The Conjunction of Mercy, Truth, Justice, and Peace
I will aim to see what the Lord God will speak in me. According to these things also Paul says: 'If you seek a test of the Christ speaking in me; for in him indeed Christ does not speak simply to him' (2 Cor 13:5). For he speaks through that person in whom he speaks; and not everyone who speaks through him, but only the hearing from the outside is struck. he Lord God will speak in him, interpreting, whether it be peace or whether it be upon his people, the God of all, against all enemies of the people, clearly those subverting them, or the peace having possessed a mind surpassing all things of the people, by which all disturbance and noise are excluded, bringing tranquility. This peace is given from God and Father and Lord Jesus by grace, as the Savior says concerning it: 'My peace I give to you' (John 14:27). And this peace is given also to those who give back the things of God to God, guarding the righteousness toward him, who are rightly called his own. And he gives it also to those who through repentance turn their heart toward him, making the turning not crooked toward him nor superficial, but from the depth of the mind.
Then indeed he truly dwelt and brought glory in the earth, performing many and great things paradoxically: the Savior's resurrections of the dead, sight to the blind, cleansings of the lepers, and other wondrous things he did (Ps 84:10). And as toward a more mystical word for those fearing God, he did not leave them wanting (For there is no lack to those fearing him), he drew near to the God-participating salvation which they partake in through which they act salvifically. For just as salvation is far from sinners, working the things of destruction, so the salvation of God is near to the opposite, to those fearing him. Therefore also he dwells, glory in the earth, of those saying these things. And you will say their earth: the good heart of theirs which has yielded a hundredfold fruit of the seed cast upon it. But what dwells in the heart as the glory of God, the word establishes, which says: 'The God who said light should shine out of darkness' (2 Cor 4:6); He shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of Christ. And it dwells also in the body of those persuaded by the exhortation being said: 'Glorify then God in the body' (1 Cor 6:20).
Regarding those who achieve perfect prudence (Ps 84:11-12). From this, the following of virtues can be shown: that the merciful is true and the true is merciful, and that the just is peaceful and the peaceful is just.
In other words, truth is named along with mercy, as it is said in the Psalm: 'Thy mercy and thy truth have encompassed me' (Ps 84:11), and 'God sent His mercy and His truth' (Ps 84:12). I stand by saying these things because the truth of matters is difficult for men, and even more unreachable unless they happen to be granted it by the grace of God. Perhaps one cannot receive true salvation without the mercy of God, and thus they were named by righteousness. He says that mercy has met with truth. For if mercy and truth come to the same place, we shall know it and be in it.
Moreover, justice loves peace and peace loves justice. For where there is justice, there is certainly peace, without it being a mere sprout. You can also grasp these things regarding the Savior, spoken through His various thoughts, as has been clearly stated before. The truth of the Savior, having become man, has risen from the earth. For there is much deception and much falsehood among men. For there is no truth and mercy nor knowledge of God upon the earth; therefore, falsehood, murder, and adultery are poured out upon the earth, says the prophet (Ps 84:13). This is not the falsehood of the whole earth that prevailed, but the one overcome by Him who said, 'I am the truth' (John 14:6), having caused the truth from the earth (that is, from men) to rise. But also, becoming justice according to the Word of God and Wisdom, He descended from heaven, bowing the heavens and coming down. He brought to us peace according to justice and mercy according to truth; for all these things are thought of in Him, as has been clearly said.
As the manner of rain being given, the soil bears the goodness of the Lord's gift; the intelligent earth gives fruit, having been moistened by the goodness from God. And the fruit of it is the general virtue, whereby the soul, being as a fruit-bearing earth, happens to be presented as described. It is possible to say regarding the people what is set forth, namely that...
Greek
