The Salvation of the Soul and the Unity of the Church
The shadow is pre-ordained to distinguish itself from the truth; it means this: in this life, finding myself in the shadow of the wings, I hope to come upon those very wings, being carried on wings by virtue and spiritual intellect. But the wings of God are His sheltering powers, or the lofty thoughts about Him.
The passing away of lawlessness shows that it is temporary (Ps 56:2). And Paul indeed writes in Hebrews that the enjoyment of sin is temporary (Heb 13:5). It is not as if lawlessness were passing away having begun from a certain time; for he says something about it: it shall be neither from the beginning nor unto the age (Ps 56:3).
But the Most High is not in vain (Ps 56:3). For since lawlessness is clinging and low-lying, the one being delivered from it cries out toward the Most High, so that by lifting himself up with the cry, he might become far from the harmful beast.
The Lord, sent from heaven to save, says: 'I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will' (John 6:38). For God sent this word of His and healed those wounded by their corruptions, as David himself says elsewhere. If anyone seeks to ask whether the one sent from heaven signifies a local emission from the physical heaven, it would seem absurd to attribute a local descent to God. For does the voice of heaven not signify the incorporeal and intellectual essence, according to 'Store up in the heavens' (Matt 6:20) and 'God is in the heaven above' (Ps 115:4)? Therefore, the one being in the form of God and being healed as God, having taken the form of a servant, came to men (Phil 2:6-7). And this is the sending from heaven, so that the Word of God might become flesh and, having appeared upon the earth, might walk among men (John 1:14). Peter also writes, initiating mysteries concerning the Holy Spirit: 'Now it has been announced to you through those who preached to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven' (1 Pet 1:2); for having been sent from the intellect...
That the Spirit may find essence in men, it was granted to those who preached to you (Ps 56:4b). Before this, saying, 'Those who before this, by despising, trampling me into reproach, were given, God having sent from heaven how I might be saved' (Ps 56:4c). For having seen the Son of God caring for my salvation, those acting shamefully and reproaching me, even though they trampled, God saved (Ps 56:4c.5a).
In the preceding verse, having said, 'He sent from heaven' (Ps 56:5a), not having said what was sent from heaven, he now interprets what mercy is and truth, the one rescuing his soul having become among enemies of those who trampled; for these are wild and wrathful dogs. Mercy is not otherwise according to the essence of truth; for both are the Savior (Ps 56:5b).
Sleep often signifies rest, as in, 'In peace I will lie down and sleep.' He does not wish to say this, that is, even if I was troubled being trampled by enemies and terrified by the dogs having taken me in the midst, but the trouble did not remain. For I slept having been troubled, not remaining awake being troubled, but I slept having cast away the trouble (Ps 56:5b).
This is a symbol of the woman continually weakened by the spirit, collapsing and not able to rise up completely, whom Jesus released from the snares of Satan, the daughter of Abraham (Ps 56:7b). Perhaps also everyone who thinks of the things below has a soul having become fallen, not able to contemplate the things above, is such a thing.
And you will perceive the people and those from circumcision, but the mortals from the idols having repented, as to become one church (Ps 56:10). Those having loved the Lord in incorruption, having come to the end of not being corrupted, the pillars through whom they work well, they raise up. For just as those doing the opposite do evil things, they make a forbidden pillar...
Greek
