The Wicked as Chaff and the Angel as Tormentor or Corrector

They are glorified for appearing shameful. For the apostle says: 'of whom God is the womb and the glory in their shame, those who think on earthly things' (Rom 8:4). In those things in which it is necessary to be ashamed, they are bold; and we see such things by nature even among men. But he who awaits the Savior, the God Word, knowing that they are being transformed toward the more glorious and toward becoming conformed to the body which He Himself possessed, no longer thinks greatly upon shameful works.

'Let those who consider me evil turn back and be ashamed.' The word 'backwards' is used differently in various places of the Scripture. The phrase 'to turn back to the rear' carries a reproach. For instance, the wife of Lot, leaving from that place of destruction, heard: 'do not look to the rear' (Gen 19:26), meaning, do not set your heart upon that which you are leaving behind. Again, in other places it is said: 'my enemies turned back to the rear.' They turned back to their own rear, so that they might no longer pursue the same path as enemies. 'No one, having laid his hand to the plow, and having turned to the rear' (Luke 9:62). It was not said 'of someone,' but simply 'to the rear'; for when the plowman turns, he breaks the furrow. And the breaking of the furrow hinders the work. It is said that someone turns himself to the rear; this is praised, but this is a reproach. If one hastens to flee a path and turns, this turning to the rear is a reproach. But if someone is pressed toward evil and is checked and turns back by words of repentance, this turning which comes from repentance is praised.

For he says: 'since they pursue toward evil and it is their eagerness to harm me, they turned back from this intention.' Thus, they consider me evil in two ways: when they wish to surround me with sin, they consider me evil; when, wishing to attack, they want to bring something evil upon me, again they consider me evil. The two elders who remained, according to Sosannas, both did this: they considered it evil toward her, wishing to lead her into adultery. Having failed in this, they considered another kind of evil, to overthrow her, to stone her. Consider the same regarding Joseph and Egypt: there too, the matter of fornication was considered evil, e—

To which he was determined to destroy him. However, failing in this, he attempted another way of evils, leaving a slander against him, through which his supposed master was driven as a tormentor.

Let them become like chaff before the face of the wind. Let them become worthless. This is also said in the first Psalm: 'Not so the ungodly, not so, but like the chaff which the wind drives from the face of the earth' (Psalm 1:4). Their worthlessness shows not so much of substance as of intention; for 'those who think on earthly things' (Colossians 3:2), having become entirely of the flesh and of the members, are chaff not having a sheaf, nor a stable seat. Thus a wind briefly moves them. And this wind is able to be either tribulation or a deceptive word. For thus some are carried away by 'every wind of doctrine' (Ephesians 4:14) deceptively 'in the gambling' of those professing that cunning teaching of those practicing it.

And an angel of the Lord driving them out. They have an angel of the Lord driving them out. In the preceding Psalm, 'the angel of the Lord encamping around those who fear him rescued them' (Psalm 34:7). Here, however, the angel of the Lord drives them out, being a certain tormentor sent to punish them. But it is possible and praiseworthy to take the angel as 'encamping around those who fear him'; for the one who uses reproof drives out the sinner, persuading him to depart from what he thinks is pleasant.

Let their way be darkness and a slipping place. Their way—not that of God, not that of virtue, not that of the commandments of God, as it is said: 'I have run the way of your commandments' (Psalm 119:30)—but their way, in which they swell themselves, in which they think they run brightly. Let them know what their way is, let them slip; for this fall is shameful. Just as one who departs from running the straight way falls into a great evil, so the one hastening to run toward evil, when having slipped he falls, takes the beginning of repentance.

And an angel of the Lord pursuing them. As I have said, both reproving and striking or punishing them.

Because you have hidden from me for nothing the corruption of their snare. Evil is often called corruption; for it destroys the truth, makes the inner man evil from good, the just man wicked from the righteous, and the God-fearing ungodly from the God-fearing. And because evil is called corruption: