THE DIVINE LIGHT AND THE SUFFERING CHURCH Although there is much controversy among the scholars concerning the circumstances in which this psalm was written; yet most of them believe that it is the psalm of the church suffering the divine chastisement because of sins; who is in need of the One presiding over the cherubim to shine on her with the light of His face, to enjoy the divine mercy; who is the vine beloved by God who planted her; and who is in a perpetual need of His care. According to St. Augustine, this psalm concerns the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His vineyard (His church); concerns the Head and the body; the King, and the people; the Shepherd and His flock. It includes the whole secret of the Holy Scripture. If the church amid her continuous afflictions feel as though in the darkness of temptations; Her heavenly Head is the “Sun of Righteousness” who shines on her, and grants her the enlightenment. 1- Shine on my darkness 1 - 3 2- How bitter is the chastisement! 4 - 7 3- We are the plantation of Your right hand 8 - 13 4- Look down from heaven and visit us. 14 – 19 The title: Prayer for Israel’s restoration. To the chief musician. Set to ‘the lilies’. A testimony of Asaph. A psalm. Came the title in the Septuagint: "to Asaph, in the Hereafter. A testament to the two variables; praise the Assyrians." Father Anthimos, Bishop of Jerusalem said: [This Psalm tells shift things around and change them. What was intended and shall after this free time in the title of the fully for the two variables. As for the words of Fidel to the Assyrian captivity that includes Israelis, however, the Assyrians. As Athanasius said, Galilee: The Assyrian means impossible that the Jews worship the crucified Christ.1] 1- SHINE ON MY DARKNESS: “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, Shine forth” (1) According to some, the names, “Israel” and “Joseph” both refer to the whole people of Israel. God’s care for Israel refers to His care for the people He liberated from the bondage of Pharaoh, and to His leading Joseph whom his brothers devoured like wolves. God, who used to care for the Old Israel, is still the One who cares for His church “the new Israel”. He was sold, and the price was cheap – thirty pieces of silver (Mathew 26: 15). Yet He purchases the world at a great price – His precious blood (1 Corinthians 6: 20; 1 Peter . 11 ال ا رهب القس صموئیل السریاني: تفسیر الم ا زمیر سنه 1988 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 246 1: 19). “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53: 7); Yet “He shepherds Israel” (1); and now He shepherds the whole world1. (St. Gregory, the Nezianzen) “Joseph”, meaning (addition from God) refers to the Gentiles whom the Good Shepherd drew as new members of His church; about whom the Lord Christ says: “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring; and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10: 16). The interpretation of the name ‘Joseph’ will benefit us much. Meaning ‘an increase’, He truly came to increase the grain of wheat intended to fall into the ground, and dies, to produce much grain (John 12: 24); namely, to increase the people of God2. (St. Augustine) The word “lead” (1) here refers to the past (2 Samuel 6: 3), as well as to the present (Ecclesiastes 2: 3), and to the future (Isaiah 11: 6). “You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth” (1). The psalmist also says: “The Lord reigns, Let the people tremble; He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved” (Psalm 99: 1) In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet called the living creature “a cherub”. And it is amazing how the cherub is closely connected to our salvation. At the beginning of the Holy Book, he appeared holding a flaming and turning sword to guard the way to paradise, so that man would not reach the tree of life; on account of that, with his falling nature, man could not approach the way of life. And at the end of the Holy Book, when man got the right to enter into heaven itself, having his nature glorified in Jesus Christ, the true Lamb, he appeared together with the heavenly twentyfour elders, partaking of the song of the Lamb, the true Lamb -- the song of our salvation (Revelation 5: 9). In between the beginning and the end of the Holy Book, two cherubs appeared over the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle of the meeting and the temple, a sign of the divine presence; And God used to talk to Moses through them. The presence of two cherubs over the ark of the covenant, that represents the divine throne, refers to that God, dwelling among His people, talks to them, and deals with them through His mercy and love. Being two, refers to the role of the heavenly creatures toward us: praying for us, and “ministering for those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrew 1: 14). And by drawing the figure of a cherub on the curtains of the tabernacle and on the veil (Exodus 27-25), in a winged man-like form, proclaims the closeness of human nature to the divine presence. Having knowledge of the cherub, man became familiar to him. The Gentiles knew him, particularly the Chaldeans, albeit adding to him things on their own, the way the rest of the Gentiles distorted all the facts of faith which they orally received through tradition. Therefore, by seeing the cherub, we remember our human nature that enjoyed salvation through its union with God the Father, in Jesus Christ our Lord, through His Holy Spirit. As to his four faces, they refer to the sanctification of all aspects of our new nature: the mental (the man), the spiritual (the eagle), the work (the oxen), and the authority (the lion). Following Philon the Jew, St. Clement of Alexandria said that the word “cherub” means (knowledge). Meaning an abundance of knowledge, or an overflowing of 1 Oration 29, On the Son, 20. 2 On Ps. 79 (80). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 247 wisdom, the name “cherubim” therefore refers to the power of knowledge, and of the vision of God. They meditate in the beauty of Deity in its first proclamation; enjoy a divine wisdom, and pour the flood of their wisdom over man, inferior to them; as though, through the spiritual knowledge, our life turns into a chariot carrying God inside it. That is what St. Jerome also believed, who saw in the cherub a symbol of the storehouse of knowledge, working in our nature, to lift it up and set it forth among the heavenly hosts; working in our nature, ruling over lusts like a lion; soaring in the high things like an eagle; working hard like an oxen; and with reason like a man. We draw such knowledge from the four gospels; and according to the words of St. Jerome: [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the four-man team of the lord; the true cherubim; namely the storehouses of knowledge; with their bodies full of eyes, and glittering like lightning; with their feet straight and lifted up high; and with their back winged, ready to fly to all directions; holding one another, connecting together like wheels within wheels, and rolling forward with the breath of the Holy Spirit1]. The Cherubim is the throne of the glory of God; interpreted as: God presides on the perfection of knowledge. Although we perceive the cherubim as heavenly hosts, yet, if you so wish, you could become cherubim as well. . If the cherubim are the throne of God, listen to what the Holy Book says: “The soul of the righteous is the throne of wisdom”. You may say: How could we come to the perfection of knowledge? Who can realize such a high level? You have the way to realize it: “Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13: 10); as it is also said: “God is love” (1 John 4: 8) 2. (St. Augustine) St. Gregory the Nezianzen clarifies for us the meaning of the saying: “God’s presides over the cherubim” (1). Some of the things mentioned in the Holy Book are not facts (but symbols); Some facts are not mentioned; and some are true and mentioned. Do you wish for examples? We read in the Holy Book that God “sleeps” (Psalm 44: 23); “awakes” (Jeremiah 31: 26); “becomes angry” (Psalm 79: 5; Isaiah 5: 25); “walks” (Genesis 3: 8); and “dwells (sits) between the cherubim” (Psalm 80: 1). Is God influenced by such human emotions? Did you ever hear that God has a physical body? That would be an untrue mental portrait. We actually used words derived from our human experience and applied them, as much as we could, to aspects of God. For example, God’s isolation from us – for reasons known to Him – in a way simulating non-activity, or lack of interest, that we call “God sleeps”, And when God suddenly does something for our good, we say that: “He awoke”. When God punishes us, we say that “God is angry”. And when He works in different places we say: “God walks”. We also say “God sits on the throne”; which is just a human way of talk; as God does not stay in one place, as much as He does in saints. God’s swift motion is called “flying” (Psalm 18: 10); Watching over us we call “the face of God” (Psalm 4: 6; 34: 16); and His giving and taking we call (the hand of God” (Psalm 145: 16); and so on3. (St. Gregory the Nezianzen) 1 On Ps., hom 10. 2 On Ps 79 (80). 3 العظة اللاهوتیة ال ا ربعة رقم 30 عن الابن، 22 ز https://coptic-treasures.com/ 248 “There was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2: 7); There was no room here for Him who created the whole earth! She fed Him on her milk; He who sustains all, and grants life to every living being; “She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths (rags), and laid Him in a manger” (Luke 2: 7); He “who (sits over) the cherubim” (Psalm 80: 1). A heavenly light shone over Him, He who sheds His light on the whole world. The heavenly hosts said praises for Him, He who is glorified before the ages. A star led those who came from afar to Him, He who became poor for our sake. As to the Mother of God, she kept all that, and hid it in her heart; receiving all secrets. Praising you, O exalted and holy Virgin, surpasses every praise, because from You, our Lord Jesus was incarnated. To Him is the glory, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit; now, forever, and to the age of ages, Amen1. (St. Gregory, the wonder maker) How magnificent is the commentary by St. Augustine on this verse, saying that God seeks from us to ask Him to come; for He longs to come. “Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, and come and save us” (2) St. Augustine presents to us a symbolic interpretation of this supplication, saying: As ‘Ephraim’ means (fruitful); ‘Benjamin’ means (son of the right hand); and ‘Manasseh” means (he who is forgetful); He asks God, therefore, to appear before him who is “fruitful”, “the son of the right hand”, the “one who is forgetful”, so that he no longer forgets, but You would dwell in his mind to save him2. (St. Augustine) According to father Onesimus of Jerusalem, the psalmist mentioned these three tribes for one of the following reasons: a- For, as God promised to increase them, the psalmist reminds Him of His promise, and pray to him to realize it. b- Because those three tribes made a pact with Syria to attack Judah, the psalmist prays to God to save Judah from their evil. c- In the movement of the camp of Israel out of the wilderness of Sinai, those three tribes used to go ahead of the rest of tribes on the northern side (Numbers 10) By so saying, the psalmist clearly proclaims his anticipation of the coming of the Lord in the body to the earth, to give salvation to all, against “the evil Assyrian”; namely, Satan. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved” (3) If some find it difficult to understand the incarnation of the divine Word, and His dwelling among us for the sake of our salvation; It is a well known fact that Man, bears a natural law, that makes him long to see God. Therefore, do not marvel that when . 1 البشارة بالتجسد الإلهي، 2005 ، تعریب القمص تادرس یعقوب ملطي ونادیة أمین مرقس، عظة 2 2 On Ps 79 (80). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 249 mankind deviating from the worship of the true God, longing to see God by their own eyes, made idols for themselves, and counted them as gods. Even the prophet Moses, after so many years dealing with God, seeks to be shown the glory of God (Exodus 33: 16-18). And in the book of the Song of songs, the daughters of Jerusalem ask the bride of the Song: “Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women? Where has your beloved turned aside, that we may seek him with you?” (Songs 6: 1). He came down to our world to care for our hearts, being His gardens, filled with beds of spices and lilies; intending to transfigure in our depths, to shine His face on us, that we shall be saved. The prayer here is, therefore, a supplication to God to let us enjoy His work, care, and grace. We have gone astray from You; and shall not return unless You, Yourself, restore us. “Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved” Has He a darkened face by any means? No He has not; but He put before His face a cloud of the body, as though a veil of weakness. When He was hanged on a tree, He was not seen the same way as He sat on His throne in heaven When You covered your face, we became ill. Cause your face to shine, to heal us1. (St. Augustine) Restore us, O Lord, to the freedom and comfort we used to have. As to the Father’s face, It is His only begotten Son, still equal to Him, the Ray of His glory, and the image of His Person. When He incarnated, His face appeared to us, and we could clearly see Him. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) That is why, he who longs to see the face of God, even if he lacks the sound judgment, yet we can say that he bears the spirit of piety. That was what made Moses dare to say to God: “If I have found grace in Your sight, show me Your glory (face)” (Exodus 33: 16-18). And finally, that was what let the Gentiles make the idols. For they foolishly wished to see whom they worshipped by their own eyes2. (Peter Christologus, Archbishop of Raphina) 2- HOW BITTER IS THE CHASTISEMENT: “O Lord God of hosts, How long will You be angry against the prayer of Your people?” (4) According to the Septuagint, as well as the Coptic version, it came as: “O Lord God of almighty, How long will your wrath be against the prayer of Your servant?” God, being the Mighty One, ordains all things as is befitting. When He hides His face, we become greatly disturbed, and horribly speechless. When His response to our prayer is delayed, we sometimes assume that He rejects it, and wonder: “How long?” (Psalm 4: 2). Now, O Lord, You were angry against the prayer of your enemy. Will You also be angry against the prayer of Your servant? You are obviously in truth, angry as a Father who reforms, and not as a judge who condemns .As it is written: “My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for testing. Set your heart right and be 1 On Ps 79 (80). 2 Sermon 147. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 250 steadfast” (Sirach 2: 1). Do not assume that God’s wrath passed away because you returned. God’s wrath passes away from you, only that you will not be eternally condemned; But “He scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrew 12: 6) 1. (St. Augustine) God is called here: “Lord God of hosts”. If the heavenly hosts have such amazing abilities, How much more would their Lord and Creator have?! When God delays His response to a prayer, man sometimes assume that God’s wrath has concealed the prayer from His attention! “You have fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in measure” (5) A portrait of the bitterness of the soul when tears drop over bread because of intense grief, to become food or drink for man. According to St. Ambrose, tears should be within, and not beyond a certain measure, lest they would come to be for the perdition of the soul; the way the apostle Paul feared lest the repentant adulterer would be “swallowed up with too much sorrow” (2 Corinthians 2: 7). God will give us “the bread of tears”, and will “give us tears to drink in measure” (5); Yet, this measure will be according to the sins of each of us2. (The scholar Origen) Even our bread we shall eat while crying, and our cup will be filled with tears in measure; namely, our tears shall be measured according to our iniquities. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) What is this measure? Listen to the apostle say: “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able” (1 Corinthians 10: 13). The measure, therefore, is according to what you are able; The measure is meant to discipline, and not to destroy you3! (St. Augustine) As crying has several meanings, so has laughing; Neither of them has a single meaning; and each of them is sometimes commended, and other times rebuked. Life, concentrated on lusts more than on the love of God, is considered like laughing, which would itself, for some, become a god; like when bellies or riches are gods for some; And when for some, who love entertainment so much, and intend to be funny, to the extent to be as though counting laughing as god, for which they build an altar, and offer sacrifices. Anyway, there is he who laughs and is worthy of being commended. God says: “He will yet fill your mouth with laughing” (Job 8: 21). That conforms with “joy” being a fruit of the Spirit; for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Galatians 5: 21). He, whose laughs, conform with joy is to be commended. Any grief that contradicts this kind of laughing, and opposes the joy of the Holy Spirit is worthy of rebuke; as such grief “will not support Jerusalem” (See Luke 19: 41; 23: 28) Why so? Because man does not repent in the right time befitting for repentance4! 1 On Ps 79 (80). 2 In Lev. 8. 3 On Ps 79 (80). 4 Commentary on Ecclesiastes 71: 4. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 251 (St. Dedymus the blind) The apostle Paul teaches us not to forsake those who commit a sin for death; but commit them to eat the bread of tears (for repentance). But, their sorrow should be in moderation; according to the verse: “Give them tears to drink in measure” (5); “lest such repentant be swallowed up with so much sorrow” (2 Corinthians 2: 7); as the apostle also said to the Corinthians: “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and the spirit of gentleness?” (1 Corinthians 4: 21). He may use the rod, yet gently; according to the words: “Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die; You will deliver his soul from hell” (Proverbs 23: 13, 14) 1. What the apostle meant by the rod is clear by his condemnation of the sin of sexual immorality with close relatives, rebuking the Corinthians “for being puffed up, and not rather mourned” (1 Corinthians 5: 1), when they should have grieved instead; commanding them to deliver the one who had his father’s wife to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (St. Ambrose) We should counsel those who are sorrowful because of their evil doings, in a way different from the counsel we give to those who weep on the sins of their mind. The former should be purified by utter and true sorrow, lest they become more indebted by evil; and also because of the lack of the tears of remorse. Saying: “I have given them tears to drink in measure” (5) 2, means that the soul, in her remorse over lust, should drink tears in a measure according to the extent of her alienation from God, that brought dryness to her eyes because of sin3. (Father Gregory the Great) “You have made us the scorn of our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves” (6) What brought more bitterness on them is that their neighbors, not only started to deride them; but they fought among themselves, probably over who will take the bigger loot, or who will have the larger space of their land as a pasture for their sheep. The Hebrews used to scorn the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites, their neighbors at that time. Now they, themselves, became the scorn of all of them. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) According to St. Augustine, “our neighbors” are the Gentiles whom we preach the Lord Christ raised from the dead; who see in that a kind of contradiction, about which they enter with us into controversy. But they ultimately believe in what we preach. Those who used to deride us for worshipping a dead God, are now glorifying the Crucified! “Restore us, O God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved” (7) The verse here conforms to the third verse, and to the last verse of this psalm (19). The first demand of the believer from God, amid his troubles, is to shine with the light of 1 On Repentance, 1. : 2 بإخضاعهم وإذلالهم من قِبل الأشوریین، أعطي الرب الشعب الیهوي فیضًا من الدموع، فصارت لهم خب اً ز: "صارت لي دموعي خب اً ز نها اً ر ولیلا " (مز 42 .(3 3 Pastoral Care, 3: 29. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 252 His face on him; it is his continuous demand in life, and even the last, in the moments he delivers his spirit, and departs from this world. There is nothing that surpass the enjoyment of the light of the face of God, the Grantor of enlightenment, glory, and eternal salvation. Commenting on this verse and the like, St. Augustine says that, if returning to Christ is realized by faith, no one can come to Him unless he is so granted by the Father1. When God says: “Return to me; and I will return to you” (Zechariah 1: 3) the first part of the verse provoking us to return to God, concerns our will; whereas in the second part, promising to return to us, it concerns the grace of God. The ‘Pelagians’ may take it as a justification of their thoughts which they boast, saying that God’s grace is given according to our worthiness This line of thought contradicts the faith of the catholic church, and does not conform with the grace of Christ. It is as though He returns to us according to our worthiness; and we are granted His grace by His returning to us. They miss the point that our return to God is in itself a gift from Him, or else, it would not be said in the prayer: “Restore us, O God of hosts” (7), and: “Will you not revive us again?”, and: “Restore us, O God of our salvation” (Psalm 85: 6, 4) For, what does returning to Christ mean, but to believe in Him; and nevertheless He says: “No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father” (John 6: 65) 2?! (St. Augustine) All the heavenly and the earthly hosts submit to Your might, O Lord God. By Your mere appearance, we can overcome our enemies, and be restored to what we were. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) 3- WE ARE THE PLANTATION OF YOUR RIGHT HAND: “You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it” (8) This analogy of the church of the Old, as well as that of the New Covenant, often came in the Holy Book; a beloved and a magnificent Analogy, that reveals how much God cherishes and cares for His people. The vine is a weak plant which needs care, and its fruit is much loved and abundant. Yet, if it becomes barren, it is fit for nothing. God does not wish for us to be planted in Egypt (the love of the world), nor in any other corrupt and evil place; but intends to set us on the mountain of His inheritance. The words “You have brought, and planted it” (Psalm 80: 8), sound as though He talks about little children whom He leads to school, to be provided with every kind of knowledge! Let us read this verse and the next one to understand how He does that: “You have brought a vine out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it. You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with its shadow and the mighty cedars with its boughs” (8, 10). He does not plant it in the valleys, but on the hills, on high places. He does not intend to leave those coming out of Egypt in lowly places, but leads them from the world to faith. He intends to set them on high places, and not to crawl on the ground. 1 On Grace and Free will, 10. 2 Grace & Freewill, 10. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 253 He does not intend to let the fruit of His vine touch the ground; He intends for its branches to grow without being entangled with any other tree; but to stick to the mighty and high “cedars of God”; namely, to the prophets and the apostles; for our branches to grow together with theirs. If we lean on them, our branches will come to be bound by the mutual love, and will produce a rich crop1. (The scholar Origen) As long as the vine is fruitful, it owner will surround it with a hedge and protect it more than he does to any other plant in his garden; But once its fruit become corrupt, he will neglect and forsake it. That is what happened with the Israelites. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) In case someone who is not keen to hold fast to his church, is weakened, he would claim that she is a weak plant; She who has overcome all kings, cast her shadow over the whole world, and got stronger through suffering. Blessed is He who made her greater than the vine of Egypt (see psalm 80: 8) 2. (St. (Mar.) Ephram the Syrian) “You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land” (9) Caring for his vine, the vinedresser does not wait for it to show its need for anything, but will hastens to provide it beforehand with all its needs to help it grow, to take deep root, and to fill the land with its branches and fruits. “The hills were covered with its shadow, and the mighty cedar (of God) with its boughs” (10) As to those shadows that covered the hills, and the boughs that covered the mighty cedars of God; the former refer to the law, whose shadows are received with spiritual understanding by the hills, through the grace of the New Covenant. The boughs are the prophecies perceived by the church, and by which she got covered. The hills may refer to the men of faith in the New Covenant; and the cedars of God to the heavenly hosts. By the coming of the incarnate Wisdom of God, the spiritual facts of the law and the prophecies were revealed before the believers. The Vinedresser is the Lord, who has several experiences in moving vines: “He brought a vine out of Egypt, and planted it” (8); “The hills were covered with its shadow and the mighty cedars (of God) with its boughs” (10). Those words were said by the bride of the song to show her love for the Groom and her readiness to encounter Him on His coming when the Groom perpetually dwells in the depths of her heart “lies all night between her breasts” (Song 1: 13). (The scholar Origen) “She sent her boughs to the Sea, and her branches to the River” (11) Preaching the gospel spread over the whole earth, and covered, not only the hills and the cedars, but sent her boughs to the Sea, and her branches to the River. By the Sea here, he means the Mediterranean Sea, and by the River, the Euphrates (Genesis 15: 18; Deuteronomy 11: 24; Joshua 1: 4; Psalm 72: 8). 1 In Exod. Hom 6: 10. 2 ت ا رنیم ضد جولیان عن الكنیسة 9 :1 ، تعریب عایدة بشاي. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 254 “Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?” (12) The old Israel lost her hedges, when she no longer enjoyed the divine presence, the divine promises, and the spiritual understanding; And the demons (the passersby) could corrupt her fruits. God Himself is our Stronghold who protects and hedges us. In Satan’s complaint against ‘Job’, he said to God: “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land” (Job 1: 10). “The boar out of the woods uproots it, and the wild beast of the field devours it” (13) According to father Onesimus of Jerusalem, the boar out of the woods, and the wild beast of the field, are Nebuchadnezar, Antichos, and the like; and in particular the devil who had authority over them. While, according to St. Augustine, the boar out of the woods refers to the Gentile, counted by the Jews as unclean; as he comes out of the woods, and not out of the vine (the church of the Jews). 4- LOOK DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND VISIT US: “Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine” (14) If the Jews groan because the Gentiles have entered into faith; the psalmist, on his side, sees their entrance into faith as a divine gift; as the Lord of hosts looks down from heaven and visits this true vine. The church, as well as every believer in her, need the looks of the Lord, that brings forth strength, hope, and joy. His looks are in truth a divine visit and an exalted care. The look of God carries in it an active divine work. The prophet asks God to return and look down on this vine (the church), in His capacity as a Physician and a Vinedresser. Being human and sick, she needs the care of the Physician. And being likened to a vine, that got corrupted, it needs a Vinedresser to reform it, to cut off what is useless in it, to keep what is fruitful, and to destroy the worms which infested its roots, namely the devil, the corruptor of faith. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “And the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the stock that You made strong for Yourself” (15) In the Septuagint, the Coptic, the Volgata, and the Syrian versions, etc. it came as “And on the Son of God”, namely, the Savior Messiah. If the right hand of God refers to the Word Son of God; by His incarnation and His crucifixion He planted the church “the divine vine”. And being the subject of pleasure of God the Father, He was chosen by Him, as a Savior and Head of the church “the divine bride”. “It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance” (16) Planting the church by Jesus Christ, namely, by His right hand, God burned the evil of the Gentiles, and consumed it by His Holy Spirit. Receiving the Gentiles, does not imply disregarding the sin and corruption; for although He loves all men, yet He does not https://coptic-treasures.com/ 255 endure sin. While giving enlightenment to the repentant returning to Him, the divine fire consumes evil and iniquities. The Jews – the old vine -- having persisted upon denying faith in the Savior Messiah, is burned by the divine wrath. Nebuchadnezar and those who followed him, because of Your anger, burned that vine, and destroyed its city. And the Romans did the same because of the anger of Your only begotten Son, Your Face, and the image of Your Person; whom they crucified. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Let Your hand be upon the Man of Your right hand; upon the Son of Man whom You made strong for Yourself” (17) According to several scholars, the talk here is about the Lord Christ, the Son of Man, the second Adam, the Subject of the pleasure of the Father, and the One chosen by Him to be the Savior of the world. “Then we will not turn back from You. Revive us, and we will call upon Your name” (18) As our Christ sat at the right hand of the Father as our Firstborn, our hearts flared with the divine love, and with longing to set forth to the divine bosoms, to enjoy the eternal life, to glorify His holy name, and to find our pleasure in the worship, the praise, and the setting forth of the heart to heaven. Because we have, O Lord, the true Life, turned back from You, we became dead with our iniquities. Now, grant us our life back, so as not to turn back again from You as we did. And so that we would not be called upon, by the name of any human (Judah), nor of any tribe; but only by Your name, namely ‘Christians’. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved” (19) Here, the prophet repeats his saying, to confirm and to hasten the coming of the Son of God and His Face to the world; to shine upon mankind, and to consummate the salvation for all. (Father Onesimus of Jerusalem) At the time of our Lord, a great light shone, to scatter the darkness that blinded the world. The light of the Father shone upon the lowly creatures, to shed light upon the gloomy path for those walking along it. The Sun of Righteousness came down, and walked on earth; and the dense shadows were scattered by His splendor (Malachi 2: 4). When He spread His rays on all directions, the world exulted, after being gloomy before He shines. He drove away the vanity that prevailed upon all nations, and showed to the world the ways of life, to walk along. He brought forth healing over humanity, that was sick, and all persistent pains were extinguished. He poured His healing over the wounded, held them fast, and extinguished the flame of afflictions on the weak. He enriched the world with His help; and opened up His storehouses, to give the needy. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 256 The blind saw; the paralytics walked; the demons were driven away; and those bowed down stood upright. He gave hearing to the deaf, light to those in the darkness; purified the leprous, and gave forgiveness to the sinners. He came down like rain upon the sick in the land of Judah, that they set forth like new roots. He drove out the demons who had authority over humanity; and by the breath of His nostrils, He took away the harm out of many. He cured for free, and was not angry when they denied; He bandaged their wounds, and they reviled Him by their crafty questions. He was hated by the people despite His healing work; and was rebuked despite His several gifts. He was believed by the uncircumcised, and was denied and doubted by the circumcised1. (St. (Mar.) Jacob El-Serougy) 30 ) ( ا رجع نص بول بیجان والدكتور بهنام سوني). - 28 ؛ مر 24 :7 - 1 المیمر 17 على الكنعانیة (مت 21 :15 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 257 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 80 WHO WILL LIGHTEN MY DARKNESS BUT YOU My God, my depths groan inside me; Darkness has prevailed upon me; By Your Love, O Sun of Righteousness; You came down from heaven to me, You carried me on Your shoulders; You received me as a member of Your body; On the cross, You shone upon those sitting in the darkness; Your splendor destroyed the gates of the abyss. Your love filled our souls with hope. You ascended to heaven, and let our hearts ascend together with You; Can we enjoy the divine light, unless You shine on us? Can the body have comfort, unless it abides in You, O the amazing Head? Can the vine bear fruit without the effort and care of the vinedresser? Can the flock move forward, unless the shepherd goes ahead of it? Can the church exist without You? O Who dwells between the cherubim, hold us steadfast in You. Turn our souls into a heavenly chariot. A cloud has temporary concealed our prayers; Give ear to our soul, O Shepherd of Israel, and Guide of Joseph! She seeks nothing but to acquire you; By our supplications, we only seek to return to You; How long? Cause Your face, O Lord, to shine on us: Rescue us from the bondage of the ruler of the hosts of darkness; As You rescued Your people from the bondage of Pharaoh; Plant us into Your stabbed side’ To let our hearts flare with the fire of Your love. Surround us with Your Holy Spirit as a wall of fire; So that the boar out of the woods would not force its way into it; And the wild beast of the field would not devour it; You are the hedge of our salvation, and the refuge of our souls; You are our life, gladness, and glory; Let Your hand be with me, to cry out, saying: “I wish You bless me, and widen my territory”; “I wish Your hand be with me, to keep evil from following me”
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