Theodoret of Cyrus — Commentary on Scripture

Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.

Put them to flight, entrusting the pursuit to the unseen angels. This is the way we also find the Assyrians exterminated by an angel and the way the exterminator destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians.

Psalms 35:11

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

When Saul under the influence of envy, remember, suspected him of plotting a coup and for that reason maintained a state of war, the slanderers (whom he calls false “witnesses”) took occasion not to desist from spreading calumny against him. Some of these were Doeg, the Ziphites, and many others in addition to them.

Psalms 35:17

Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.

Now, he says this not by way of accusation but out of a longing for help. When will you appear, he is saying, and assist the wronged?… Render my soul proof against their machinations.

Psalms 35:26

Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

Shame is fitting for those who mock their neighbor; thus the inspired author calls it down on their arrogance and boasting.

Psalms 35:28

And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

While the psalm had this ending, therefore, I beseech those reading it not to incur even the slightest harm from the prayer of the righteous person or make it the occasion for curses against one’s enemies. Instead, realize that the inspired author was adopting the way of life sanctioned by the Law, not by the Gospels. Now, the Law speaks plainly of loving the neighbor and hating the enemy. By contrast, Christ the Lord, to show virtue in its perfection, said, “It was said to those of old, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you. Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you.” The divine apostle also said something in harmony with this, “Bless and do not curse.” Looking at this difference, therefore, realize what is in keeping with the Law and what with grace. In particular, it was not to deliver a curse that David said this; rather, in inspired fashion he foretold what would clearly come to be. Now, for proof that in keeping with the gospel requirements even he did not take vengeance on those who wronged him, listen to him saying, “If I repaid in like…

While the psalm had this ending, therefore, I beseech those reading it not to incur even the slightest harm from the prayer of the righteous person or make it the occasion for curses against one’s enemies. Instead, realize that the inspired author was adopting the way of life sanctioned by the Law, not by the Gospels. Now, the Law speaks plainly of loving the neighbor and hating the enemy. By contrast, Christ the Lord, to show virtue in its perfection, said, “It was said to those of old, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you. Love your enemies and bless those who persecute you.” The divine apostle also said something in harmony with this, “Bless and do not curse.” Looking at this difference, therefore, realize what is in keeping with the Law and what with grace. In particular, it was not to deliver a curse that David said this; rather, in inspired fashion he foretold what would clearly come to be. Now, for proof that in keeping with the gospel requirements even he did not take vengeance on those who wronged him, listen to him saying, “If I repaid in like fashion those rendering me evil, let me then end up empty-handed before my foes. Let my foe then hunt my soul down, apprehend it, trample my life in the ground and bury my glory in the dust.” And he did not say this without doing it: he put his words into practice, and the actions are clearer than the words. Twice when he had his enemy in his hands, remember, he not only did not do away with him; … when he fell in battle, he wept bitterly over him, and the one who brought word of his death he dispatched for exulting and boasting of the execution. Now, I was obliged to recount these events because of those who boast and quote the case of the divine David so that they may have the best values of David as a beneficial model.

Psalms 36:2

For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

He so distracts himself, he is saying, and banishes the fear of God from his own sight that his lawlessness, which in fact is obvious, is seen and discovered by everyone and thus attracts loathing. He has given himself unswervingly to lawlessness. Now, he adopts this ignorance so willingly that he is not prepared to assess what he has done or loathe his evil exploits.

Psalms 36:6

Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

While those people turn their hand to such things as though no one were watching, you, Lord, possess immeasurable mercy, incalculable truth and righteousness comparable to the highest mountains. Now, your truth comes to human beings through the inspired authors as though through some clouds, regaling them with saving rain. “Your judgments are like the great deep”: possessing such wonderful truth and righteousness, why you show long-suffering I do not know; your judgments resemble the impenetrable depths. That is to say, just as the bottom of the sea is beyond human vision, so an understanding of your judgments is beyond our grasp.

Psalms 36:9

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

Here he clearly reveals to us the mystery of the holy Trinity: he called the Only-begotten Word of God a “fountain of life.” This is the name, too, remember, God personally gave himself through the prophet Jeremiah: “They have forsaken me, a fountain of living water, taken their leave and dug for themselves cracked cisterns incapable of holding water.” So he says this fountain is in the presence of the Father, according to the following Gospel teaching: “I in the Father and the Father in me.” “In your light we shall see light”: Illumined by the all-holy Spirit we shall perceive the rays of your Only-begotten; Scripture says, “No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit,” and “God revealed to us through his Spirit.” We have consequently come to a precise knowledge of the three persons in the one divinity through the inspired words.

Psalms 37:4

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

In everything he taught the benefit of hope in God: the person hoping in God, he says, and fed by him will enjoy the goods supplied by him while those who find delightful constant converse with him will most of all attain them.

Psalms 37:5

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Offer up to God, he is saying, both yourself and your actions, and expect grace from him; for his part he will bring forth a just verdict like a judge, will extol you and make you famous to the extent of being known to everyone, like the light at midday.

Psalms 37:7

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Even if you see one choosing wickedness and not deviating from his purpose but being borne downstream, do not be worried and concerned that no one is in control of the world.

Psalms 37:9

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Instead of considering their prosperity, await their end, and you will see their ruin.

Psalms 37:19

They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Those choosing a blameless life enjoy providence completely; even if they encounter disasters, they will emerge superior to them; and when need becomes endemic, they will receive sufficiency from God, and in addition will enjoy everlasting goods.

Psalms 37:21

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

Saul was like that, ever the object of kindness at the hands of the divine David but reluctant to repay kindness with kindness; blessed David …, in imitation of his Lord, who makes his sun rise on wicked and good, continued showing kindness.

Psalms 37:24

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

It is impossible for anyone to travel blamelessly the way of virtue without God’s grace. He works in association with those who have this intent: for the acquisition of virtue there is need of human zeal and divine assistance at one and the same time. Thus, you see, even if the one traveling this path should slip, he will gain divine support. Likewise, when blessed David stumbled and ran the risk of coming to grief, he was borne up by divine grace.

Psalms 37:31

The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

It is fitting, the psalmist says, to carry around the divine sayings both on one’s tongue and in one’s mind and constantly give attention to them; learning in this way how to behave, the lover of virtue remains intrepid and unmoved, proof against efforts at overthrow.

Psalms 37:40

And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Those who practice righteousness … will enjoy divine aid and attain salvation, and by reason of placing complete hope in him, they will prevail over those endeavoring to wrong them.

Psalms 38:1

A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

David made this beginning to the sixth psalm as well, asking to be disciplined in the manner of a surgeon, not a judge, and to be treated not with harsh remedies but with mild ones.

Psalms 38:7

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

So, he means, my handling of desire not fittingly but wastefully proved the cause of these troubles.… From that desire [as he says in the next verse] I garnered the fruit, which was my stooping to earth, he is saying, and constant bewailing on account of my heart’s bitter pangs. For this reason I changed the force of desire and made it a minister to the divine will.… Since once I used it wrongly, I shall always apply it to the benefit of your commands.

Psalms 38:10

My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

By these statements he implies two things: both the extraordinary degree of depression, by which the light does not even seem to be light, and the deprivation of divine care, which he rightly called “light of my eyes.”