THE TRUE JUDGE EXALTS AND HUMILIATES The psalmist, in the previous psalm, cries out because of the great anguish dwelling upon the church of God by the boastful wicked; when God seemed as though He does not hear her cries. Now the psalmist raises a praise of thanksgiving to God who intervenes in due time. This psalm came conforming to the praise of thanksgiving raised by Hannah, mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 2); but the present psalm represents a liturgical praise of thanksgiving or of testimony, presented by the holy congregation for the sake of God’s intervention. God intervenes as a just Judge who endures no oppression [2, 6, 8, 10]; by which He exalts the spirit of the righteous whose souls are broken down because of the continuous scoffing of the wicked. Is divisions: 1- Thanksgiving to God 1 2- God’s response 2 – 3 3- Warnings to the wicked 4 – 8 4- Glorifying the righteous 9 – 10 The title: To the chief musician. Set to “Do not destroy”. A psalm of Asaph. A song. According to the Septuagint version it came as: “To the end (to the conclusion), do not destroy”; A psalm of Asaph. A song. “Do not destroy”. Some believe that this psalm is a praise raised by the prophet David to God who kept his hand from killing Saul. According to them this psalm was written by David, and put in tunes by Asaph. The word “destroy” or (corrupt), has shadows of several meanings, used by David as “Do not destroy”, meaning (do not kill) (1 Samuel 26: 9), namely (do not kill Saul); And in another location (see 1 Samuel 26: 11, 23-24; 25: 32-34; 24: 11-13), David blesses the Lord who did not let him stretch his hand to kill Saul, the Lord’s anointed1. (St. Jerome) “To the end, do not destroy (or corrupt)”. This psalm refers to the incorruption that will be for the saints at the end of times; as is written by the blessed Paul: “Then comes the end when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15: 24); Then, all those who strove well will come to incorruption. In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul also calls virtue (incorruption or sincerity), saying: “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (Ephesians 6: 24). Meaning, this psalm says that once you start by a good work, keep it up to the end; for then you will come in incorruption. 1 On Psalms, homily 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 2 It is so called ‘A psalm of praise’: ‘a psalm’ for it foretells what is going to be; and ‘a praise’, for it is a confession of the grace of God, and a thanksgiving to Him by the saints for the sake of His goodness. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 1- THANKSGIVING TO GOD: “We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near” (1) Here we are before a scene of liturgical worship (collective church worship) presented before God in the holy temple. The congregation looking to God, coming to judge the adversary wicked, as though saying: “Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, burning with His anger, and dense cloud of smoke; His lips are full of indignation, and His tongue like a devouring fire” (Isaiah 30: 27); And, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; Let those also who hate Him flee before Him” (Psalm 68: 1). The congregation became able to hear the voice of the divine Judge who is coming to defend them, and to see His amazing salvation works, all their feelings moved in thanksgiving to the might of God who helps the poor, weak, and oppressed. By the repetition of the expression “we confess to You” (or we give You thanks), the psalmist refers to his longing and wish to give thanks to God. … Confession to God should also be by keeping away from sin, and doing the works that please Him. There are two kinds of confession: Confession of sins we committed, and confession through keeping on giving Him thanks on the goodness He granted us. “We call Your name”, reproached by Your enemies; by which we are called ‘Christians’; namely, called by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) Do not call His name before you confess (give thanks); Confess, then call Him to come near…. To whom will He come near? He will not come near the boastful who haughtily exalts himself. … To reach the high things, we should rise up; and in case we cannot, we have to look for tools or guides to help us rise up to reach them. On the contrary, God is High up; and it is the humble who approach Him; as it is written: “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart” (Psalm 34: 18). A broken heart is piety and humility. He who has it gets angry on himself…. Man should therefore get angry on himself, so that God would be merciful on him…. If he judges himself, God will defend him; … That is therefore, the way to call God! And that is to whom He comes near! As confession purifies the temple to which the Lord will come when you call Him; Confess then call Him! I wish He turns His face away from your sins; and not away from you! … I wish He turns His face away from what you do; and not from what He has created; namely, from you; …. You, being a man, He created; whereas your sins are your own doing1! (St. Augustine) This way, whether we confess to God our sins or His mercies and care, we enjoy the spirit of humility, to draw Him near us, and we to Him; and we feel His presence 1 On Ps. 75. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3 among us, and in us. And by His presence, we experience His wondrous works in us, and declare them in every way. “We give thanks to Your name” (1). God’s name is “the Father”, which was not known in the old; as the Lord says: “Now, O Father … I have manifested your name to the men” (John 17: 5-6). … Every son carries his father’s name1. (St. Jerome) 2- GOD’S RESPONSE: “In the appointed time, I will judge uprightly” (2) As the psalmist draws our hearts to practice confession and thanksgiving to God, to feel His presence in our midst, and to experience His wondrous works in our depths and in everything going around us; We, on our side, anxious and longing to have such divine gifts, may wonder: ‘When will that be realized? … Here, the answer will be: “In the dispensation of the fullness of time, the Lord will come into our depths.” (Ephesians 1: 10; Galatians 4: 4); as “To everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1); and as the Lord says: “In the appointed time” (2). This expression “In the appointed time”, had its importance in the Old Covenant, concerning God’s ordinances for the world, by setting certain seasons for the year with certain features.(Genesis 1: 14); setting the feasts (Leviticus 23: 2), and designating certain kinds of worship rites in each one. As there was a certain time for the first coming of the Lord Christ for the sake of our salvation, there will be a certain time, preceded by certain signs that came in the holy gospels, and in the book of Revelation for His ultimate coming2. According to St. Jerome, the talk here concerns the ultimate judgment; as the present time is not for judgment but for strife. Now is the time for preaching to enjoy salvation. Through His mercies and longsuffering, God let us enjoy salvation, that when the time for judgment comes, we become justified before Him3. And according to St. Gregory the Nezianzen, it is befitting for everything to have its appointed time; saying that even entering into a simple debate with others should have its befitting time. According to father Onesimus of Jerusalem, the psalmist in the previous phrase uses the pleural tense, while here he uses the singular tense. The holy congregation, and even all the creation, collectively partakes of the thanksgiving to God; And at the same time, each believer feels a personal relationship with God, and His dealing with him, to proclaim the wondrous works of God with him. And according to St. Athanasius, he who declares the wondrous works of God in the singular tense are actually those who speak in the name of the Gentiles, or the church of the Gentiles, that saw wonders in God’s love with no partiality. When will be the proper time for this debate? It will be when we get rid of the mire and the noise outside, which distract our minds, and make us unable to distinguish between the beautiful and the bad writings, or between the sweet fragrance and the 1 On Psalms, homily 8. 2 Cf Kinder, p. 271. 3 St. Jerome: On Psalms, homily 8. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 4 rotten smell. We need tranquility (Psalm 45: 10) in order to recognize God; for when we have that chance, we could “judge uprightly” (2) 1. (St. Gregory the Nezianzen) “The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly” (3) It is as though God, rebuking us on our haste to judge the wicked; or to be rescued from them, says: “Why are you in such a hurry? The earth on which you and the wicked live is the work of my hand; and if I take My care or My power away from it, it would dissolve like wax. Nothing, or any being on earth, can live or settle down without me. … Do not get disturbed, even by those who oppose Me, My church and My people; For I set the pillars of the earth, grant it its balance, knows exactly how much it weighs, and when will be the appointed time for it to dissolve, for the divine justice to be fulfilled, and the oppressed to enjoy their reward. St. Augustine, sees in “the earth and all its inhabitants”, the man who loves the earthly things with his whole energies; as through his love for the sins and the world, he will collapse, and all his energies will be dissolved. And according to father Onesimus of Jerusalem,” the earth which dissolves”, is Jerusalem; and “its inhabitants” are the Jews who rejected