The Spiritual Meaning of the Blessed Man
Next, through the spoken words, we understand that the sons of those stretching themselves out to build the house of the Lord hold stones and swords and other weapons, as with one hand doing the work of the building, and with the other throwing stones to hinder those wishing to stop the construction of the divine house.
For the divine teachers strive in each soul being educated to build for God and to fight against thoughts and evil powers attempting to obstruct the growth of the building. He blesses the man who, because he has preserved that which remains according to the image of God, has had his desire fulfilled from the arrows of the Mighty (Ps 126:5). For having been directed toward the desire of good things by them, he has been shown blessed. And possessing unashamed and undaunted boldness in the gate of the beneficial entrance, he speaks without being shamed by the enemies, who were striving to be obstacles to the fulfillment of desire and to the building.
And it is no wonder that he has blessed a man singularly; he has blessed in the plural, that those speaking in the gate shall not be shamed; for the word is not about one, but about everyone who has fulfilled his desire from the arrows (Ps 127:2). And in another way, if they nourish their own soul with virtue, so as to be according to God, desirable foods and joyful for the soul. He who does not fear the Lord eats the labors of his fruit, but he who loves him as perfect will eat the bread, the heavenly one, according to 'Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of heaven' (Ps 127:3). And he says 'fruits' here, so that it might be in some way 'He shall eat the labors of your hands,' that is, of the practical powers.
The word is indeed somewhat shorthand, smoothing these promises to be given to the one fearing the Lord, as if they were complete, but not to the one loving him with all heart and all soul and strength; for 'Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, nor has it come up upon the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him' (1 Cor 2:9). To the one fearing the Lord, a gift of God is given, a partner and a companion, not a woman by chance, but one grafted into the true vine.
Who can find a woman of worth, a good wife, and a woman of manly strength? Such a thing is more precious than costly stones. Just as the opposite of evil is good, and the wrath of God is a spouse in a harsh manner, so also sons from God are given to the one fearing the Lord; they are not like many sons, but like young olive shoots surrounding and crowning his table. You will also understand these from the perfection of the one saying, 'But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God' (Ps 52:8). For the offspring of such an olive tree are called like young olive shoots. If anyone says that those not fearing the Lord often possess much in the property of children and in the prosperity of a wife, we will say that the present beatitude does not simply promise a wife and children, but all of this is depicted as a woman in a vineyard and children as young olive shoots; such things are not the lot of the ungodly.
From there: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, since the wife accompanying you is fertile, finding herself like a vine rejoicing with fruits (Ps 127:4). But also your offspring are not weak or female, but strong sons being around your table, bearing the food of light like young olive shoots. And your spiritual table exists, full of all those who nourish mind and soul. Be having in these things a blessing from the Lord; no one else, but the God-fearing shall receive from the Lord. This is shown through 'the Man' and 'every man.' Therefore, regarding the present things, one ought not to take them as being about a sensible woman and bodily children, since many having obtained the fear of God have possessed neither wife nor children. If, then, the things of the word are not entirely literal, the spiritual sense of the things expressed must be sought by every one existing in piety.
By ascent you will understand thus: those being captured by the enemy in a single blow would not say this, but the one alone, driving the enemies into flight anew until old age, becoming always a victor and a triumphalist over them (Ps 128:1-4). And he brought forward the proof of having fought them many times: 'For even I was not able; for He was strengthening me, the Lord, who crushes the enemies.' Regarding those being announced with boldness, not the one happening by chance, but the one seeing God...
