Fragments on the Psalms · §60

Divine Providence and the Hidden Face

Glory comes from circumstances, I will say: 'You have set my feet in a wide place' (Ps 30:11c). Not every poor person is weak (for many poor people are strong), nor is one lacking in strength poor; but in spiritual matters, since strength is the same as wealth, the one who is wealthy has strength in good works. He does not wish to say 'I am such a thing'; since, having turned away from the visible wealth (which is not the divine), he says, 'My strength has grown weak.' It is to be noted what it means to say 'is' instead of 'has'; for it is not strength that is weak, but the one who has it, just as we do not say one is ignorant of knowledge, but that one is ignorant. This is in agreement with what was said by Paul concerning Christ: 'That we might become the righteousness of God in him' (2 Cor 5:21). For in these things, he called those having righteousness 'righteousness.'

Those enemies who are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, not only do not feel shame nor seem to suffer reproach for the evil they do, but on the contrary, they take pride, as it has been said concerning them: 'The glory is in their shame.' And they boast over those who become objects of reproach. Therefore, turn away from your boasting and reproach against the Lord; otherwise, they shall rise to reproach and eternal shame. But he who perceives himself to have become in the aforementioned poverty confesses that he is to be reproached. Therefore he says: 'I have become a reproach to all my enemies, but also to all those who draw near to me according to the proverb—that is, to those who hold the same opinion.'

Those who attack me with persistence, perceiving that they have fallen from wealth into poverty, fearing that they might suffer the same, hasten to be outside of my stability. But also, a vessel which formerly was precious and very useful to the master, seemed to have been lost. Because the ear hears the slander of many dwelling around. If a teacher is called a liar by those who seem to be his disciples because of the necessity of learning, yet they dwell around and do not remain in the lessons, they do not abide in them. And it is possible to not be so; since the ear hears the slander of many around me, because they do not abide but merely dwell around our things, for this reason I have become a lost vessel. With this,...

Is it that someone is weak and I am not weak? Is it that someone stumbles and I am not being burned? (Ps 30:16) My lots fall into those things which are covering and guarding by your hands, being profited by them; that is, all things allotted to me according to your judgment, either to flow from them or to suffer; for it does not happen to them by chance. (Ps 30:16a)

Others clarify the word not thus: the powers given, they say, are called their lots, as if they have superiority over teachers or others. They are not in the hands of God. For just as He establishes, so also He distributes kings. Therefore, because some are coming to move this superiority which is present to me, wanting to do so, they will not be able, since all things concerning me are in your hands. (Ps 30:16)

He does not merely hide his goodness from those fearing him (for they see much of it), but the abundance, so that they may not be harmed. (Ps 30:20-21) And it is also good to say: To those fearing you, it is stored up for them. Reveal it to them, so that those having become in perfect love might cast out fear. 'You have made it known to those fearing you' means you have revealed it by energy, so that those having more hope than fear possess it.

Regarding 'Against the sons of men': You say 'men' regarding those having preserved the rational and incorruptible image, but 'their sons' regarding those having become their rational disciples and imitators. And 'hidden from the face of God' you say, meaning that which is not attainable now to knowledge, but will be revealed then, when we shall see Him as He is. With this 'hidden' thing, that which is said by Paul is contrasted: 'made known to men,' that is, His creative and providential nature. For after the 'God revealed' it is said: 'For his invisible attributes, from the creation of the world, are understood and perceived through the works.' (Rom 1:20)

Perhaps also the Savior has the face of God hidden, all that is according to the divinity, but that which is according to the economy is manifest. And since now the Word having become flesh dwells among us, we are being hidden in the mystery of His face, so that we may see Him as we shall see His glory, a glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14) But stand firm, if...

Greek

κλέος τὸ ἐκ τῶν περιστατικῶν, ἐρῶ· Εστησας ἐν εὐρυχώρῳ τοὺς πόδας μου. 273 Ps 30,11c Οὐ πάντως ὁ πτωχεύων ἀσθενεῖ (πολλοὶ γὰρ πτωχοὶ ἰσχυροί) οὐδὲ ὁ ἰσχύος λειπόμενος πτωχός· ἐν δὲ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς, ἐπεὶ ταὐτὸν ἡ ἰσχὺς πλούτῳ, ὁ πλουτῶν ἐν ε ργοις ἀγαθοῖς ἰσχὺν ε χει. ο ου ν βούλεται λέγειν ε στιν τοιοῦτον· ἐπεὶ ἐπτώχευσα τὸν βλέποντα πλοῦτον ἀποστραφείς (ου τος δέ ἐστιν ὁ θεῖος), ̔Η ἰσχύς μου ἠσθένησεν. Σημειωτέον ο τι τὴν ε ξιν ἀντὶ τοῦ ε χοντος ει πεν· οὐ γὰρ ἡ ἰσχὺς ἀσθενεῖ ἀλλ' ὁ ε χων αὐτήν, ω σπερ οὐδὲ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἀγνοεῖν ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐσχηκότα φαμέν. τούτοις ὁμόλογον τὸ παρὰ Παύλῳ εἰρημένον περὶ Χριστοῦ· Ινα δικαιοσύνη γενώμεθα θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐν τούτοις γὰρ τοὺς δικαιοσύνην ε χοντας δικαιοσύνην ἐκάλεσεν. 274 Ps 30,12–14a Οἱ ἐχθροὶ φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον η φιλόθεοι τυγχάνοντες οὐ μόνον οὐκ αἰσχύνονται οὐδ' ο νειδος ε χειν δοκοῦσιν ἐφ' οι ς πράττουσιν κακῶς, ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου σεμνύνονται, ὡς λεχθῆναι περὶ αὐτῶν· Ων ἡ δόξα ἐν τῇ αἰσχύνῃ αὐτῶν. καυχῶνται δὲ ἐφ' οι ς ὀνειδιστέοι γίνονται· Αἰσχύνθητε γοῦν ἀπὸ καυχήσεως ὑμῶν καὶ ὀνειδισμοῦ ἐναντίον κυρίου· ο θεν καὶ ἀναστήσονται ου τοι εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ αἰσχύνην αἰώνιον. ̔Ο δὲ αἰσθόμενος ἐν τῇ προειρημένῃ πτωχείᾳ ἑαυτὸν γεγονέναι ὁμολογεῖ ὀνειδιστέος ει ναι. διό φησιν· Παρὰ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου ἐγενήθην ο νειδος, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν τοῖς πλησιάζουσίν μοι κατὰ τὴν οι κησιν τουτέστιν τοῖς ὁμοδοξοῦσιν. Οἱ μετ' ἐπιστάσεως προσβάλλοντές μοι, αἰσθόμενοι ἐξ οι ου πλούτου εἰς πτωχείαν ε πεσον, εὐλαβούμενοι μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ πάθωσιν, ε ξω τῆς ἐμῆς καταστάσεως ε σπευδον ει ναι. ἀλλὰ καὶ σκεῦος ω ν πάλαι τίμιον καὶ ευ χρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ ἠχρειώθην ου τως ὡς ἀπολωλέναι δοκεῖν. Οτι η κουσα ψόγον πολλῶν παροικούντων κυκλόθεν. ει ποι ταῦτα διδάσκαλος ψεγόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν δοκούντων περὶ αὐτὸν ει ναι διὰ τοῦ δῆθεν μανθάνειν, παροικούντων δὲ καὶ μὴ ἐμμενόντων τοῖς μαθήμασιν τῷ μὴ κατοικεῖν ἐν αὐτοῖς. 