Theodoret of Cyrus — Commentary on Scripture

Psalms 24:4

It is appropriate, he is saying, for him who desires to ascend that mountain both to purify his soul of idle thoughts and to keep his hands away from such pursuits. He put “hands” in place of pursuits, and by “heart” he implied desires: with the latter we form our intentions, and by the former we put them into action.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 24:4

Psalms 24:5

Now, it was quite appropriate for him to associate mercy with blessing: even what are thought rewards are given to human beings only on account of divine lovingkindness. I mean, all the righteousness of human beings is not nearly sufficient for gifts bestowed by God and certainly not for those yet to come, which even surpass human imagining.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 24:4

Psalms 24:7

Let no one wonder, I ask you, on hearing of the ignorance of the invisible powers: they have neither advance knowledge nor complete knowledge—only the divine nature has that knowledge. Angels and archangels, however, and the other companies of the invisible powers know as much as they are taught, for which reason the divine apostle also, speaking of them, said, “So that to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly places the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known through the church.” Now, if they came to learn the divine wisdom more precisely through the life of the church, there is nothing out of order for the powers on high to be ignorant even of the mystery of Christ’s ascension when they see the human nature and do not perceive the divinity concealed in it.… No human being had ever passed through [the eternal gates]; but when God the Word became human and took up our first fruits, he both led the way up to heaven and took his place at the right hand of majesty in the highest places, above every principality, authority, dominion and every name that is n…

Let no one wonder, I ask you, on hearing of the ignorance of the invisible powers: they have neither advance knowledge nor complete knowledge—only the divine nature has that knowledge. Angels and archangels, however, and the other companies of the invisible powers know as much as they are taught, for which reason the divine apostle also, speaking of them, said, “So that to the principalities and authorities in the heavenly places the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known through the church.” Now, if they came to learn the divine wisdom more precisely through the life of the church, there is nothing out of order for the powers on high to be ignorant even of the mystery of Christ’s ascension when they see the human nature and do not perceive the divinity concealed in it.… No human being had ever passed through [the eternal gates]; but when God the Word became human and took up our first fruits, he both led the way up to heaven and took his place at the right hand of majesty in the highest places, above every principality, authority, dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 24:6-7

Psalms 25:3

I have a sufficient basis for hope, he is saying, in those who already believe in you and enjoy your aid. You are in the habit of showing care for them, while confounding those given to lawlessness.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:2

Psalms 25:7

In those expressions what he was asking for was this: According to your great mercy, remember me; remember not my sin but me in loving fashion.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:3

Psalms 25:10

Those constantly reared on the sacred Words have a precise knowledge from them that all the dispensations of God our Savior are tempered with mercy and truth: to some, who repent of sins committed, he extends mercy and pardon; others unconquered he proclaims and crowns as champions of virtue, giving his verdict with truth, while admittedly on those caught up in lawlessness and not taking advantage of repentance he inflicts punishments in terms of the standard of truth.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:5

Psalms 25:22

Prayer offered to God befits a king: it is appropriate for one appointed to rule to exercise complete care of his subjects. This is surely the reason that blessed David offered prayer not only for himself but also for a people entrusted to him, especially as the salvation of the one who reigns wisely and well constitutes the welfare of the whole people. The verse implies something else as well, however. Israel was divided, in the time of Saul, of Mephibosheth and of Absalom. Consequently, if I were to enjoy your aid, he is saying, and prove stronger than my adversaries, Israel itself would obtain peace by putting an end to civil strife and would revel in your good things.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:10

Psalms 26:1

I appeal to you, O Lord, to act as judge of the justice of my cause: I know you are God, I placed my hopes in your providence, and I am confident I shall not fall into the hands of my pursuers.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 26:2

Psalms 27:2

Those who stole an advantage over me in their pursuit like wild animals and their attempts to make a meal of me while still alive, far from doing me any harm, were themselves the victims of total destruction.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 27:3

Psalms 27:3

Having such wonderful experience of assistance, he is saying, even should two or three times the number of enemies try to attack me, I would brave the difficulties, armed with this hope.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 27:3

Psalms 27:4

Having enjoyed such beneficence, he is saying, I seek from my benefactor not wealth or influence, royalty or glory, but constant attendance in the divine temple, contemplation of the divine beauty there and inspection of everything happening in accordance with law. I have … already secured salvation from that source and escaped the hand of my pursuers. This the mighty David both asked for and received from the munificent God: he brought back the divine ark, erected another more wonderful tabernacle and assembled the different choirs of singers. You could gain a more precise knowledge of this from the books of Chronicles.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 27:4

Psalms 27:11

In place of “Guide me by law,” Aquila and Theodotion said, “Illuminate,” whereas Symmachus has, “Give me a glimpse of your way.” … Become for me in your own person both lawgiver and guide, giving me a glimpse of the path leading to you.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 27:7

Psalms 27:14

The mind adorned with virility, he is saying, and by means of it getting the better of the onset of misfortunes, is strengthened, and gains the victory and awaits the divine promises, to which it becomes the heir, the body also co-operating. Now, he calls the life looked forward to “land of the living” insofar as it is separated from death and free of corruption and sadness.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 27:8

Psalms 28:1

If you keep silence with me and deprive me of your help, I shall immediately be consigned to death, which he called “pit,” since the grave is dug like a pit.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 28:1

Psalms 28:2

Though the temple was not yet built, he gives the name “temple” to the tabernacle in which he prayed, distant from it in body but directing his mind there. Likewise also when blessed Daniel in Babylon prayed, he opened the windows facing Jerusalem, not under the impression that God was confined there but from his knowledge that the divine manifestation occurred there.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 28:2

Psalms 28:3

The prayer of blessed David is to have no truck with those who practice duplicity: he calls abhorrent those who say one thing but mean another.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 28:2

Psalms 28:4

Let no one think, however, that the righteous person is cursing his enemies: the words are a mark not of cursing but of a just verdict. “Grant them their due repayment,” he says, meaning, May they fall foul of their own schemes, which they hatch against one another. This is said also in the seventh psalm, “Their trouble will come back on their own head, and their wrong will come down on top of them.”

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 28:3

Psalms 28:9

The prayer for the people befits the king as well: it is also admirable about mighty David that though pursued also by the people, who waged war on him along with Saul, he offered supplication on their behalf to God. He foresaw their future conversion, you see, and had regard not for the injustice but for the servitude to come.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 28:5

Psalms 29:1

You who are entrusted with the divine message, he is saying, and are called children of God, bear the divine message everywhere with all enthusiasm, transform those reared on nonsense into rational people and offer them first to God; then through them present the worship and the hymns, celebrating the benefactor in the divine dwellings. This resembles what was said by the Savior to the sacred apostles, “Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 29:4

Psalms 29:3

Now, the verse forecasts the voice emanating from heaven at the Jordan, “This is my Son, the Beloved, in whom I am well pleased.” He called it “thunder” as coursing to the whole world through the sacred Gospels.

COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 29:4