LET THE FAVOR OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE ON US This psalm comes at the beginning of th fourth book of psalms, which corresponds to th book of Numbers, or th book of the journey in th wilderness under th leadership of God Himself; He who covered them as a cloud by day, and leads them as a pillar of light by night; cares fortheir daily foo (the mannah coming down from heaven), and their drink (the water coming out of the rock) … Throughout that journey that extended over forty years, all needed the grace of God. At the beginning of the journey, Moses and the people exulted and sang a praise called “the song of Moses”, a thanksgiving praise for crossing the Red Sea (Exodu 15). And near the end of the journey, before his departure from this wold, he preaened his advises in the form of another praise (Deuteronomy 32). And here, he presents a praise, in which he seeks for the sake of all the generations to enjoy God’s grace on them. According to St. Jerome1, this psalm is considered an introduction to the fourth book of psalms; As the psalms are divided into five books. The Hebrews believe that, not only this psalm, but the ten following psalms as well, which are without titles, are all written by the prophet Moses2; and that they have no titles because they belong to this psalm. 1- The need of the generations for God as a dwelling place 1 -2 2- How soon would man turn to destruction 3 - 6 3- God’s chastisements for the sake of our sins 7 - 12 4- Joy and exultation in the favor of God 13 – 17 The title: The expression “the man of God” came more than 40 times in the Holy Book. And speaking about the activity of the Holy Book, the apostle Paul wrote: “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3: 17). “A prayer of Moses the man of God”. Moses writes about how man is created, and how he fell out of his place. Now, he prays for the sake of Him who fell into death, to rise up to life; and for him who fell through the sin by the seduction of the devil, to rise to glory by Christ3. (St. Jerome) This psalm is called “a prayer f Moses the man of God”, through whom God gave the law to His people, liberated them from the house of bondage, and led them forty years in the wilderness. That is why Moses is considered a minister of the Old Covenant, and a prophet of the New Covenant. And the apostle Paul says: “All those things happened to them as examples, and were written for our admonition, on whom the end of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10: 11) 4. (St. Augustine) 1 On Psalms homily 67. 2 St. Jerome: Common. On Malachia, PL 25: 1542. 3 On Psalms homily 67. 4 On Ps. 90 (89). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 2 1- THE NEED OF THE GENERATIONS TO GOD AS A DWELLING PLACE: “Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations” (1) As God opens up His bosom for us to dwell in Him in security, it is for the church – the congregation of saints – throughout all generations to enjoy the fellowship together. He embraces every member as though he is the only one in the church, and embraces all together to pour on them His love. Feeling his sojourn in this world, the believer seeks to dwell in the Lord Himself, as a dwelling place, where he feels secure. “Lord, You have been our dwelling place”. The dwelling place is used as a refuge in case of persecution. If there is no one who persecutes us, we do not need any dwelling place in another. “Lord, You are our dwelling place”. For the intense heat of affliction burns and exhausts us, we seek a dwelling place under Your wings. We fly to Your protection, because the fearful monster is threatening us; and many adversaries are lying in wait against us. Lord, be our refuge1! (St. Jerome) “Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations” (1). Throughout every generation, or in two generations: the Oldand he New. As I have already said, Moses was considered a minister of the Old Covenant, and a prophet of rhe New One; that concerns the New, Jesus Christ, the Kinsman of that Covenant, He who said to the Jews: “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5: 46). Now, do not think that this whole psalm was written by Moses But the name of that great minister of God for the sake of drawing the attention of the reader to a very essential issue2. I wish we would say to the Lord our God: “Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generation” (1). You have been our dwelling place in both the first and the second generations. You have been our dwelling place, when we were born from void. And You have been our dwelling place when we were born anew, we who were wicked. You were a dwelling place in feeding those who have forsaken you. But we shall never forsake You; on account of that You saved us from all our wickedness, and filled us with all Your good works. You have granted it to us, lest we fail on the way. You reform, chasten, strike, and guide us, lest we lose the way. You treat us with compassion, lest we fail on the way; Or You chasten us, lest we go astray3. (St. Augustine) God is refuge and strength for him who can say: "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.”