δὲ προδιαστέλλοιτο ἡ σκιὰ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, ο βούλεται τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ τυγχάνων ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ τῶν πτερύγων εἰμί, ἐλπίζων καὶ ἐπ' αὐτὰς τὰς πτέρυγας ἐλθεῖν ἐπτερώμενος ἀρετῇ καὶ νοήσει πνευματικῇ. πτέρυγες δὲ θεοῦ η αἱ σκεπαστικαὶ αὐτοῦ δυνάμεις η αἱ ὑψιπετεῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ νοήσεις. 593a Ps 56,2d Τὸ παρέρχεσθαι τὴν ἀνομίαν δηλοῖ πρόσκαιρον αὐτὴν ει ναι· καὶ ὁ Παῦλος γοῦν ἐν τῇ Πρὸς ̔Εβραίους πρόσκαιρον γράφει τὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπόλαυσιν. ω σπερ ου ν παρερχομένη, ου τω καὶ ἀπό τινος χρόνου ἀρξαμένη ἐστὶν ἡ ἀνομία· περὶ γάρ τινος ει δους αὐτῆς ει ρηται· ου τε η ν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ου τε εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ε σται. 594a Ps 56,3a Οὐ μάτην δὲ Τὸν υ ψιστον ει πεν. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἡ ἀνομία ἑρπηστικὴ καὶ χαμαιπετής ἐστιν, ὁ ταύτης ἀπαλλακτιῶν πρὸς τὸν υ ψιστον βοᾷ ι ν' εἰς υ ψος αἰρόμενος τῇ βοῇ μακρὰν ἀπὸ τοῦ βλαβεροῦ θηρὸς γένηται. 595a Ps 56,4a ̔Ο ἀποσταλεὶς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ σῶσαι ὁ κύριός ἐστι φάσκων Καταβέβηκα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ι να ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμόν. τοῦτον γὰρ ο ντα λόγον αὐτοῦ ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἰάσατο τοὺς τετρωμένους ἐκ τῶν διαφθορῶν αὐτῶν, ω ς φησιν ἑτέρωθι αὐτὸς ὁ ∆αυίδ. Ζητήσειε δ' α ν τις τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἀπεστάλθαι, εἰ τοπικὴν ἐκ τοῦ σωματικοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐκπομπὴν δηλοῖ. δόξει γὰρ α λογον ει ναι τοπικὴν κατάβασιν τῷ θεῷ προσάπτειν. μήποτ' ου ν σημαίνει ἡ οὐρανὸς φωνὴ τὴν ἀσώματον καὶ νοητὴν οὐσίαν, κατὰ τὸ Θησαυρίζετε ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ τὸ ̔Ο θεὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ α νω. ὁ ἐν μορφῇ τοίνυν θεοῦ καὶ ι σα θεῷ ὑπάρχων μορφὴν δούλου λαβὼν εἰς ἀνθρώπους η κεν. καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἀποστεῖλαι ι να ὁ θεὸς λόγος σὰρξ γένηται καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀφθεὶς ἀνθρώποις συναναστράφῃ. τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μυσταγωγῶν ὁ Πέτρος γράφει Α νῦν ἀνηγγέλη ὑμῖν διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελισαμένων ὑμᾶς πνεύματι ἁγίῳ ἀποσταλέντι ἀπὸ οὐρανοῦ· ἀποσταλὲν γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ νοητὴν οὐσίαν τυγχάνειν τὸ πνεῦμα ἀνθρώποις ἐνῳκίσθη τοῖς εὐαγγελισαμένοις ὑμᾶς. 596a Ps 56,4b Οἱ πρὸ τούτου διὰ τοῦ ἐξευτελίζειν καταπατοῦντές με εἰς ο νειδος ἐδόθησαν, θεοῦ ἀποστείλαντος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ο πως σωθῶ. ἑωρακὼς γὰρ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ υἱὸν φροντίσαντα τῆς σωτηρίας μου, ἀσχημονοῦντας αὐτοὺς καὶ ὀνειδιζομένους ει δον καταπατήσαντας ο ν ὁ θεὸς ε σωσεν. 597a Ps 56,4c.5a ̓Εν τῷ προάγοντι στίχῳ εἰπὼν ̓Εξαπέστειλεν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, 110 οὐκ εἰρηκὼς τί τὸ ἀποσταλὲν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, νῦν ἑρμηνεύει ο τι ε λεός ἐστι καὶ ἀλήθεια τὸ ῥυόμενον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ γενομένην μεταξὺ ἐχθρῶν τῶν καταπατησάντων· ου τοι δέ εἰσι διὰ τὸ α γριον καὶ ὠμόθυμον σκύμνοι. οὐχ ε τερον δὲ κατ' οὐσίαν τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ ε λεος· ἀμφότερα γὰρ ὁ σωτήρ. 598a Ps 56,5b ̔Η κοίμησις τὴν ἀνάπαυλαν πολλάκις σημαίνει, ὡς ἐν τῷ ̓Εν εἰρήνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κοιμηθήσομαι καὶ ὑπνώσω. ο ου ν βούλεται λέγειν τοῦτό ἐστιν· εἰ καὶ ἐταράχθην καταπατούμενος ὑπὸ ἐχθρῶν καὶ θαμβούμενος τῶν σκύμνων τῶν μέσον με λαβόντων, ἀλλ' οὐ παρέμεινεν ἡ ταραχή. ἐκοιμήθην γὰρ τεταραγμένος, οὐχὶ τεταραγμένος γρηγορῶν ε μεινα ἀλλ' ἐκοιμήθην ἀποβαλὼν τὴν ταραχήν. 599a Ps 56,7b Τούτου σύμβολον η ν ἡ συνεχομένη πνεύματι ἀσθενείας γυνή, Συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές, η ν ε λυσεν ὁ ̓Ιησοῦς ἀπὸ τῶν βρόχων τῶν σατανικῶν θυγατέρα ου σαν ̓Αβραάμ. τάχα δὲ καὶ πᾶς ὁ τὰ κάτω φρονῶν κατακεκαμμένην ε χει τὴν ψυχὴν οὐ δυναμένην τὰ α νω σκοπεῖν ο σον ἐστὶν τοιαύτη. 600a Ps 56,10 Λαοὺς δὲ νοήσεις καὶ τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς, ε θνη δὲ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων μετανοήσαντας ὡς μίαν γενέσθαι ἐκκλησίαν. 601a Ps 57 αργ Οἱ ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ τὸν κύριον ἀγαπήσαντες εἰς τὸ τέλος τοῦ μὴ διαφθείρειν ἐληλυθότες τὴν στηλογραφίαν δι' ω ν ἐνεργοῦσι καλῶς ἐγείρουσιν. ὡς γὰρ οἱ τἀναντία ποιοῦντες αὐτὰ α πράττουσι κακῶς στήλην ἀπηγορευμένην ποιοῦσιν, ῃ
About this text
Discover how early Christians interpreted the Psalms as divine messages and prophecies about salvation and judgment.
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- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
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