PSALM 100__

v.1 Of mercy and judgment will I sing to you, O Lord

 1. He wishes to sing of the logos of providence and judgment.

1̔2̓. ἐλεος καὶ κρίσιν ᾄσομαί σοι, κύριε

 1. τὸν περὶ προνοίας καὶ κρίσεως ᾆσαι θέλει λόγον. [͂PG 12.1557]

v.2 I will sing [a psalm] and I will be wise in blameless ways. When will you come to me?

 2. The one saying to God, When will you come to me, recounts how and in what way he prepared to receive him.  But take note of this: that apart from God it is impossible to comprehend the logos of providence and judgment; and therefore the one who wishes to grasp this logos  cries to God for assistance, that this will especially bless him.

2̔1̓. ψαλῶ καὶ συνήσω ἐν ὁδῷ ἀμώμῳ· πότε ἥξεις πρός με;

 2. ὁ εἰρηκὼς τῷ θεῷ ̧ πότε ἥξεις πρός με, ς τίνα καὶ πόσα εὐτρέπισεν πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν αὐτοῦ, καταλέγει. πλὴν τοῦτο ἰστέον, ὅτι χωρὶς Θεοῦ τὸν περὶ προνοίας καὶ κρίσεως λόγον νοῆσαι ἀδύνατόν ἐστιν· διόπερ καὶ οὗτος βουλόμενος ἐφαψᾶσθαι τοῦ λόγου τούτου, Θεὸν καλεῖ πρὸς βοηθείαν, ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα μακαρίσας. [cf Pitra 2̔2̓β]

 3. ἀπαθοῦς λόγου.

5. The one secretly slandering his neighbor - him I have expelled.

 4. This saying is useful for slanderers

5̔1̓. τὸν καταλαλοῦντα λάθρα τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, τοῦτον ἐξεδίωκον

 4. χρήσιμον τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸς τοὺς καταλαλοῦντας. [͂PG 12.1557]

 5. Pride is an imitation of magninimity or preparedness.

5̔2̓.  ὑπερηφάνῳ ὀφθαλμῷ καὶ ἀπλήστῳ καρδίᾳ, τούτῳ οὐ συνήσθιον.

 5.  ὑπερηφανία ἐστὶν μίμησις μεγαλοψυχίας ἢ προποίησις. [cf Pitra 5ε]

6. My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me [He who walked in a perfect way - this one ministered to me.]

 6. The saying is to be directed towards priestly ministries exercised for themselves by most wicked servants

100·6. οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου ἐπὶ τοὺς πιστοὺς τῆς γῆς τοῦ συγκαθῆσθαι αὐτοὺς μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ. [πορευόμενος ἐν ὁδῷ ἀμώμῳ, οὗτός μοι ἐλειτούργει]

 6. χρηστέον τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἱερατικοὺς ὑπηρετουμένους ὑπὸ δούλων πονηροτάτων. [͂PG 12.1557]

8(2) that I might utterly destroy from the city of the Lord all workers of lawlessness.

 7. Here city of the Lord means his own soul, in which he has put to death all unlawful [tempting-] thoughts.

8̔2̓. τοῦ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ἐκ πόλεως κυρίου πάντας τοὺς ἐργαζομένους τὴν ἀνομίαν.

 7. νῦν πόλιν Κυρίου λέγει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, ἐν ᾗ πάντας ἀπέκτεινε λογισμοὺς παρανόμους. [͂PG 12.1557]

PSALM 101__

v.10 For I ate ashes as if it were bread, and mixed my drink with weeping.

 5. This saying is useful for those who at mealtime make merry with flutes and songs.

101·10.  ὅτι σποδὸν ὡσεὶ ἄρτον ἔφαγον
καὶ τὸ πόμα μου μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ ἐκίρνων

 5. χρήσιμον τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸς τοὺς παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πότου αὐλοῖς καὶ ᾠδαῖς τερπομένους.[͂PG 12.1557]

v. 14 You will arise and have compassion on Zion.

 8. Here ‘Zion’ means the reasoning nature naturally disposed to behold the things of heaven.

14.  Σὺ ἀναστὰς οἰκτειρήσεις τὴν Σιὼν

 8. νῦν τὴν  Σιὼν τὴν φύσιν λέγει τὴν λογικὴν τὴν πεφυκυῖαν σκοπεύειν τὰ ἐπουράνια.῟ Π 101.14̓

PSALM 102__

5. renewed like the eagle’s shall be your youth.

 6.  The eagle strips off its molt, just as a man strips off the old man, corrupt according to deceitful desires. [Eph. 4:22].

102.5. ἀνακαινισθήσεται ὡς ἀετοῦ ἡ νεότης σου.

 6. τὸ γῆρας ἀποδύεται ὁ ἀετὸς ὡς καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποδύεται τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης.῟PG 12.1560̓

PSALM 103__

9. A boundary have you set that they may not pass; nor shall they turn again to cover the earth.

 8. This is said in reference to the subterranean demons.

9. Ὅριον ἔθου ὃ οὐ παρελεύσονται, οὐδὲ ἐπιστρέψουσιν καλύψαι τὴν γῆν.

 η´. Περὶ τῶν καταχθονίων δαιμόνων ταῦτα λέγεσθαί φασι.

PSALM 104__

14 He suffered no man to wrong  them:

 9 From this we know that those wronged by men are wronged according to abandonment by God

104·14.  οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἄνθρωπον ἀδικῆσαι αὐτοὺς

  9. ἐντεῦθεν γινώσκομεν, ὅτι οἱ ἀδικούμενοι ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων κατ' ἐγκατάλειψιν ἀδικοῦνται Θεοῦ.῟ PG 12.1564̓

15. Do not touch my anointed ones

 10. Because those who are kind partake of Christ they are called ‘kind’;  whereas the Christ who partakes of the Father is called ‘Christ’ [anointed].  By ‘Christ’ I mean the Lord who, with God the Word, has come among [us].

104·15.  μὴ ἅπτεσθε τῶν χριστῶν μου

 10. οὗτοι οἱ χρηστοὶ Χριστοῦ μετέχοντες λέγονται χρηστοί· ὁ δὲ  Χριστὸς τοῦ πατρὸς μετέχων λέγεται Χριστός. Χριστὸν δέ φημι τὸν μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου ἐπιδημήσαντα κύριον.῟PG 12.1564̓
 [cf Clem Strom 2.4.18.3.1; 6.17.149.5; Did dTrin 39.712.6; old NT variant: become chrēstoi, like heavenly father]

v. 19 until his word came.
 The word of the Lord inflamed him.

 11. The devil bring many temptations upon the holy ones until the word of the Lord comes which inflames and purifies their hearts.

104·19. μέχρι τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ,
  τὸ λόγιον τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπύρωσεν αὐτόν

 11. πολλοὺς πειρασμοὺς ἐπάγει τοῖς ἁγίοις ὁ διάβολος μέχρι τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν λόγον τοῦ  Θεοῦ τὸν πυροῦντα καὶ καθαρίζοντα τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν.῟ Pitra 104·19̔1̓̓

PSALM 106__

v. 21-22.  Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies

 10. The one who understands the logoi of providence - he extols the Lord’s mercies.

21   ἐξομωλογησάσθωσαν τῷ κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτου

 10. ὁ τοὺς περὶ προνοίας ἐπιστάμενος λόγους, οὗτος δοξάζει τὰ ἐλέη κυρίου. [cf Pitra 106·21-22̔1̓]

PSALM 107__

v.3.  Awake, psalter[y] and harp; I will arise at dawn

 The symbol of the nous is the psalter[y]; that of the soul, the kithara.  And the nous rejecting ignorance is ‘raised up’, [likewise] the soul [rejecting] vice.  But I call ‘soul’ the portion of the soul subject to passion, which is the thumikon and the epithumetikon.

