely, late in their life. “At evening they return” (14); namely, although late, after the Lord Christ was already crucified, “and growl like dogs”; Yet, like dogs, and not like herds of oxen; 7 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 157 they have discovered their sin, that they thought they were righteous; … It is good for the sinner to be humble; for nothing is impossible to heal like when man assumes to be perfect (St. Augustine) “They wander up and down for food, and howl if they are not satisfied” (15) Here, the psalmist likens the wicked who persist on evil, to hungry dogs, which keep on setting forth in the darkness seeking food. They go all around the city, vainly labor all night long, but would not fulfill any portion of their goal. So it is for evil, it would never give anything to its doers, but they would be perpetually in a condition of hunger and thirst. On another aspect, the sins of the wicked, depriving them of inner peace and quiet, they go around without benefit, nor inner fulfillment. Seeing in the dogs that return at evening, a symbolic portrait of sinners who return to the truth, confessing their sins, even though late in their life, St. Augustine talks of them as being hungry! What kind of food do they seek? … They seek the return of the sinners to the truth. He says: [“They wander about for food”; namely, they seek to gain the others to become believers]. So it will be when man discovers his sins; and with humility, he enjoys returning to the truth; he longs for the whole world to partake of the same joyful experience he passed through. 4- A PRAISE FOR GOD THE SAVIOR: “But I will sing of Your power. Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble” (16) “In the morning”. The wicked go around in the darkness of the night without satisfaction nor peace; Whereas the righteous enjoy God’s mercy in the light of the day, by the spirit of praise and singing; The night of afflictions and troubles passes by, and the morning of of joy dwells. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30: 5). For the psalmist, the psalms of struggle for salvation, transform into psalms of thanksgiving and singing praise to God. They scatter all around the world, as hearts scatter at night because of hunger; they seek spiritual kind of food, but, when they do not find it, they resort, as is their custom, to groaning and protesting. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “In the morning” when temptations come to an end; when the night of this world passes by; when no robbers are expected to attack; nor the devil and his angels are feared to charge; when we no more walk by the light of prophecy, but meditate in the Word of God Himself, being the Sun of Righteousness. “I will sing of Your mercy in the morning” (16). As the resurrection of the Lord Himself happened at dawn, the saying of the psalm was realized, saying: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30: 5). At night, the disciples mourned our Lord Jesus, as dead; But at dawn, with His resurrection, they sang: “For You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble” (16). (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 158 “To You, O my strength, I will sing praises, For God is my defense; the God of my mercy” (17) The psalmist sings: “God is my strength; God is my refuge”; namely, He lifts me up, and exalts me up high! “God is my mercy”; All goodness I enjoy, are from God; Everything comes from His dwelling in me! That is why, it is befitting of me to offer Him glory forever. That was the experience of the prophet David whenever he confronted a multitude of enemies. And it is, as well, the experience of the church along all eras; and the experience of the true believer, to lean on the chest of God. That could be the saying of the congregation of believers, saying: “As for me, I sing praise to your might, with joy and gladness, for Your mercy. That You realized for me after Your resurrection from the dead, by the shining of the light of Your faith upon the whole world. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) Finally, as we think of all the good things that we have or of the change itself in faith, in love, in the good behavior, in righteousness, in the fear of God; All these are but gifts from God. That is why he ends by saying: “God of my mercy”. Having been filled with the good gifts of God, he found nothing to say about God, except: “my mercy”. What an exalted name! Through it, no one should despair. If you say “my refuge”, you perceive that in Him you have found your refuge. And if you say “my strength”, you perceive that He provides you with strength; Whereas by saying “my mercy”, All what I have is through Your mercy on me! (St. Augustine) https://coptic-treasures.com/ 159 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 59 IFT ME UP TO YOU, TO KEEP ME FROM FALLING INTO THE NETS Behold, many are those who make me sad; They hid for me nets and traps in the dust; They joined force to bring me together with them down to the pit; But You came down for my sake; And made me a member of Your body; You granted me Your heavenly Holy Spirit; To lift my heart, mind, and all my senses up to You. With every affliction, my soul rises up; With every affliction I recognize You better. The wicked find pleasure in giving me hard time; Who but You can drive the away from me? In my weakness, I feel as though the wicked are mighty; They do not know how to go to sleep; Watching all night to plan plots; I see You as though asleep, and not sseing my weakness; Awake and look; I have no refuge but You; You are the Lord of heavenly hosts; You are the Judge of the whole earth; You do not have mercy upon him who has no mercy upon his neighbor; And upon every bloodthirsty iniquitous. Can the wicked stand before You? They are like dogs that go all around in the darkness of the night; That pretend to battle one another; They growl and howl in the darkness. Who can stand before You? If the whole world stood to oppose You; You strongly proclaim: “I have overcome the world” (John 16: 33). You have, and will always overcome in Your children; They carry You in them, and enjoy Your conquest; Grant me to resort to You, O Grantor of conquest. Let the wicked glory in their evil, strength, malice, and multitude. As for me, It is enough to behold You; To hide in You; For You alone is capable of giving salvation; You lift me up, for the devil and all the hosts of darkness to fall under my feet. By You, sin cannot have authority over me; Go before me, O Lord, and make me follow Your lead; I will take refuge in Your shadow; That the enemy would never approach me; To try to deceive me; But he cannot dwell inside me; https://coptic-treasures.com/ 160 For, by Your cross, I will chase him away; To find no place in me. Let the wicked set their nets for me; For You will save me from them; And You will let them fall in what they have set for me. My thanksgiving is for You; O You, by whose salvation You fill my life with gladness.
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