# Homilies on the Psalms - Author: [Basil of Caesarea](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/basil-of-caesarea/) - Latin title: *Homiliae in psalmos* - Date: ca. 360-378 (approximate) - Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 29 (Paris: Migne, 1857), reprinting the Benedictine edition of J. Garnier and P. Maran (Paris, 1721-1730), cols. 209-494 - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/ - Passages: 77 ## Homilies on the Psalms 1.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-1 - Source: PG 29:418 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil opens his homily on Psalm 1 by praising the book of Psalms as a storehouse of every kind of teaching, sweetened by melody so that it is learned without effort. ### Greek text Πᾶσα Γραφὴ θεόπνευστος καὶ ὠφέλιμος, διὰ … ἐν κοινῷ τῶν ψυχῶν ἱἰατρείῳ, πάντες ἄνθρωποι τὸ ἴαμα τοῦ οἰκείου πάθους ἔκαστος ἐκλεγώμεθα. Ἴαμα … μὲν οὖν προφῆται παιδεύουσι, καὶ ἄλλα ἱστορικοὶ, καὶ ὁ νόμος ἕτερα, καὶ ἄλλα τὸ εἶδος τῆς παροιμιακῆς παραινέσεως. Ἡ δὲ τῶν Ψαλμῶν βίβλος τὸ ἐκ πάντων ὠφέλιμον περιείληφε. Προφητεύει τὰ μέλλοντα " ἱστορίας ὑπομιμνήσκει" νομοθετεῖ τῷ βίῳ“ ὑποτίθεται τὰ πρακτέα " καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς κοινὸν ταμιεῖόν ἐστιν ἀγαθῶν διδαγμάτων, τὸ ἑκάστῳ πρέσφορὸν κατὰ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἐξευρίσκουσα. Τά τε γὰρ παλαιὰ τραύματα τῶν ψυχῶν ἐξιᾶται, καὶ τῷ νεοτρώτῳ ταχεῖαν ἐπάγει τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν, καὶ τὸ νενοσηκὸς περιποιεῖται, καὶ τὸ ἀκέραιον διασώζει" καὶ ὅλως ἐξαιρεῖ τὰ πάθη, καθ᾽ ὅσον οἷόν τε, τὰ ποικίλως ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐν τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐνδυνατεύοντα " καὶ τοῦτο μετά τινος ψυχαγωγίας ἐμμελοῦς καὶ ἡδονῆς σώφρονα λογισμὸν ἐμποιούσης. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδε τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον δυσάγωγον πρὸς ἀρετὴν τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ διὰ τὸ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἐπιῤῥεπὲς τοῦ ὀρθοῦ βίου καταμελοῦντας ἡμᾶς" τί ποιεῖ; Τὸ ἐκ τῆς μελῳδίας τερπνὸν τοῖς δόγμασιν ἐγκατέμιξεν, ἵνα τῷ προσηνεῖ καὶ λείῳ τῆς ἀκοῆς τὸ ἐκ τῶν λόγων ὠφέλιμον λανθανόντως ὑποδεξώμεθα " κατὰ τοὺς σοφοὺς τῶν ἰατρῶν, οἵ, τῶν …, μέλιτι πολλάκις τὴν κύλικα περιχρίουσι. Διὰ τοῦτο τὰ ἐναρμόνια ταῦτα μέλη τῶν ψαλμῶν ἡμῖν ἐπινενόηται, ἵνα οἱ παῖδες τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἣ καὶ ὅλως οἱ νεαροὶ τὸ ἦθος, τῷ μὲν δοκεῖν μελῳδῶσι, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ τὰς ψυχὰς ἐκπαιδεύωνται. Οὔτε γὰρ ἀποστολικόν τις οὔτε προφητικὸν παράγγελμα τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ῥᾳθύμων ῥᾳδίως ποτὲ τῇ μνήμῃ κατασχὼν ἀπῆλθε" τὰ δὲ τῶν ψαλμῶν λόγια καὶ κατ᾽ οἶκον μελῳδοῦσι, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς περιφέρουσι" καί πού τις τῶν σφόδρα ἐκτεθηριωμένων ὑπὸ θυμοῦ, ἐπειδὰν ἄρξηται τῷ ψαλμῷ κατεπάδεσθαι, ἀπῆλθεν εὐθὺς, τὸ ἀγριαῖον τῆς ψυχῆς τῇ μελῳδίᾳ ### English translation (Claude) “All Scripture is inspired by God and useful”; … for this reason, so that, as in a common hospital for souls, all of us human beings may each choose the remedy for our own ailment. For “healing …” The prophets teach some things, the historians others, the law others, and the form of proverbial counsel others still. But the book of Psalms has taken in what is useful from them all. It foretells what is to come, recalls histories, gives laws for life, suggests what is to be done, and, in a word, it is a common storehouse of good teachings, carefully finding for each person what suits him. For it heals the old wounds of souls, brings quick recovery to the newly wounded, tends what has fallen sick, and keeps what is sound unharmed; and, as far as possible, it removes altogether the passions that in various ways hold sway over souls in human life, and this with a certain harmonious delight and a pleasure that instills sober thought. For when the Holy Spirit saw that the human race was hard to lead toward virtue, and that because of our leaning toward pleasure we neglect the upright life, what does he do? He mixed the delight of melody with the doctrines, so that through the gentleness and smoothness of what we hear we might receive, without noticing it, the benefit of the words, like wise physicians who, when they give … medicines, often smear the cup with honey. That is why these harmonious melodies of the psalms have been devised for us, so that those who are children in age, or young in character altogether, may seem to be singing but in truth be training their souls. For hardly anyone among the many, the careless, ever went away holding in memory a command of an apostle or a prophet; but the sayings of the psalms they sing at home and carry about in the marketplace. And somewhere a man who has become quite savage with anger, once he begins to be soothed by the psalm, goes away at once with the wildness of his soul [lulled to rest] by the melody ### Scripture references - 2 Tim 3:16: quotation, high confidence - Eccl 10:4: quotation, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: 2 Tim 3:16; Eccl 10:4 (“healing [will put an end to great sins]”, of which only the first word survives in the scan). Words are lost in the scan after “useful” and after “when they give” (the physicians' bitter medicines), and the end of the Ecclesiastes quotation is lost in Migne's Latin column; these are marked “…”. The last verb is lost at the page turn and is supplied in brackets. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 1.1 (PG 29:418; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 1.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-2 - Source: PG 29:418 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil continues his praise of psalmody, explains why the Psalms are sung to the psaltery, and begins on the opening verse of Psalm 1 as the foundation of the whole book. ### Greek text ψαλμὸς γαλήνη ψυχῶν, βραβευτὴς εἰρήνης, τὸ θορυβοῦν καὶ κυμαῖνον τῶν λογισμῶν καταστέλλων. Μαλάσσει μὲν γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ θυμούμενον, τὸ δὲ ἀκόλαστον σωφρονίζει. Ψαλμὸς φιλίας συναγωγὸς, ἕνωσις διεστώτων, ἐχθραινόντων διαλλακτήριον. Τίς γὰρ ἔτι ἐχθρὸν ἡγεῖσθαι δύναται μεθ᾽ οὗ μίαν ἀφῆκε πρὸς Θεὸν τὴν φωνήν; Ὥστε καὶ τὸ μέγιστον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀγάπην ἡ ψαλμῳδία παρέχεται, οἱονεὶ σύνδεσμόν τινα πρὸς τὴν ἕνωσιν τὴν συνῳδίαν ἐπινοήσασα, καὶ εἰς ἑνὸς χοροῦ συμφωνίαν τὸν λαὸν συναρμόζουσα. Ψαλμὸς δαιμόνων φυγαδευτήριον, τῆς τῶν ἀγγέλων βοηθείας ἐπαγωγή " ὅπλον ἐν φόβοις ἀσφάλεια, ἀκμάζουσιν ἐγκαλλώπισμα, πρεσβυτέροις παρηγορία, γυναιξὶ κόσμος ἁρμοδιώτατος. Τὰς ἐρημίας οἰκίζει, τὰς ἀγορὰς σωφρονίζει " εἰσαγομένοῖς στοιχείωσις, προκοπτόντων αὔξησις, τελειουμένων στήριγμα, Ἐκκλησίας φωνή. Οὗτος τὰς ἑορτὰς φαιδρύνει, οὗτος τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν λύπην δημιουργεῖ. Ψαλμὸς γὰρ καὶ ἐκ λιθίνης καρδίας δάκρυον ἐκκαλεῖται· ψαλμὸς τὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἔργον, τὸ οὐράνιον πολίτευμα, τὸ πνευματικὸν θυμίαμα. Ὦ τῆς σοφῆς ἐπινοίας τοῦ διδασκάλου, ὁμοῦ τε ἄδειν ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ λυσιτελῇ μανθάνειν μηχανωμένου ' ὅθεν καὶ μᾶλλόν πως ἐντυποῦται ταῖς ψυχαῖς τὰ διδάγματα. Βίαιον μὲν γὰρ μάθημα οὐ πέφυκε παραμένειν, τὰ δὲ μετὰ τέρψεως καὶ χάριτος εἰσδυόμενα μονιμώτερόν πως ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἐνιζάνει. Τί γὰρ οὐκ ἂν μάθοις ἐντεῦθεν; οὐ τῆς ἀνδρίας τὸ μεγαλοπρεπές; οὐ τῆς δικαιοσύνης τὸ ἀκριδές; οὐ σωφροσύνης τὸ σεμνόν; οὐ τὸ τῆς φρονήσεως τέλειον; οὐ μετανοίας τρόπον; οὐχ ὑπομονῆς μέτρα; οὐχ ὅ τι ἂν εἴποις τῶν ἀγαθῶν; Ἐνταῦθα ἕνι θεολογία τελεία, πρόῤῥησις τῆς διὰ σαρκὸς ἐπιδημίας Χριστοῦ, ἀπειλὴ κρίσεως, ἀναστάσεως ἐλπὶς, φόβος κολάσεως, ἐπαγγελίαι δόξης, μυστηρίων ἀποκαλύψεις " πάντα, ὥσπερ ἐν μεγάλῳ τινὶ καὶ κοινῷ ταμιείῳ, τῇ βίβλῳ τῶν Ψαλμῶν τεθησαύρισται, ἣν, πολλῶν ὄντων ὀργάνων μουσικῶν, πρὸς τὸ λεγόμενὸν ψαλτήριον ἥρμοσεν ὁ προφήτης, τὴν ἄνωθεν, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν ἐνηχοῦσαν αὐτῷ χάριν παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνδεικνύμενος, διότι τοῦτο μόνον τῶν μουσικῶν ὀργάνων τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν φθόγγων ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ἔχει. Τῇ κιθάρᾳ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τῇ λύρᾳ κάτωθεν ὁ χαλκὸς ὑπηχεῖ πρὸς τὸ πλῆκτρον τὸ ψαλτήριον δὲ τοῦτο τῶν ἁρμονικῶν ῥυθμῶν ἄνωθεν ἔχει τὰς ἀφορμάς" ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖν μελετῶμεν, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡδονῇ τοῦ μέλους ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς πάθη καταφερώμεθᾳ. Κἀκεῖνο δὲ οἶμαι τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον βαθέως ἡμῖν καὶ σοφῶς διὰ τῆς τοῦ ὀργάνου κατασκευῆς ἐνδεδεῖχθαι, ὅτι οἱ ἐμμελεῖς καὶ εὐάρμοστοι τὰς ψυχὰς ῥᾳδίαν ἔχουσι τὴν εἰς τὰ ἄνω πορείαν. Ἴδωμεν δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν Ψαλμῶν. Μακάριος ἀνὴρ, ὃς οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ἐν ἀσεβῶν. Οἰκοδόμοι μὲν οὖν μεγέθη κατασκευασμάτων εἰς ὕψος αἴροντες, ἀναλογοῦντας τῷ ὕψει τοὺς ἀγωγίμων τὴν τρόπιν πήγνυνται. Καὶ ἐν τῇ γενέσει τῶν ζώων ἣ καρδία πρώτη καταβληθεῖσα παρὰ τῆς φύσεως, ἀναλογοῦσαν τῷ μέλλοντι συνίστασθαι ζώῳ τὴν παρὰ τῆς φύσεως λαμβάνει καταβολήν" διότι συμμέτρως ταῖς οἰκείαις ἀρχαῖς περιυφαινομένου τοῦ σώματος, αἱ κατὰ τὰ μεγέθη διαφοραὶ τῶν ζώων ἀποτελοῦνται. Ὅπερ οὖν θεμέλιος ἐν οἴκῳ, καὶ ### English translation (Claude) A psalm is calm for souls, the arbiter of peace, quieting the turmoil and surging of thoughts. It softens the angry part of the soul and chastens the intemperate part. A psalm brings friendship together, unites those who are separated, reconciles those at enmity. For who can still regard as an enemy someone with whom he has sent up one voice to God? So psalmody provides the greatest of goods, love, devising the singing together as a kind of bond for unity and fitting the people into the harmony of one choir. A psalm is a refuge from demons and draws in the help of angels; it is a weapon in fears, a safety …, an adornment for those in their prime, a comfort for the elderly, the most fitting ornament for women. It peoples the deserts and brings the marketplaces to sobriety. For beginners it is the first lesson, for those making progress growth, for those being made perfect a support; it is the voice of the Church. It brightens the feasts; it produces the grief that is according to God. For a psalm calls forth a tear even from a heart of stone. A psalm is the work of angels, the heavenly way of life, the spiritual incense. O the wise contrivance of the teacher, who arranged that we should at once sing and learn what is profitable! Hence the teachings are somehow impressed more deeply on our souls. For a lesson learned under constraint does not usually last, but what enters with delight and charm settles more lastingly in our souls. What could you not learn from here? Not the greatness of courage? the exactness of justice? the dignity of self-control? the perfection of prudence? the way of repentance? the measures of patience? whatever good thing you might name? Here is complete theology, the foretelling of Christ's coming in the flesh, the threat of judgment, the hope of resurrection, the fear of punishment, promises of glory, revelations of mysteries: all is stored up in the book of Psalms as in a great common treasury. Though there are many musical instruments, the prophet fitted this book to the one called the psaltery, showing, it seems to me, the grace that sounded in him from above from the Spirit, because this alone of musical instruments has the source of its sounds above. For with the cithara and the lyre the bronze resounds from below under the plectrum; but the psaltery has the sources of its harmonious rhythms above, so that we too may practice seeking the things above and not be carried down by the pleasure of the melody to the passions of the flesh. And this too, I think, the prophetic word teaches us deeply and wisely through the construction of the instrument: that those whose souls are harmonious and well tuned have an easy road to the things above. But let us now look at the beginning of the Psalms. [3] “Blessed is the man who has not walked in the [counsel] of the ungodly.” Builders raising great structures to a height lay foundations in proportion to the height; … fix the keel [in proportion to the size of] cargo [ships]. And in the generation of living beings the heart, laid down first by nature, receives from nature a foundation in proportion to the animal that is to be formed, because the body is woven around its own beginnings in due measure, and so the differences in size among animals come about. What, then, a foundation is in a house, and ### Scripture references - 2 Cor 7:10: allusion, medium confidence - Col 3:1: allusion, low confidence - Ps 1:1: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Allusions: 2 Cor 7:10 (“grief according to God”); Col 3:1–2 (“seek the things above”). Quotation: Ps 1:1. Words are lost in the scan after “a safety” and between the builders and the keel; the second gap evidently named shipbuilders, as the comparison resumes in 1.3 (“a keel in a ship”). In the verse the word “counsel” is missing in the scan and is supplied in brackets. - The scan lost Migne's numeral 3, which stands before the verse; the marker [3] shows where his section 3 begins. Section 3 continues in 1.3. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 1.2 (PG 29:418; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 1.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-3 - Source: PG 29:418 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains that the opening beatitude sets the reward before the labor, that God alone is properly blessed, that women are included in “the man,” and why the verse speaks of past walking and of avoiding evil first. ### Greek text ἐν πλοίῳ τρόπις, καὶ ἐν σώματι ζώου καρδία, ταύτην μοι δοκεῖ τὴν δύναμιν ἔχειν πρὸς τὴν ὅλην τῶν Ψαλμῶν κατασκευὴν [καὶ] τὸ βραχὺ τοῦτο προοῖμιον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλὰ καὶ ἐπίπονα καὶ μυρίων ἱδρώτων καὶ πόνων γέμοντα παραινεῖν μέλλει, προῖόντὸς τοῦ λόγον, τοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνισταῖς προλαβὼν ὑπέδειξε τὸ μακάριον τέλος, ἵνα τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἀγαθῶν ἀλύπως τοῦ βίου τὰ ἀλγεινὰ διαφέρωμεν. Οὕτως καὶ ὁδοιπόροις τραχεῖαν ὁδὸν πορευομένοις καὶ δύσβατον κουφίζει τὸν μόχθον ἐπιτήδειον αὐτοῖς προσδοκηθὲν καταγώγιον " καὶ ἐμπόρους ποιεῖ τῆς θαλάσσης κατατολμᾶν ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ἀγωγίμων " καὶ γεωργῶν ὑποκλέπτει τοὺς πόνους ἡ τῆς ἐπικαρπίας ἐλπίς. Διὸ καὶ ὁ κοινὸς τοῦ βίου διορθωτὴς, ὁ μέγας διδάσκαλος, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἁληθείας, σοφῶς καὶ ἐντέχνως τοὺς μισθοὺς προεβάλετο, ἵνα, ὑπερκύπτοντες τοὺς ἐν χερσὶ πόνους, τῇ διανοίᾳ πρὸς τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν ἐπειγώμεθα. Μακάριος ἀνὴρ, ὃς οὐχ ἐπορεύθη ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν. "Ἔστι μὲν οὖν τὸ κυρίως καὶ πρώτως μακαριστὸν, τὸ ἀληθινῶς ἀγαθόν. Τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν ὁ Θεός. Ὅθεν καὶ Παῦλος, ὑπόμνησιν μέλλων ποιεῖσθαι Χριστοῦ, Κατὰ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν, φησὶ, τοῦ μακαρίου Θεοῦ, καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἶησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Μακάριον γὰρ τῷ ὄντι τὸ αὐτόκαλον, πρὸς ὃ πάντα ἀποβλέπει, οὗ πάντα ἐφίεται, ἡ ἄτρεπτος φύσις, τὸ δεσποτικὸν ἀξίωμα, ἡ ἀόχλητος ζωὴ, ἡ ἄλυπος διεξαγωγὴ, περὶ ἣν οὐχ ἔστιν ἀλλοίωσις, ἧς οὐχ ἅπτεται μεταβολή· ἡ βρύουσα πηγὴ, ἡ ἄφθονος χάρις, ὁ ἀδαπάνητος θησαυρός. ᾿Αμαθεῖς δὲ. ἄνθρωποι καὶ φιλόκοσμοι, ἀγνοοῦντες αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀγάθοῦ τὴν φύσιν, μακαρίζουσι πολλάκις τὰ μηδενὸς ἄξια, πλοῦτον, ὑγίειαν, περιφάνειαν βίου " ὧν οὐδέν ἔστιν ἀγαθὸν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ φύσει" οὐ μόνον καθότι ῥᾳδίαν ἔχει τὴν πρὸς τὰ ἐναντία περιτροπὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι μηδὲ ἀγαθοὺς δύναται τοὺς κεκτημένους ἀποτελεῖν. Τίς γὰρ δίκαιος διὰ χρήματα; τίς σώφρων διὰ ὑγίειαν; Τοὐναντίον μὲν οὖν, καὶ ὑπηρεσία πολλάκις πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν τοῖς κακῶς χρωμένοις τούτων ἕκαστον γίνεται. Μακάριος οὖν ὁ τὰ πλείστου ἄξια κεκτημένος, ὁ τῶν ἀναφαιρέτων ἀγαθῶν μέτοχος. Τοῦτον δὲ πῶς ἐπιγνωσόμεθα; Ὃς οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν. Καὶ πρίν γε εἰπεῖν, τί τὸ μὴ πορευθῆναι ᾿ ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν, βούλομαι ὑμῖν τὸ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ … ἄνδρα μόνον ἐκλεξάμενος μακαρίζει; ἄρα μὴ τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ τὰς γυναῖκας ἀπέκλεισε; Μὴ γένοιτο! Μία γὰρ ἀρετὴ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἡ κτίσις ἀμφοτέροις ὁμότιμος, ὥστε καὶ ὁ μισθὸς ὁ αὐτὸς ἀμφοτέροις. “Ἄκουε τῆς Γενέσεως: Ἐποίησε, φησὶ, ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον" κατ᾽ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἃ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν" ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν αὖτούς. Ὧν δὲ ἡ φύσις μία, τούτων καὶ ἐνέργειαι αἱ αὐταί" ὧν δὲ τὸ ἔργον ἴσον, τούτων καὶ ὁ μισθὸς ὁ αὐτός. Διὰ τί οὖν, ἀνδρὸς μνησθεὶς, τὴν γυναῖκα ἀπεσιώπησεν; Ὅτι ἀρχεῖν ἡγήσατο, μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς φύσεως, ἐκ τοῦ ἡγεμονικωτέρου τὸ ὅλον ἐνδείξασθαι. Μακάριος οὖν ἀνὴρ, ὃς οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν. Σκόπει τῶν ῥημάτων τὸ ἀκριδὲς πῶς ἑκάστη λέξις δογμάτων πεπλήρωται. Οὐχ εἶπεν, Ὃς οὐ πορεύεται ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν, ἀλλ᾽, Ὃς οὐκ ἐπορεύθη. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τυγχάνων οὕπω μακαριστὸς, διὰ τὸ ἄδηλον τῆς ἐκβάσεως" ὁ δὲ συμπληρώσας τὰ ἐπιβάλλοντα, καὶ ἀναντιῤῥήτῳ τέλει τὴν ζωὴν κατακλείσας, οὗτος ἤδη ἀσφαλῶς μακαρίζεται. Διὰ τί οὖν … μακάριοι οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου; οὐ γὰρ τοὺς πορευθέντας ἐχεῖ, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἔτι πορευομένους μαχαριστοὺς ὁ λόγος τίθεται " ὅτι οἱ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐργαζόμενοι, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ἔργῳ τὸ ἀπόδεκτον ἔχουσιν " οἱ δὲ τὸ κακὸν φεύγοντες οὐχ, ἐὰν ἅπαξ που ἣ δεύτερον ἐκκλίνωσι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἐπαινετοὶ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν δυνηθῶσι τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν πεῖραν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς διαδρᾶναι. Ἔκ δὲ τῆς τοῦ λόγου ἀκολουθίας καὶ ἕτερον ἡμῖν ἄπορον ἀνεφάνη Διὰ τί οὐχὶ τὸν κατορθοῦντα τὴν ἀρετὴν μακαρίζει, ἀλλὰ τὸν μὴ πεποιηκότα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν; Οὕτως γὰρ καὶ ἵππος, καὶ βοῦς, καὶ λίθος μαχαρισθήσεται. Ποῖον γὰρ ἄψυχον ἔστη ἐν ὁδῷ ἁμαρτωλῶν; ἤν ποῖον ἄλογον ἐπὶ καθέδρᾳ λοιμῶν ἐκάθισε; Μικρὸν μὲν οὖν ἀναμείνας, εὑρήσεις τὸ ἴαμα. Ἐπἀγει γάρ" ἣ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ. Θείου δὲ νόμου μελέτη ἐπὶ τὸν λογικὸν μόνον … Ἡμεῖς δὲ κἀκεῖνο λέγομεν, ὅτι ἀρχὴ πρὸς τὴν ἀνάληψιν τῶν καλῶν, ἡ ἀναχώρησις τῶν κακῶν. Ἔκκλινον γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ ποίησον' ἀγαθόν. ### English translation (Claude) a keel in a ship, and a heart in the body of a living being, that is the power, it seems to me, which this short preface has for the whole composition of the Psalms. For since, as the discourse goes on, he is going to urge many toilsome things, full of countless sweats and labors, he showed the athletes of godliness the blessed end beforehand, so that in the hope of the goods laid up for us we might bear the pains of life without grief. So too, for travelers going along a rough and hard road, an inn they look forward to lightens the toil; the desire for cargo makes merchants dare the sea; and the hope of the harvest steals away the farmers' labors. Therefore the common corrector of life, the great teacher, the Spirit of truth, wisely and skillfully set the rewards before us first, so that, looking beyond the labors at hand, we might press on in mind to the enjoyment of eternal goods. “Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly.” What is properly and primarily to be called blessed is the truly good. And this is God. Hence Paul too, when he is about to mention Christ, says, “According to the appearing of the blessed God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” For truly blessed is the beautiful-in-itself, to which all things look, which all things desire: the unchangeable nature, the sovereign dignity, the untroubled life, the painless existence, in which there is no alteration, which no change touches; the gushing spring, the unstinting grace, the inexhaustible treasure. But ignorant and worldly people, not knowing the nature of the good itself, often call blessed things of no worth: wealth, health, a conspicuous life. None of these is good by its own nature, not only because each easily turns into its opposite, but because none can make its possessors good. For who is just because of money? Who is self-controlled because of health? On the contrary, each of these often becomes an instrument of sin for those who use it badly. Blessed, then, is the one who possesses what is of greatest worth, who shares in the goods that cannot be taken away. And how shall we recognize him? “Who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly.” And before saying what it is not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, I want to [resolve] the [question raised] in this place … singles out only the man and calls him blessed? Has he then shut women out of blessedness? By no means! For the virtue of man and of woman is one, since creation is of equal honor for both, so that the reward too is the same for both. Hear Genesis: “God made man,” it says; “in the image of God he made him; male and female he made them.” Those whose nature is one have the same activities, and those whose work is equal have the same reward. Why, then, having mentioned the man, did he pass over the woman in silence? Because he thought it enough, since the nature is one, to indicate the whole from the more governing part. “Blessed, then, is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly.” Consider the exactness of the words, how each expression is full of doctrine. He did not say, “who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly,” but “who has not walked.” For one who is still in this life is not yet to be called blessed, because the outcome is uncertain; but one who has fulfilled what fell to him and closed his life with an end beyond dispute is now safely called blessed. Why, then, … “Blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord”? For there the word calls blessed not those who have walked but those who are still walking, because those who do good have acceptance in the very work itself, whereas those who flee evil are not praiseworthy if they turn aside from sin once or twice, but only if they can escape the experience of evil altogether. From the sequence of the passage another difficulty has come to light for us. Why does he call blessed not the one who achieves virtue, but the one who has not committed sin? For in that way a horse and an ox and a stone will be called blessed. For what lifeless thing has stood in the way of sinners? Or what irrational creature has sat in the seat of the pestilent? Wait a little, and you will find the remedy. For he adds, “But his will is in the law of the Lord.” Meditation on the divine law belongs to the rational being alone. But we also say this: the beginning of taking up good things is withdrawal from evil things. For “Turn away from evil,” it says, “and do good.” ### Scripture references - Ps 1:1: quotation, high confidence - Titus 2:13: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:27: quotation, high confidence - Ps 119:1 (118:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 1:2: quotation, high confidence - Ps 37:27 (36:27 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The first lines of this section in the scan are Migne's footnotes and Latin column; they are removed as logged corrections. Quotations: Ps 1:1; Titus 2:13 (cf. 1 Tim 6:15); Gen 1:27; Ps 119:1 (LXX 118:1); Ps 1:2; Ps 37:27 (LXX 36:27; cf. Ps 34:14). Lines are lost in the scan at “in this place …” (Basil's statement of the question, ending “Why does the prophet …”) and at “Why, then, …” (his contrast with Ps 118:1); both are marked “…”. In the last part the main verb of “Meditation on the divine law … belongs to the rational being alone” is lost in the scan and is supplied by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 1.3 (PG 29:418; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-3). ## Homilies on the Psalms 1.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-4 - Source: PG 29:418 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil expounds the three steps of Ps 1:1 (counsel, way, seat): sin begins in thought, life is a way in which we cannot stand still, and the pestilent are those who spread their vice to others; he closes promising to continue. ### Greek text Σοφῶς οὖν καὶ ἐντέχνως προσάγων ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀρετὴν, τὴν ἀναχώρησιν τῆς κακίας ἀρχὴν ἐποιήσατο τῶν καλῶν. Εἰ γὰρ εὐθὺς προέβαλέ σοι τὰ τέλεια, ἀπώχνησας ἂν πρὸς τὴν ἐγχείρησιν νῦν δὲ τοῖς … ᾿ἐφεξῆς. Κλίμαχι γὰρ προσεοικέναι φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε τῆς εὐσεβείας τὴν ἄσκησιν ᾿ χλίμαχι ἐκείνῃ, ἣν εἶδέ ποτε ὁ μακάριος Ἰακὼβ. ἧς τὰ μὲν ἦν πρόσγειά τε καὶ χαμαίζηλα, τὰ δὲ ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν ἤδη τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνετείνετο, Ὥστε δεῖ τοὺς εἰσαγομένους εἰς τὸν 'κατ' ἀρετὴν βίον τοῖς πρώτοις βαθμοῖς ἐπιβάλλειν τὸ ᾿ἴχνος, κἀκεῖθεν ἀεὶ τῶν ἐφεξῆς ἐπιβαίνειν, ἕως ἂν πρὸς τὸ ἐφικτὸν ὕψος τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει διὰ τῆς κατ᾽ ὀλίγον προκοπῆς ἀναβῶσιν. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐπὶ τῆς … οὕτως ἐπὶ τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν πολιτείας, ἀρχὴ προκοπῆς ὁ χωρισμὸς τοῦ κακοῦ. Ὅλως δὲ πᾶσα ἀργία καὶ τῆς τυχούσης πράξεώς ἐστιν εὐμαρεστέρα - οἷον, Οὐ φονεύσεις· οὐ μοιχεύσεις" οὐ κλέψεις. Ἀργίας τούτων ἕκαστον καὶ ἀκινησίας δεῖται. Ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν " καὶ, Πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς - καὶ, Ἐάν τίς σε ἀγγαριεύσῃ μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ δύο, ἐνεργήματά ἐστιν ἀθληταῖς πρέποντα, καὶ Ψυχῆς ἤδη νεανικῆς δεόμενα πρὸς κατόρθωσιν. “Ὥστε θαύμασον τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ διὰ τῶν εὐμαρεστέρων καὶ εὐληπτοτέρων ἐνάγοντος ἡ μᾶς πρὸς τὴν τελείωσιν. Τρία δὲ προ ἐβαλεν ἡμῖν τὰ φυλακῆς ἄξια, μὴ πορευθῆναι ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν, μὴ στῆναι ἐν ὁδῷ ἀμαρτωλῶν, μὴ καθεσθῇναι ἐπὶ καθέδρας λοιμῶν. Τῇ φύσει τῶν πραγμάτων ἑπόμενος, τὴν τάξιν ταύτην τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπέθηκεν. Βουλευόμεθα γὰρ πρότερον, εἶτα ἐστῶμεν τὸ βούλευμα, εἶτα τοῖς βουλευθεῖσιν Πρώτως οὖν μακαριστὸν τὸ ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ ἡ μῶν καθαρὸν, ἐπειδὴ ῥίζα τῶν διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐνεργειῶν τὸ ἐν καρδίᾳ βούλευμα. Ἢ γὰρ μοιχεία, ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ τοῦ φιληδόνου πρῶτον ἀναφλεχθεῖσα, οὕτω τὴν διὰ τοῦ σώματος φθορὰν ἀπεργάζεται. Ὅθεν καὶ ὃ Κύριός φησιν ἔνδοθεν εἶναι τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀσέβεια κυρίως λέγεται ἡ εἰς Θεὸν ἁμαρτία, μὴ γένοιτο δέξασθαι ἡμᾶς ἐξ ἀπιστίας ποτὲ ἁμφιβολίαν περὶ Θεοῦ ! Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ πορευθῆναι ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν, ἐὰν εἴπῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου" Ἆρα ἔστι Θεὸς κυβερνῶν τὰ σύμπαντα; ἄρα ἔστι Θεὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ, οἰκονομῶν τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον; ἄρα κρίσις; ἄρα ἀνταπόδοσις ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ; Διὰ τί οὖν δίκαιοι πένονται, καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ πλουτοῦσιν; οὗτοι ἀσθενοῦσι, κἀκεῖνοι ἔῤῥωνται; οὗτοι ἄτιμοι, κἀκεῖνοι ἕνδοξοι; Μήποτε αὐτομάτως ὁ κόσμος φέρεται, καὶ συντυχίαι τινὲς ἄλογοι ἀτάκτως ἑκάστῳ ἀποκληροῦσι τοὺς βίους; Ἐὰν ταῦτα διανοηθῇς, ἐπὸρεύθης ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν. Μακάριος οὖν ὃς οὐχ ἔλαβε περὶ Θεοῦ δισταγμὸν, ὁ μὴ μικροψυχήσας περὶ τὰ παρόντα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμένων τὰ προσδοκώμενα " ὃς οὐχ ἔσχε περὶ τοῦ κτίσαντος ἡμᾶς ὑπόληψιν ἄπιστον. Μακάριος δὲ κἀκεῖνος, ὅς ἐν ὁδῷ ἁμαρτωλῶν οὐκ ἔστη. Ὁδὸς μὲν οὖν ὁ βίος εἴρηται διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἑκάστου τῶν γεννηθέντων ἕπειξιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις καθεύδοντες αὐτομάτως ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐπὶ λιμένας ἄγονται, κἂν αὐτοὶ μὴ αἰσθάνωνται, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ δρόμος αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἐπείγει " οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, τοῦ χρόνου τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν παραῤῥέοντος, οἷόν τινι κινήσει συνεχεῖ καὶ ἁπαύστῳ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον ἕκαστος πέρας τῷ λανθάνοντι δρόμῳ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν χατεπειγόμεθα. Οἷον, καθεύδεις, καὶ ὁ χρόνος σε παρατρέχει " ἐγρήγορας, καὶ ἄσχολος εἶ σὺ τὴν διάνοιαν " ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἡ ζωὴ δαπανᾶται, κἂν τὴν αἴσθησιν ἡμῶν διαφεύγῃ. Δρόμον οὖν τινα τρέχομεν πάντες ἄνθρωποι, πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον τέλος ἔκαστος ἐπειγόμενοι διὰ τοῦτο πάντες ἐσμὲν ἐν ὁδῷ. Καὶ οὕτω δ᾽ ἂν λάβοις τῆς ὁδοῦ τὴν ἔννοιαν. ᾿Οδοιπόρος ἐφέπτηχας τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ " πάντα παρέρχῃ, πάντα κατόπιν σου γίνεται. Εἶδες ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ φυτὸν, ἣ πόαν ἢ ὕδωρ, ἣ ὅτι ἂν τύχῃ τῶν ἀξίων; θεάματος" μικρὸν. ἐτέρφθης, εἶτα παρέδραμες. Πάλιν ἐνέτυχες λίθοις, καὶ φάραγξι, καὶ κρημνοῖς, καὶ σχοπέλοις, καὶ σχόλοψιν, ἢ που καὶ θηρίοις, καὶ ἑρπετοῖς, καὶ ἀκάνθαις, καί «τισιν ἄλλοις τῶν ὀχληρῶν" μικρὸν ἠνιάθης, εἴτα κατέλιπες. Τοιοῦτος ὁ βίος, οὔτε τὰ τερπνὰ μόνιμα, οὔτε τὰ λυπηρὰ διαρκῇ κεκτημένος. Ἡ ὁδὸς οὐχ ἔστι σὴ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὰ παρόντα σά. Ἐπὶ τῶν ὁδευόντων, ὁμοῦ τε ὁ πρῶτος τὸ ἴχνος ἐκίνησε, καὶ εὐθὺς ὁ μετ' αὑτὸν τὴν βάσιν ἤνεγκε, καὶ μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ὁ ἐφεπόμενος. Σκόπει δὲ καὶ τὰ τοῦ βίου εἰ μὴ παραπλήσια. Σήμερον τὴν γῆν σὺ ἐγεώργῃσας, καὶ αὔριον ἄλλος, καὶ μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἕτερος. Ὁρᾷς τοὺς ἀγροὺς τούτους καὶ τὰς πολυτελεῖς οἰκίας; Πόσα ἤδη ὀνόματα ἀφ᾽ οὗ γέγονε τούτων ἔκαστον ἤμειψε ! Τοῦ δεῖνος ἐλέγετο, εἶτα μετωνομάσθη πρὸς ἕτερον " πρὸς τὸν δεῖνα μετῆλθεν, εἶτα νῦν ἄλλου λέγεται. Ἆρ᾽ οὖν οὐχ ὁδὸς ἡμῶν ὁ βίος, ἄλλοτε ἄλλον μεταλαμβάνων, καὶ πάντας ἔχων ἀλλήλοις ἐφεπομένους; Μακάριος οὖν ὃς ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν οὐκ ἔστη. Τὸ δὲ, Οὐχ ἔστη, τί ἔστιν; Ἔτι ἐπὶ τῆς πρώτης ἡλικίας ὄντες οἱ ἄνθρωπο:, οὔτε ἐν κακίᾳ ἐσμὲν, οὔτε ἐν ἀρετῇ (ἀνεπίδεκτος γὰρ ἣἡ ἡλικία τῆς ἕξεως ἑκατέρας) " ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν συμπληρωθῇ, τότε γίνεται τὸ γεγραμμένον: Ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς ἐντολῆς, ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀνέζησεν, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπέθανον. ᾿Ἐπανατέλλουσι γὰρ λογισμοὶ πονηροὶ, ἐκ τῶν παθῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἐντικτόμενοι. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ἐλθοῦσα ἡ ἐντολὴ, τουτέστιν ἡ διάγνωσις τῶν καλῶν, ἐὰν μὴ κατακρατήσῃ τοῦ χείρονος λογισμοῦ, ἀλλὰ συγχωρήσῃ ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν ἐξανδραποδισθῆναι τὸν λογισμόν" ἀνέζησε μὲν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἀπέθανε δὲ ὁ νοῦς, νεκρὸς γενόμενος τοῖς παραπτώμασι. Μακάριος οὖν ὁ μὴ ἐγχρονίσας τῇ ὁδῷ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων, ἀλλὰ λογισμῷ βελτίονι πρὸς τὴν εὐσεβῇ πολιτείαν μεταπηδήσας. Δύο γάρ εἰσιν ὁδοὶ ἐναντίαι ἀλλήλαις" ἡ μὲν πλατεῖα καὶ εὐρύχωρος, ἡ δὲ στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη. Καὶ δύο ὁδηγοὶ, ἑκάτερος πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπιστρέφειν ἐπιχειρῶν. Ἔχει οὖν ἣ μὲν λεία ὁδὸς καὶ πρανὴς ὁδηγὸν ἀπατηλὸν, δαίμονα πονηρὸν, δι᾽ ἡδονῆς πρὸς τὴν ἀπώλειαν τοὺς ἑπομένους ἐπισυρόμενον" ἣ δὲ τραχεῖα καὶ ἀνάντης ἄγγελον ἀγαθὸν, διὰ τῶν ἐπιπόνων τῆς ἀρετῆς πρὸς τὸ μακάριον … ἐστιν ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, τὸ ἐν τῷ παρόντι ἡδὺ διώκων. οὐδεμίαν τοῦ μέλλοντος κηδεμονίαν ποιεῖται " ἀνὴρ δὲ ἤδη γενόμενος, μετὰ τὸν ἀπαρτισμὸν τῶν ἐννοιῶν, οἷον ὁρᾷν δοκεὶ τὸν βίον αὐτῷ σχιζόμενον πρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν, καὶ πυκνὰ πρὸς ἑκάτερον τὸ ὄμμα τῆς ψυχῆς μεταστρέφων, παράλληλα κρίνει τὰς ἑκατέρῳ προσόντα. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν βίος πάντα δείκνυσι τὰ τοῦ παρόντος αἰῶνος τερπνά" ὁ δὲ τῶν δικαίων, μόνα ὑποφαίνει τὰ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀγαθά. Καὶ ἡ μὲν τῶν σωζομένων ὁδὸς ὅσον καλὰ ὑπισχνεῖται τὰ μέλλοντα, τοσοῦτον ἐπίπονα παρέχεται τὰ παρόντα" ὁ δὲ ἡδὺς καὶ ἀκόλαστος βίος οὐχὶ προσδοκωμένην εἰς ὕστερον, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη παροῦσαν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Ἰλιγγιᾷ οὖν πᾶσα ψυχὴ, καὶ βετοχλάξει τοῖς λογισμοῖς, ὅταν μὲν ἐνθυμηθῇ τὰ αἰώνια, τὴν ἀρετὴν αἱρουμένη, ὅταν δὲ ἀποβλέψῃ πρὸς τὰ παρόντα, τὴν ἡδονὴν προτιμῶσα. Ὧδε βλέπει σαρκὸς εὐπάθειαν, ἐχεῖ δουλαγωγίαν σαρκός " ὧδε μέθην, ἐχεῖ νηστείαν" ὧδε γέλωτας ἀκρατεῖς, ἐχεῖ δάκρυον δαψιλές " ἐνταῦθα ὄρχησιν, κἀκεῖ προσ εὐχήν αὐλοὺς ὧδε, κάκεῖ στεναγμούς " ὧδε πορνείαν, κἀκεῖ παρθενίαν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ μὲν ἀληθινῶς ἀγαθὸν λογισμῷ ληπτόν ἐστι διὰ πίστεως (μακρὰν γὰρ ἀπῴκισται, καὶ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐχ εἶδε, καὶ οὗς οὐκ ἤκουσε), τὸ δὲ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡδὺ πρόχειρον ἔχει καὶ διὰ πάσης αἰσθήσεως ῥέουσαν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν: μακάριος ὁ μὴ περιτραπεὶς ἐκ τῶν τῆς ἡδονῆς δελεασμάτων πρὸς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, ἀλλὰ δι' ὑπομονῆς τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας ἀπεκδεχόμενος, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐκλογῇ τῶν ὁδῶν ἑκατέρων μὴ ἐπιβὰς τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς ἀγούσης ἐπὶ τὰ χείρονα. Καὶ ἐπὶ καθέδρας λοιμῶν οὐκ ἐκάθισεν. ταύτας λέγει τὰς καθέδρας, ἐφ᾽ ὧν ἀναπαύομεν ἡμῶν τὰ σώματα; Καὶ τίς ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν μετάδοσις, ὥστε με τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ προχαταληφθεῖσαν καθέδραν ὡς βλαδερὰν ἀποφεύγειν; Ἢ νομίζειν ἡμᾶς χρὴ καθέδραν λέγεσθαι τὴν ἑδραίαν καὶ μόνιμον ἐν τῇ κρίσει τῆς κακίας διατριβήν; Ὃ φυλακτέον ἡμῖν, διότι τὸ φιλοπόνως προσδιατρίβειν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἕξιν τινὰ δυσκίνητον ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐμποιεῖ. Παλαιωθὲν γὰρ πάθος ψυχῆς, καὶ κακοῦ μελέτη χρόνῳ βεβαιωθεῖσα δυσίατός ἐστιν, ἣ καὶ ἀνίατος παντελῶς, εἰς φύσιν, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, τοῦ ἔθους μεθισταμένου. Εὐχῆς μὲν οὖν ἄξιον μὴ προσάψασθαι τοῦ κακοῦ. Δεύτερος δὲ πλοῦς, εὐθὺς μετὰ τὴν πεῖραν ὥσπερ ἰοβόλου πληγὴν ἀποφεύγειν, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον παρὰ τοῦ Σολομῶντος περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς φαύλης, ὅτι Μὴ ἐπιστήσῃς σὸυ ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀποπήδησον" μὴ ἐγχρονίσῃς. Νῦν δὲ οἷδά τινας ἐν νεότητι πρὸς τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς πάθη χατολισθήσαντας, καὶ μέχρι πολιᾶς αὐτῆς διὰ συνήθειαν τοῦ κακοῦ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις παραμένοντας. Ὥς γὰρ οἱ ἐν βορβόρῳ καλινδούμενοι χοῖροι ἀεὶ προσπλάττουσιν ἑαυτοῖς τὸν πηλόν " οὕτως οὗτοι τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἧδονῆς αἶσχος καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσαναμάσσονται. Μακάριον μὲν οὖν τὸ μὴ διανοηθῆναι τὸ πονηρόν" εἰ δὲ κατὰ συναρπαγὴν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἐδέξω τῇ ψυχῇ βουλεύματα ἀσεβείας, μὴ στῇς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀμαρτίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο πέπονθας, μὴ ἐνιδρυνθῇς τῷ κακῷ. Μὴ τοίνυν καθεσθῇς ἐπὶ καθέδρας τῆς τῶν λοιμῶν. Εἰ ἐνόησας καθέδραν τίνα φησὶν ὁ λόγος, ὅτι τὴν διαρκῇ λέγει τοῦ κακοῦ προσεδρίαν, ἐξέτασον λοιπὸν τίνας ὠνόμασε τοὺς λοιμούς. "Φασὶ δὴ τὸν λοιμὸν οἱ περὶ ταῦτα δεινοὶ, ἐπειδὰν ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ἢ κτήνους ἄψηται, κατὰ διάδοσιν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας διανέμεσθαι" φύσιν γὰρ εἶναι τῆς νόσου τοιαύτην, τὸ ἐξ ἀλλήλων πάντας ἀναπιμπλάναι τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας. Τοιοῦτοι δέ τινές εἰσι καὶ οἱ ἐργάται τῆς ἀνομίας. Ἄλλος γὰρ ἄλλῳ τῆς νόσου ται. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς πόρνους τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς καθημένους, καὶ χαταγελῶντας τῶν σωφρονούντων, καὶ διηγουμένους ἑαυτῶν τὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης ἔργα, τὰ τοῦ σκότους ἐπιτηδεύματα, καὶ τὰ πάθη τῆς ἀτιμίας ἀπαριθμουμένους ὡς ἀριστείας, ἢ τινας ἄλλας ἀνδραγαθίας; Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ λοιμοὶ οἱ τὸ ἴδιον κακὸν ἐπὶ πάντας ἄγειν φιλονεικοῦντες, καὶ πολλοὺς ἑαυτοῖς παραπλησίους γενέσθαι φιλοτιμούμενοι, ἵνα ἐν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τῶν κακῶν διαφύγωσι τὰ ὀνείδη. Οὔτε γὰρ πὺρ εὐκαταπρήστου ὕλης ἁψάμενον δυνατὸν μὴ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν αὐτὴν διαβῆναι, ἄλλως τε κἂν ἐπιτύχῃ “πνεύματος ἐπιφόρου τὴν φλόγα διαχομίζοντος " οὔτε πὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἑνὸς ἁψαμένην, μὴ οὐχὶ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας διελθεῖν, ἑξαπτόντων αὐτὴν τῶν πνευμάτων τῆς πονηρίας. Τὸ γὰρ τῆς πορνείας πνεῦμα οὐχ ἀνέχεται ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ στῆναι τὴν ἀτιμίαν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς ἡλικιῶται συμπαρελήφθησαν" κῶμοι, καὶ μέθαι, καὶ αἰσχοὰ διηγήματα" ἑταίρα συμπ… καὶ πάντας πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν ἁμαρτίαν συμφλέγουσα. Ἆρα μικρὸς ὁ λοιμὸς οὗτος, ἣ μικρὰ ἡ διάδοσις τοῦ κακοῦ; Τί δὲ, ὁ τὸν πλεονέκτην ζηλῶν, ἢ ὁ τὸν ἐξ ἄλλης τινὸς πονηρίας περιφανῆ τινα πολιτικὴν δυναστείαν περιβεβλημένον, ἣ ἐθνῶν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχοντα, ἣ στρατοπέδων ἄρχοντα, εἶτα τοῖς αἰσχίστοις πάθεσιν ἐμφυρόμενον, οὐχὶ αὐτῇ τῇ ψυχῇ τὸν λοιμὸν παρεδέξατο, τὸ τοῦ ζηλουμένου κακὸν οἰκεῖον ποιούμενος; Αἱ γὰρ κατὰ τὸν βίον … τῶν περιδλέπτων καὶ στρατιῶται μὲν ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τοῖς στρατοπεδάρχαις ἐξομοιοῦνται" οἱ δὲ ἐν … ὅλως, ἐπειδὰν τὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς κακὸν μιμήσεως ἄξιον τοῖς πολλοῖς νομισθῇ, οἰκείως καὶ προσηκόντως λεχθήσεται λοιμός τις ψυχῶν ἐπιπολάζειν τῷ βίῳ. Τὸ γὰρ ἐν κακίᾳ περίβλεπτον πολλοὺς τῶν εὐολισθήτων εἰς τὸν ὅμοιον ζῆλον ἐφέλκεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἄλλος ἐξ ἄλλου τῆς φθορᾶς ἀναπίμπλαται, λοιμώσσειν τὰς Ψυχὰς οἱ τοιοῦτοι λεγέσθωσαν. Μὴ τοίνυν χαθίσῃς ἐπὶ καθέδρας λοιμῶν, ἣ μὴ μετάσχῃς συνεδρίου ἀνθρώπων φθορέων καὶ λυμεώνων, ἢ μὴ ἐναπομείνης τοῖς κακῶς βουλευθεῖσιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν λόγος ἔτι ἐν προοιμίοις, τὸ δὲ πλῆθος ὁρῶ τὴν συμμετρίαν ἐκβαῖνον, ὡς μήτε ὑμῖν ῥᾳδίαν εἶναι τῶν πλειόνων τὴν φυλακὴν, μῆτε ἐμοὶ τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ λόγου, διὰ τὴν σύντροφον ἀσθένειαν τῆς φωνῆς ἡμᾶς ἐπιἢ λειπούσης. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀτελῶς εἴρηται τὰ εἰρημένα, τοῦ μὲν κακοῦ τῆς φυγῆς ὑποδειχθείσης, τῆς δὲ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων τελειώσεως παρεθείσης, ὅμως εὐγνώμοσιν ἀκοαῖς παραθέμενοι τὰ παρόντα, ἐπαγγελλόμεθα, Θεοῦ διδόντος, ἀναπληρώσειν καὶ τὰ λειπόμενα, ἐάν γε μὴ τὴν παντελῇ λοιπὸν ὑπέλθωμὲν σιωπήν. Παράσχοι δὲ ὁ Κύριος καὶ ἡμῖν τῶν εἷρημένων μισθὸν, καὶ ὑμῖν καρπὸν ὧν ἠκούσατε, χάρίτι τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. ### English translation (Claude) Wisely and skillfully, then, leading us toward virtue, he made withdrawal from wickedness the beginning of good things. For if he had set the perfect things before you at once, you would have shrunk from the attempt; but as it is, [he accustoms you] … to what follows. For I would say that the practice of godliness resembles a ladder, that ladder which the blessed Jacob once saw, whose lower parts were near the earth and close to the ground, while its upper parts reached beyond heaven itself. So those who are being introduced to the life of virtue must set their foot on the first rungs and from there always climb the next ones, until by gradual progress they ascend to the height attainable by human nature. As, then, in … so in the life according to God the beginning of progress is separation from evil. In general, idleness is easier than any action whatever: for example, “You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal.” Each of these requires only idleness and not moving. But “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” and “Sell your possessions and give to the poor,” and “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two”: these are actions fit for athletes, needing a soul already vigorous to accomplish them. So admire the wisdom of him who leads us toward perfection through what is easier and easier to grasp. He has set before us three things worth guarding against: not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly, not to stand in the way of sinners, not to sit in the seat of the pestilent. Following the nature of things, he gave these sayings this order. For first we deliberate, then we make the plan stand, then [we settle] in what we have planned. Blessed first of all, therefore, is purity in our mind, since the plan in the heart is the root of the actions done through the body. For adultery is first kindled in the soul of the pleasure-lover, and so brings about the corruption that is done through the body. That is why the Lord says that what defiles a person is from within. And since ungodliness is properly the name for sin against God, God forbid that we should ever admit, out of unbelief, a doubt about God! For this is to walk in the counsel of the ungodly: if you say in your heart, “Is there a God who governs all things? Is there a God in heaven who manages each particular thing? Is there a judgment? Is there a recompense to each according to his work? Why then are the just poor and sinners rich? Why are these sick and those strong? these without honor and those in high repute? Perhaps the world is carried along at random, and irrational chances distribute the lots of life to each without order?” If you think these things, you have walked in the counsel of the ungodly. Blessed, then, is the one who has not entertained doubt about God; who has not lost heart about present things but awaits those that are hoped for; who has held no unbelieving opinion about him who created us. And blessed is he also who has not stood in the way of sinners. Life is called a way because of the haste of each one born toward his end. For as those asleep on ships are carried of their own accord to harbor by the wind, even if they do not perceive it, while the voyage presses them toward its end, so we too, as the time of our life flows by, are hurried on, each toward his own limit, by a kind of continuous and unceasing motion, the unnoticed course of our life. For example, you sleep, and time runs past you; you are awake and busy in your mind, and yet life is spent, even if it escapes our perception. We are all running a race, then, each hastening toward his own end; for this reason we are all on the way. And you might take the idea of the way like this too. You have set out as a traveler into this life: you pass everything, everything falls behind you. You saw a plant on the road, or grass, or water, or whatever sight was worth looking at; you were delighted for a little, then you ran past. Again you met with stones and ravines and cliffs and crags and stakes, or perhaps wild beasts and reptiles and thorns and other troubles; you were annoyed for a little, then you left them behind. Such is life: it keeps neither its pleasures lasting nor its pains enduring. The way is not yours, nor are present things yours. Among travelers, as soon as the first has moved his foot, the one after him has at once set down his step, and after him the next. [5] Consider too whether the things of life are not similar. Today you have farmed the land, and tomorrow another, and after him someone else. Do you see these fields and the costly houses? How many names has each of them changed since it came into being! It used to be called so-and-so's; then it was renamed for another; it passed to so-and-so; now it is called someone else's. Is not our life, then, a way, taking now one and now another, and having all following one another? Blessed, then, is the one who has not stood in the way of sinners. And what does “has not stood” mean? While we human beings are still in our first age, we are neither in wickedness nor in virtue, for that age cannot receive either disposition. But when our reason has come to maturity, then there happens what is written: “But when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.” For evil thoughts spring up, born in our souls from the passions of the flesh. For in truth, when the commandment has come, that is, the discernment of good things, if it does not master the worse reasoning but allows reason to be enslaved by the passions, then sin revives and the mind dies, having become dead in its trespasses. Blessed, then, is the one who has not lingered on the way of those who sin, but has leapt across by better reasoning to the godly way of life. For there are two ways opposed to one another, the one broad and spacious, the other narrow and hard. And there are two guides, each trying to turn the traveler toward himself. The smooth and downhill way has a deceitful guide, an evil demon, dragging those who follow him by pleasure toward destruction; but the rough and steep way has a good angel, [leading] through the toils of virtue toward the blessed [end] … each of us is, pursuing what is pleasant at the moment, and takes no thought for the future. But when he has become a man, once his notions are fully formed, he seems to see his life split toward virtue and wickedness, and, turning the eye of his soul often toward each, he compares what belongs to each. The life of sinners shows all the delights of the present age; the life of the just shows only the goods of the future. And the way of those being saved, the more fair the things it promises for the future, the more toilsome it makes the present; whereas the pleasant and licentious life offers its enjoyment not as something expected later but as already present. Every soul, then, grows dizzy and [is tossed] in its reasonings: when it thinks of eternal things it chooses virtue, but when it looks toward present things it prefers pleasure. Here it sees the comfort of the flesh, there the enslavement of the flesh; here drunkenness, there fasting; here unrestrained laughter, there abundant tears; here dancing, there prayer; flutes here, groans there; here sexual immorality, there virginity. Since, then, the truly good is grasped by reasoning through faith (for it is far removed, and “eye has not seen, nor ear heard”), while the pleasure of sin is close at hand and offers enjoyment flowing through every sense, blessed is the one who has not been turned toward destruction by the baits of pleasure, but waits with patience for the hope of salvation, and in choosing between the two ways has not set foot on the way that leads to the worse. [6] “And has not sat in the seat of the pestilent.” [Does he mean] these seats on which we rest our bodies? And what transfer of sin is there from wood, that I should flee as harmful a seat a sinner sat on before me? Or must we think that “seat” means a settled and lasting persistence in the judgment of wickedness? This we must guard against, because to dwell assiduously on sins produces in souls a habit hard to move. For a passion of the soul grown old, and the practice of evil confirmed by time, is hard to heal, or even wholly incurable, since habit generally turns into nature. It is a thing to pray for, then, not to touch evil at all. The second-best course is to flee at once after the experience, as from the bite of a venomous creature, according to what is written by Solomon about the bad woman: “Do not fix your eye on her, but spring away; do not linger.” But I know some who in youth slipped into the passions of the flesh and, through the habit of evil, remained in their sins right up to gray hair. For as pigs rolling in mud always plaster themselves with more mire, so these people wipe on more of the shame of pleasure every day. Blessed, then, is not to think the evil thought at all; but if, through the enemy's surprise attack, you received thoughts of ungodliness in your soul, do not stand in the sin. And if this too has happened to you, do not settle down in evil. So do not sit in the seat of the pestilent. If you have understood what seat the word means, that it speaks of a lasting attachment to evil, examine now whom it named “the pestilent.” Those skilled in such matters say that pestilence, once it touches one man or beast, spreads by transmission to all who come near, for the nature of the disease is such that all fill one another with the sickness. Such too are the workers of lawlessness. For one [passes] the disease to another … Do you not see the fornicators who sit in the marketplace, mocking the chaste, telling of their own shameful deeds, the practices of darkness, and listing the passions of their dishonor as if they were feats of valor or some other brave deeds? These are the pestilent, who strive to spread their own evil to all and are ambitious that many become like themselves, so that in the fellowship of evils they may escape reproach. For neither can fire, once it has caught easily burned material, fail to spread through all of it, especially if it meets a wind that carries the flame; nor can sin, once it has touched one person, fail to pass to all who come near, while the spirits of wickedness kindle it. For the spirit of sexual immorality does not allow the dishonor to stop with one person, but at once companions of the same age are drawn in: revels, drinking bouts, shameful stories; a courtesan … and setting all ablaze together toward the same sin. Is this pestilence small, or the spread of the evil slight? And what of the man who envies the greedy man, or one clothed in some conspicuous political power through some other wickedness, or one holding rule over nations, or a commander of armies, who is then wallowing in the most shameful passions: has he not received the pestilence into his very soul, making his own the evil of the one he envies? For the … of conspicuous men in life: soldiers for the most part become like their commanders, while those in … In short, when the evil of one is thought by the many worthy of imitation, it may fitly and properly be said that a pestilence of souls is spreading through life. For what is conspicuous in wickedness draws many of those who slip easily into the same zeal. Since, then, one is filled with corruption by another, let such people be said to infect souls with pestilence. So do not sit in the seat of the pestilent; that is, do not share in the council of corrupting and ruinous men, or do not remain in what has been wickedly planned. But the discourse is still in its