107·3̔1̓. Ἐξεγέρθητι, ψαλτήριον καὶ κιθάρα

 2. τοῦ νοῦ μὲν σύμβολόν ἐστι τὸ ψαλτήριον, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἡ κιθάρα. καὶ νοῦς μὲν ἐγείρεται ἀποβάλλων ἄγνοιαν, ψυχὴ δὲ κακίαν· ψυχὴν δὲ λέγω τὸ παθητικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τὸ θυμικὸν καὶ τὸ ἐπιθυμητικόν. [͂ Pitra 107·3̔1̓]

PSALM 108__

v. 24 My knees are weakened from fasting, and my flesh is changed from [lack of] oil.

 16. The saying is to be directed towards those who are contemptuous of temperance.

108·24. τὰ γόνατά μου ἠσθένησαν ἀπὸ νηστείας, καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου ἠλλοιώθη δι᾿ἔλαιον.

 16. χρηστέον τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς καταφρονοῦντας τῆς ἐγκρατείας. [͂PG 12-1568-1569] Αντ 1.18

29. Let those who falsely accuse me be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their shame as with a cloak.

 19. While Samuel was clothed in a ‘cloak’ (1Sam 2:19) which ‘the Jerusalem above which is our mother’ (Gal 4:26) made for him, sinners are clothed in [the]  cloak of their own shame [In Ps 8 on 118; 5 on 118]

29.  ἐνδυσάσθωσαν οἱ ἐν διαβάλλοντές με ἐντροπὴν, καὶ περιβαλέσθωσαν ὡς διπλοΐδα αἰσχύνην αὐτῶν.

 19.  ὁ μὲν Σαμουὴλ ἐνδύεται διπλοΐδα, ἣν πεποίηκεν αὐτῷ ἡ ἄνωἹερουσαλὴμ, ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν· οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐνδύονται διπλοΐδα αἰσχύνης αὐτῶν.῾cf. Π 29-31̔2̓̓

PSALM 109__

3 With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the brightness of the saints:

 1. If the beginning of the son is the father, while the beginning was with the Christ; then it is well said in the Gospels: “Not I alone, but I and the Father Who sent me.” () .  Day of power means the day of the cross or the day of the Incarnation.

31.  Μετὰ σοῦ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς δυνάμεώς σου ἐν ταῖς λαμπρότησι τῶν ἁγίων, κ. τ. ἑ.

 α´. Εἰ ἀρχὴ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ὁ Πατὴρ, ἡ δὲ ἀρχὴ ἦν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καλῶς λέγει ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις τό· ̧ Οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πέμψας με Πατήρ. ς Ἡμέραν δὲ δυνάμεως εἶπε τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἢ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως.

PSALM 111__

111:5. Kindly is the man that shows mercy and lends;
He will steward his words with judgment,

 4.  The saying is to be directed towards those who thoughtlessly disclose the mysteries of the sacred scriptures indiscriminately: and so Paul says, ‘Let a man thus account us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.’ (1 Cor. 4:1).

111·5 χρηστὸς ἀνὴρ ὁ οἰκτίρων καὶ κιχρῶν
οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει

 4. χρηστέον τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἀπερισκέπτως ἐκφέροντας μυστήρια τῆς θείας γραφῆς ἀδιακρίτως· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· ̧ οὕτως ἡμᾶς λογιζέσθω ἄνθρωπος ὡς ὑπηρέτας Χριστοῦ καὶ οἰκονόμους τῶν μυστηρίων Θεοῦ. ς [͂Pitra 111·5̔2̓; cf PG 12.1572]

PSALM 112__

v. 5-6. Who is like the Lord our God, who is dwelling in the heights and is looking upon the low [things] in heaven and on the earth

 2. For God dwells in the holy powers: he exercises providence over lowly human beings, so that ‘his will may be done, as in heaven, so also on the earth.’ (Mt. 6:10).

5 τίς ὡς κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν
 ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν
6 καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν
 ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῃ

 2. οἰκεῖ μὲν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ταῖς ἁγίαις δυνάμεσι· προνοεῖται δὲ τῶν ταπεινῶν ἀνθρώπων ἵνα ̧ γένηται τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ς [͂PG 12.1572]

PSALM 113__

v. 1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a barbarous people: Judah became his consecration

 1. If Judah is the consecration of God , while ‘Judah’ is interpreted as meaning ‘one who extolls’, then every soul which extolls is a consecration of God.

1-2. Ἐν ἐξόδῳἸσραὴλ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, οἴκουἸακὼβ ἐκ λαοῦ βαρβάρου, ἐγενήθηἸουδαία ἁγίασμα αὐτοῦ, κ. τ. ἑ.

 α´. Εἰ ἁγίασμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡἸουδαία ἐστὶν, ἡ δὲἸουδαία ἐξομολογούμενος ἑρμηνεύεται, πᾶσα ἐξομολογουμένη ψυχὴ ἁγίασμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστι.

PSALM 118__

v.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, [who walk in the law of the Lord.]

 1. It is not through being undefiled that a person is called blessed, but rather through the knowledge of God which is acquired through being undefiled: for, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.” (Mt 5:8). .

1.  Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ κυρίου.

 α´. Οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀμωμότητα μακάριος ἄνθρωπος ὀνομάζεται, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ  Θεοῦ, ἢν μέλλει κτᾶσθαι διὰ τῆς ἀμωμότητος· ̧ Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδία, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται. ς [PG 12.1588]

v.3. For those who work lawlessness
  have not walked in His ways

 2. If those who work lawlessness are not those who walk in the ways of God, it follows that those who work justice are those who will walk in the ways of the Lord.  Therefore the ways of the Lord are the contemplations of what has come into being, ‘in which we shall walk, accomplishing justice’. (cf.Ps 14:2)  But if our justice is the Christ  ‘for he has become our wisdom from God, our justice and sanctification and redemption’, (1Cor 1:30) Solomon says well in Proverbs that wisdom is the ‘beginning of the ways’ (Prov. 8:22)  of the Lord - [for] this [wisdom] is the Christ.  And I call ‘Christ’ the Lord who, with God the Word, has come among [us].

118.3.  οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν
    ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπορεύθησαν

 2. εἰ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐ πορεύονται, οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι δηλονότι τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ πορευθήσονται. οὐκοῦν ὁδοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσιν αἱ θεωρίαι τῶν γεγονότων ἐν αἷς πορευσόμεθα δικαιοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοι. εἰ δὲ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ̧ ἐγενήθη γὰρ ἡμῖν σοφία παρὰ θεοῦ, δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἁγιασμὸς, καὶ ἀπολύτρωσις, ς καλῶς λέγει ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις ὁ  Σολομὼν τὴν σοφίαν  ̧ ἀρχὴν ς εἶναι τῶν ̧ ὁδῶν ς τοῦ Κυρίου, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός. λέγω δὲ Χριστὸν τὸν μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου ἐπιδημήσαντα Κύριον.῾cf PG 12.1588̓.

v.4 You have commanded that your commandments be diligently kept.

 3. The one who is not sinning in his mind diligently keeps the commandments of God.

4.  Σὺ ἐνετείλω τὰς ἐντολάς σου
φυλάξασθαι σφόδρα

 γ´.Ὁ μὴ κατὰ διάνοιαν ἁμαρτάνων σφόδρα φυλάσσει τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ.

6. Then I will not be ashamed, when I look attentively at all your commandments.

 4. If one who performs all the commandments “but stumbles in one [of them] becomes guilty of all “(Ja 11:10), then it is well-written, Then I will not be ashamed, when I look attentively at all your commandments.  For one disregarded commandment can result in shame for us.

6. Τότε οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ, ἐν τῷ με ἐπιβλέπειν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς σου, κ. τ. ἑ.

 δ´. Εἰ ὁ πάσας ποιήσας τὰς ἐντολὰς, πταίσας δὲ ἐν μιᾷ γίνεται πάντων ἔνοχος, καλῶς γέγραπται· ̧ Τότε οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ ἐν τῷ με ἐπιβλέπειν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς σου· ς οἶδε γὰρ καὶ μία παραμεληθεῖσα ἐντολὴ αἰσχύνης ἡμῖν γίνεσθαι πρόξενος.

v.7 I will give you thanks, O Lord, in uprightness of heart,
when I have learned the judgments of your justice.

 5. He glorifies God in uprightness of heart - the one who has learned from the Lord the logoi concerning judgment:  the reason why ‘the heaven of heavens belong to the Lord, while the earth he has given to the sons of men’; (Ps 113:16)
and what the logos is of the subterranean demons and why they have not become human beings; what the origin is of Hades; and what Paradise is; and what ‘the Jerusalem above’ is (Gal 4:26); and [what] its Zion is, from which the Christ is said to come, for it says, ‘there shall come from Zion  the Deliverer, and he will turn back impiety from Jacob’ (Is 59:20); and what the logos is of Israel’s falling away  and of the gentiles’ substitution [for Israel] ;

the reason why not all men, called from the beginning, receive the law of Moses;  why we have become the portion of the angels, while Israel [became] ‘the portion of the Lord’ instructed [by him] and ‘the measuring-line of his inheritance’; (Deut 32:9)  how ‘the inheritance of the angels’ had believed; and how, in contrast, ‘the portion of the Lord’ comprehended;

and the reason David says, ‘Your judgments are a great abyss’ ; (Ps 35:7)  and [why] Paul says, ‘O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!’ (Rom 11:33)

7.  ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, κύριε, ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας, ἐν τῷ μεμαθηκέναι με τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου.

 5. οὗτος ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας δοξάζει τὸν Θεὸν ὁ τοὺς περὶ κρίσεως λόγους παρὰ κυρίου μεμαθηκώς, τίνος χάριν ὁ οὐρανὸς μὲν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ, τὴν δὲ γῆν ἔδωκε τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τίς ὁ λόγος τῶν καταχθονίων δαιμόνων καὶ διὰ τί μὴ οὗτοι γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, τίς τε ἡ αἰτία τοῦ ᾅδου, καὶ τίς ὁ παράδεισος, καὶ τίς πάλιν ἡ ἄνωἹερουσαλήμ καὶ ἡ ταύτης  Σιὼν, ἀφ' ἧς λέγεται ἔρχεσθαι ὁ Χριστός, ἥξει γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ Σιὼν ὁ ῥυόμενος καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸἸακώβ, καὶ τίς ὁ λόγος τοῦ ἐκπεσόντος Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ τῶν ἀντεισαχθέντων ἐθνῶν·

τίνος χάριν μὴ πάντες ἄνθρωποι ἐκλήθημεν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς, τὸν τοῦ Μωσέως νόμον δεξάμενοι, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς μὲν ἀγγέλων γεγόναμεν κλῆροι, ὁ δὲ Ἰσραὴλ μερὶς ἐχρημάτισε τοῦ κυρίου καὶ σχοίνισμα κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ, πῶς οὖν ἡ κληρονομία τῶν ἀγγέλων πεπίστευκεν, ἡ δὲ μερὶς τοῦ Κυρίου ἠπίστησεν·

καὶ διὰ τί νῦν λέγει καὶ ὁ Δαυίδ· τὰ κρίματά σου ἄβυσσος πολλή· καὶ Παῦλός φησιν·  ὦ βάθος πλούτου σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεου· ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητα τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ.῟Pitra 119.7̓

v.11 In my heart I have hidden your words, so that I may not sin against you

 6.  It is proper to hide the commandments of the Lord in the heart, on account of the demons snatching at them.

11. ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου,
 ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι,

 6. κρύπτειν δεῖ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ κυρίου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ διὰ τοὺς ἁρπάζοντας αὐτὰς δαίμονας· τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ ὁ Σολομὼν ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις παραινεῖ· ὑιέ, φησίν, . . .

 (but Gnostikos?)

ΤΗΙΣ ΤΕΧΤ ΙΣ ΝΟΤ̔·̓ ΙΝ ΡΟΝΔΕΑΥ

v.11 In my heart I have hidden your words, so that I may not sin against you,

It is dangerous not only to speak lies, but also the truth when it is not fitting to proclaim everything.  For, “It is not proper to throw pearls before swine, nor to give holy things to the dogs.” (Mt 7:6)

11.Ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι, κ. τ. ἑ.

Κίνδυνος γὰρ οὐ μόνον τὸ τὰ ψευδῆ λέγειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τἀληθῆ, ἐπὰν ὅλως μὴ δεῖ ἀπαγγέλλειν. Οὐ γὰρ δεῖ τοὺς μαργαρίτας βάλλεσθαι ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, οὐδὲ διδόναι τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσί. [PG 12.1589]

v.18 Unveil  my eyes:
 and I will consider wondrous things from your law.

 8. The law’s uncovering indicates: ‘the commandment of the law is clear’. (Ps 18:9)  And law in this instance denotes the spiritual alleorizing of the historical [level] of the Scriptures.  This is what Paul was doing when he wrote in the letter to the Galatians: ‘tell me’ he says, ‘you who wish to be under the law, do you not hear the law?  for it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman’ (Gal 4:21-22).. And so allegorizing, he spiritually elevates the whole historical [meaning] up to the ‘heavenly Jerusalem.’ (Gal 4:26) [In Ps 19 on 108; 5 on 118]

18. ἀποκάλυψον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου,
καὶ κατανοήσω τὰ θαυμάσια ἐκ τοῦ νόμου σου

 8.  ὁ νόμος ἀποκαλύψεως δεῖται· ἡ γὰρ ἐντολὴ Κυρίου τηλαυγής ἐστιν. νόμον δὲ ἐνταῦθα ὠνόμασε τὴν πνευματικῶς ἀλληγορουμένην τῆς γραφῆς ἱστορίαν· ὅπερ καὶ Παῦλος πεποίηκεν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Γαλάτας ἐπιστολῇ γράφων· ̧ Λέγετέ μοι, φησὶν, οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον θέλοντες εἶναι, τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀναγινώσκετε;  γέγραπται γὰρ, ὅτιἈβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν, ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης, καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας· ς καὶ ἀνάγει πᾶσι τὴν ἱστορίαν πνευματικῶς ἀλληγορῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄνωἹερουσαλήμ.῟PG 12.1592̓

60.  I prepared myself and was not terrified [“disturbed”] at the keeping of your commands.

 24.  Apatheia naturally keeps the heart untroubled, which happens to us through a proper way of life and true teachings.

60.  ἡτοιμάσθην, καὶ οὐκ ἐταράχθην
 τοῦ φυλάξασθαι τὰς ἐντολάς σου

 24. ἡ ἀπάθεια πέφυκε ἀτάραχον τὴν καρδίαν φυλάττειν, ἥτις ἡμῖν προσγίνεται ἐκ πολιτείας ὀρθῆς καὶ δογμάτων ἀληθῶν. [cf. PG 12.1600]

118.62.  At midnight I arose to thank you for the judgments of your righteousness.

 27.   This is to be said to those who are neglectful of noctunal prayers.

118·62.  μεσονύκτιον ἐξεγειρόμην τοῦ ἐξομολογεῖσθαί σοι ἐπὶ τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου

 27. λεκτέον τοῦτο πρὸς τοὺς ἀμελοῦντας νύκτωρ τῶν προσευχῶν. [͂PG 12.1600]

70 curdled like milk is their heart

 30. Just as there was [a time] when the curd was not a curd, so there was [a time] when the demons wer not evil.  For if the milk is older than the curd, this indicates that virtue is older than vice: for David [here] likens the curd to vice.

70.  ἐτυρώθη ὡς γάλα ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν

 30. ὥσπερ ὁ τυρὸς [12.1601] ἦν ὅτε οὐκ ἦν τυρὸς, οὕτω καὶ οἱ δαίμονες ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦσαν πονηροί. εἰ δὲ τὸ γάλα πρεσβύτερόν ἐστι τοῦ τυροῦ, δηλονότι καὶ ἡ ἀρετὴ πρεσβυτέρα τῆς κακίας ἐστίν· τυρῷ γὰρ Δαυῒδ τὴν κακίαν ἀπείκασεν.῾cf  PG 12.1600Δ-1601Ἀ

118:83.  It was good for me that you humbled me, so that I might learn your righteous deeds.

 31. This saying is to be directed towards those who are abandoned by God for the benefit of [their] soul.

118.71 ἀγαθόν μοι ὅτι ἐταπείνωσάς με, ὅπως ἂν μάθω τὰ δικαιώματά σου.

 31. χρηστέον τῷ ῥητῷ τούτῳ πρὸς τοὺς ἐγκαταλειφθέντας παρὰ θεῷ εἰς ὠφέλειαν ψυχῆς·[ Pitra 118·83῾1̓]

118:85.  Trangressors told me idle stories, but not according to your law, O Lord.

 37. This saying is to be directed towards those who, from external wisdom, profess to teach concerning the knowledge of God.

118·85. διηγήσαντό μοι παράνομοι ἀδολεσχίας
ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ὁ νόμος σου, κύριε

 37. χρηστέον τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας περὶ γνώσεως θεοῦ ἐπαγγελλομένους διδάσκειν.[͂PG 12.1604]

100 I have insight beyond elders: for I have sought your commandments.

 44. We should proclaim this saying to those seniors who consider advanced age and apatheia to be an agent of the knowledge of God.

118·100. Ὑπὲρ πρεσβυτέρους συνῆκα, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου ἐξεζήτησα, κ. τ. ἑ.

 44. χρησώμεθα τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς γέροντας τοὺς μακρῳ χρονῳ καὶ τὴν ἀπάθειαν νομίζοντας εἶναι πρόξενον τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. [cf PG 12.1608]

144. Your testimonies [are] an everlasting righteousness: instruct me and I will live.

 65. Intelligence is prior to knowledge, thus the gnostikos is also intelligent: however, the intelligent [one] is not [necessarily] always also a gnostikos.

144. Δικαιοσύνη τὰ μαρτύριά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· συνέτισόν με, καὶ ζήσομαι, κ. τ. ἑ.

̔ ξε´. Η σύνεσις προτέρα ἐστὶ τῆς γνώσεως, ὡς εἶναι τὸν γνωστικὸν καὶ συνετόν· τὸν δὲ συνετὸν οὐ πάντως καὶ γνωστικόν.

PSALM 121__

4.  For there ascended the tribes,
 the tribes of the Lord as a testimony for Israel

 1. [the text] prophecies concerning the tribes yet to come, ascending to virtue and knowledge of God.  For Israel was at first called up to Jerusalem, and up to the house of the Lord; but now all the tribeswill attain to virtue and to the knowledge of God.

4-5.    ἐκεὶ γὰρ ἀνέβησαν αἱ φυλαὶ,
  φυλαὶ Κυρίου, μαρτύριον τοῦἸσραὴλ

 1. προφητεύει περὶ τῶν μελλουσῶν φυλῶν ἀναβαίνειν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ γνῶσιν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ. πρότερον γὰρ ὁἸσραὴλ ἐκάλει τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον κυρίου, νυνὶ δὲ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τετυχήκασι τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεου. [cf PG 12.1633]

PSALM 122__

 1. God dwells as creator in the corporeal heavens through his ‘richly-diverse wisdom’ (Eph 3:10), and in the noetic (spiritual)[ heavens] as justice and knowledge and wisdom.

1.  Πρὸς σὲ ᾖρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου
 τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ

 1. ὁ θεὸς ἐν μὲν τοῖς σωματικοῖς οὐρανοῖς ὡς δημιουργὸς κατοικεῖ διὰ τῆς πολυποικίλου σοφίας αὐτοῦ, ἐν δὲ τοῖς νοητοῖς ὡς δικαιοσύνη καὶ γνώσει καὶ σοφία. [͂PG 12.1633]

PSALM 125__

v.1.  When the Lord [over]turned the captivity of Zion, we became as comforted ones.

 1.  “Captivity” is the change in the reasoning nature from virtue and knowledge to vice and ignorance.

1  Ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέψαι Κύριον τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν  Σιὼν, ἐγενήθημεν ὡσεὶ παρακεκλημένοι, κ. τ. ἑ.

 α´. Αἰχμαλωσία ἐστὶ φύσεως λογικῆς ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς καὶ γνώσεως ἐπὶ κακίαν καὶ ἀνοησίαν μετάβασις.

v.2(b).  Then would they say among the gentiles, the Lord has done great things among them.”

 2.  “Afterwards he showed himself on earth and conversed with men.” (Baruch 3:38)

22. Τότε ἐροῦσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν·Ἐμεγάλυνε Κυριος [1641] τοῦ ποιῆσαι μετ' αὐτῶν.

 β´. ̧ Μετὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ὤφθη, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συνανεστράφη.ς

v. 5.  Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

 3.  Those who labor at the praktike with painful effort and tears are sowing in tears; those who effortlessly receive a share in knowledge are reaping with rejoicing. One must additionally note in this saying that we  come into [this] life posessing all the seeds of the virtues.  And  Just as [tears] fall with the seeds, so with the sheaves there is joy.

5. Οἱ σπείροντες ἐν δάκρυσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσιν.

 3. οἱ μὲν τὴν πρακτικὴν μετὰ πόνου καὶ δακρύων κατεργαζόμενοι ἐν δάκρυσι σπείρουσιν· οἱ δὲ τῆς γνώσεως ἀπόνως μεταλαμβάνοντες ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσι. πλὴν τούτῳ τῷ ῥητῷ προσεκτέον ὅτι πάντες ἔχοντες σπέρματα τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐπιδημοῦμεν τῷ βίῷ. καὶ ὥσπερ ἕπεται τοῖς σπέρμασι δάκρυα, οὕτω τοῖς δράγμασιν ἡ χαρά. [cf PG 12.1641]

PSALM 126__

v. 1 Unless the Lord build the house
in vain do they labor who build it;
unless the lord keeps watch over the city
in vain do the watchers keep vigil.

 1. Useful is this saying for the [tempting-] thought of pride.

126.1. ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος οἰκοδομήσῃ οἶκον,
εἰς μάτην ἐκοπίασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες·
ἐὰν μὴ Κύριος φυλάξῃ πόλιν,
εἰς μάτην ἠγρύπνησεν ὁ φυλάσσων

 1.· χρήσιμον τὸ ῥητὸν πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ὑπερηφανίας λογισμούς.. [῀ PG  24.20; cf PG 12.1641] Αντ 8.30

 2. Insofar as the soul may be compared to a house, it possesses the Christ within as housemaster; if it then becomes a city it possesses the Christ within enthroned as king. And if it then becomes a temple, it is possible for it to possess the Christ within as God.  For [it is] through the praktiké [that] it acquires him as housemaster, through natural contemplation as king; and finally through theologia as God.   And the third requires of necessity the [first] two, just as the second [requires] the first: but the first does not necessarily [result in] the second and the third.

 2. ἐφ' ὅσον οἶκός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχὴ, οἰκοδεσπότην ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὸν Χριστόν· ἐὰν δὲ γένηται πόλις, ὡς βασιλέα καθεζόμενον ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὸν Χριστόν.  ἐὰν δὲ γένηται καὶ ναός, ὡς Θεὸν ὑπάρχοντα ἔχει ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν Χριστόν. καὶ διὰ μὲν πρακτικῆς κτᾶται ὡς οἰκοδεσπότην αὐτὸν, διὰ δὲ φυσικῆς θεωρίας ὡς βασιλέα, καὶ πάλιν διὰ θεολογίας ὡς Θεόν. καὶ τῷ μὲν τρίτῳ ἕπεται ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὰ δύο, ὥσπερ καὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ τὸ πρῶτον· τῷ δὲ πρώτῳ νῦν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης τὸ δεύτερον καὶ τὸ τρίτον. [cf PG 12.1641-1644]

Quaemadmodum dormiendo ne quidem scimus nos dormire, ita et contemplando nescimus nos in contemplatione esse.

2 εἰς μάτην ὑμῖν ἐστιν τοῦ ὀρθρίζειν, ἐγείρεσθαι μετὰ τὸ καθῆσθαι, οἱ ἔσθοντες ἄρτον ὀδύνης, ὅταν δῷ τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς αὐτοῦ ὕπνον.

 γ´.Ὥσπερ ὑπνοῦντες οὐδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο γινώσκομεν, ὅτι ὑπνοῦμεν, οὕτω καὶ θεωροῦντες μηδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο γινώσκομεν, ὅτι ἐν θεωρίᾳ γεγόναμεν.

PSALM 131__

v. 1. Lord, remember David
 and all his gentleness,

 1.  The Lord remembers those in whom it happens; he does not remembers those in whom it does not happen.   But if the Lord remembers the gentle, [who] greatly need freedom from anger,  then this is given by the Lord. For gentleness is [the state] of being undisturbed by wrath when [confronted by] the loss of perishable pleasures.

1. μνήσθητι, Κύριε, τοῦ Δαυῒδ,
   καὶ πάσης τῆς πραότητος αὐτου

 1. ἐκείνου μνημονεύει ὁ Κύριος τοῦ ἐν ᾧ γίνεται, κἀκείνου οὐ μνημονεύει τοῦ ἐν ᾧ οὐ γίνεται. εἰ δὲ πραΰτητος μνημονεύει ὁ κύριος, πολλῆς ἀοργησίας χρεία, ἵνα τις δέξηται τὸν κύριον. πραΰτης γάρ ἐστιν ἀταραξία θυμοῦ κατὰ στέρησιν ἡδονῶν προσγινομένη φθαρτῶν. [cf PG 12.1649; cf Pitra 131·1̔1̓]

 2. Place of the Lord is the pure nous.

5.  ἕως οὗ εὕρω τόπον τῷ κυρίῳ

 2. Τόπος Κυρίου ὁ νοῦς καθαρός. [͂ PG 12.1649]

 3. According to Hebrews, Ephratha signifies ‘Mary’.

6̔1̓. ἰδοὺ ἠκούσαμεν αὐτὴν ἐν Ἐφραθᾷ

 3. Παρ' Ἑβραίοις το`Ἐφραθὰ Μαρία σημαίνει. [͂ Pitra  131·6̔2̓]

 4. [The text] speaks prophetically concerning wisdom, which is the Christ.

6̔2̓. εὕρομεν αὐτὴν ἐν τοῖς πεδίοις τοῦ δρυμοῦ

 4. Περὶ τῆς σοφίας λέγει προφητικῶς, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστός. [͂ PG  12.1649;῀ Pitra  131·6̔1̓]

v. 7 Let us worship in the place
   where his feet stood

 5. We adore the flesh of the Savior not because of its nature, but because the Christ is in it. The flesh is adorable because of the Christ; the Christ [is adorable] because of God the Word within him. By ‘Christ’ I here mean the reasoning and holy soul who came with God the Word into the life of men: for the flesh alone cannot naturally receive God, because our God is wisdom.  Now it is in a good heart that Solomon says wisdom will rest (cf Prov. 13:43): and while nothing of what is constituted by the four elements is able to receive knowledge, what is known to us is God.

131·7̔2̓. προσκυνήσωμεν εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ ἔστησαν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ

 5. Προσκυνοῦμεν τὴν σάρκα τοῦ σωτῆρος οὐ διὰ τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν ἐν αὐτῇ· καὶ ἡ μὲν σὰρξ προσκυνητὴ διὰ τὸν Χριστόν, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς διὰ τὸν θεὸν Λόγον τὸν ἐν αὐτῷ.  Χριστὸν δὲ ἐνταῦθά φημι τὴν λογικὴν καὶ ἁγίαν ψυχὴν τὴν μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγου ἐπιδημήσασαν τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· μόνη γὰρ σὰρξ οὐ πέφυκε δέχεσθαι θεὸν, διότι ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν σοφία ἐστίν. ἐν δὲ καρδίᾳ ἀγαθῇ, φησὶ Σαλομὼν, ἀναπαύσεται σοφία· οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν συνεστώτων ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων γνώσεώς ἐστι δεκτικόν, γνωστὸς δὲ ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ θεός.῾cf Pitra 131·7 λι. 1-21̓

 Go up, Lord to your rest; you and the ark of your sanctification.

 6. Now the flesh is the ark of the Christ, while the ark of God is the Christ,  since ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.’ (2Cor 5:9).

131·8.  ἀνάστηθι, κύριε, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου,
 σὺ καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ ἁγιάσματός σου.

 6. ἡ σὰρξ μέν ἐστι κιβωτὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ· κιβωτὸς δὲ Θεοῦ ὁ Χριστὸς, εἴπερ ὁ Θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ κόσμον καταλλάσσων ἑαυτόν. [ cf Pitra 131·8]

 7. Just as they are clothed, as it were, in justice, so also in temperance, fortitude, love, patient endurance, and the other virtues.  For this is is the ‘wedding garment’ [written of] in the Gospels. (Mt. 22:11-12)

9̔1̓.  οἱ ἱερεῖς σου ἐνδύσονται δικαιοσύνην

 7. ὥσπερ ἐνδύεταί τις δικαιοσύνην, οὕτω καὶ σωφροσύνην καὶ ἀνδρείαν καὶ ἀγάπην καὶ μακροθυμίαν καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ἀρετάς. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ἔνδυμα γάμου. [͂ PG 12.1649; Pitra 130·9]

9. ‘And he will give him’, said Gabriel to Mary, ‘the throne of David his father.’ (Lk 1:32)

11̔2̓. ἐκ καρποῦ τῆς κοιλίας σου θήσομαι ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον σου

 9. καὶ δώσει αὐτῷ, φησὶ Γαβριὴλ τῇ  Μαριάμ, ὁ θεὸς τὸν θρόνον Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. [͂Pitra 131·11̔2̓]

 10. While the throne of God is the reasoning nature, the throne of Christ is the contemplation of the ages which have been and are yet to be.

 10. θρόνος μέν ἐστι τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ φύσις ἡ λογική· θρόνος δὲ Χριστοῦ ἡ θεωρία τῶν γεγονότων καὶ γενησομένων αἰώνων. [͂Pitra 131·11̔2̓]

PSALM 134__

v.5. For I know that the Lord is great.

 1. Useful is this knowledge for contemplating the majesty of the Lord.

5. Ὅτι ἐγὼ ἔγνων ὅτι μέγας ὁ κύριος

 1. γνώσεως χρεία πρὸς τὸ θεωρῆσαι τὴν μεγαλειότητα τοῦ κυρίου.῟Pitra 134·5-6̔1̓̓

6.  all that the Lord willed he did
in Heaven, and on earth,
and in the sea, and in the depths.

 2.  Just as Heaven is a dwelling for the holy powers, so is the earth for  human beings.  For [Scripture] says, “The heaven of heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to human beings.” (Ps 113:16)  And just as in the figuratively-interpreted “seas” dwell the demons which oppose us; within them as well is “the dragon you made to play in them.” (Ps 103:26)   So also in the allegorically-interpreted depths there are the subterranean demons,  to which the terrestrial demons pleaded that Christ would not send [them] in the gospels. (cf Mt 8:31)  The more accurate knowledge of their worlds and their various bodies is stored up in the logoi concerning judgment.

134.6. πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ὁ κύριος ἐποίησεν
ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ,
ἐν τοῖς θαλάσσαις καὶ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς  ἀβύσσοις

 2.  ὥσπερ ὁ οὐρανὸς ἁγίων δυνάμεών οἰκητήριον, οὕτω καὶ ἡ γῆ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ̧Ὁ οὐρανὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ, τὴν δὲ γῆν ἔδωκε τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ς καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς τροπικῶς λεγομέναις θαλάσσαις οἰκοῦσιν οἱ ἀντικείμενοι ἡμῖν δαίμονες, ἐν αἷς καὶ ὁ δράκων ἐπλάσθη τοῦ ἐμπαίζειν αὐτοῖς, οὕτως καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀλληγορικῶς λεγομέναις ἀβύσσοις οἱ καταχθόνιοι δαίμονες πρὸς οὓς μὴ πεμφθῆναι παρεκάλουν τὸν  Χριστὸν ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις οἱ ἐπίγειοι δαίμονες· ἡ δὲ τούτων τῶν κόσμων καὶ τῶν διαφόρων σωμάτων ἀκριβεστέρα γνῶσις ἐν τοῖς περὶ κρίσεως λόγοις ἀπόκειται. [cf PG 12.1653¨ Π5-6̔3̓]

v. 7(1)  Who brings up clouds from the extremity of the earth:

 3. Cloud is the reasoning nature [which] has been entrusted with the logoi concerning providence.

134.7̔1̓. Ἀνάγων νεφέλας ἐξ ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς

 3. νεφέλη ἐστιν̀ φύσις λογικὴ τοὺς περὶ προνοίας λόγους πεπιστευμένη. [cf PG 12.1653]

v. 7(2)  he has made lightnings for the rain.

 4. Lightning is the spiritual teaching bringing the reasoning souls forth from vice.

134.7̔2̓. ἀστραπὰς εἰς ὑετὸν ἐποίησεν

 4. ἀστραπή ἐστιν διδασκαλία πνευματικὴ λογικὰς ψυχὰς ἀπὸ κακίας ἐπανάγουσα. [cf PG 12.1653]

v. 7(3). He brings forth winds from his treasuries.

 5. the symbolically designated winds send forth the soul’s ‘ears’ from the ‘buds’ so that ‘those who sowed in tears may reap with rejoicing’ (Ps 125:5)

134.7̔3̓. ἐξάγων ἀνέμους ἐκ θησαυρῶν αὐτοῦ

 5. οἱ τροπικῶς νῦν λεγόμενοι ἄνεμοι τοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς στάχυς ἐκ τῶν καλύκων προβάλλουσιν, ἵν' οἱ σπείροντες ἐν δάκρυσιν, ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θερίσωσιν. [͂Pitra 134·7]

 5bis. Wind is a reasoning soul transferring the nous elevated from the praktiké, to the most perfect knowledge.

 5βισ. ἄνεμός ἐστι φύσις λογικὴ τὸν ἀπὸ πρακτικῆς ὑψωθέντα νοῦν ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς γνώσεως μεταφέρουσα τελειότητα.

PSALM 136__

v.7 Remember, O Lord, the sons of Edom on the day of Jerusalem, who said: ‘demolish it, demolish it down to its foundation.’

 4. The [text] demolish it, demolish it down to its foundation is given as if said by the enemies: [it] signifies the wrestlers piercing us and touching the natural seeds of virtue which are symbolically called foundation , which [foundation] from the beginning was ‘broken down’ within the soul itself, so that the nous, having completely forfeited virtue should, as the parable says ‘go about naked as a pestle’ (Prov 23:31), neither clothed in Christ (Rom 13:14), nor having a wedding garment (Mt 22:11).

7. μνήσθητι, Κύριε, τῶν υἱῶνἘδὼμ τὴν ἡμέραν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῶν λεγόντων· ἐκκενοῦτε, ἐκκενοῦτε, ἕως ὁ θεμέλιος ἐν αὐτῇ

 4. τὸ ̧ Ἐκκενοῦτε, ἐκκενοῦτε, ἕως οὗ ὁ θεμέλιος ἐν αὐτῇ,ς ὡς παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν λεγόμενον τέθειται· δηλοῖ δὲ τοὺς παλαίοντας ἡμῖν πειρᾶσθαι καὶ τῶν φυσικῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἅπτεσθαι σπερμάτων, ἅπερ τροπικῶς ὠνόμασε θεμέλιον, ἀπ' ἀρχῆς καταβεβλημένον ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ψυχῃ  ἵνα παντάπασιν ὁ νοῦς ἀρετῆς ἐκπεσὼν κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν περιπατήσῃ γυμνότερος ὑπέρου, μὴ ἐνδυσάμενος τὸν Χριστὸν μηδὲ ἔχων ἔνδυμα γάμου. [cf PG  12.1657]

PSALM 137__

v.1. and before the angels I will chant psalms to you

1̔3̓ καὶ ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψαλῶ σοι

 1. To chant psalms before the angels is to sing psalms without distraction: either our mind is imprinted solely by the realities symbolized by the psalm, or else it is not imprinted.  Or perhaps he who chants psalms before the angels is apprehending the meaning of the psalms.

 1.  ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψάλλειν ἐστὶ τὸ ἀπερισπάστως ψάλλειν, ἤτοι τυπουμένου τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ ἡμῶν μόνοις τοῖς σημαινομένοις πράγμασιν ὑπὸ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, ἢ καὶ μὴ τυπουμένου·  ἢ τάχα οὕτος ἐναντίον ἀγγέλων ψάλλει ὁ νοῶν τὴν δύναμιν τῶν ψαλμῶν.[ cf. Pitra 137·1]

6. “For the Lord is high, and observes the lowly; and the exalted he knows from afar off.”

6. ̧Οτι ὑψηλὸς Κύριος, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορᾷ, καὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν γινώσκει.ς

 The Lord observes the lowly through the virtues; those who are exalted in mind he knows through wisdom.  For this observing and  knowing is said of those in whom the Lord indwells. (cf. Wis 7:24) And he does not observe or know those whom he does not indwell.  And this is completely attested in all the Sacred Scriptures.

 β´. Τοὺς μὲν ταπεινοὺς ὁ Κύριος διὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐφορᾷ, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ διάνοιαν ὑψηλοὺς διὰ τῆς σοφίας γινώσκει· τούτους γὰρ ἐφορᾶν καὶ γινώσκειν λέγεται ὁ Θεὸς, τοὺς ἐν οἷς χωρεῖ· καὶ τούτους μὴ ἐφορᾶν, μηδὲ γινώσκειν τοὺς ἐν οἷς οὐ χωρεῖ. Καὶ τοῦτο καθόλου σημειωτέον ἐν πάσῃ τῇ θείᾳ γραφῃ.

7a. “Though I should walk in the midst of affliction, you will give me life.”

7α. ̧̓Εὰν πορευθῶ ἐν μέσῳ θλίψεως, ζήσεις με.ς

 If “affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Rom 5:3-4), and the end of hope is the knowledge of God, then this is called our life: “if I go”, etc.^,

 δ´. Εἰ ̧ἡ θλῖψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδας, πέρας δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐστὶν ἡ γνῶσις ἡ τοῦ  Θεοῦ, ἥτις λέγεται ἡμῶν εἶναι ζωὴ, καθὼς γέγραπται·Ἐὰν πορευθῶ κτλ.

̈

PSALM 1389__

v. 15  My bone[s] were not hidden from you, which [bones] you made in secret, nor my substance in the lowest parts of the earth.

 6. ‘Bone[s]’ here indicates the soul , which God alone made, free from evil.  But later [evil] came into being ‘in the lowest parts of the earth,’ that is, in ultimate impurity: but nevertheless the Lord also foresaw the coming to pass of his own suffering, and by means of providence it is also recorded in [this] same book.

138·*15.  Οὐκ ἐκρύβη τὸ ὀστοῦν μου ἀπὸ σοῦ ὃ ἐποίησας ἐν κρυφῇ, [κ.τ.ἑ.] καὶ ἡ ὑπόστασίς μου ἐν τοῖς κατωτάτοις τῆς γῆς·

 ς´. .Ὀστοῦν τὴν ψυχὴν ὠνόμασε νῦν, ἣν ἐποίησε μόνος ὁ Θεὸς, κακίας ἐκτός.Ὕστερον δὲ γέγονεν ἐν τοῖς κατωτάτοις τῆς γῆς, τουτέστιν ἐν ἐσχάτῃ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τοῦτο μέλλουσαν αὐτὴν πάσχειν προεῖδεν ὁ  Κύριος, καὶ διὰ τῆς προνοίας πάλιν τῷ ἰδίῳ βιβλίῳ κατέγραψεν.

 v. 16.  Your eyes saw my unformed [substance],

 7.  ‘Unformed [substance]’ - the soul which is unformed by virtue and knowledge.

161.  Τὸ ἀκατέργαστόν μου εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου, κ. τ. ἑ.

 ζ´. Ἀκατέργαστον ψυχὴ ἡ μὴ δι' ἀρετῆς μορφωθεῖσα καὶ γνώσεως.

v. 16 And in your book all shall be written

 8. The book of God is the contemplation of bodies and incorporeal [beings] in which the pur[ified] nous comes to be written through knowledge. For in this book are written the logoi of providence and judgment, through which book God is known as creator, wise, provident, and judging: creator through the things that have come from non-being into being; wise through his concealed logoi; provident, through what is accomplished for our virtue and knowledge; and furthermore judge, through the variety of bodies of the reasoning beings, and through the multiform worlds and the ages they contain.

16̔2̓.  καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ βιβλίον σου πάντες γραφήσονται

 8.  Βιβλίον Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἡ θεωρία σωμάτων καὶ ἀσωμάτων ἐν ᾧ πέφυκε διὰ τῆς γνώσεως γράφεσθαι νοῦς καθαρός· ἐν δὲ τούτῳ τῷ βιβλίῳ εἰσὶ γεγραμμένοι καὶ οἱ περὶ προνοίας καὶ κρίσεως λόγοι, δι' οὗ βιβλίου γινώσκεται ὁ Θεὸς ὡς δημιουργὸς καὶ σοφὸς καὶ προνοητὴς καὶ κριτής· δημιουργὸς μὲν διὰ τὰ γεγονότα ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι· σοφὸς δὲ διὰ τοὺς ἀποκειμένους λόγους ἐν αὐτοῖς· προνοητὴς δὲ διὰ τὰ συντελοῦντα πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἡμῖν καὶ γνῶσιν· κριτὴς δὲ πάλιν διὰ τὰ διάφορα σώματα τῶν λογικῶν καὶ τοὺς ποικίλους κόσμους καὶ τούτους περιέχοντας τοὺς αἰῶνας. [cf PG 12.1662]

̈

PSALM 140__

PSALM 140

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2(1) Let my prayer be set forth as incense before you.

 1. His prayer is set forth like incense who is able to say: we are the fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2Cor 2:15).

2̔1̓ κατευθυνθήτω ἡ προσευχή μου ὡς θυμίαμα ἐνώπιόν σου.

 1. τούτου κατευθύνεται ἡ προσευχὴ ὡς θυμίαμα, τοῦ δυναμένου εἰπεῖν· Χριστοῦ εὐωδία ἐσμὲν ἐν τοῖς σωζομένοις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις.  καὶ ἐστὶν ἓν εἶδος προσευχῆς ὁμιλία νοῦ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀτύπωτον τὸν νοῦν διαζῴζουσα· ἀτύπωτον δὲ λέγω νοῦν τὸν μηδὲν σωματικὸν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς προσευχῆς φανταζόμενον. μόνα γὰρ ἐκεῖνα τῶν ὀνομάτων καὶ ῥημάτων τυποῖ τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν καὶ σχηματίζει τὰ σημαίνοντά τι τῶν αἰσθητῶν, προσευχόμενον δὲ νοῦν πάντη δεῖ τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἐλεύθερον εἶναι· τὸ δὲ τοῦ  Θεοῦ νόημα διασώζει τὸν νοῦν ἀναγκαίως ἀτύπωτον· οὐ γάρ ἐστι σῶμα.῟ PG 12.1665¨ cf. Pitra 140·2̓

3 Set , O Lord, a guard before  my mouth

 2. Nothing so guards our heart  as the fear of God, if in the fear of God all turn from evil. ()

3̔1̓  θοῦ, Κύριε, φυλακὴν τῷ στόματί μου

 2. οὐδὲν οὕτω φυλάσσει τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν ὡς ὁ φόβος τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἴγε τῷ φόβῳ Κυρίου ἐκκλίνει πᾶς ἀπὸ κακοῦ.῟PG 12.1665̓

PSALM 143__

1 Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war.

 1. Taught by the Lord is the one fighting against the opposing powers who is well-versed in the logoi of virtues and vices and of various tempting-thoughts, the sighns of apatheia and its borders.  And he knows as well the the logoi the nocturnal phantasms which occur during sleep: i.e. which arise from the logistikon part of the soul setting the memory in motion; and which arise from the thumikon, and which come from the epithumetikon. But concerning these things I have written more in more detail in The Monk (n.b. = subtitle of the Praktikos)

1.  εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου
 ὁ διδάσκων τὰς χεῖράς μου εἰς παράταξιν
 τοὺς δακτύλους μου εἰς πόλεμον.

 1. ὁ διδαχθεὶς παρὰ Κυρίου τὸν πρὸς τὴν ἀντικειμένην δύναμιν πόλεμον ἐπίσταται λόγους ἀρετῶν καὶ κακιῶν καὶ διαφορὰς λογισμῶν, γνωρίσματά τε ἀπαθείας καὶ ὅρους αὐτῆς. ἔτι δὲ καὶ τῶν νυκτερινῶν φαντασμάτων ἢ̀ ἐνυπνίων γινώσκει τοὺς λόγους, ὧν οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ λογιστικοῦ μέρους γίνονται τῆς ψυχῆς, κινουμένης τῆς μνήμης, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῧ θυμικοῦ, ἕτεροι δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ.  ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἀκριβέστερον ἐν τῷ Μοναχῳ περιειλήφαμεν. τῆς γὰρ ἠθικῆς πραγματείας ἡ τοιαύτη τῶν λόγων ἐξέτασις, νυνὶ δὲ ποσῶς κεκινήκαμεν τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου διδασκόμενον, πόλεμον παραστῆσαι βουλόμενοι.῾cf. PG 12.1669, Pitra  πσ.147̓

PSALM 144__

1 I will exalt thee, m God, my king

 1. Spiritual exaltation is the purified nous’ thanksgiving, upon its encountering  the good things from God.

1. Ὑψώσω σε, ὁ Θεός μου ὁ βασιλεύς μου

 1.  ὑψωσις πνευματική ἐστι εὐχαριστία νοῦ καθαροῦ ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβᾶσιν αὐτῷ παρὰ θεοῦ ἀγαθοῖς. [cf PG 12.1672]

3. and of his greatness there is no limit.