Greek
ἑξῆς. καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐκκειμένων δηλαδὴ λέξεων μανθάνομεν τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἐκτετιναγμένων ἐν τῷ οἰκοδομεῖν τὸν οι κον κυρίου κατέχειν βολίδας καὶ ῥομφαίας καὶ τὰ α λλα ο πλα, ὡς μιᾷ μὲν χειρὶ τὸ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς ε ργον ποιεῖν, τῇ δ' ἑτέρᾳ βάλλειν ταῖς βολίσι τοὺς κωλύειν ἐθέλοντας τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ θείου οι κου. σπουδὴ γὰρ τοῖς θείοις διδασκάλοις α μα οἰκοδομεῖν θεῷ οι κον ἐν ἑκάστῃ τῶν παιδευομένων ψυχῇ καὶ καταπολεμεῖν λογισμοὺς καὶ πονηρὰς δυνάμεις ἐμποδίζειν πειρωμένας τὴν αυ ξησιν τῆς οἰκοδομῆς. 1172 Ps 126,5 Μακαρίζει τὸν διὰ τὸ τετηρηκέναι τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ θεοῦ μένοντα α νθρωπον ἐπὶ τῷ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτοῦ πεπληρωκέναι ἐκ τῶν βελῶν τοῦ δυνατοῦ. τρωθεὶς γὰρ εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπ' αὐτῶν μακάριος ἀποδέδεικται. ο θεν καὶ ἀκαταίσχυντον ε χων 245 παρρησίαν ἐν πύλῃ τῇ τῶν ὠφελίμων εἰσαγωγῇ λαλῶν οὐ καταισχύνεται ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, οι τινες κωλυταὶ τῆς πληρώσεως τῆς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς ἐσπούδαζον ει ναι. οὐ θαυμαστὸν δὲ εἰ ἑνικῶς μακαρίσας α νθρωπον· πληθυντικῶς ει πε μὴ καταισχυνθήσεσθαι τοὺς λαλοῦντας ἐν πύλῃ· οὐ γὰρ περὶ ἑνὸς ἀλλὰ περὶ παντὸς τοῦ πληρώσαντος τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν βελῶν ὁ λόγος. 1173 Ps 127,2 Καὶ α λλως δ' α ν ει ποις τρέφειν ψυχὴν αὐτὴν τὴν ἀρετήν, ω στε ει ναι αὐτοὺς τοὺς κατὰ θεὸν καμάτους τροφίμους καὶ εὐφραντικοὺς ψυχῆς. ὁ μὲν ου ν φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν αὐτοῦ ἐσθίει, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν αὐτὸν ὡς η δη τέλειος τὸν ζῶντα φάγεται α ρτον τὸν ἐπουράνιον κατὰ τὸ Μακάριος ο ς φάγεται α ρτον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Καρποὺς δέ φησιν ἐνταῦθα τὰς χεῖρας, ι να ει πῃ Τοὺς πόνους τῶν χειρῶν σου φάγεται, τουτέστι τῶν πρακτικῶν δυνάμεων. 1174 Ps 127,3 Προχείρως μέν ἐστι καὶ περὶ πόδα τὴν λέξιν ἐξομαλίζοντα ταύτας δίδοσθαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον, ὡς α ν ε τι ἀτελεῖ, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ τῷ ἀγαπῶντι αὐτὸν ἐξ ο λης καρδίας καὶ ἐξ ο λης ψυχῆς καὶ δυνάμεως· ̓Οφθαλμὸς γὰρ οὐκ ει δε καὶ ου ς οὐκ η κουσε καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, α ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. τῷ δὲ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον δῶρον θεοῦ δίδοται κοινωνός τις καὶ σύζυγος, οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα γυνὴ ἀλλ' ἡ τῇ ἀληθινῇ ἀμπέλῳ παρεικασμένη, ω στ' α ν εἰρῆσθαι περὶ αὐτῆς Γυνὴ ἀγαθὴ μέρις ἀγαθή, καὶ Γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν τίς α ν εὑρήσῃ; τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων πολυτελῶν ἡ τοιαύτη. ὡς ε μπαλιν ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου πονηρὰ καὶ τὸν τρόπον ὀργαλέα σύζυγος ὀργὴ α ν ει η θεοῦ, ου τω καὶ υἱοὶ ἐκ θεοῦ δίδονται τῷ φοβουμένῳ τὸν κύριον οὐχ ο μοιοι τοῖς πολλοῖς υἱοῖς ἀλλ' οἱ ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κυκλοῦντα καὶ στεφανοῦντα τὴν τράπεζαν αὐτοῦ. νοήσεις δὲ καὶ τούτους ἀπὸ τοῦ τελείου τοῦ λέγοντος ̓Εγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ ἐλαία κατάκαρπος ἐν τῷ οι κῳ τοῦ θεοῦ. τῆς γὰρ τοιαύτης ἐλαίας τὰ γεννήματα ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν ει ναι λέγεται. Εἰ δέ τις μὴ φοβουμένους τὸν κύριόν φησι πολλάκις ἐν περιουσίᾳ τέκνων ὑπάρχειν καὶ ἐν εὐθηνίᾳ γυναικός, ἀλλ' ἐροῦμεν ο τι ὁ παρὼν μακαρισμὸς οὐχ ἁπλῶς γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα ἐπαγγέλλεται, ἀλλ' ο λον αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὴν ἀμπέλῳ μὲν ἀπεικασμένην γυναῖκα, νεοφύτοις δ' ἐλαιῶν τέκνα· οὐ τοιαῦτα δὲ τὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν. 1175 Ps 127,4 ̓Απεντεῦθεν μακάριος ει ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν κύριον, ἐπεὶ ἡ συνοῦσά σοι γυνὴ οἰστική ἐστι καρπῶν εὐφραινόντων τυγχάνουσα α μπελος. ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ γενήματά σου οὐκ ἀσθενῆ οὐ θήλεα ἀλλ' ευ τονοι υἱοὶ περὶ τὴν σὴν τράπεζαν ο ντες δίκην νεοφύτων ἐλαιῶν τὴν τροφὴν τοῦ φωτὸς καρποφορούντων. πλήρης δὲ πάντων τῶν τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τρεφόντων ἡ νοητὴ τράπεζά σου ὑπάρχει. Ισθι δὲ ἐν τούτοις γεγονὼς ὑπὸ κυρίου εὐλογίαν ε χειν η ν οὐκ α λλος η ὁ εὐλαβὴς παρὰ κυρίου λήψεται. δηλοῦται δὲ διὰ τοῦ Ανθρωπος καὶ πᾶς α νθρωπος. διὸ οὐ περὶ αἰσθητῆς γυναικὸς καὶ σωματικῶν τέκνων ἐκλαβεῖν προσήκει τὰ προκείμενα, πολλῶν τὸν θεοῦ φόβον κεκτημένων ου τε γυναῖκα ου τε τέκνα ἐσχηκότων. εἰ τοίνυν τὰ τῆς λέξεως οὐ καθόλου, τὸ πνευματικὸν τῶν ἐκκειμένων ζητητέον παντὶ εὐλαβεῖ ὑπάρχοντι. 1176 Ps 128,1–4 Κατὰ ἀναγωγὴν δὲ νοήσεις ου τως· οἱ μιᾷ προσβολῇ πολεμίων ἁλισκόμενοι οὐ λέγοιεν τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ μόνος ὁ ἐκ νέου μέχρι γήρως εἰς φυγὴν τοὺς πολεμίους τρέπων ἀεὶ νικητὴς καὶ τροπαιοῦχος αὐτῶν γινόμενος. ἀπόδειξιν δὲ τοῦ πλεονάκις αὐτοὺς πεπολεμηκέναι ἐπήγαγε τὸ Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησάν μοι· ει χον γὰρ τὸν κύριον τὸν συντρίβοντα πολεμίους ἐνδυναμοῦντά με. Τῶν δὲ μετὰ παρρησίας ἀπαγγελλομένων οὐ τὸν τυχόντα ἀλλὰ τὸν ὁρῶντα θεὸν
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Discover how early Christians interpreted the Psalms as divine messages and prophecies about salvation and judgment.
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