The Crown of Precious Stones
The hypothesis of the psalm is taken, and it is spoken regarding the human economy. Perhaps it is also for all those believing, fulfilling the body of Christ according to the teaching that not even Christ is one body, but many members; Christ is said to be saved, and those who have become his body and members may have salvation (1 Cor 12:27). And also to say 'Now I know'—for 'now' means in this present age we know Christ is saving, receiving the earnest of salvation from hereafter.
He hearkens to Christ according to every foretold repayment. And the right hand of God, that is, his Word, makes salvation, not by chance, but with power, like a best general or king. Regarding Ps 19:8, thinking of horses, the skittish powers of passions that ride upon them; and chariots, the concord of the rushing passions prepared against us. But even if not in these things, the unvanquishable defense of us is the approach of God. Regarding Ps 20:2–3, the one established as king upon Zion is truly and certainly king, rejoicing in divine joy from the power of God present to him. And let the whole psalm be interpreted concerning Christ the king and the one co-reigning with him, so that we are not compelled to signify this for every single word.
He does not fulfill the desire of the flesh, but walks by the Spirit (Gal 5:16). One strengthened by the Spirit receives the desire of the heart from God. For he, having abstained from the cravings of the flesh, hungers—that is, the mind hungers—and receives from God, who implants his desire in good things. But even if someone happens to be in need, he was not denied by the Lord because of the prayer of his lips. Regarding Ps 20:4–5, from 'Because you have preceded him in blessings of goodness'—by the causal connection of 'Because,' having used it, he showed what rejoices and exults in having been preceded in blessings of goodness. And regarding the contrast of blessings, not of goodness...
Here, goodness is set forth; for Jacob, in blessing the sons, will answer the sons in a manner of blessing who have some toil, as their anger is the accursed one. And if such a thing is to be lacking, God foretells a king and his imitator in blessings of goodness, lifting them up to the supra-cosmic promises, which are sent to be a pledge.
One is crowned from his own works and practices. Without doubt, he who has justly pursued the just shall receive the crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:8), and he who has rightly glorified the Trinity shall bring the incorruptible crown of glory (1 Pet 5:4). And one having been satisfied by the Lord's crown of luxury protects himself, and he being saved by grace receives a crown of graces for his own head.
But also he who has treasured precious stones with gold and silver, from which he worked precious stones, shall be crowned, God restoring to him the head of the soul with the crown of precious stones; and being adorned with divine power in every virtue, he is called, 'All a good stone you have bound.' God crowns not in mercy, but will crown with precious stones a crown made of them, as also in hope he crowns those watching for it; for the Lord Sabaoth is the crown of hope, spread with glory (Isa 66:14).
And since the apostle writes to his own disciples, 'Joy and my crown' (Phil 4:1), perhaps also those who are known to Christ, being precious stones through virtuous character, having placed a crown, will be set upon the head of Christ, as Paul says to the disciples, 'Joy and my crown' (Philem 1:21). He asked life from you and you gave it to him. If the imitator of Christ is the one concerning whom the Word is, God has given eternal life to him who asked life from him; for the gift of God is eternal life (John 6:40). But if he speaks concerning Christ, regarding the one who asked life from him, the Father gave, so that he might vivify the dead (Eph 2:5). Length of days unto the age of ages; toward the life...
Greek