 2. The contemplation of all that come into being is limited: only the knowledge of the blessed Trinity is unlimited; for it is essential wisdom.

3. καὶ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστι πέρας

 β´. πάντων μὲν ἡ θεωρία τῶν γεγονότων πεπεράτωται· μόνης δὲ τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος ἡ γνῶσίς ἐστιν ἀπέραντος· οὐσιώδης γάρ ἐστιν ἡ σοφία.

4(1).  Generation after generation shall praise your works

 3. His generation after generation is comprised of those who are begotten of virtue and knowledge.

4̔1̓  γενεὰ καὶ γενεὰ ἐπαινέσει τὰ ἔργα σου

 γ´. Γενεὰ καὶ γενεά· αὕτη ἡ γενεὰ ἐκ τῶν κατ' ἀρετὴν καὶ γνῶσιν γενομένων συνίσταται.

PSALM 147__

13 for he strengthened the bolts of your gates

 1. Bolts of Jerusalem are the praktiké virtues which hinder the enemies from entering; while those of Zion are the celestial teachings and the correct faith in the adorable and Holy Trinity.  Or else Jerusalem signifies the soul, while Zion signifies the nous. For ‘Jerusalem’ is translated ‘vision of peace, while Zion [means] ‘watch tower’.

2̔1̓. ὅτι ἐνίσχυσεν τοὺς μοχλοὺς τῶν πυλῶν σου

 1. μοχλοὶ μὲν τῆςἹερουσαλήμ εἰσιν αἱ πρακτικαὶ ἀρεταὶ κωλύουσαι τοὺς ἐχθροὺς παρεισδῦνειν· τῆς δὲ Σιὼν τὰ οὐράνια δόγματα καὶ ἡ ὀρθὴ πίστις τῆς προσκυνητῆς καὶ ἁγίας τριάδος, εἴπερ ἡ μὲνἹερουσαλὴμ τὴν ψυχὴν σημαίνει, ἡ δὲ Σιὼν τὸν νοῦν· ἑρμηνεύεται γὰρἹερουσαλὴμ μὲν ὅρασις εἰρήνης, Σιὼν δὲ σκοπευτήριον. [cf PG 12.1677]

PSALM 148__

4 Praise him, the heavens of heavens

 3. the noetic heaven is the reasoning nature which carries within itself the sun of justice

4̔1̓  αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν, οἱ οὐρανοὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν

 3. οὐρανός ἐστι νοητὸς φύσις λογικὴ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιον ἐν αὐτῇ περιφέρουσα. [͂PG 12.1680]

4(2) And the waters above the heavens

 4. The water above the heavens signify the reasoning natures separated from the waters which [have their] being  in the heaven’.  For ‘the water below the firmament’ is one thing, and [those] below the firmament (Gen 1:7) is another; so also the [the water] in the heavens differs yet again from that above the heavens which is said to praise the name of the Lord. And all of these waters signify the holy and reasoning ranks dwelling in various worlds, which the holy apostle had indicated with other names calling [them] thrones, dominions, principalities, and authorities (Col 1:16).

4̔2̓ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν

 4. τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἐπάνω τῶν οὐρανῶν λογικὰς φύσεις σημαίνει κεχωρισμένας ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ὄντων ὑδάτων.  ἄλλο γάρ ἐστιν ὕδωρ τὸ ὑποκάτω τοῦ στερεώματος καὶ ἄλλο τὸ ἐπάνω τοῦ στερεώματος καὶ ἕτερον τὸ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ ἄλλο πάλιν τὸ ἐπάνω τῶν οὐρανῶν, ὅπερ νῦν αἰνεῖν λέγεται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα τὰ ὕδατα σημαίνει ἅγια καὶ λογικὰ τάγματα διαφόροις ἐνδιατρίβοντα κόσμοις, ἅπερ ὁ ἱερὸς᾿ἀπόστολος ὀνόμασιν ἑτέροις δεδήλωκεν θρόνους λέγων καὶ κυριότητας καὶ ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας. [cf  PG 12.1680¨ Π 148.4]

PSALM 150__

Praise him with sound of trumpet

 1. Trumpet is the contemplative nous or the nous knowing spiritual teaching, having believed it.

3̔1̓ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ἤχῳ σὰλπιγγος

 1. σάλπιγξ ἐστὶ νοῦς θεωρητικὸς ἢ νοῦς διδασκαλίαν πνευματικὴν γνῶναι πεπιστευμένος.῾cf. PG 12.1684̓

praise him with psaltery and harp

 2. Psalter(y).

3̔2̓ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ, καὶ κιθάρᾳ

 2. ψαλτήριον.

 3. Kithara is a praktike soul moved by the commandments of Christ.

 3. κιθάρα ἐστὶ ψυχὴ πρακτικὴ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ κινουμένη.῟PG 12.1684̓

4 Praise him with drum and choir:

 4. Drum is the death of the concupiscible faculty by means of Beauty itself.

4̔1̓. αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ χορῳ,

 4. Τύμπανόν ἐστι νέκρωσις τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ δι' αὐτὸ τὸ καλόν.῟PG 12.1684̓

 5. Chorus is the symphony of reasoning souls - their very speech; and having no divisions among them.

 5. χορὸς ἐστι συμφωνία ψυχῶν λογικῶν τὸ αὐτὸ λεγουσῶν καὶ μὴ ἐχουσῶν σχίσματα.῾cf. PG 12.1684̓

praise him with strings and organs

 6. Strings are harmonious agreement.

4̔2̓ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν χόρδαις καὶ ὀργάνῳ

 6. χορδαί εἰσι συμφώνησις.῟PG 12.1684̓

 7. Organ is the church of God, composed of ascetics and contemplatives.

 7. ὀργανόν ἐστιν  ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ, ἀπὸ πρακτικῶν καὶ θεωρητικῶν συνεστῶσα ψυχῶν.῾cf. PG 12.1684̓

Praise him on melodious cymbals

 8. Melodious cymbal is the reasoning soul

5̔1̓ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν κυμβάλοις εὐήχοις

 8. κύμβαλόν ἐστιν εὔηχον ψυχὴ λογική.῾cf. PG 12.1684̓

5 Praise him with noisy cymbals

 9. A Cymbal is noisy.

5̔2̓ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν κυμβάλοις ἀλαλαγμοῦ.

 9. κύμβαλόν ἐστιν ἀλαλαγμοῦ.PG 12.1684̓

v. 6  let everything that breathes praise the Lord

 10. If the light is of the Lord, according to the wise Solomon? The breath is of men, every reasoning nature

6. πᾶσα πνοὴ αἰνεσάτω τὸν κύριον.

 10. εἰ τὸ φῶς τοῦ κυρίου, κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Σολομῶντα; ἡ πνοὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν, πᾶσα λογικὴ φύσις ἀναπνέουσα τοῦτο τὸ φῶς αἰνεσάτω τὸν κύριον.