(Philippi 4: 13) ". Many can say: “God is our dwelling place”, and: “Lord, You have been our dwelling place” (1); But only few can say it in the readiness of the prophet; few are they who do not care much for the human 1 On Psalms homily 67. 2 On Ps. 90 (89). 3 Sermon on NT Lessons, 5: 6. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3 worries, but are attached to God, from whom they draw their courage, and in whom they place their hope. (St. Basil the Great) “Before the mountains wer brought forth, or ever You have formed the earth and the world. Even from everlasting to everlasting You are God” (2) The unchangeable God, who worked in our fathers, is still working in us, and will work in the coming generations until the day of His coming. His love is everlasting, limitless, and eternal. According to St. Augustine, the everlasting God, whi was there before the creation of the exalted heavenly creatures, who are as high as mountains; and the creation of man from dust, is refuge, ready to protect us, if we resort to Him. You, the Everlasting, who was ther before we are, and before the creation of the world, became dwelling place for us, once we resort to You. As to the expression “Before the mountains”, As the mountains are the highest locations on the earth, it seems to Refer to the exaltation of the angels, compared to man, created from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2: 7) 1. (St. Augustine) 2- HOW SOON MAN WOULD TURN TO DESTRUCTION: “You turn man to destruction, and say: ‘Return, O children of men” (3) In the Septuagint version it came as: “Do not bring man back to humiliation; saying: Return, O children of men” Going back from God, the Source of his life, man returns to dust with humiliation; whereas if he returns to God his Savior, he will hear the divine voice say: “You are heaven, and to heaven you will return”. “Do not bring man back to humiliation”; Namely, ‘Do not let man retreat from Your eternal exalted things2. (St. Augustine) “Do not bring man back to dust” Moses prays for the sake of man, saying: “Do not let man perish; he whom you create according to your image”. “Do not bring man back to dust”. Do not look at his worthless body, but to his worthy soul. It was enough for us to hear you saying once: “You are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3: 19); when we were crushed because of feeling our sin. “Do not bring man back to dust”. Do not bring him back, but have him changed; having said through your prophets: “Return, O Children of men”. Let this be the end of sin; repentance to have salvation. “Do not bring man back to dust”. Send Your Son to raise the body of our humility; and by the way of a new life, it exalts up to heaven, liberated from the bondage of the earth3. (St. Jerome) “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night” (4) 1 On Ps. 90 (89). 2 On Ps. 90 (89). 3 On Psalms homily 67. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 4 Encountering God his Savior, man enjoys the deposit of heaven, to count his years, however long they are as a passing moment, and to walk with joy in his journey on earth, to be found eternally with God. Compared to the eternity of God, any extension of man’s life, however long it may seem, would be counted as short, and even as nothing, as it limited, and will eventually end. “Like a watch in the night”. The night is divided into four watches, each of three hours. A thousand years in Your sight are like three hours in the night. At the beginning of the world, man lived nearly 1000 years; yet, in the sight of God it was still like a watch in the night. Man’s age is counted as nothing compared to the eternity of God1. (St. Jerome) We are committed to return to Your dwelling place, where there is no change, like the mortal sceneries around us. For, however long is time, a thousand years in Your sight, is not like yesterday which passed, nor like tomorrow which is to come; all these limited times are counted as though have already passed2. (St. Augustine) “You sweep men away, they are like a dream, they are like the new grass of the morning” (5) According to St. Augustine, the temporal things in the morning dry up like grass; die, corrupt, and turn into dust; As it is said by the prophet Isaiah: “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field…. The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever”(Isaiah 40: 6-8). So it is with the things tht were not thre, they will come, but once they come, they will soon become as though never existed; because they do not come to stay, but to go away3. (St. Augustine) “They are like new grass in the morning” that will wither. Like the dew of the morning that will soon disappear, so it is with man’ life: In his youth he flourishes, then, in the old age the flower of his strength will wither and go way. The evening of our life is dry and withered with various ailments: “All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field … The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40: 6-8). Although we are still living, yet a part of us has already scattered in old age. Although our souls are still intact, yet we suffer the loss of the past youth vigor; In other words, we are now different from we used to be4. (St. Jerome) “In the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers” (6) The non-believer lives in anxiety, for his life, however long, will one day come to an end, like grass that is dried up and cut down. The believer, on the other hand, sees his 1 On Psalms homily 67. 2 On Ps. 90 (89). 3 On Ps. 90 (89). 4 On Psalms homily 67. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 5 life as joyful journey, through which he passes in the company of his Christ, to the bosom of the Father, to live forever. The faithfulness of the Lord surrounding him, he wiil not fear the terror of the night, nor of anything that walks in the darkness. Looks at the ships of others while sinking, while being away from any danger. So is he who watches others sailing astray on the seas of this world, driven by every wind of teaching; while he is holding fast to the solid land of faith1. (St. Ambrose) 3- GOD’S CHASTISEMENTS FOR THE SAKE OGF OUR SINS: “For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified” (7) The non-believer fears and is terrified of the eternal encounter. Whereas the believer perpetually rejoices by the riches of God’s grace, that opens his eyes up on God’s mercies and love. It is not something secret that this is the punishment on the sin … We are consumed by our weakness, and are disturbed by the fear of death; For we have become weak, and fear the end of this weakness2. (St. Augustine) Yes indeed, “We have been consumed by Your anger”; We deserve Your anger because of our sin. In Adam we have lost the eternity You have given us. And as according to heredity laws, we have inherited sin; “By Your wrath we are terrified”. Becoming in terror, we shall not perish, because violently shaking with terror, we feel the power of Him, whom we have disregarded by committing sin; Then, in humble submission we resort to regret. “By Your wrath we are terrified”; Because of our transgressions we came to be intensely disturbed; But believing in Your Christ and recognizing Him, we come to rest3. (St. Jerome) “You have set our iniquities before You; Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance” (8) Amid affliction, man perceives that his sins and iniquities are exposed before God. But through the cross he sees the Spirit of God covering over him; and lifting him through baptism up to adoption by God. “You have set our iniquities before You”. Not one single sin will escape Your sight; all the evils we commit are exposed before You … Every moment of our life; everything we do are exposed before Your eyes; Darkness itself is not hidden from You4. (St. Jerome) “For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh” (9) 1 The Patriarchs, 5: 26-27. 2 On Ps. 90 (89). 3 On Psalms homily 67. 4 On Psalms homily 67. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 6 These words are proof enough that our submission to death is a punishment. He talks about our days that are finished; whether because we finish them in love opf mortal things, Or on account of that they are greatly reduced; something that he confirms by the following words: “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and troubles” (10) 1. (St. Jerome) “Our days pass away like a spider’s cobweb”; Like a cobweb built on a wall by a spider, which will collapse by a sudden wind, So are all the achievements of our life, will collapse by a sudden stroke of affliction or death2. (St. Augustine) “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and troubles; they are soon gone, and we fly away” (10) According to St. Augustine, the two figures 70 and 80 have spiritual concepts: The figure 70 refers to the figure 7, namely, the Sabbath of the Old Covenant. Whereas with strength, namely, the strength of the resurrection of the Lord Christ, man would enjoy the figure 80, referring to the figure 8, which concerns the resurrection of the Lord Christ in the first day of the week; the eighth of the past week, when man crosses over from the temporal things to the eternal things. The New Covenant has hope in the new resurrected life. Nevertheless our life is nothing but toil and troubles, according to the words by the apostle Paul: “We ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we are saved in this hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees” But if we hope for what we do not see, then we eagerly wait for it with perseverance” (Romans 8: 23-25). We do not marvel that the prophet Moses started his ministry in his 80 th. year of his life, even though his mission was tough, needing a firm stand before Pharaoh and his men; at a time when his own Hebrew people were so collapsing, that when Moses and Aaron came out from the their meeting with Pharaoh, they said to them: “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us” (Exodus 5: 21). As to the troubles of the journey in the wilderness, the murmur of his people, and the opposition of the enemies against him; … Those were things that even a strong young man could not endure. So how would he say: “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong” (10). He felt as though his life came to an end after 80 years; and the 40 years during which he ministered until he reached 120 years of age, were a gift from God for work. They are not his own years, but special years given by the Lord for the sake of ministry. “The days of our life are seventy years”. Do you see how human life was gradually cut short? As a start, in paradise we were delivered the gift of eternal life, then lost it by disobedience, and the life of the early fathers was reduced to 1000 years; and now it is cut short to 70 or 80 years. “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong; even then their span is toil and troubles”. Most of our years are fruitless; What 1 On Psalms homily 67. 2 On Psalms homily 67. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 7 we see as profit, is nothing but toil and loss. Any extra years are old age, sickness, sufferings, misery, and ultimately, a longing for death1. (St. Jerome) These are the features of the non-believers and the doubters. If you so think, which is possible to happen, and will happen, that the wicked will have equal portion to that of the righteous, it would be a great stupidity! When a rich man depart and gives account of his life; How many years you think he enjoyed his wealth in this life? You think 100 years? Let me say 200, or 300 or even 100 years, which is impossible; For it is written: “The days of our life are seventy years, and perhaps eighty years, if we are strong” (10). Can you show me a life without end? Tell me, If someone of 100 years sees a nice dream one night, and enjoyed during much luxury and happiness during his sleep; Can he say that this dream is a reward enough and equal to 100 years? Of course not!. … We should think of the eternal life in the same way: Like a dream in one night, compared to 100 years of life; so is our present life compared to the coming life; with a huge difference. And like a small drop of water compared to a limitless ocean, is the enjoyment of the glory to come2. Are you anxious concerning the ultimate end of life? It is actually very close; yet man’s life and his death is far closer; as it is written: “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong” (10) 3. (St. John Chrysostom) How about Jacob? Hasn’t he endured more troubles than his grandfather? Listen to what he says: “The years of my earthly sojourn are 130; few and hard have been the years of my life. They do not compare with the years of the years of my ancestors during their long sojourn” (Genesis 47: 9). Seeing his own son ‘Joseph’ sitting on the royal throne, enjoying the glory, did it make him forget the troubles of the past? I do not think so! And how about David? How much tribulations has he endured? Didn’t he say what Jacob said: “The years of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong; even then their span is toil and troubles” (Psalm 90: 10). And how about Jeremiah? Hasn’t he cursed the day of his birth because of the successive calamities through which he went? saying: “Cursed be the day in which I was born! Let the day not be blessed in which my mother bore me” (Jeremiah 20: 14) 4. (St. John Chrysostom) It was said about Abba Apollo, that in his early days, he used to be a very rough shepherd. One day, seeing a pregnant woman in the field, he was seduced by the devil to split her belly open to see how the fetus laid in her womb. But having seen it, he gut terrified and was overcome by great remorse. He hastened to a nearby monastery to confess to the fathers what he did. There he heard them singing: “The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty years, if we are strong; even then their span is toil and troubles”. 1 On Psalms homily 67. . 2 عن لعازر والغني، عظة 1 3 Hom. On Hebr. 21: 5-6. . 4 عن لعازر والغني، عظة 3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 8 He said to them: I am 40 years old, and I never prayed once. But now I pledge, if I live one more year, I shall never stop praying until God forgive my sins. That he did; he spent the rest of his life as a monk saying to God: [As man, I sinned; But as God You forgive]. (The paradise of fathers) “Who knows the power of your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath” (11) He who perceives the secret of the cross would know what the sin has done, and would flee from the divine anger to the exalted divine love. If the power of man’s anger may kill the body, then has nothing more to do; It is the power (authority) of God to punish here on earth; and after death, to send to hell. Yet few are who have learned that1. (St. Augustine) “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (12) Our days are so few that they liken the grass that grows in the evening, then to be struck by the sun of the next morning, to wither, dry, and be cut off. So is God’s wrath, extremely terrifying! What does the prophet Moses seek? He asks God to teach us and to grant us His divine wisdom. That is what he presents to us in this psalm, that although talking profusely about the swift destruction of men, and about God’s anger and wrath; Yet he starts it by presenting God Himself, as a dwelling place for men to live in security (1); and ends it by seeking the grace of the Lord our God to work in us (17). It is as though God is like a bird embracing its young by its wings, on this and that side, to give them the feeling of security. The prophet surrounds his talk about God’s anger by the divine compassion and the divine grace at both the beginning and the end to grant us His true peace. 4- JOY AND EXULTATION IN THE FAVOR OF GOD: “Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on your servants” (13) By the cross, God returns to us; and sees His image proclaimed in us. And instead of anger, we shall dissolve in His amazing love. By the cross, the reconciliation was realized; and we became the object of God’s pleasure, and have the right to enjoy the fellowship in the heavenly glories. These are the words said by those who endure an abundance of evil in this era of intense persecution. Their hearts are so strongly bound by the chains of wisdom, that these troubles would not be able to provoke them to flee from their God, or to forsake Him for the sake of the goods of this world. The saying: “Return, O Lord, How long?”, (13) refer to seeking the righteousness, and not to frustration or lack of patience2. (St. Augustine) “Return, O Lord, How long?” Return, O Lord, and look at Your image; Give us Your face and not Your back. He who asks “How long?” is someone filled with longing, and cannot endure any further delay1. 1 On Ps. 90 (89). 2 On Ps. 90 (89). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 9 (St. Jerome) “Oh! Satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (14) The psalmist not only seeks from God to take His wrath away from him, but lives all his days exulted in the Lord his beloved. Before us a prophecy shines amid our troubles and sorrows, like a lamp in the darkness, “until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts” (2 peter 1: 19); “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they see God”; For then the righteous will be filled with this blessing for which he now hungers and thirsts (Matthew 5: 6, 8) as while walking in faith, they are sojourning from the Lord. Hence the words: “In Your presence there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16: 11); “In the morning I plead my case to You, and look up” (Psalm 5: 3); “Satisfy us early with Your mercy” (14); then they would get satisfied; as it is said in another location: “In the morning I shall be satisfied beholding Your likeness” (Psalm 17: 15). “That we my rejoice and be glad all our days” (14). Those are days without an end; they satisfy us because there are no days to follow; and no days that come to an end, because they pass forth; All the days are together; there is only one day that remain without passing forth – the eternity itself 2. (St. Augustine) In this psalm, the secrets are proclaimed in symbolic forms. Moses, as a symbol of mankind seeks from the Son of God to ordain His descent to earth. He prays: “For Your right hand to be recognized”. And when he realizes that his prayer is well received, he prays furthermore, saying: “Satisfy early with your mercy”, when Your Son is raised from the dead. … In the evening He descended for our sake down to the shadows of death to draw us at dawn; then, we experience your mercies. Although your mercies are always proclaimed to Your faithful servants, yet they would not be so clear and abundant like when the Savior of all is risen from the dead for the sake of the salvation of everyone. “We may rejoice and be glad all our days”. Following the joy of the resurrection of our Lord, by which we come to believe that we are saved, and that we shall arise on the Day of Judgment, we rejoice the rest of our days and exult with perfect confidence; and praise God with spiritual songs, by Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen3. (St. Jerome) “Make us glad according to the days in which you have afflicted us, and the years in which we have seen evil” (15) The psalmist did not intend to concentrate his sight on the days of affliction by the sin, but to live the days of joy and exultation in the salvation of the Lord. I wish our souls always desire these days, zealously thirst toward them, when we are full and satisfied4. 1 On Psalms homily 67. 2 On Ps. 90 (89). 3 On Psalms homily 67. 4 On Ps. 90 (89). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 10 (St. Augustine) “Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children” (16) For Your servants are, themselves, Your work; not only because they are human, but for being Your servants, namely, being obedient to Your commandments. For we are His workmanship, not only created in Adam, “but in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2: 10). “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2: 13). “And for the glory of their children”, to be upright in their hearts; as God is generous to such people; generous to Isreal; namely, to the upright in hearts1. (St. Augustine) “And let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands” (17) In the Septuagint version it came as: “Let the light (splendor) of the Lord our God be upon us. According to St. Augustine, the psalm ends with the phrase “the work of our hands”; where the word “work” came in the singular and not the pleural tense; for the end of the commandment is “love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith” 1 Timothy 1: 5). There is only one work in which all abides: “faith working by love”. For the sake of this, came the words: “Lord, Lift up the light of your countenance upon us” (Psalm 4: 6); and “Establish the