Theodoret of Cyrus — Commentary on Scripture

Psalms 8:6

And this is a precise demonstration of your lovingkindness and power, he is saying, imbuing the lowly nature of human beings with wisdom so that they might have control over not only the land creatures but also those that fly and that swim and that do both, use their skills to hunt those in the heights and in the depths, and keep under control those that pass through the air and those hidden in the water.… Uncreated nature alone, you see, is separate from this subjection as something free. The nature that receives existence from it, however, is subject whatever it be—visible or invisible—to Christ the Lord, both as God and as man. Such is the honor human nature received from the God of all. Hence, as a conclusion he used the same verse as at the beginning: “O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!”

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 8:6-7

Psalms 9:1

It is characteristic of the perfect to dedicate their whole heart to God and to consecrate their whole mind to him. “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart,” Scripture says, “with your whole soul, with your whole strength and with your whole mind.” Those who divide their thoughts between mammon and God, between Christ and gold, between the present and the future life, cannot truthfully say, “I shall confess to you, O Lord, with all my heart.”

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:2

Psalms 9:6

[The godless one] was stripped of his own weapons, having no supporters of his godlessness; instead, those who appointed themselves his instruments have now changed sides and taken up the fight against him. With the overthrow of godlessness practiced in them in former times, the cities took on the building up of true religion; it would have been impossible for them to develop true religion had not they overthrown godlessness first.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:5

Psalms 9:11

A drastic alteration of circumstances took place in reality: ancient enemies became friends, those distant became close, slaves became sons, those ignorant became knowledgeable, those in darkness came to be in light, the dead in hope of life the poor became heirs of the kingdom of heaven, Jews came to be far away and Gentiles close at hand, sons became dogs, dogs sons. In short, the Savior’s devices took on a divine seemliness: the gift of immortality was given through mortality, life through death, honor through dishonor, blessing through curse, salvation through a cross—these are the devices, these the exploits of our God.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 9:8

Psalms 10:4

The unbeliever and the sinner never keeps God before his eyes; instead, each day and at every moment he soils and sullies his paths, not believing there is any judgment. Well, what is the reason for this?… He completely despises your laws; he spends all his time in lawlessness. The unbeliever, in fact, belittles and vilifies the commands of God.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 10:2

Psalms 10:14

Even if those living in impiety claim countless times, he is saying, that you are not looking at human affairs, we know that you are studying and considering their crimes and requiring due penalty of them.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 10:6

Psalms 11:4

So while they practice their evil ways against me, you, the righteous Judge, seated on your heavenly throne and making your own special appearance in the temple on earth, view the whole world, though sufficient for you is a mere glance of your eyes to learn about all human affairs. You know precisely the doings of the righteous and the unrighteous, and you measure out repayment for work done.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 11:3

Psalms 12:2

Regard for truth is in danger of being snuffed out, with everyone, you might say, suffering from distrust in one another.… They pretend friendship and perform the actions of enemies.… Some use their lips to direct falsehood into their neighbor’s heart; others return the compliment.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 12:2

Psalms 12:4

With mouths agape they heedlessly utter whatever occurs to them, scornful of divine long-suffering and giving no thought to their falling under the lordship of God.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 12:3

Psalms 12:7

Guarded by your grace we shall not only escape the wiles of the present generation but shall also be provided with everlasting salvation.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 12:4

Psalms 13:3

By night I am overwhelmed by my problems, in the grip of discouragement like a kind of sleep. But if the light of your assistance shines, it will disperse the darkness of trouble and put an end to the sleep of discouragement. If, however, you delay your help, I am afraid the sleep will turn into death, as the distress becomes stronger than my resolve.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 13:3

Psalms 13:5

It is clear also from this that he uttered this psalm after the sin: he relies not on his righteousness but on mercy and says it is in this that he trusts.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 13:4

Psalms 14:1

[Like the Assyrian army in the days of Hezekiah], all will come to know through experience the one fighting against them; fear will strike them from a source they did not expect. I mean, who would have thought they would be destroyed by an angel? That God cares for the Jews? Those who mocked the counsel of poor and lowly Hezekiah for trusting in God rather than arms will realize that the one who made himself dependent on God enjoyed a hope that was not disappointed.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 14:2

Psalms 15:1

Since the psalm before this also prophesied salvation for the inhabitants of Jerusalem and forecast the return of those already made captive, it is right for him to introduce exhortation in this psalm and propose a way of life proper for them to live who are under God’s command and enjoying such wonderful assistance.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 15:1

Psalms 15:2

It is necessary, he is saying, for such a one to rid himself of evil and be free of all blame, and to practice every virtue studiously.… He must keep free of falsehood not only his tongue but also his mind, and be rid completely of the double deceit so that on their part no harm results to their neighbor. Now, it was very logical for him to make mention first of the heart, then of the tongue and then of the deed: word precedes action; and thinking, word.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 15:2

Psalms 16:1

The psalm is spoken in the person of the Savior but is spoken from the viewpoint of his humanity, as are also many other such statements that we find in the sacred Gospels.… In this psalm also he asks to be protected and is protected by himself: while he asks as a human being, as God he grants the request, his own Father of course being pleased and cooperating.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 16:2

Psalms 16:2

The abundance of good things, he is saying, comes to me from your grace.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 16:3

Psalms 16:10

So at this place, too, Christ the Lord in human fashion says, “Constantly supported by the divine nature, I am in the midst of my saving passion and find gladness in the hope of resurrection. My soul, you see, will not be abandoned in hades, nor will my flesh suffer natural corruption. I shall achieve a rapid resurrection and return to life, giving all people a glimpse of this path.”

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 16:7

Psalms 16:10

This psalm refutes the folly of Arius, of Eunomius and of Apollinaris: the former ones said God the Word assumed a body without a soul, whereas Apollinaris called the body that was assumed ensouled though denying it a rational soul; I do not know where he found his doctrine of these two souls—the divine Scripture nowhere teaches it. Yet the all-Holy Spirit through blessed David made undisguised mention of a soul, thus giving clear refutation of each heresy.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 16:8

Psalms 16:11

He will be in unceasing joy, having become immune to suffering, to change, to death, even in his human nature. As God, you see, this was always the case, and of course even in his human nature once formed in the womb it was easy to provide him with this. But he allowed the nature he had assumed to travel through the sufferings so as by these means to loose the sway of sin, put a stop to the tyranny of the devil, undo the power of death and provide all people with the basis of a new life. So as man he assumes both incorruption and immortality.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 16:8