ἀποσκοπεύσω τοῦ ἰδεῖν τί λαλήσει ἐν ἐμοὶ κύριος ὁ θεός. κατὰ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν Εἰ δοκιμὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ· ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ἀλλ' οὐχ ἁπλῶς αὐτῷ ἐλάλει Χριστός. λαλεῖ γὰρ ἐκείνῳ ἐν ῳ λαλεῖ, οὐ πάντως δὲ ῳ λαλεῖ τις καὶ ἐκείνῳ λαλεῖ, ο ταν ε ξωθεν μόνον πλήττηται ἡ ἀκοή. πλὴν ο λαλήσει ἐν αὐτῷ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἑρμηνεύων, ει πεν εἰρήνην ει ναι ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ πάντων πολεμίων τῶν κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ δηλονότι ἀνατρεπόντων, η εἰρήνην τὴν ὑπερέχουσαν πάντα νοῦν ἐσχηκότος τοῦ λαοῦ δι' η ς πάσης ταραχῆς καὶ θορύβου ἐκτὸς ει η γαλήνην ἀγόντων τῶν λογισμῶν. αυ τη ἡ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καὶ κυρίου ̓Ιησοῦ α μα χάριτι δίδοται, ὡς τὸν σωτῆρα περὶ αὐτῆς φάναι Εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν. δίδοται δὲ ἡ εἰρήνη αυ τη καὶ τοῖς ἀποδιδοῦσι τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ θεῷ φυλάττουσι τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν δικαιοσύνην, οι τινες κυρίως οἱ ο σιοι αὐτοῦ καλοῦνται. δίδωσι δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ τοῖς διὰ μετανοίας ἐπιστρέφουσι καρδίαν πρὸς αὐτόν, τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν οὐ σκολιὰν πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐδὲ ἐπίπλαστον ἀλλ' ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ βάθους τῆς διανοίας ποιουμένοις. 854 Ps 84,10 Τότε δὲ καὶ ἀληθῶς κατεσκήνωσεν καὶ δόξαν ἐν τῇ γῇ, πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα παραδόξως ἐπιτελοῦντος τοῦ σωτῆρος νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεις τυφλῶν ἀναβλέψεις λεπρῶν καθαρισμοὺς καὶ ο σα α λλα θαυμαστῶς ἐποίει. ὡς δὲ πρὸς μυστικώτερον λόγον τοῖς θεὸν φοβουμένοις ἀνελλιπέσιν ου σιν (Οὐκ ε στι γὰρ ὑστέρημα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν) η γγισεν τὸ θεοῦ σωτήριον μετεχόμενον ὑπ' αὐτῶν δι' ω ν πράττουσι σωτηριωδῶς. ὡς γὰρ μακρὰν ἀπὸ ἁμαρτωλῶν σωτηρία ἐνεργούντων τὰ τῆς ἀπωλείας, ου τως ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἐγγὺς τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν ὑπάρχει. διὸ καὶ κατασκηνοῖ δόξαν ἐν τῇ γῇ τῶν ταῦτα λεγόντων. γῆν δὲ αὐτῶν ἐρεῖς τὴν ἀγαθὴν αὐτῶν καρδίαν τὴν ἑκατονταπλασίως καρποφορήσασαν τὸν ἐπ' αὐτῇ βληθέντα σπόρον. ο τι δὲ κατασκηνοῖ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ δόξα θεοῦ, παρίστησιν ἡ λέξις ἡ φάσκουσα ̔Ο θεὸς ὁ εἰπὼν ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψαι ο ς ε λαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ 169 Χριστοῦ. κατασκηνοῖ δὲ καὶ ἐν τῷ σώματι τῶν πειθομένων τῇ παραινέσει τῇ λεγούσῃ ∆οξάσατε δὴ τὸν θεὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι ἑαυτῶν τῶν τελείαν σωφροσύνην κατορθούντων. 855 Ps 84,11.12 ∆ύναται καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἡ ἀντακολούθησις τῶν ἀρετῶν δηλοῦσθαι, τοῦ ἐλεητικοῦ ἀληθοῦς καὶ τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ἐλεητικοῦ τυγχάνοντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ δικαίου εἰρηνικοῦ καὶ τοῦ εἰρηνικοῦ δικαίου ο ντος. καὶ ἐν α λλοις δὲ α μα τῷ ἐλέει ἡ ἀλήθεια ὀνομάζεται, ω σπερ ἐν τῷ Τὸ ε λεός σου καὶ ἡ ἀλήθειά σου διαπαντὸς ἀντελάβετό μου, καὶ τὸ ̓Εξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ ε λεος αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐφίστημι δὲ διὰ τοῦτο α μα αὐτὰ εἰρῆσθαι, ἐπείπερ δυσέφικτός ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀνέφικτος, εἰ μὴ τύχοι ἐλέῳ θεοῦ χορηγουμένη· η τάχα τὴν ἀληθῆ σωτηρίαν α νευ ἐλεημοσύνης θεοῦ οὐκ ο ντος λαβεῖν, α μα ὠνομάσθησαν δικαιοσύνῃ. συνηντηκέναι τὸ ε λεος τῇ ἀληθείᾳ φησίν. εἰ γὰρ εἰς ταὐτὸν ε λθοι τὸ ε λεος καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια, καὶ γνωσόμεθα αὐτὴν καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ ἐσόμεθα. ̓Αλλὰ καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη καταφιλεῖ τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τὴν δικαιοσύνην. ε νθα γὰρ δικαιοσύνη, πάντως εἰρήνη ε πεται ου σα αὐτῆς βλάστημα. δύνασαι δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σωτῆρος ταῦτα ἐκλαβεῖν κατὰ διαφόρους ἐπινοίας αὐτοῦ εἰρημένα, ὡς η δη προείρηται. ̓Ανατέταλκε δὲ ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ σωτῆρος ἀνθρώπου γεγενημένου. πολλὴ γὰρ ἀπάτη καὶ πολὺ τὸ ψεῦδος ἐν ἀνθρώποις η ν. Οὐκ ε στι γὰρ ἀλήθεια καὶ ε λεος οὐδ' ἐπίγνωσις θεοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· α ρα καὶ ψεῦδος καὶ φόνος καὶ μοιχεία κέχυται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, φησὶν ὁ προφήτης. τοῦτο ου ν τὸ ψεῦδος τὸ καθόλου τῆς γῆς ἰσχύσαν ε λυσεν ὁ εἰπὼν ̓Εγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια, τὸ δ' ἐκ τῆς γῆς (τουτέστιν ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων) ἀνατείλας. ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαιοσύνη τυγχάνων πατρὸς κατὰ τὸ ει ναι λόγος θεοῦ καὶ σοφία, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ διέκυψε κλίνας οὐρανοὺς καὶ καταβάς. ἐπήνεγκε δὲ ἡμῖν τὴν εἰρήνην καθὸ δικαιοσύνη καὶ τὸ ε λεος καθὸ ἀλήθεια· ἐπινοεῖται γὰρ αὐτῷ πάντα ταῦτα, ὡς ἀρτίως ει ρηται. 856 Ps 84,13 Ονπερ τρόπον ὑετοῦ δοθέντος ἡ χθὼν καρποφορεῖ αὐτοῦ τοῦ κυρίου δεδωκότος χρηστότητα, καρπὸν ἡ νοητὴ γῆ δίδωσι, ποτισθεῖσα τῇ ἐκ θεοῦ χρηστότητι. καρπὸς δὲ αὐτῆς ἡ γενικὴ ἀρετὴ η ς τὰ ει δη προβαλλομένη ἡ ψυχὴ γῆ καρποφοροῦσα τυγχάνει. 857 Ps 84,14 ∆ύναται περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ εἰρῆσθαι τὸ προκείμενον, ι ν' ῃ τὸ
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.
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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.