The Election and the Temple of God
She rejoiced, as it remains to praise only those having a straight heart in practical and contemplative life. Regarding Psalm 64 (Ps 64:1), it was said previously that the psalm denotes practice, while the hymn denotes contemplation. The practical life, being perfected by the contemplative life, demonstrates a perfect man.
From the spoken word one must move toward the church's understanding. Because of the aim of the truth, being called Zion, hymn and prayer are appropriately offered to the Source of all things. The hymn signifies the contemplation of God and of the truth, and the prayer signifies thanksgiving. Therefore, let him who is giving thanks in everything in Zion do this, beginning from the hymn; the prayer gives its due.
Therefore, we approach with mind and spirit to God, listening to prayer, O Lord; and we have not deserved that the lion should have power over those whom we have been honored to be impious through ignorance. All flesh comes to God, the Gentiles having the power to come from the ends of the earth toward you, and all the Gentiles whom you made are before you (Ps 64:3b). It is also to be understood that all flesh comes to God, the soul that is well-disposed being drawn toward the easiest path by divine law and the truth; as it is signified, it has been said that the spiritual law is written on the heart, not on stone. This is also presented from the prophecy of Ezekiel, God saying concerning the hard-hearted, spoken in foolishness: I will remove from them the stony hearts and I will put in them hearts of flesh, so that they may walk according to my commands (Ezekiel 36:26).
the one chosen by holiness, if he remains in the election, is received by God, as having been relocated by him from the place of the earth to dwell in the courts of the chosen one, concerning whom it has been said: Enter into his courts with hymns; and one having desire from there places it upon him, and my soul is enclosed in the courts of the Lord (Ps 64:5ab). And since the end of blessedness is not in the courts, he who is received there dwells, so as to progress and having come to the home, he may dwell being blessed; for he says, Blessed are those who dwell in your house, they shall praise you forever and ever (Ps 84:4).
What is more perfect than to be chosen and then to be received by the one who chose? It is evident from: 'In your counsel you guided me and received me with glory' (Ps 64:5). For the one chosen does all things according to the will of God, and then receives the promises with glory. These words are brought forth by those who, having been delivered from life, give glory.
Paul, sending the church of God to Timothy, calls it: 'If you delay, see how you ought to conduct yourself in the household of God, which is the living church of God' (1 Tim 3:15). From this household come the good gifts of the Spirit, as well as the things concerning the Trinity and the rest of the doctrines, which are the statutes and canons handed down by the apostles. Those who have said, 'We have glorified Him, who said, Let atonement be made for our ungodliness, those strengthened by words against us,' expect to be filled with these good things.
Virtue, signified by the name of righteousness, is marvelously fulfilled in Him. The one believing and working good things, having been filled, has the Lord within himself; for it is said through faith that Christ dwells in the inner man. Thus the Lord, coming to the one keeping His word, makes a dwelling for Himself, so that the man is a holy temple; for it is written, 'Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?' (1 Cor 3:16) and also, 'For the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple' (1 Cor 3:17). It is also marvelous, and he is made upright in righteousness through the standing of Jesus Christ, full of the good divine gifts of the Spirit, of which those expecting to share say, 'We shall be filled.'
For how could those dwelling at the borders not have been afraid and the Gentiles been stirred, when the charms were abolished, so that the prophetic demons could no longer boast, and with these magic and drugs were being abolished, and he, Satan himself, having the power of death, was being rendered powerless? For the signs that were accomplished were sufficient, showing that God exists. Knowing His divinity from the things happening, they know moreover how He also provides for the things in heaven, as the stars rise and set by His laws. For the exits of the morning are...
Greek
ηὐφράνθη, ὡς λοιπὸν ἐπαινεῖσθαι μόνους τοὺς εὐθεῖαν ε χοντας καρδίαν ἐπὶ πρακτικῷ καὶ θεωρητικῷ βίῳ. 651a Ps 64 αργ Ει ρηται δὲ πρότερον ὡς πρᾶξιν μὲν ὁ ψαλμός, θεωρίαν δὲ ἡ ᾠδὴ δηλοῖ. ὁ πρακτικὸς α ρα α μα τῷ θεωρητικῷ βίῳ κατορθούμενος α νδρα τέλειον ἀποδείκνυσιν. 652a Ps 64,2.3a ̓Εκ τοῦ ῥητοῦ μεταβατέον ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν γνώμην. διὰ τὸ σκοπευτικὸν τῆς ἀληθείας Σιὼν ὀνομαζομένης, ἐν ταύτῃ πρεπόντως υ μνος καὶ εὐχὴ ἀποδίδοται τῷ πάντων αἰτίῳ. σημαίνει δὲ ὁ μὲν υ μνος θεωρίαν θεοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἡ δὲ εὐχὴ εὐχαριστίαν. ὁ ἐν παντὶ τοίνυν εὐχαριστῶν ἐν τῇ Σιὼν τοῦτο ποιείτω, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑμνεῖν τὸν ῳ τὴν εὐχὴν ἀποδίδωσιν. η ς τοίνυν προσηγάγομεν νῷ καὶ πνεύματι θεοῦ προσευχῆς εἰσάκουσον, ω κύριε· ε στι δὲ περὶ ου ἠξιώσαμεν τὸ ι λεών σε ε χειν ὑπὲρ ω ν ἀσεβεῖν ἐδόξαμεν κατὰ α γνοιαν. 653a Ps 64,3b Ερχεται πρὸς τὸν θεὸν πᾶσα σάρξ, πληρουμένου τοῦ Πρὸς σὲ ε θνη η ξουσιν ἀπ' ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς, καὶ τοῦ Πάντα τὰ ε θνη ο σα ἐποίησας η ξουσιν ἐναντίον σου. ̓Εκληπτέον δὲ καὶ ἑτέρως πρὸς θεὸν ε ρχεσθαι πᾶσαν σάρκα τὴν ευ εικτον ψυχὴν πρὸς τὸ ῥᾷστα τυποῦσθαι πρὸς τῶν θείων νόμων καὶ τῶν χαρακτήρων τῆς ἀληθείας· καθὸ σημαινόμενον ει ρηται ὁ πνευματικὸς νόμος ἐν πλαξὶ καρδίας σαρκίναις γεγράφθαι καὶ οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶ λιθίναις. τοῦτο δὲ αὐτὸ παρίσταται καὶ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ̓Ιεζεκιὴλ προφητείας, τοῦ θεοῦ λέγοντος περὶ τῶν σκληροκαρδίων λεγομένων κατ' ἠλιθιότητα ̓Εκσπάσω ἀπ' αὐτῶν τὰς λιθίνας καρδίας καὶ ἐνθήσω καρδίας σαρκίνας, ο πως ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασί μου πορεύωνται. 654a Ps 64,5ab ̔Ο ἐκλεγεὶς δι' ἁγιότητα, ἐὰν ἐπιμείνῃ τῇ ἐκλογῇ, προσλαμβάνεται ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς μετοικισθέντα αὐτὸν τοῦ περὶ γῆν τόπου κατασκηνῶσαι ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς τοῦ ἐκλεξαμένου περὶ ω ν ει ρηται Εἰσέλθετε εἰς τὰς αὐλὰς αὐτοῦ ἐν υ μνοις· ω ν ἀπεντεῦθεν πόθον τις ε χων ει πεν ̓Επιποθεῖ καὶ ἐκλείπει ἡ ψυχή μου εἰς τὰς αὐλὰς 122 τοῦ κυρίου. καὶ ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς τὸ τῆς μακαριότητος τέλος, κατασκηνοῖ ἐν αὐταῖς ὁ ἐκεῖ παραληφθείς, ι να προκόψας καὶ ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸν οι κον ἐλθὼν κατοικῇ μακαριζόμενος· Μακάριοι γάρ φησιν οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν τῷ οι κῳ σου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων αἰνέσουσίν σε. ο τι τελειότερον τοῦ ἐκλεγῆναι τὸ προσληφθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐκλεξαμένου δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ̓Εν τῇ βουλῇ σου ὡδήγησάς με καὶ μετὰ δόξης προσελάβου με. ο ταν γὰρ ὁ ἐκλεγεὶς πάντα κατὰ βούλησιν θεοῦ πράττῃ, τότε μετὰ δόξης τὰς ἐπαγγελίας προσλαμβάνεται. Τὰς δὲ λέξεις ταύτας προφέρουσιν οἱ τοὺς ἀπαλλαγέντας τοῦ βίου δοξολογοῦντες. 655a Ps 64,5cδ Οι κον θεοῦ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπιστέλλων ὁ Παῦλος Τιμοθέῳ καλεῖ· ̓Εὰν δὲ βραδύνω ι να ι δῃς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οι κῳ θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, η τις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία θεοῦ ζῶντος. τούτου τοῦ οι κου ἀγαθὰ τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος χαρίσματα τά τε περὶ τριάδος καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δόγματα οι τε παραδοθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων θεσμοὶ καὶ κανόνες. Τούτων τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐμπλησθήσεσθαι προσδοκῶσιν οἱ εἰρηκότες ̔Ιλάσθητι ταῖς ἀσεβείαις ἡμῶν α ς ε χειν ἐδόξαμεν, τῶν ἀνόμων λόγοις ὑπερδυναμωθέντων καθ' ἡμῶν. ̔Η ἀρετὴ τῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὀνόματι σημαινομένη θαυμαστῶς ἐν αὐτῷ ἐπιτελεῖται. ̔Ο πιστεύων καὶ ε ργων ἀγαθῶν πληρωθεὶς ε χει τὸν κύριον ἐν ἑαυτῷ· ει ρηται γὰρ διὰ τῆς πίστεως κατοικεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν εἰς τὸν ε σω α νθρωπον. ου τως ὁ κύριος πρὸς τὸν τηροῦντα τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐρχόμενος μονὴν ποιεῖται, ω στε ναὸς α γιος ὁ α νθρωπός ἐστιν· γέγραπται γὰρ Οὐκ οι δατε ο τι ναὸς θεοῦ ἐστε καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν; καὶ μεθ' ε τερα· ̔Ο γὰρ ναὸς τοῦ θεοῦ α γιός ἐστιν οι τινές ἐστε ὑμεῖς. ου τος θαυμαστός ἐστι καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κατορθοῖ τῇ διὰ τῆς πίστεως ̓Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ συνισταμένῃ, πλήρης ω ν ἀγαθῶν θείων χαρισμάτων τοῦ πνεύματος ω ν οἱ μετασχεῖν προσδοκῶντες ἐροῦσι Πλησθησόμεθα. 656 Ps 64,8c.9 Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἐφοβοῦντο οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὰ πέρατα καὶ συνεταράσσοντο τὰ ε θνη, τῶν χρηστηρίων καταλυθέντων ὡς μὴ κομπάζειν ε τι τοὺς μαντικοὺς δαίμονας καὶ ἰατρείαν ἐπαγγελλομένους, πρὸς τούτοις μαγείας καὶ φαρμακείας καταλυομένης καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σατανᾶ τοῦ τὸ κράτος ε χοντος τοῦ θανάτου καταργουμένου; σημεῖα γὰρ ἱκανὰ τὰ τελεσθέντα, δεικνῦντα θεὸν ει ναι τὸν ἐργασάμενον. ἀμέλει γνόντες αὐτοῦ τὴν θεότητα ἐκ τῶν γινομένων, ἐπίστανται λοιπὸν ὡς καὶ τῶν κατ' οὐρανὸν αὐτὸς προνοεῖ, ὡς τοῖς νόμοις αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει καὶ δύεται τὰ α στρα. ε ξοδοι γὰρ πρωΐας αἱ
About this text
Discover how early Christians interpreted the Psalms as divine messages and prophecies about salvation and judgment.
Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.