Deliverance from Necessity and the Broad Place

He is ransomed by God, being made outside of all disturbance. Thus the God of truth ransoms from deception; since God is the God of truth, He ransoms from deception and false glory. When someone has mistaken and false opinions, he cries out to God, so that by His truth He might make him outside of all deception. Again, the God of righteousness rescues from unrighteousnesses; for it is said: 'Hear me, O God of my righteousness' (Ps 25:1), so that you might make me outside of all unrighteousness, so that you might bring low those who work unrighteousness against me. And so it is for each one: Joseph called upon the God of self-control, so that he would not fall into the snares of the rebellious toward incontinence; and Susanna, so that she would not fall to the elders toward adultery. The God of self-control hears, not that He is different and differentrentrent.

You hated those who guard vanities for nothing. Since you are the God of truth, and you hated those who guard vanities for nothing. But vanities are not true. And he said 'for nothing' because in a certain way they do not exist. Every falsehood is unsubstantial. Concerning the one who conceived the temple of Jesus, when I say 'she has brought forth' (τέτοκεν), I speak truly; but if I say, 'she has brought forth from a man,' I lie; it is not that she has brought forth, but the lie occurs regarding the manner. Every evil happens for nothing, it has no end. Therefore he says: You, O God, hated those who guard vanities for nothing. If anyone among those guarding such things receives understanding, who is the one hating such things, will he cease or will he hate himself?

But I have hoped in the Lord (Ps 118:49). You, O Master, did not 'hate those who guard vanities for nothing,' but I have hoped in you as my Lord; for it was possible to say, 'But I have hoped in you.' Instead he says, 'I have hoped in the Lord.' He speaks these things as a slave. From the disposition of a slave and the work of a slave he speaks these things.

I will rejoice and be glad in your mercy (Ps 118:54). Upon your mercy; for even if I confess you as Lord and I have hoped in you, it is not by my own power that the end is achieved, but by your mercy. For you have seen my lowliness (Ps 118:6). You have seen my lowliness which is about to receive mercy. Forgiving, you will not let me fall into it. You saved my soul from necessities. More simply in the Scripture, necessities are called tribulations; 'he...

For it is said, 'he will be brought out from necessity,' and, 'they cried to the Lord, and he heard them, and from their necessities he saved them.' He has brought me out from all tribulation, making it evident by his answering the plea; for a prayer was sent up, so that I might be rescued from enemies, from the impending wars.

It is possible, in a more logical way, to speak of the necessities of evil. Out of necessity, the evil man does not receive righteousness. I do not say that the man is not receptive to righteousness, but the unrighteous man. It is not that the outward state of the afflicted becomes different, but that they are not defeated; for thus we also heard: 'save us from the evil one' (Matt 6:13), and 'do not bring us into temptation' (Matt 6:13). And if the apostles of Christ and the other righteous ones were pleading this, that they might not be tempted, they were never heard, if they are telling the truth saying: 'in everything we are afflicted, but not crushed' (2 Cor 4:8).

'And you did not shut me up in the hands of an enemy.' I am shut up in the hands of those attacking, when I am defeated by necessities and tribulations. But when I am saved from them, I am not shut up in their hands, nor do I do what they want to bring upon me. 'You have set my feet in a broad place.' This too must be understood in two ways. The movement according to the surrounding place, and that which is called broad and spacious according to evil.

It is a great thing having happened in this broad place and spaciousness: not to be dragged under, but to stand. And standing comes from God. Therefore he says gratefully: 'You have set my feet in a broad place.' My feet do not feel the tribulation surrounding me. For those saying: 'who shall separate us from the love of God? tribulation, distress' (Rom 8:35), they will say: 'You have set our feet in a broad place.' Even if the place in which we have come to be, and the road in which we find ourselves, is narrow, we see it as broad, you widening the tribulation. You provide a wider road of tribulation by helping.

'Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am afflicted.' But you say—and indeed you said: 'You have set my feet in a broad place'—so that the saint may pray unceasingly; for there is not one tribulation, for there is not one crisis in life, for there is not one temptation. If anyone, having pleaded, is rescued from one thing or from some people, he again sees others attacking, and again prays concerning those; for they afflict him...