ὑπόθεσιν ει ληφεν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, ὁ δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἀνθρωπίνως εἰρημένον. Τάχα δὲ καὶ τῶν πιστευόντων ἁπάντων συμπληρούντων τὸ σῶμα Χριστοῦ κατὰ τὸ Ου τω καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ε ν σῶμα, πολλὰ δὲ μέλη, σῴζεσθαι λέγεται ὁ Χριστός, ο τ' α ν οἱ γενόμενοι αὐτοῦ σῶμα καὶ μέλη σωτηρίαν ε χωσιν. Ευ δὲ καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν Νῦν ε γνων. νῦν γὰρ τουτέστιν ἐν τῷ παρόντι αἰῶνι γινώσκομεν τὸν Χριστὸν σῳζόμενον τῷ ἀπεντεῦθεν ἀρραβῶνα σωτηρίας δέχεσθαι. ̓Επακούει τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν ἀπόδοσιν προειρημένην. τὰ δεξιὰ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ, τουτέστιν ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ, σωτηρίαν ποιεῖ, οὐχ ὡς ε τυχεν ἀλλ' ἐν δυναστείαις οι α στρατηγὸς η βασιλεὺς α ριστος. 164 Ps 19,8 Ιππους μὲν νοῶν τὰ σκιρτητικὰ τῶν παθῶν οι ς ἐπιβαίνουσιν αἱ ἀντικείμεναι δυνάμεις, α ρματα δὲ τὴν σύμπνοιαν τῶν ὁρμητικῶν παθῶν ἐν οι ς παρασκευάζονται καθ' ἡμῶν· ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ ου τοι ἐν τούτοις, ἀλλ' ἡμῶν ἀμυντήριον ἀκαταμάχητον ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ προσηγορία. 44 165 Ps 20,2–3 ̔Ο κατασταθεὶς βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ Σιὼν ο ρος κυρίως καὶ ἀληθῶς βασιλεύς ἐστιν, εὐφραινόμενος θείαν εὐφροσύνην ἀπὸ τῆς παρούσης αὐτῷ δυνάμεως θεοῦ. πᾶς δὲ ὁ ψαλμὸς ἑρμηνευθείη περὶ Χριστοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ συμβασιλεύοντος αὐτῷ, ι να μὴ ἐφ' ἑκάστης λέξεως τοῦτο σημαίνειν ἀναγκαζώμεθα. ̔Ο ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς μὴ τελῶν τῷ πνεύματι περιπατεῖ. ου τος ἀνακραθεὶς τῷ πνεύματι ἐπιθυμίαν καρδίας λαμβάνει ἀπὸ θεοῦ. ὁ γὰρ τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ὀρεκτῶν ἀπεσχημένος, α ὀρέγεται ἡ καρδία τουτέστιν ὁ νοῦς, λαμβάνει παρὰ θεοῦ ἐμπιμπλῶντος ἐν ἀγαθοῖς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτοῦ. ἀλλὰ καὶ τυχών τις ω ν δεῖται οὐκ ἐστερήθη ὑπὸ κυρίου τῆς δεήσεως τῶν χειλέων αὐτοῦ. 166 Ps 20,4–5 ̓Απὸ τοῦ Οτι προέφθασας αὐτὸν ἐν εὐλογίαις χρηστότητος αἰτιολογικῷ συνδέσμῳ τῷ Οτι χρησάμενος ε δειξεν ο τι εὐφραίνεται καὶ ἀγαλλιᾷ ἐπὶ τῷ προευφθάσθαι ἐν εὐλογίαις χρηστότητος. τὰ δὲ πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν εὐλογιῶν, μὴ χρηστότητος, πρόσκειται ἐνταῦθα τῆς χρηστότητος· εὐλογῶν γὰρ ̓Ιακὼβ τοὺς υἱοὺς εὐλογίας τρόπῳ ἀπαντήσεσθαι τοῖς υἱοῖς ἐπίπονά τινα ει πεν, ὡς τὸ ̓Επικατάρατος ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν. καὶ ει τι τοιοῦτον ε λαττον προκείμενον, βασιλέα καὶ τὸν μιμητὴν αὐτοῦ προφθάνει ὁ θεὸς ἐν εὐλογίαις χρηστότητος, ἀναβιβάζων εἰς τὰς ὑπερκοσμίους ἐπαγγελίας ω ν ἐν ἀρραβῶνι ἀπεντεῦθέν ἐστιν γενέσθαι. ̓Εκ τῶν ε ργων καὶ ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἑαυτοῦ τις στεφανοῦται. ἀμέλει ὁ δικαίως τὸ δίκαιον διώξας ἀπολήψεται τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανον, καὶ ὁ ὀρθῶς περὶ τῆς τριάδος δοξάσας κομιεῖται τὸν ἀμαράντινον στέφανον τῆς δόξης. κατατρυφήσας δέ τις τοῦ κυρίου στεφάνῳ τρυφῆς ὑπερασπίζεται, καὶ ὁ χάριτι σωθεὶς στέφανον χαρίτων δέχεται εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κορυφήν. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ θησαυρίσας μετὰ χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου τιμίους λίθους, ὑφ' ω ν εἰργάσατο λίθων τιμίων, στεφθήσεται, θεοῦ ἀναδοῦντος αὐτοῦ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς κεφαλὴν τῷ στεφάνῳ τῷ ἐκ λίθων τιμίων· καὶ πρὸς δύναμιν δὲ θείαν κεκοσμημένην πάσῃ ἀρετῇ λέγεται Πάντα λίθον χρηστὸν ἐνδέδεσαι. ̔Ο ου ν στεφανῶν θεὸς ἐν ἐλέει καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖς στεφανώσει ἐκ λίθων τιμίων πεποιημένον στέφανον, ω σπερ καὶ ἐλπίδι τοὺς ἐπ' αὐτῷ καραδοκοῦντας· Εστι γὰρ κύριος Σαβαὼθ ὁ στέφανος τῆς ἐλπίδος ὁ πλακεὶς τῇ δόξῃ. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος γράφει τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς Χαρὰ καὶ στέφανός μου, μήποτε καὶ οἱ Χριστοῦ γνώριμοι, λίθοι τίμιοι διὰ τὴν ευ τονον ἀρετὴν ο ντες, στέφανος πλακέντες ἐπιτεθήσονται τῇ Χριστοῦ κεφαλῇ μᾶλλον, Παύλου λέγοντος τοῖς μαθηταῖς Χαρὰ καὶ στέφανός μου. Ζωὴν ᾐτήσατό σε καὶ ε δωκας αὐτῷ. εἰ μὲν ὁ μιμητὴς Χριστοῦ ει η ὁ περὶ ου ὁ λόγος, ζωὴν αἰτησαμένῳ αὐτὸν τὴν αἰώνιον δέδωκεν ὁ θεός· Τὸ χάρισμα γὰρ τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιός ἐστιν. εἰ δὲ περὶ Χριστοῦ λέγει τὸ ζωὴν αἰτησαμένῳ αὐτῷ, ε δωκεν ὁ πατήρ, ι να ζωοποιήσῃ τοὺς νεκρούς. Μακρότητα ἡμερῶν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος· πρὸς τῷ ζωὴν
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Discover how early Christians interpreted the Psalms as divine messages and prophecies about salvation and judgment.
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