opening, and I see its length exceeding due measure, so that it is neither easy for you to keep more in mind nor for me to carry out the ministry of the word, because the weakness of voice that has long been with me is failing us. And if what has been said has been said incompletely, flight from evil having been shown but perfection through good works having been left aside, still, entrusting what we have said to kindly ears, we promise, God granting, to supply what is lacking as well, unless we fall into complete silence from now on. May the Lord grant to us the reward of what has been said, and to you the fruit of what you have heard, by the grace of his Christ, for to him belong the glory and the power to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Exod 20:13: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:19: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:21: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:41: quotation, high confidence - Gen 28:12: allusion, high confidence - Ps 1:1: quotation, high confidence - Mark 7:21: allusion, high confidence - Rom 2:6: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 7:9: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:1: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 7:13: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:9: quotation, high confidence - Prov 5:8: allusion, low confidence - 2 Pet 2:22: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Exod 20:13–15; Matt 19:19 (Lev 19:18); Matt 19:21; Matt 5:41; Ps 1:1; Rom 7:9; 1 Cor 2:9 (Isa 64:4); Prov 9:18a LXX (“spring away, do not linger”, a Septuagint addition with no Hebrew equivalent; Proverbs 5:8 is close). Allusions: Gen 28:12 (Jacob's ladder); Mark 7:21–23 (what defiles comes from within); Rom 2:6 (recompense according to works); Matt 7:13–14 (the two ways); Eph 2:1 (dead in trespasses); 2 Pet 2:22 (pigs in mud). Several lines are lost in the scan and marked “…”: after “but as it is” (Basil's statement that he first accustoms us to easier things), after “As, then, in” (a comparison, apparently with a building or a journey), after “toward the blessed” (the end of the comparison of the two guides and the beginning of his description of childhood), after “a courtesan”, after “to another” (the end of the comparison with disease), after “For the” (Basil's sentence on how the conduct of famous men is copied), and after “while those in” (where the scan repeats a later sentence). Bracketed words are supplied by sense. Migne's footnotes and Latin column, mixed into the Greek by the scan, are removed by logged corrections. The homily ends with Basil's promise to continue; no second homily on Psalm 1 survives. - Migne's sections 5 and 6 begin inside this passage (their numerals are misread in the scan); they are marked [5] and [6]. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 1.4 (PG 29:418; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/1-1/#p-1-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-1 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains the title of Psalm 7: Hushai, called “son of Archi” in Kingdoms, is here “son of Jemini” (son of the right hand) because his counsel made him David's right hand, as Scripture names people from their deeds. ### Greek text Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβὶδ, ὃν ἧσε τῷ Κυρίῳ ὑπὲρ τῶν λόγων Χουσὶ υἱοῦ Ἰεμενεί.. Δοκεῖ πως ἐναντίως ἔχειν πρὸς τὴν ἐν ταῖς Βασιλείαις ἱστορίαν, ἔνθα τὰ περὶ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἀναγέγραπται, ἡ ἐπιγραφὴ τοῦ ἑύδόμου ψαλμοῦ. Ἐχεῖ γὰρ ὁ Χουσὶ 'ἀρχιεταῖρος μὲν τοῦ Δαβὶδ, υἱὸς δὲ ᾿Αραχὶ ἱστορεῖται, ἐνταῦθα δὲ Χουσὶ υἱὸς Ἰεμενεί. Ἔστι δὲ οὔτε οὗτος, οὔτε ἄλλος τις τῶν ἐχεῖ φαινομένων υἱὸς Ἱεμενεί. Μήποτε οὖν, ἐπειδὴ μεγάλην ἀριστείαν καὶ ἀνδραγάθημα ἐκ τοῦ περὶ τὴν φιλίαν σχηματισμοῦ ἐνεδείξατο, προσχωρήσας μὲν δῆθεν τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ, διαλύων δὲ τὰς βουλὰς τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ, ἀνγνώμας ὑποτιθεμένου, διὰ τοῦτο υἱὸς Ἱεμενεὶ προσηγορεύθη; Ἑρμηνεύεται δὲ ὁ υἱὸς Ἰεμενεὶ υἱὸς τῆς δεξιᾶς. Εἰσηγον μένου γὰρ ἐκείνου μηδένα χρόνον ἐμποιεῖν τοῖς πράγμασιν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐθὺς ἀπαρασχεύῳ ὄντι ἐπιτίθεσθαι τῷ πατρὶ, οὐχ εἴχσε παραδεχθῆναι τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ, Ὅπως ἐπαγάγῃ, φησὶ, Κύριος ἐπὶ Αβεσσαλὼμ τὰ κακὰ πάντα" ἀλλὰ πιθανωτέρας ἔδοξεν ἀναθδολὰς αὐτοῖς καὶ διατριβὰς ἐμποιεῖν, πρὸς τὸ δοῦναι καιρὸν τῷ Δαβὶδ συλλέξασθαι τὰς δυνάμεις. Ὅθεν καὶ ἀπόδεκτος ἣν παρὰ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ λέγοντι - Ἀγαθὴ ἡ βουὴ Χουσὶ τοῦ Ἀραχὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν Τῷ μέντοι Δαβὶδ διὰ τῶν ἱερέων Σαδὼκ καὶ ᾿Αβιάθαρ ἐδήλου τὰ οἰκονομηθέντα, καὶ προσέταξε μὴ αὖλισθῆναι ἐν τῇ ᾿Αραδὼθ τῆς ἐρήμου, ἀλλὰ χατέσπευδὲν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν διάβασιν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐκ τῆς ἀγαθῆς συμβουλῆς ἐγένετο δεξιὸς τοῦ Δαβὶδ, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνδραγα… υἱὸς Ἱεμενεὶ προσηγόρευται, τουτέστιν, υἱὸς δεξιᾶς. Αὕτη δὲ συνήθεια τῆς Γραφῆς, καὶ τοὺς χείρονας ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας χρηματίζειν μᾶλλον ἣ ἀπὸ τῶν πατέρων, καὶ τοὺς κρείττονας υἱοὺς ὀνομάξειν ἐκ τῆς χαραχτηριξούσης αὐτοὺς ἀρετῆς. Τὸν τοίνυν διάβολον υἱὸν ἀπωλείας ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ὀνομάζει - Ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνομος ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας. Καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τὸν Ἰούδαν υἱὸν ἀπωλείας ὁ Κύριος εἶπεν Οὐδεὶς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπὠλετο, εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας" τέκνα δὲ σοφίας τοὺς ἐν τῇ θεογνωσίᾳ μεμορφωμένους " Ἐδικαιώθη … ### English translation (Claude) “A psalm of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Hushai son of Jemini.” The title of the seventh psalm seems somehow to be at odds with the history in the books of Kingdoms, where the story of David is recorded. For there Hushai is reported as David's chief companion and the son of Archi, but here as Hushai son of Jemini; and neither he nor anyone else who appears there is a son of Jemini. Perhaps, then, since he showed great valor and a brave deed in his pretense of friendship, going over in appearance to Absalom while undoing the counsels of Ahithophel, who was giving his opinions, he was for this reason called son of Jemini? “Son of Jemini” is interpreted “son of the right hand.” For when Ahithophel proposed that no time be allowed to pass, but that they attack the father at once while he was unprepared, Hushai did not allow Ahithophel's counsel to be accepted, “so that the Lord might bring,” it says, “all the evils upon Absalom”; instead he appeared to give them more persuasive delays and postponements, in order to give David time to gather his forces. That is why Absalom approved of him, saying, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel [of Ahithophel].” But to David he made known through the priests Zadok and Abiathar what had been arranged, and he told him not to camp at Araboth in the wilderness but urged him on to the crossing. Since, then, by his good counsel he became David's right hand, from the brave deed … he has been called son of Jemini, that is, son of the right hand. It is the custom of Scripture to name the worse from their sin rather than from their fathers, and to call the better sons of the virtue that marks them. So the Apostle calls the devil a son of destruction: “For unless the lawless one is revealed, the son of destruction.” And in the Gospel the Lord called Judas a son of destruction: “None,” he says, “was lost except the son of destruction.” And those formed in the knowledge of God are called children of wisdom: “Wisdom is justified …” ### Scripture references - Ps 7:1: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 17:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 15:32: allusion, high confidence - 2 Thess 2:3: quotation, high confidence - John 17:12: quotation, high confidence - Luke 7:35: quotation, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 7:1 title (LXX 7:1); 2 Sam 17:14 (LXX 2 Kgdms 17:14); 2 Sam 17:7 and 17:14 (“the counsel of Hushai the Archite”); 2 Thess 2:3; John 17:12; Luke 7:35 (Matt 11:19). Allusions: 2 Sam 15:32–37; 16:16–17:16. From “Wisdom is justified” to the end, the scan of this section is a confused mixture of Migne's Latin, his notes and repeated lines (the beginning of the next verse, Ps 7:2–3, appears there in fragments); it is removed by logged corrections, and the rest of the quotation is lost. A fuller form of the line on Ahithophel (“a very shrewd man”) survives only garbled in that tail. The scan also lost the end of the word for “brave deed” (marked “…”). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.1 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-2 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 7:1–6: only one who hopes in God alone can pray this verse; salvation is for the sick, deliverance for captives; “repayment” can mean a first gift; and the enemy tramples the soul of the one who lives by the flesh. ### Greek text "Ἐὰν ἥ, φησὶν, ἐκεῖ υἱὸς εἰρήνης. Οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμαστὸν καὶ νῦν σιωπηθῆναι μὲν αὐτοῦ τὸν σωματικὸν πατέρα, δεξιᾶς δὲ υἱὸν τὸν ἀρχιεταῖρον τοῦ Δαβιδ᾽ ὀνομασθῆναι, ἀπὸ τῆς πράξεως πρέποντα ἑαυτῷ τὸν … Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα, σῶσόν με. Νομιζόμενον ἀπλοῦν εἶναι καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ τυχόντος ὑγιῶς ἀναφέρεσθαι δύνασθαι τὸ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα, σῶσόν με, τάχα οὐ τοιοῦτόν ἔστιν. Ὃ γὰρ ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον ἐλπίζων, ἣ ἐπ' ἄλλο τι τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον μετεωριζόμενος, οἷον ἐπὶ δυναστείαν, ἣ χρήματα, ἢ τι τῶν παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς νομιζομένων εἶναι λαμπρῶν, οὐ δύναται εἰπεῖν" Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα. Παράγγελμα γάρ ἐστι, μὴ ἐλπίζειν ἐπ᾽ ἄρχοντας - καὶ, ᾿Επικατάρατος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχει ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον. “Ὥσπερ οὐδὲ σέβειν ἄλλο τι παρὰ τὸν Θεὸν προσῆκεν, οὕτως οὐδὲ ἐπὶ ἄλλον ἐλπίζειν ἣ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τῶν πάντων Κύριον. Ἐλπὶς γάρ μου, φησὶ, καὶ ὕμνησίς μου ὁ Κύριος. Πῶς δὲ πρῶτον σωθῆναι εὔχεται ἐκ τῶν διωκόντων, εἶτα ῥυσθῆναι; Ἡ διαστολὴ σαφῆ ποιήσει τὸν λόγον. Σῶσον γάρ μὲ ἐκ πάντων τῶν διωκόντων με, καὶ ῥῦσαί μὲ, μή ποτε ἁρπάσῃ ὡς λέων τὴν ψυχήν μου. Τίς οὖν ἡ διαφορὰ τοῦ σώζεσθαι καὶ τοῦ ῥύεσθαι; Ὅτι τῆς σωτηρίας μὲν κυρίως οἱ ἀσθενοῦντες χρήζουσι, τοῦ ῥυσθῆναι δὲ οἱ ἐν τῇ αἰχμαλωσίᾳ κατεχόμενοι. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ μὲν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔχων τὴν ἀσθένειαν, ἐν ἑαυτῷ δὲ λαβὼν τὴν πίστιν, ὑπὸ τῆς οἰκείας πίστεως οἰκονομεῖται πρὸς τὸ σωθῆναι. Ἡ πίστις γάρ σου, φησὶ, σέσωκέ σε" καὶ, Γενηθήτω σοι ὡς ἐπίστευσας. Ὁ δὲ ὀφείλων ῥυσθῆναι τιμὴν ἔξωθεν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ χατατεθῆναι ὀφείλουσαν ἀναμένει. Ὁ τοίνυν ὑπὸ τὸν θάνατον ὧν, εἰδὼς, ὅτι εἷς ὁ σώζων, εἷς ὁ λυτρούμενος, Ἐπὶ σοὶ, φησὶν, ἤλπισα, σῶσόν με ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσθενείας, καὶ ῥῦσαί με ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας, Οἷμαι δὲ,, ὅτι οἱ γενναῖοι τοῦ θεοῦ ἀθληταὶ, ἱκανῶς παρὰ πάντα τὸν ἑαυτῶν βίον τοῖς ἀοράτοις ἐχθροῖς τὰς διώξεις, πρὸς τῷ τέλει τοῦ βίου γενόμενοι, ἐρευνῶνται ὑπὸ τοῦ ἄρχοντος τοῦ αἰῶνος, ἵνα, ἂν μὲν εὑρεθῶσιν ἔχοντες τραύματα ἀπὸ τῶν παλαισμάτων, ἣ σπίλους τινὰς, καὶ τύπους τῆς ἁμαρτίας, χατασχεθῶσιν - ἐὰν δὲ ἄτρωτοι εὑρεθῶσι καὶ ἄσπιλοι, ὡς ἀχράτητοι ὄντες, ὡς ἐλεύθεροι ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ ἀναπαύσωνται. Εὔχεται οὖν περί τε τῆς ἐνταῦθα ζωῆς καὶ περὶ τῆς μελλούσης. Σῶσον γάρ με, φησὶν, ἐνταῦθα ἀπὸ τῶν διωκόντων ῥῦσαι δέ με ἐχεῖ ἐν τῷ καὶ καιρῷ τῆς ἐρεύνης, μή ποτε ἁρπάσῃ ὡς λέων τὴν ψυχήν μου. Καὶ ταῦτα μάθοις ἂν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος περὶ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πάθους" Νῦν ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἔρχεται, καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἕξει οὐδέν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν, μὴ ποιήσας ἁμαρτίαν, ἔλεγεν ἔχειν οὐδέν " ἀνθρώπῳ δὲ αὔταρκες, ἑὰν τολμήσῃ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ἔρχεται ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἕξει ὀλίγα καὶ μικρά. Κίνδυνος δὲ ταῦτα παθεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἔχωμεν τὸν λυτρούμενον ἡμᾶς, μηδὲ τὸν σώζοντα. Πρὸς τὰ δύο τὰ προκείμενα δύο ἐστὶ τὰ ἐπαγόμενα᾽ Σῶσόν μὲ ἐκ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν διωκόντων με, καὶ ῥῦσαι ἵνα μὴ ποτε ἁρπασθῶ, ὡς μὴ ὄντος λυτρουμένου. Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, εἰ ἐποίησα τοῦτο, εἰ ἔστιν ἀδικία ἐν χερσί μου, εἰ ἀνταπέδωκα τοῖς ἀνταποδιδοῦσί μοι κακὰ, ἀποπέσοιμι ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου κενός. Καταδιώξαι ἄρα ὁ ἐχθρὸς τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ καταλάβοι. Σύνηθες τῇ Γραφῇ τὸ τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως ὄνομα οὐχ ἐπὶ τῶν νομιζομένων, ὡς ὑπάρξαντός τινος ἀγαθοῦ ἢ κακοῦ, μόνον λαμβάνεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν προκαταρχομένων· ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ, Ἀνταπόδος τῷ δούλῳ σου. ᾿Αντὶ γὰρ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, Δὸς, εἴρηται, Ἀνταπόδος. Δόσις μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ἡ καταρχὴ τῆς εὐποιίας, ἀπόδοσις δὲ ἡ τοῦ ἴσου ἀντιμέτρησις παρὰ τοῦ πεπονθότος ἀνταπόδοσις δὲ δευτέρα τις ἀρχὴ καὶ περίοδος τῶν καταβαλλομένων εἴς τινας ἀγαθῶν ἣ κακῶν. Οἶμαι δὲ, ὅταν ἀντὶ τῆς αἰτήσεως οἱονεὶ ἀπαίτησίν τινα ποιούμενος ὁ λό" γος τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν ἐπιζητῇ, τοιοῦτόν τινα νοῦν παριστᾷ’ ὅτι, Τὸ παρὰ τῆς φύσεως ἀναγκαίως ὀφειλόμενον τῆς ἐπιμελείας χρέος τοῖς ἐγγόνοις παρὰ τῶν γεννησάντων, τοῦτό μοι παράσχου. Χρεωστεῖται γὰρ τέκνοις παρὰ πατρὸς κατὰ τὴν φυσικὴν στοργὴν ἡ περὶ τοῦ βίου πρόνοια. ᾿θφείλουσι γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις θησαυρίζειν, ἵνα πρὸς τῷ ζῇν ἔτι - καὶ τὰς κατὰ τὸν βίον αὐτοῖς ἀφορμὰς παράσχωνται. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι πολλάκις ἐπὶ τῆς Γραφῆς ἐν ταῖς προκαταρκτικαῖς ἐνεργείαις τὸ ἀπόδομα ἣ τὸ ἀνταπόδομα παραλαμβανόμενον. Νῦν δὲ ἔοικε θαῤῥεῖν ὁ λέγων τῷ μὴ ἀντιδεδωχέναι τοῖς ἀνταποδιδοῦσι κακὰ, μὴ ἀνταποδεδωχέναι τὰ ὅμοια. Εἰ οὖν ἐποίησα τοῦτο, καὶ εἰ ἀνταπέδωκα τοῖς ἀνταποδιδοῦσί μοι κακὰ, ἁποπέσοιμι ἄρα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου κενός. Κενὸς ἀποπίπτει ἀπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὁ τῆς χάριτος τῆς ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκπεσών. Καταδιώξαι ἄρα ὁ ἐχθρὸς τὴν ψυχήν μοὺ, καὶ καταλάβοι, καὶ καταπατήσαι εἰς γῆν τὴν ζωὴν μου. Τοῦ μὲν δικαίου ἡ ψυχὴ, χωριζομένη τῆς πρὸς τὸ σῶμα συμπαθείας τὴν ζωὴν ἔχει κεκρυμμένην σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῳ" ὥστε δύνασθαι λέγειν κατὰ τὸν ᾿Α πόστολον, ὅτι Ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· καὶ, Ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκὶ, ἐν πίστει ζῶ. Τοῦ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶντος καὶ συμπεφυρμένου ταῖς τοῦ σώματος ἡδοναῖς ἡ ψυχὴ οἷον ἂν. βορβόρῳ τοῖς πάθεσι τῆς σαρκὸς ἐγκεκύλισται· ἣν καὶ καταπατῶν ὁ ἐχθρὸς ἐπὶ πλέον ἐχμολύνειν καὶ κότι, καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ποσὶ καταπατῶν εἰς γῆν, ἐστιν, εἰς τὸ σῶμα τὴν ζωὴν τοῦ ὁλισθήσαντος. Καὶ τὴν δόξαν μου εἰς χοῦν κατασκηνώσαι. Τῶν μὲν ἁγίων τὸ πολίτευμα ἐχόντων ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ θησαυριζόντων ἑαυτοῖς ἐν τοῖς αἰωνίοις θησαυροῖς τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ἡ δόξα ἐστὶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς" τῶν δὲ καὶ κατὰ σάρκα ζώντων, ἡ δόξα αὐτῶν κατασκηνοῦν εἷς τὸν χοῦν λέγεται. Ὁ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷ χοϊκῷ πλούτῳ δοξαζόμενος, καὶ ὁ τὴν ὀλιγοχρόνιον τιμὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων περιέπων, καὶ ὁ ἐπὶ τοῖς σωματικοῖς πλεονεκτήμασι πεποιθὼς, δόξαν ἑαυτῷ ἔχει, οὐχ ἀνανεύουσαν εἰς οὐρανὸν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν χοῦν ἐναπομένουσαν. Ἀνάστηθι, Κύριε, ἐν ὀργῇ σου" ὑψώθητι ἐν τοῖς πέρασι τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου. Τὸ μυστήριον τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἤδη ἐνεργεῖσθαι εὔχεται ὁ Προφήτης εἰς ἀθέτησιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν" ἣ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ὕψωσιν, ἥτις γενήσεσθαι ἔμελλε μετὰ τὸ εἰς τὸν ἔσχα. τον ὅρον τὴν κακίαν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὑψωθῆναι. Ἢ καὶ τὸ, Ὑψώθητι ἐν τοῖς πέρασι τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου, τοιοῦτόν τινα ὑποβάλλει νοῦν" ὅτι ὅσον ἂν κορυφωθῇ ἡ κακία, καὶ προέλθῃ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμετρον καὶ ἀπεριόριστον χυθεῖσα, τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῆς δυνάμεως δύνασαι, ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς ἰατρὸς προκαταλαβὼν τῆς νομῆς τὰ πέρατα, στῆσαι τὴν νόσον νεμομένην καὶ ἕρπουσαν, καὶ διακόψαι αὐτῆς τὴν συνέχειαν ταῖς παιδευτικαῖς σου πληγαῖς. ### English translation (Claude) “If there is a son of peace there,” he says. So it is no wonder that here too his bodily father is passed over in silence and David's chief companion is named son of the right hand, … taking from his deed a [name] fitting for himself. [2] “O Lord my God, in you have I hoped; save me.” The words “O Lord my God, in you have I hoped; save me,” are thought to be simple and such that anyone at all could rightly apply them to himself; but perhaps they are not. For one who hopes in a human being, or is buoyed up by some other thing in life, such as power or money or one of the things the many consider splendid, cannot say, “O Lord my God, in you have I hoped.” For there is a command not to hope in rulers; and, “Cursed is the man who has his hope in man.” Just as it is not fitting to worship anything besides God, so it is not fitting to hope in anyone other than God, the Lord of all. “For the Lord,” it says, “is my hope and my praise.” But how does he first pray to be saved from his pursuers and then to be delivered? The distinction will make the passage clear: “Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, lest like a lion he snatch away my soul.” What, then, is the difference between being saved and being delivered? That those who are sick properly need salvation, while those held in captivity need deliverance. That is why one who has the sickness in himself, but has also received faith in himself, is brought to salvation by his own faith: “Your faith,” it says, “has saved you,” and, “Let it be done for you as you have believed.” But one who must be delivered waits for a price that must be paid down for him from outside. So the man under death, knowing that there is one who saves and one who redeems, says, “In you I have hoped: save me from my sickness and deliver me from captivity.” I think too that the noble athletes of God, who have sufficiently [wrestled] all their life long with their invisible enemies' pursuits, when they come to the end of life are examined by the ruler of this age, so that, if they are found to have wounds from the wrestling, or certain stains and marks of sin, they may be held fast; but if they are found unwounded and unstained, they may rest, as unconquered and free, with Christ. He prays, then, both for the life here and for the life to come. “Save me,” he says, here from those who pursue me, “but deliver me” there, at the time of the examination, “lest like a lion he snatch away my soul.” And you may learn this from the Lord himself, who says at the time of his passion, “Now the ruler of this world is coming, and in me he will have nothing.” He, having committed no sin, said that the ruler had nothing; but for a man it is enough if he dares to say, “The ruler of this world is coming, and in me he will have few and small things.” There is danger of suffering these things if we do not have the one who redeems us or the one who saves us. To the two things set before us, two others are added: “Save me from the multitude of those who pursue me, and deliver me,” so that I may not be snatched away as though there were no one to redeem. [3] “O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is injustice in my hands, if I have repaid those who repay me with evil, then may I fall empty before my enemies. May the enemy then pursue my soul and overtake it.” It is the custom of Scripture to use the word “repayment” not only of what is done in return, when some good or evil has already been done first, but also of what begins a matter; as in, “Repay your servant.” For “repay” is said instead of “give.” Giving, then, is the beginning of a kindness; giving back is the equal measuring in return by the one who has received it; and repayment is a kind of second beginning and cycle of the goods or evils laid down toward others. I think that when the word, instead of asking, as it were demands a debt and seeks repayment, it presents some such thought as this: “Grant me the debt of care that by nature is necessarily owed by parents to their offspring.” For a father owes his children, according to natural affection, provision for their life: “For parents,” it says, “ought to lay up for their children,” so that, besides living, they may also provide them with the means of life. Such is often in Scripture the meaning of “giving back” or “repayment” when used of actions that begin a matter. But here the speaker seems confident because he has not given back to those who repaid him with evil, has not repaid them in kind. “If, then, I have done this, and if I have repaid those who repay me with evil, may I fall empty before my enemies.” He falls empty before his enemies who has fallen away from the grace that comes from the fullness of Christ. “May the enemy then pursue my soul and overtake it, and trample my life to the ground.” The soul of the just man, separated from sympathy with the body, has its life hidden with Christ in God, so that it can say with the Apostle, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,” and, “The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith.” But the soul of the sinner, who lives according to the flesh and is mixed up with the pleasures of the body, has rolled in the passions of the flesh as in mud. Trampling on it, the enemy defiles it still more …, and tramples the life of the one who has slipped to the ground with his own feet, that is, into the body. “And may he make my glory dwell in the dust.” Since the saints have their citizenship in heaven and lay up their goods for themselves in eternal treasuries, their glory is in heaven; but of the earthly, who live according to the flesh, the glory is said to dwell in the dust. For one who is glorified for earthly wealth, who cherishes the short-lived honor of men, who trusts in bodily advantages, has a glory for himself that does not look up toward heaven but remains in the dust. [4] “Arise, O Lord, in your anger; be exalted in the borders of my enemies.” The prophet prays that the mystery of the resurrection may already be at work for the abolition of their sin; or for the lifting up on the cross, which was to come about after the wickedness of the enemies had been raised up to its utmost limit. Or “Be exalted in the borders of my enemies” suggests some such thought as this: however far wickedness reaches its peak and advances, poured out without measure or limit, you can, by the abundance of your power, like a good physician who has first seized the limits of the spreading sore, stop the disease as it spreads and creeps, and cut off its continuity by your disciplinary blows. ### Scripture references - Luke 10:6: quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:1 (7:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:2 (7:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 146:3 (145:3 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Jer 17:5: quotation, high confidence - Ps 118:14 (117:14 LXX): quotation, medium confidence - Mark 5:34: quotation, high confidence - Matt 8:13: quotation, high confidence - John 14:30: quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:3 (7:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:4 (7:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:5 (7:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 119:17 (118:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 12:14: quotation, high confidence - John 1:16: allusion, medium confidence - Col 3:3: allusion, high confidence - Gal 2:20: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:20: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 7:6 (7:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The first words of this section in the scan are fragments of later lines and Migne's Latin; they are removed by logged corrections. Quotations: Luke 10:6; Ps 7:1–6 (LXX 7:2–7); Ps 146:3 (LXX 145:3, “Do not put your trust in rulers”); Jer 17:5; Ps 118:14 (LXX 117:14; cf. Ps 71:5); Mark 5:34 and parallels; Matt 8:13; John 14:30; Ps 119:17 (LXX 118:17, “Repay your servant”); 2 Cor 12:14; Gal 2:20. Allusions: John 1:16 (fullness of Christ); Col 3:3; Phil 3:20; Matt 6:20. A line is lost in the scan after “son of the right hand” and words are lost after “defiles it still more”; they are marked “…”. In “who have sufficiently [wrestled]” the verb is missing in the scan and is supplied by sense. The first sentences end Migne's section 1; the markers [2], [3] and [4] show where his sections 2–4 begin (their numerals are lost or misread in the scan). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.2 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-4 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 7:6–8 Basil applies the prayer to God's vindication of the commandment Absalom broke and distinguishes the senses of “judgment” in Scripture: testing, condemnation, and God's own entering into judgment with sinners. ### Greek text Καὶ ἐξεγέρθητι, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐν προστάγματι ᾧ ἐνετείλω. Δύναται μὲν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μυστήριον τῆς ἀναστάσεως ὁ λόγος ἀναφέρεσθαι, παρακαλοῦντος τοῦ Προφήτου ἐξεγερθῆναι τὸν κριτὴν εἰς ἐκδίκησιν παντὸς ἁμαρτήματος, καὶ τὰς προδιατεταγμένας ἡμῖν ἐντολὰς τελεσθῆναι" δύναται δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν τότε κατάστασιν τῶν πραγμάτων τοῦ Προφήτου εἰς ἐκδίκησιν τοῦ προστάγματος οὗ ἐνετείλατο. Πρόσταγμα δὲ ἦν, Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα, παρὰ Θεοῦ δεδομένον, ὅπερ παρέβη ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ. Διὸ παρακαλεῖ εἰς αὐτοῦ τε ἐκείνου ἑπανόρθωσιν καὶ σωφρονισμὸν τῶν πολλῶν μὴ μακροθυμεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγερθῆναι ἐν ὀργῇ, καὶ διαναστάντα ἐκδικῆσαι τὴν ἰδίαν ἐντολήν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐμὲ, φησὶν, ἐκδικήσεις, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα τὸ σὸυ χαταφρονηθὲν, ὃ αὐτὸς ἐνετείλω. Καὶ συναγωγὴ λαῶν κυκλώσει σε. Δῆλον δὲ ὅτι, ἑνὸς ἀδίκου σωφρονισθέντος, πολλοὶ ἐπιστρέψουσι. Τὴν οὖν τούτου πονηρίαν κόλασον, ἵνα πολλὴ συναγωγὴ λαῶν κυκλώσῃ σε. Καὶ ὑπὲρ ταύτης εἰς ὕψος ἐπίστρεψον. Ὑπὲρ τῆς κυκλούσης σε συναγωγῆς, ἣν ἐκτήσω διὰ τῆς κατὰ χάριν συγκαταβάσεως καὶ οἰκονομίας, ἐπίστρεψον εἰς τὸ ὕψος τῆς δόξης, ἣν εἶχες πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον γενέσθαι. Κύριος κρινεῖ λαούς. Πολλαχοῦ τῆς Γραφῆς ὁ περὶ τῆς κρίσεως ἐγχατέσπαρται λόγος, ὡς ἀναγκαιότατος καὶ συνεχτιχώτατος εἰς διδασκαλίαν εὐσεβείας τοῖς εἰς Θεὸν διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πεπιστευκόσιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολυτρόπως ὁ περὶ τῆς κρίσεως ἐγγέγραπται λόγος, δόξει τινὰ καὶ σύγχυσιν ἔχειν τοῖς μὴ ἀκριβῶς τὰ σημαινόμενα διαστέλλουσιν. Ὁ πιστεύων γὰρ εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ κρίνεται: ὁ δὲ ἀπιστῶν ἤδη κέχριται. Εἰ δὲ ὁ μὴ πιστεύων ὅμοιός ἐστι τῷ ἀσεβεῖ, πῶς εἴρηται τὸ μὴ ἀναστήσεσθαι ἀσεβεῖς ἐν κρίσει; Καὶ εἰ οἱ πιστεύοντες υἱοὶ Θεοῦ διὰ τῆς πίστεως γεγόνασι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἄξιοί εἰσι τοῦ καὶ αὐτοὶ θεοὶ χρηματίζειν, πῶς Θεὸς ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ; ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἔοικε τὸ κρίνεσθαι ποτὲ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ δοκιμάζεσθαι ὑπὸ τῆς Γραφῇς παραλαμβάνεσθαι, ποτὲ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ κατακρίνεσθαι· ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ δοκιμάζεσθαι, ὡς τὸ, Κρῖνόν με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν ἀκακίᾳ μου ἐπορεύθην" ἐπάγει γὰρ ἐκεῖ" Δοκίμασόν με, Κύριε, καὶ πείρασόν με' ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ κατακρίνεσθαι, ὡς τὸ, Εἰ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα· εἰ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς ἐξητάζομεν, φησὶν, οὐχ ἂν κατακρίσει ὑπεβαλλόμεθα. Πάλιν εἴρῆται κριθήσεσθαι τὸν Κύριον πρὸς πᾶσαν σάρκα τουτέστιν, ἐν τῷ ἐξετασμῷ τῶν βεβιωμένων ἑκάστῳ ἑαυτὸν ὑποβάλλει τῇ κρίσει, καὶ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ προστάγματα ἀντιπαρεξάγει τοῖς πεπραγμένοις ὑπὸ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων, ἀπολογούμενος μετὰ ἀποδείξεων, ὅτι πάντα τὰ εἰς αὐτὸν ἤκοντα ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν κρινομένων πεποίηκεν, ἵνα πειθόμενοι οἱ ἡμαρτηκότες ὡς ἔνοχοι τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ἀποδεχόμενοι τὴν θείαν δίκην, ἐχόντες προσῶνται τὸ ἐπιβάλλον αὐτοῖς ἐπιτίμιον. ### English translation (Claude) “And rise up, O Lord my God, by the command that you have given.” The passage can be referred to the mystery of the resurrection, the prophet calling on the judge to rise up to punish every sin and to bring to fulfillment the commandments laid down for us beforehand. But it can also be referred to the prophet's circumstances at that time, to the vindication of the command that God had given. The command, given by God, was “Honor your father and your mother,” which his son had transgressed. So he calls on God, both for the son's correction and for the chastening of the many, not to be patient, but to rise up in anger and, standing up, to avenge his own commandment. “For you will not be avenging me,” he says, “but your command that has been despised, which you yourself gave.” “And an assembly of peoples will surround you.” It is clear that when one unjust man has been chastened, many will turn. Punish his wickedness, then, so that … a great assembly of peoples may surround you. “And for its sake return on high.” For the sake of the assembly that surrounds you, which you have acquired through your condescension in grace and your saving plan, return to the height of the glory that you had before the world came to be. “The Lord will judge the peoples.” The teaching about judgment is sown throughout Scripture in many places, as most necessary and most binding for instruction in godliness for those who have believed in God through Jesus Christ. But since the teaching about judgment is written in many ways, it will seem to have some confusion for those who do not carefully distinguish the meanings. For “He who believes in me is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already.” But if the unbeliever is like the ungodly, how is it said that the ungodly will not rise in the judgment? And if believers have become sons of God through faith, and are therefore worthy to be called gods themselves, how does “God stand in the assembly of gods, and in the midst judge between gods”? It seems that Scripture takes “to be judged” sometimes in the sense of being tested, sometimes of being condemned. In the sense of being tested, as in “Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence”; for it adds there, “Test me, O Lord, and try me.” In the sense of being condemned, as in “For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged”; that is, he says, if we examined ourselves we would not be subject to condemnation. Again, it is said that the Lord will enter into judgment with all flesh; that is, in the examination of what each has done in life he submits himself to judgment and sets his own commands beside what sinners have done, defending himself with proofs that he has done everything that depended on him for the salvation of those being judged, so that sinners, persuaded that they are guilty of their sins and accepting the divine sentence, may willingly receive the punishment that falls to them. ### Scripture references - Ps 7:6 (7:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:12: quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:7 (7:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 17:5: allusion, high confidence - Ps 7:8 (7:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 3:18: quotation, high confidence - Ps 1:5: allusion, high confidence - Gal 3:26: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 82:1 (81:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 26:1 (25:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 26:2 (25:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 11:31: quotation, high confidence - Jer 25:31 (32:31 LXX): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 7:6–8 (LXX 7:7–9); Exod 20:12; John 3:18; Ps 1:5; Ps 82:1 (LXX 81:1); Ps 26:1–2 (LXX 25:1–2); 1 Cor 11:31; Jer 25:31 (LXX 32:31, “the Lord enters into judgment with all flesh”). Allusions: John 17:5 (the glory before the world was); Gal 3:26; John 10:34–35. A few words are lost in the scan after “so that” and are marked “…”. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.4 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-5 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains that judgment is weighed against each person's advantages: those raised in piety and the law are judged more strictly than those raised in vice, and the good deeds of barbarians condemn Christians; he begins on Ps 7:8. ### Greek text Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλο σημαινόμενον ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ κρίνεσθαι φωνῆς, καθά φησιν ὁ Κύριος" Βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει, καὶ κατακρινεῖ τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην. Τοὺς γὰρ ἀποστρεφομένους τὴν θείαν διδασκαλίαν, καὶ ἀφιλοκάλους, καὶ παντελῶς ἀπεστραμμένους τὰ παιδευτικὰ τῆς σοφίας δόγματα, συγκρίσει καὶ ἀντιπαραθέσει τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν γενεὰν ἐπὶ τῇ περὶ τὰ καλὰ σπουδῇ διενεγχόντων, βαρυτέραν φησὶ λαμβάνειν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς παρεθεῖσι κα… οἱ τὸ γήϊνον τοῦτο σῶμα ἀναλαβόντες παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ, διότι τὰ ἔξωθεν συμπίπτοντα ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν παρὰ πολὺ διαφέροντα παραλλαγῆναι ποιεῖ τὴν ἑκάστου κρίσιν. Ἢ γὰρ βαρύνει ἡμῖν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, ἣ καὶ κουφίζει ἡ τῶν οὐχ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκουσίως περιισταμένων ἡμᾶς συνδρομή. Ὑ ποχείσθω γὰρ πορνείαν εἶναι τὸ κρινόμενον. ᾿Αλλὰ ταύτην ὁ μέν τις ἥμαρτε, πονηροῖς ἤθεσι τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐντεθραμμένος" καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὑπὸ γονέων ἀσελγῶν εἰς τὸν βίον παρήχθη, καὶ συνανετράφη τῇ περὶ τὰ φαῦλα συνηθείᾳ, μέθαις καὶ κώμοις καὶ αἰσχροῖς διηγήμασιν. Ἄλλος δέ τις, πολλὰ ἔχων τὰ προχαλούμενα αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ κάλλιστα, ἀνατροφὴν, διδασκάλους, ἀκρόασιν λόγων θειοτέρων. ἀναγνώσματα σωτήρια, εἶτα ὑπενεχθεὶς εἰς τὴν ὁμοίαν ἁμαρτίαν τῷ ἑτέρῳ, καὶ διδοὺς λόγον τῶν βεβιωμένων, πῶς οὐχὶ βαρυτέρᾶς παρὰ τὸν ἕτερον ὁ τοιοῦτος δικαίως τιμωρίας ἀξιωθήσεται; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐγχληθήσεται ἐπὶ μόναις ταῖς ἐγχατεσπαρμέναις κατὰ τὰς ἐννοίας σωτηρίοις ἀφορμαῖς, ὡς οὐ χρησάμενος αὐταῖς ὑγιῶς" ὁ δὲ πρὸς τούτῳ καὶ ὡς πολλῆς τυχὼν εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι συνεργείας, καὶ δι᾽ ἀκρασίαν καὶ τὴν ἐν βραχυτάτῳ καιρῷ ἀπροσεξίαν προδεδωκὼς ἑαυτόν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἐντρεφόμενος ἀρχῆθεν τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ, καὶ πᾶσαν διαστροφὴν ἐκφυγὼν ἐν τοῖς περὶ Θεοῦ δόγμασιν, ἐντρεφόμενος δὲ καὶ νόμῳ Θεοῦ διαβάλλοντι πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ προχαλουμένῳ ἐπὶ τὰ ἐναντία, οὐχ ὁμοίαν ἕξει εἰδωλολατρείας ἀπολογίαν τῷ ἀπὸ πατέρων ἀνόμων τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, καὶ ἄλλως τὸν Σκύθην. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐπαναπαύεται νόμῳ, καὶ καυχᾶται ἐν Θεῷ, καὶ δοκιμάζει τὰ διαφέροντα. Κατηχούμενος ὧν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου, καὶ πρὸς ταῖς κοιναῖς ἀεὶ ἐννοίαις, κατεπᾳδόμενος, καὶ παιδευόμενος τὰ προφητικὰ καὶ νομικὰ γράμματα, ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ πταίσας παρανόμως, πολλῷ βαρύτερα ἕξει λελογισμένα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Σκύθαι δὲ Νομάδες, ἀνημέροις καὶ ἀπανθρώποις συντραφέντες ἤθεσιν, ἀρπαγαῖς καὶ βίαις ταῖς κατ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἐνειθισμένοι, ἀκρατῶς μὲν ἔχοντες θυμοῦ, καὶ εὐκόλως εἰς τοὺς κατ᾽ ἀλλήλων παροξυσμοὺς ἐθισμένοι, καὶ αἴματι τὰς μάχας λύειν δεδιδαγμένοι. ἐάν τι πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλάνθρωπον καὶ χρηστὸν ἐπιδείξωνται, ἡ μῖν βαρυτέραν διὰ τῶν ἰδίων κατορθωμάτων τὴν τιμωρίαν παρασκευάζουσι. Κρῖνόν με, Κύριε, κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν' μου ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί. Δόξει τι ὁ λόγος ἀλαζονικὸν ἔχειν καὶ παραπλήσιον τῇ εὐχῇ τοῦ ὑψοῦντος ἑαυτὸν Φαρισαίου" εὐγνωμόνως δὲ σκοποῦντι μακρὰν γενήσεται τῆς τοιαύτης διαθέσεως ὁ προφήτης. Κρῖνόν με, Κύριε, φησὶ, κατὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην μου. Πολὺς, φησὶν, ἐστὶν ὁ περὶ τῆς δικαιοσύνης λόγος, καὶ δυσέφικτα τῆς τελείας δικαιοσύνης τὰ πέρατα. Ἔστι γάρ τις καὶ ἀγγέλων δικαιοσύνη ὑπεραναβεβηκυῖα τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ εἴ τις ὑπὲρ ἀγγέλους δύναμις, ἀναλογοῦσαν ἔχει τῷ μεγέθει καὶ τὴν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑπεροχήν" καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡ ὑπερἔχουσα πάντα νοῦν, ἄῤῥητος οὖσα καὶ ἀκατάληπτος πάσῃ τῇ γενητῇ φύσει. ### English translation (Claude) There is also another meaning of the word “to be judged,” as the Lord says: “The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment and condemn this generation.” For those who turn away from the divine teaching, who have no love for the good and are wholly averse to the instructive doctrines of wisdom, he says receive a heavier con[demnation] … by comparison and contrast with those of their own generation who excelled in zeal for good things … [not all] who have taken up this earthly body [will be judged