65 δύναται δὲ καὶ ου τως· ἐπεὶ ψόγον η κουσα ο ν ψέγονται πολλοὶ τῶν περικύκλῳ μου τῷ μὴ κατοικεῖν ἀλλὰ παροικεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις, τούτου χάριν σκεῦος ἀπολωλὸς γέγονα. τούτῳ συνᾴδει τὸ Τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ; Τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι; 275 Ps 30,16 ̓Εν ταῖς σκεπαζούσαις καὶ φρουρούσαις δυνάμεσι χερσίν σου χρηματιζούσαις οἱ κλῆροί μου τυγχάνουσιν, τουτέστιν πάντα τὰ συγκληρωθέντα μοι κατὰ κρίσιν σὴν η τοι ῥυσθῆναι ἀπ' αὐτῶν η παθεῖν· οὐδὲ γάρ τι συντυχικῶς οι ομαι συμβαίνειν. 276 Ps 30,16a Ετεροι δὲ τὴν λέξιν σαφηνίζουσιν ου τως· αἱ δεδομέναι ἐξουσίαι, φασίν, η τοι ὡς α ρχουσιν η διδασκάλοις η α λλην ὑπεροχὴν ε χουσι, κλῆροι αὐτῶν ὀνομάζονται. ου τοι ου ν ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσιν. ὡς γὰρ αὐτὸς καθιστᾷ, ου τως καὶ μεθιστᾷ βασιλεῖς. κα ν τοίνυν διὰ τὴν παροῦσάν μοι ὑπεροχὴν ἐπέρχωνταί τινες μετακινῆσαι αὐτὴν βουλόμενοι, οὐ δυνήσονται τῷ πάντα τὰ κατ' ἐμὲ ἐν ταῖς χερσίν σου ει ναι. 277 Ps 30,20.21 Οὐχ ἁπλῶς κρύπτει τὴν χρηστότητα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν (πολὺ γὰρ αὐτῆς καθορῶσιν) ἀλλὰ τὸ πλῆθος, ι να μὴ βλαβῶσιν. ευ δὲ καὶ τὸ εἰπεῖν· Τοῖς φοβουμένοις σε· αὐτοῖς γὰρ αὐτὴν ταμιεύεται. φανέρωσον αὐτὴν αὐτοῖς, ο τ' α ν ἐν τελείᾳ ἀγάπῃ γενόμενοι ε ξω βάλωσι τὸν φόβον. Αὐτὰ δὲ ταῦτα α Εκρυψας τοῖς φοβουμένοις σε η δη κατ' ἐνέργειαν ἐφανέρωσας τοῖς πλέον τοῦ φόβου τὴν ἐλπίδα ε χουσιν ̓Εναντίον τῶν υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ἀνθρώπους δ' ἐρεῖς τοὺς τὸ λογικὸν καὶ κατ' εἰκόνα ἀδιάστροφον φυλάξαντας, υἱοὺς δὲ αὐτῶν τοὺς λογικῶς μαθητὰς καὶ μιμητὰς αὐτῶν γενομένους. ἀπόκρυφον δὲ τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ ἐρεῖς τὸ μὴ ἐφικτὸν νῦν πρὸς γνῶσιν, φανερωθησόμενον δὲ τότε ο τε ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν. τούτῳ τῷ ἀποκρύφῳ ἀντιδιαστέλλεται τὸ λεγόμενον παρὰ Παύλῳ· Γνωστὸν αὐτοῦ φανερωθὲν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, τουτέστιν τὸ δημιουργὸν καὶ προνοητικὸν αὐτοῦ. ἑξῆς γὰρ τοῦ ̔Ο θεὸς ἐφανέρωσεν ει ρηται· Τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται. Τάχα καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ πρόσωπον ω ν θεοῦ ἀπόκρυφον ε χει πᾶν τὸ κατὰ τὴν θεότητα, ἐμφανὲς δὲ τὸ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν. ο τ' α ν ου ν ὁ λόγος γενόμενος σὰρξ σκηνώσῃ ἐν ἡμῖν, κατακρυπτόμεθα ἐν τῷ ἀποκρύφῳ τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, ὀψόμενοι αὐτὸ ο τ' α ν ὀψώμεθα Τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. ̓Επίστησον δέ, εἰ

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Discover how early Christians interpreted the Psalms as divine messages and prophecies about salvation and judgment.

Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.

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