Eternal Life and the Return of the Nations
Those praising him shall live not for one age, but 'for the age of ages.' A multitude of ages is signified; for he did not say 'for one age,' but 'for the age of ages.' And just as 'Sabbaths of Sabbaths' is said and 'years of years' for those many years which are the days of a year, so he shall live 'for the age of ages.'
All the ends of the earth shall be remembered and shall turn back to the Lord. He prophesies concerning the salvation of all mankind; for it is necessary that that which is spoken of be brought to pass, about which this holy one says again in another psalm: 'all the nations, all whom you have made, shall come and worship before you' (Psalm 22:27). For God did not make the rational beings so that they might sin, by standing up against Him to worship these things, but so that they might honor God. And since this is the purpose of the Creator, but a purpose of those who have come to be has intervened, the purpose of God must prevail. Therefore, when He is remembered, we provide the cause for being remembered; for He remembers those who remember, as He knows those who are attentive. When we remember, then He remembers us and calls us into salvation. The 'they shall turn back' shows that no one is evil by essence, but by choice. If the evil was able to diminish the choice toward something else, the good will be able to call it back to its former state.
And all the patriarchies of the nations shall worship before Him. After the turning back, they worship. They do not worship first and then turn back; thus it signifies progress. And it is a great thing to worship before God. He who worships Him as is fitting worships before Him. Therefore, the reason: 'because' the kingdom is His. He says 'kingdom' here, not the beginning, but those who are being ruled, as it is said: 'in the gathering of peoples together and the kingdoms of serving the Lord.' If they were bad by construction, they would have been something else.
And He Himself is the master of the nations. Since the kingdom is His and He Himself has made the nations, He is their master. Therefore, they turn back to their own master. They do not enrich God by turning back; for they are His.
Greek
αἰνούντων αὐτόν, ζήσονται οὐκ ἐπὶ ἕνα αἰῶνα, ἀλλ' "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος". πλῆθος δὲ αἰώνων σημαίνεται· οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν· "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος". καὶ ὥσπερ "σάββατα σαββάτων" λέγεται καὶ "ἐνιαυτὸς ἐνιαυτῶν" ὁ τοσαῦτα ἔτη ἔχων ὅσαι εἰσὶν ἡμέραι τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, ζήσεται "εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος". 28 μνησθήσονται καὶ ἐπιστραφήσονται πρὸς κύριον πάντα τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς. προφητεύει περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας πάντων τῶν ἀνθρώπων· δεῖ γὰρ ὑπαρχθῆναι ἐκεῖνο, περὶ οὗ πάλιν ἐν ἄλλῳ ψαλμῷ οὗτος ὁ ἅγιος λέγει· "πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ὅσα ἐποίησας, ἥξουσιν καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιόν σου"· μὴ γὰρ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ λογικά, ἵνα ἁμαρτάνωσιν, ἵνα ἀντιθέους ἀναστήσαντες τούτοις λατρεύωσιν, ἀλλὰ ἵνα θεὸν τιμῶσιν. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡ πρόθεσις τοῦ πεποιηκότος αὕτη, ἐμεσολάβησεν δὲ πρόθεσις τῶν γεγενημένων, δεῖ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κρατῆσαι. ὅταν οὖν μνησθῇ, ἡμεῖς δὲ παρέχομεν τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ μνησθῆναι· μνημονεύει γὰρ τῶν μνημονευόντων, ὡς γιγνώσκει τοὺς ἐπισταμένους. ὅταν ἡμεῖς μνησθῶμεν, τότε μνημονεύει ἡμῶν καὶ καλεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰς σωτηρίαν. τὸ "ἐπιστραφήσονται" δείκνυσιν ὅτι οὐδεὶς κατὰ οὐσίαν κακός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ προαίρεσιν. εἰ δὲ ἴσχυσεν τὸ κακὸν ἐλάσαι τὴν προαίρεσιν εἰς ἄλλο τι ἄλλως, ἰσχύσει τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἀνακαλέσασθαι αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν προτέραν κατάστασιν. 28 καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι αἱ πατριαὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν. μετὰ τὸ ἐπιστραφῆναι προσκυνοῦσιν. οὐ πρῶτον προσκυνοῦσιν, εἶτα ἐπιστρέφονται. προκοπὴν οὖν αὐτῶν σημαίνει. μέγα δέ ἐστιν τὸ ἐνώπιον θεοῦ προσκυνῆσαι. ἐκεῖνος ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προσκυνεῖ ὁ προσκυνῶν αὐτὸν ὡς δεῖ. λοιπὸν τὴν αἰτίαν· "ὅτι" αὐτοῦ ἐστιν "ἡ βασιλεία". βασιλείαν ὧδε λέγει οὐ τὴν ἀρχήν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς βασιλευομένους, καθ' ὃ 37 λέγεται· "ἐν τῷ συναχθῆναι λαοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ βασιλείας τοῦ δουλεύειν τῷ κυρίῳ". εἰ ἦσαν ἐκ κατασκευῆς φαῦλοι, ἄλλου ἦσαν. 29 καὶ αὐτὸς δεσπόζει τῶν ἐθνῶν. ἐπεὶ αὐτοῦς ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ ἔθνη πεποίηκεν, καὶ δεσπότης αὐτῶν ἐστιν. πρὸς τὸν δεσπότην οὖν ἑαυτῶν ὑποστρέφουσιν. οὐ πλουτίζουσιν τὸν θεὸν ἐπιστρέψαντες· αὐτοῦ γάρ εἰσιν.
About this text
Didymus the Blind on the Psalms.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.