work of our hands” (17); to practice it, not for the sake of any earthly reward, lest it would not be upright but pervert. In many versions it came as: “Establish the work of our hands (upright)”. It so seems to me that as all our good works are the work of love, because “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13: 10), the word “work” here came in the singular tense2. (St. Augustine) The soul – the living woman who has the free will – says: “When I look at the face of, my lover Reflected on the beauty of his face. And the apostle Pau, clearly imitating these words, says: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2: 20). And when Paul says: “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1: 21), he cries out that he has purified himself from every human attribute, like sorrow, anger, fear,, cowardice,, pride, foolishness, the wicked desire, envy, revenge, love of possession, profit, or any attribute that could lead to the destruction of the soul. He, alone, fills my soul, only Him, and not any of the mentioned attributes. I have uprooted from myself my whole apparent nature, and nothing remains other than Christ. For me the truth of life is Christ; or as the bride of the song says: “I am my lover’s and my lover is mine ” (song6: 3). This is purity, non-pollution, light, and truth, that feeds my soul; it is not fed by dry grass, but by the inspiration of lilies, by the splendor and radiation of its beautiful colors 1 On Ps. 90 (89). 2 On Ps. 90 (89). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 11 He who feeds among the lilies, would lead his flock to the pasture of the lilies, that “the favor of our Lord is upon us” (17) 1. St. Gregory of Nyssa 1 عظة 15 على نشید الأناشید ترجمة الدكتور جورج نوّار. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 12 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 90 RETURN TO US, O LORD; AND PROCLAIM YOUR SALVATION TO US I am a stranger on earth; I have no place to abide in security; But Your divine bosom calls on me and waits for me; You find pleasure in me, for I am the work of Your hands; And I find pleasure in You, for You are my life and the joy of my heart. When I see You on the cross; my soul moans over my sins; My depths are terrified because of my slothfulness; But Your love lifted me up, as though to heaven; Your Holy Spirit is my support; Instead of bitterness, my soul is filled with joy; My depths shout for the sake of Your grace working in humanity; Keep on working; so that I shall keep Your commandment; And walk by Your Holy spirit to enjoy your glories. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 13 TABLE OF CONTENTS PSALM 81: JOYFUL FEASTS: A call to praise; A call for liberation; A satisfying God; Self-crushing; God, the Grantor of conquest; God, the Grantor of satisfaction. -- An inspiration from psalm 81: You are my unceasing Feast. PSALM 82: THE DIVINE JUDGE AND KING OF THE EARTH: The divine Judge and the congregation of gods (The divine counsel); Delivering Himself to Justice; The darkness attacks the light; Out of the dead, He sets almost heavenly creatures. -- An inspiration from psalm 82: How amazing You are, O the greatest Judge! PSALM 83: ENEMIES ON ALL SIDES: A cry-out to God; An evil confederacy; The names of the confederates; A supplication for salvation; A victory for God’s glory. -- An inspiration from psalm 83: Who will support us but You? PSALM 84: DWELLING IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD: The blessedness of dwelling in the house of the Lord; The blessedness of longing to dwell in the house of the Lord; The blessedness of leaning upon God. -- An inspiration from psalm 84: Let me enter into Your house, and enjoy Your heavens. PSALM 85: A PRAYER ON A NAIONAL LEVEL: The past mercies; The renewal of the present; The glories to come. -- An inspiration from psalm 85: When will my land give its increase? PSALM 86: RESPOND TO MY PRAYERS, O LORD: A cry-out by a suffering believer; A praise for the Savior Lord; A cry-out for help against the enemies. -- An inspiration from psalm 86: Visit me, O Good One, with Your mercy. PSALM 87: THE CITY OF GOD, MOTHER OF ALL PEOPLES: God’s choice of Jerusalem; The citizens of Jerusalem; The exultant city. -- An inspiration from psalm 87: By You, I will enter into Your beloved city. PSALM 88: A MISERABLE NIGHT: A cry-out seeking the divine help; A lamentation by a suffering righteous; An inquiry by someone on the verge of the grave; An inquiry about the reason behind the affliction. -- An inspiration from psalm 88: Let me pour the cries of my heart before You. PSALM 89: AN EVERLASTING COVENANT: An opening praise; God of the covenant; The people and the divine covenant; Man, the breaker of the covenant; A cry-out. -- An inspiration from psalm 89: Reign, O my Savior, in my depths. PSALM 90: LET THE FAVOR OF THE LORD OUR GOD BE ON US: The need of the generations for God as a dwelling place; How soon would man turn to destruction?; God’s chastisement for the sake of our sins; Joy and exultation in the favor of God. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 14 -- An inspiration from psalm 90: Return to us, O Lord, and proclaim Your salvation to us.
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