faith in the Lord Christ, and persecuted His church. Whereas the “pillars” set by God to weigh the earth are the blessed apostles whom God supported, and gave them the strength to preach the holy gospel. He also believes that “the earth and all its inhabitants” are those, being preoccupied with the earthly things, they got so fat, that God will dissolve the earth with fire, to dissolve their wretched fat. Nothing dissolve the earth like sins, which are called ‘breaking the law’, namely, sliding from abidance in virtue and righteousness, down to licentiousness; As when man sins; he would become as though dissolved by the love of lowliness. “I set up its pillars firmly”. What are those pillars but the apostles, so also called by the apostle Paul (Galatians 2: 9). Yet, even those pillars had to be strengthened by Him. Before the passions of the Lord, the apostles were overcome by despair, and the socalled pillars were temporarily shaken, then were strengthened anew by His resurrection2. (St. Augustine) 3- WARNINGS TO THE WICKED: “I said to the boastful, ‘Do not deal boastfully’, and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn’” (4) In a kind of madness, the wicked boast their wickedness, and lift up the horn like wild irrational beasts. According to old customs in the east, and still going on in the country, kids express their joy on conquest, by putting over their heads some kind of conical horns, by which they lock-horns like conquerors. . 1 العظة اللاھوتیة الأولى: عظة رقم 27 عظة تمھیدیة ضد أتباع یونیموس، 3 2 On Ps. 75. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 5 The psalmist, by the Spirit of God, counsels the wicked not to boast their wickedness; for if they appear as conquerors, it is only for some time; then they together with the earth on which they stand will dissolve. St Augustine, probably, seeing the wicked holding the horn that was used to amplify the sound, counsels them to listen instead to the horn of the gospel, the grantor of repentance, salvation, and true glory. Your horn declares iniquity, whereas that of Christ declares majesty (true greatness) 1. (St. Augustine) According to St. Cyril of Alexandria, the psalmist talks here about the heretics, and the false apostles and prophets, who, in their pride and haughtiness, presenting fragile views, and depending on temporal philosophies, they distort the word of God2. While the previous psalm ended with a cry-out: “Arise, O God, plead Your own cause” (Psalm 74: 22); Here, the prayer is fulfilled; and the psalmist looks to our Lord Christ, risen from the dead, declaring the power of the glorious cross, and appearing as the Savior King, who reigns upon the hearts of His believers. The ‘Horn’, implying power, glory, and exalted reputation, refers to what God provided to a wild beast for self-protection, which if lost, it would be like a soldier without a weapon. An ox without its horn could easily be manipulated3. (St. John Chrysostom) “Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck” (5) The psalmist warns the wicked who boast against God; and instead of speaking with a stiff neck, he counsels them to say together with Hannah the mother of the prophet Samuel: “My horn is exalted in the Lord; … Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth” (1 Samuel 2: 1)…. He also says: “Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speaks insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous” (Psalm 31: 18); and, “They utter speech and speak insolent things; all the workers of iniquity boast in themselves” (Psalm 94: 4). Many who utter such iniquity, do not dare to do so publicly, lest they would be despised by the pious, as blasphemers … In another psalm it is written: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘there is no God’” (Psalm 14: 1); yet he may not dare to say it publicly for fear of being heard by men; when he is heard by Him, against whom he so utters (God) 4. (St. Augustine) “For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up” (6) Seeking from the wicked not to speak with pride and haughtiness against God; they are committed to abide, not for fear of men, coming from the east or from the west, from the wilderness or from the mountains, but for fear of God Himself. He seeks from them not to quit evil for fear of men, lest they would practice it within their hearts. 1 On Ps. 75. 2 Cf. St. Cyril of A;exandria: Commentary on Luke, homily 77. 3 Homilies on Hammah, 4. 4 On Ps. 75. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 6 He may also warning the boastful wicked, and those who oppose the divine truth; for if judged, they would find no refuge in the east nor in the west from the face of the divine Judge. “But God is the Judge; He puts down one, and exalts another” (7) God who is not limited by one place, is present wherever the wicked is, and hears what he utters in his heart and mind. He is aware of the hidden things, and at the same time, He is the mighty Judge; “The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4: 17, 32, 35). God, the Judge of your iniquities, is present everywhere; … Where can you flee from His eyes, to utter them somewhere He cannot hear you?!... And in case you retreat deep into your heart, and utter iniquities; He is deeper than your heart … Wherever you flee, you will find Him there …. Instead of fleeing from Him, flee to Him1! (St. Augustine) God puts down the oppressor, and exalts the oppressed, by ordinances we, as men, cannot perceive; … like when He put down the Assyrians for their oppression, and exalted the Israelites for the humility of their hearts; And like when He put down the circumcised for their haughtiness and lack of faith; and exalted the Gentiles when they humbly believed; and as He does when He “He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the beggar from the ash heap” (1 Samuel 2: 8); and, “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly” (Luke 1: 52); being the Just Judge who, by His might, sets kings and puts them down. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; It is fully mixed and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth drain and drink down” (8) It was the custom in the old days to offer a cup of wine in all occasions, whether joyful or sorrowful; and drinking the cup used, as well, to refer to judgment, according to the following quotations: “Upon the wicked He will rain coals, fire, and brimstone, and a burning wind; This shall be the portion of their cup” (Psalm 11: 6); “Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem; You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord, the cup of His fury; You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, and drained it out” (Isaiah 51: 17). “For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: ‘Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you, to drink it; And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them” (Jeremiah 25: 15- 16). The Lord said to Jerusalem: “You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand. Thus says the Lord God: ’You shall drink of your sister’s cup, the deep and wide one; You shall be laughed to scorn, and held in derision; it contains much. You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of sorrow and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria’” (Ezekiel 23: 31-33). 1 On Ps. 75. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 7 According to St. Augustine, the righteous drink from the hand of God the pure wine that make them drunk with pure divine love. Whereas the wicked drink the dregs that accumulate at the bottom of the cup; not that the Lord intend to destroy them, but to bring them forth by repentance to His righteousness. That is why it is said that wine is pure to the righteous, but mixed to the wicked. 4- GLORIFYING THE RIGHTEOUS: “But I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob” (9) The psalm started with thanksgiving and ended with singing praise to God who, even if He shows longsuffering, he anticipates the salvation of all; He will never hasten to break the horns of the wicked, hoping for them to repent. “All the horns of the wicked I will also cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted” (10) He will put down, and He will exalt … The horns of the wicked refer to the honors of the boastful; while those of the righteous refer to the gifts of Christ, namely, His rejoicing; … On earth you despise the earthly rejoices, to acquire instead the heavenly ones; If you love the earthly, He will not grant you the heavenly1. (St. Augustine) 1 On Ps. 75. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 8 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 75 YOU ARE A COMPASSIONATE FATHER, AND A JUST JUDGE I Know You, O Holy Father! You have sent your holy Son to reveal to me Your fatherhood! Your name is near to me; For you are my Father; My Creator, and the Wonder Maker to my account; Who is there nearer to me? Who is there wiser than You, O the whole in love, wisdom, and might?! I shall never trust a hand, but Yours; For You are amazing in Your love, ordinance, and knowledge; For everything You appoint a certain time; You measure heavens by Your hand; And weighs the earth by Your balance. I am astonished to see those who lift up the horns on You! Those who boast and speak against You with a stiff neck; When You, with Your might put down and exalt whomever You chooses; When You let someone drink the wine of heavenly joy; And You let another drink the bitter dregs. Let me flee, not from You, but to You; For You are my refuge, and the stronghold of my life; You are my joy, my riches, and my glory.
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