alike] by the just judge, because the things that befall each of us from outside cause each person's judgment to vary greatly. For the concurrence of things that are not in our power but surround us against our will either makes our sins heavier for us or lightens them. Suppose, for example, that the matter being judged is sexual immorality. One man committed it after being brought up from the beginning in evil habits: he was brought into life by licentious parents and was reared in the habit of base things, in drinking bouts and revels and shameful talk. Another had many things calling him to what is best: upbringing, teachers, hearing of more divine words, saving readings …; and then, carried away into the same sin as the other, when he gives an account of his life, how will such a man not justly be thought to deserve a heavier punishment than the other? For the first will be accused only of the saving impulses sown in his natural notions, as not having used them rightly; but the second, besides this, as having had much help toward being saved and yet having betrayed himself through incontinence and a very brief lapse of attention. Likewise one who was brought up in godliness from the beginning and escaped all distortion in the doctrines about God, brought up too in the law of God, which condemns every sin and calls to the opposite, will not have the same defense for idolatry as one [born] of lawless fathers. [God will judge] the Jew [in one way] and the Scythian in another. For the one rests on the law, boasts in God, and approves what is excellent; instructed from the law, and besides the common notions constantly having the prophetic and legal writings chanted to him and being trained in them, if he is found to have stumbled into lawlessness he will have his sins reckoned as much heavier. But the nomad Scythians, brought up in savage and inhuman habits, accustomed to robbery and violence against one another, uncontrolled in anger and easily roused to fury against one another, and taught to settle their quarrels with blood: if they show some kindness and goodness toward one another, they make our punishment heavier by their own good deeds. [6] “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my innocence that is in me.” The saying will seem to have something boastful in it, like the prayer of the Pharisee who exalted himself; but to one who considers it with good will, the prophet will be seen to be far from such a disposition. “Judge me, O Lord,” he says, “according to my righteousness.” Great, he says, is the subject of righteousness, and the limits of perfect righteousness are hard to reach. For there is also a righteousness of angels that surpasses that of human beings; and if there is any power above the angels, it has a superiority of righteousness proportioned to its greatness; and there is the righteousness of God himself, which surpasses all understanding, being ineffable and incomprehensible to every created nature. ### Scripture references - Matt 12:42: quotation, high confidence - Rom 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Rom 2:18: allusion, high confidence - Ps 7:8 (7:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Luke 18:11: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Matt 12:42 (Luke 11:31); Ps 7:8 (LXX 7:9). Allusions: Rom 2:17–18 (resting on the law, boasting in God, approving what is excellent); Luke 18:11–14 (the Pharisee). Several lines are lost in the scan, two of them where Migne's Latin is interleaved, and are marked “…”: after “heavier con[demnation]”, after “excelled in zeal for good things”, and after “saving readings”; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. Sexual immorality and idolatry are Basil's own examples of how circumstances weigh in judgment. - The marker [6] shows where Migne's section 6 begins. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.5 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-5). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-6 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 7:8–12: the psalmist asks to be judged by human righteousness and pardoned for inexperience, prays that sinners' wickedness may end, and teaches that God tries heart and reins, helps the upright, and delays punishment out of patience. ### Greek text Ἐμὲ οὖν κρῖνον, Κύριε, κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν δικαιοσύνην· τουτέστι, τὴν ἐφικτὴν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις,. καὶ δυνατὴν τοῖς ἐν σαρκὶ ζῶσι. Καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν μου ἐπὶ ἐμοί. Οὕτω γὰρ μάλιστα συνίσταται ἡ διάθεσις τοῦ λέγοντος πολὺ μακρὰν οὖσα τῆς φαρισαϊκῆς ὑπερηφανίας. ᾿Ακακίαν γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ ὀνομάζει τὴν οἱονεὶ ἀκεραιότητα καὶ ἀπειρίαν τῶν χρησίμῶν εἰς γνῶσιν, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις, ὅτι Ἄκακος πιστεύει παντὶ λόγῳ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολλοῖς ἀφυλάκτως περιπίπτομεν ἐξ ἀπειρίας οἱ ἄνθρωποι, παραιτεῖται τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἀξιοῖ συγγνώμης, τυχεῖν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκακίᾳ. Ἐκ δὲ τούτου δῆλόν ἐστιν ὅτι ταπεινοφροσύνην τοῦ λέγοντος παρίστησι μᾶλλον ἣ ὑπερηφανίαν τὰ εἰρημένα. Κρῖνον γάρ με, φησὶ, κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν δικαιοσύνην, καὶ κρῖνόν με κατὰ τὴν ἀκακίαν τὴν οὖσαν ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί. Τὸ μὲν δικαίωμά μου τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ παρεξετάζων τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ, οὕτω κρῖνόν με’ τὴν δὲ ἁπλότητα τῶν τρόπων μου … μὴ ὡς ἐντρεχῇ με, μηδὲ ὡς εὐπερίβλεπτον εἰς τὰ τοῦ κόσμου πράγματα, οὕτως ἁμαρτάνοντά με καταδικάσῃς. Συντελεσθήτω δὴ πονηρία ἁμαρτωλῶν. Αντικρὺς μαθητής ἔστι τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν προσταγμάτων ὁ ταῦτα εὐχόμενος. Προσεύχεται γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων αὐτὸν, ἀξιῶν πέρατι καὶ ὅρῳ τινὶ τὴν πονηρίαν τῶν ἀμαρτανόντων περιγραφῆναι. “Ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ὑπὲρ τῶν καμνόντων τὸ σῶμα προσευχόμενος λέγοι" Συντελεσθήτω δὴ ἡ νόσος τῶν καμνόντων. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ, ἐπὶ πλέον ἕρπουσα ὡς γάγγραινα νομὴν λαμβάνῃ ἡ ἁμαρτία, εὔχεται παρὰ Θεοῦ, στῆναι καὶ ὁρισθῆναι τὴν ἐπὶ πλέον χύσιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ὁ ἀγαπῶν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ καλῶς ποιεῖν τοὺς μισοῦντας βουλόμενος, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προσευχόμενος ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων αὐτόν. Καὶ κατευθυνεῖς δίκαιον. Εὐθὴς ὁ δίκαιος ὀνομάζεται" καὶ εὐθὴς ἡ καρδία ἡ κατωρθωμόνη. Τί οὖν βούλεται ἐνταῦθα ἡ προσευχὴ τῷ Προφήτῃ; Εὔχεται γὰρ τὸν ἤδη ἔχοντα τὴν εὐθύτητα κατευθύνεσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ἄν τις εἴποι εἶναί τι ἐν τῷ δικαίῳ σχολιὸν οὐδὲ διεστραμμένον οὐδὲ στραγγαλιῶδες. Τάχα δὲ ἀναγκαία ὑπὲρ τοῦ δικαίου ἡ αἴτησις, ἵνα τὸ κατὰ πρόθεσιν αὐτοῦ εὐθὲς καὶ τὸ ἀδιάστροφον τῆς γνώμης, τοῦτο τῇ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ χειραγωγίᾳ χατευθυνθῇ, ὡς μήτε ὑπὸ ἀσθενείας αὐτὸν ἀπονευσαί ποτε τοῦ οἱονεὶ κανόνος τἧς ἀληθείας, μήτε ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τῆς ἀληθείας … Ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς ὁ Θεὸς δικαίως. Ἐπειδὴ καρδίαν ἡ Γραφὴ πολλαχοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἤγεμονικοῦ παραλαμβάνει, νεφροὺς δὲ πολλαχοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ αὐτὸ σημαίνει· ὅτι, Ὁ Θεὸς, κρῖνόν μὲ ἐπί τε τοῖς δόγμασιν οἷς ἔχω περὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς κινῆ μασι τοῖς παθητιχοῖς " σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὁ ἑτάζων καρδίας καὶ νεφρούς. Ἐτασμὸς κυρίως ἐστὶν ἡ μετὰ πασῶν βασάνων προσαγομένη ἔρευνα παρὰ τῶν κριτῶν τοῖς ἐξεταζομένοις, ἵνα οἱ κρύπτοντες παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς τὰ ἐπιζητούμενα τῇ ἀνάγκῃ τῶν πόνων εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς καταστήσωσι τὸ λανθάνον. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς ἀπαραλογίστοις ἐξετασμοῖς τοῦ κριτοῦ ἐτάζονται μὲν ἡμῶν οἱ λογισμοὶ, ἐτάζονται δὲ καὶ αἱ πράξεις. Μηδεὶς πρὸ καιροῦ τις κρινέτω, Ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος. ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν. Ἐν οὖν τῷ ἐτάζειν καρδίας καὶ νεφροὺς ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ δίκαιον ἀνα φαίνει. Ἠτάσθη μὲν οὖν ἡ καρδία τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, εἴ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν Θεὸν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας, ὅτε ἐκελεύσθη ὁλοκαύτωμα ἀνενεγκεῖν τὸν Ἰσαὰκ, ἵνα φανῇ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱὸν ὑπὲρ τὸν Θεόν ἡτάσθη δὲ καὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐπιβουλευόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, ἵνα λάμψῃ ἐν τοσούτοις ἁμαρτήμασι τοῦ Ἡσαῦ μὴ ἀμόλυνομένη αὐτοῦ ἡ φιλαδελφία. Τούτων μὲν οὖν αἱ καρδίαι ἡτάσθησαν νεφροὶ δὲ ἡτάσθησαν τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ, ὅτε, ἐπιμανείσης αὐτῷ τῆς ἀκολάστου δεσποίνης, τὸ σεμνὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης τῆς ( ἀσχήμονος ἡδονῆς προετίμησεν. Εἰς τοῦτο δὲ ἠτάσθη, ἵνα οἱ θεαταὶ τῆς κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ συνθῶνται δικαίως ἀπονεμομένην αὐτῷ τὴν τιμὴν, διὰ τὸ ἐν μεγάλοις δοκιμαστηρίοις ὑπερλάμψαι αὐτοῦ τὴν σεμνότητα. Ἢ βοήθειά μου παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Κυρίως ἐν πολέμοις κατὰ τὰς ἐφόδους τῶν ἐναντίων τὰς βοηθείας ἐπιζητοῦσιν οἱ πολεμούμενοι. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν ὁ τῶν ἀοράτων ἐχθρῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἐπαισθανόμενος, καὶ τὸν ἐφεστῶτα αὐτῷ κίνδυνον παρὰ τῶν περιστρατοπεδευομένων αὐτὸν πολεμίων ὁρῶν, ἐρεῖ " Ἡ βοήθειά μου οὐκ ἐκ πλούτου, οὐδὲ ἐκ σωματικῶν ἀφορμῶν, οὐδὲ ἐκ δυνάμεως καὶ ἰσχύος ἐμῆς, οὐδὲ ἐκ συγγενείας ἀνθρωπίνης, ἀλλ᾽ Ἢ βοήθειά μου παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ποταπὴν δὲ συμμαχίαν ἀποστέλλει τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλαχοῦ μεμαθήκαμεν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ λέγοντος" Παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν, καὶ ῥύσεται αὖτούς" καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ" ἄγγελος ὁ ῥυόμενός με. … ἐστι τῇ καρδίᾳ ὁ τὸν λογισμὸν μὴ; ἔχων ῥέποντα πρὸς ὑπερβολὴν μηδὲ ἔλλειψιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπευθυνόμενος πρὸς τὸ μέσον τῆς ἀρετῆς. Ὁ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνδρίας ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλαττον παρεκκλίνας κατὰ δειλίαν διαστρέφεται" ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ πλέον ὑπερταθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν θρασύτητα ἀποκλίνει. Διόπερ τούτους σκολιοὺς ἡ Γραφὴ ὀνομάζει, … διαμαρτάνοντας. “ὥσπερ γὰρ σκολιὰ γραμμὴ γίνεται, ποτὲ μὲν ἐπὶ τὸ κυρτὸν, ποτὲ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ κοῖλον τῆς εὐθείας διακλασθείσης " οὕτω καὶ σκολιὰ καρδία, νῦν μὲν ὑψουμένη δι᾽ ἀλαζονείαν, νῦν δὲ ταπεινουμένη διὰ λύπας καὶ συστολάς. Διόπερ φησὶν ὁ Ἐκβήσεται. Ὁ Θεὸς κριτὴς δίκαιος καὶ ἰσχυρὸς καὶ μακρόθυμος, καὶ μὴ ὀργὴν ἐπάγων καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν Τοῦτο ἔοικεν ἀποτεινόμενος πρὸς τούς ποτε ταραχθησομένους ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν ὁ Προφήτης διαλέγεσθαι, οἱονεὶ καταστέλλων τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ταραχὴν, μήποτε ἀπιστήσωσι τῇ περὶ τῶν ὅλων προνοίᾳ, ὁρῶντες ἀνεκδίκητον πατέρα ἐπὶ υἱοῦ ἐπαναστάσει, καὶ τὴν πονηρίαν τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ εὐοδουμένην ἐν οἷς προέθετο. Διορθούμενος οὖν αὐτῶν τὸ ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἀνόητον, διεμαρτύρατο αὐτοῖς - Ὁ Θεὸς κριτὴς δίκαιος καὶ ἰσχυρὸς καὶ μακρόθυμος, καὶ μὴ ὀργὴν ἐπάγων καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν. Οὐκ ἀκρίτως τι γίνεται τῶν γινομένων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἑκάστου μέτροις ἀντιμετρεῖ ὁ Θεὸς, οἷς προλαβὼν ἀπεμέτρησε τὰς κατὰ τὸν βίον πράξεις. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πέπρακταί μοί τις ἁμαρτία, κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ἀντιλαμβάνω. Μὴ τοίνυν κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀδικίαν" ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς κριτὴς δίκαιος. Μηδὲ οὕτω ταπεινῶς διανοεῖσθε περὶ Θεοῦ, ὥστε οἴεσθαι αὐτὸν ἁτονεῖν πρὸς τὴν ἐκδίκησιν" καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἰσχυρός ἐστι, Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ μὴ ταχεῖαν ἐπάγεσθαι τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι τὴν τιμωρίαν: Διότι μακρόθυμός ἐστι, Μὴ ὀργὴν ἐπάγων καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν. ᾽Εὰν μὴ ἐπιστραφῆτε, τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὑτοῦ στιλβώσει. Ἀπειλητικὸς ὁ λόγος, εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν ἐνάγων τοὺς βραδεῖς εἰς μετάνοιαν. Οὐχ εὐθὺς ἀπειλεῖ τὰ τραύματα καὶ τὰς πληγὰς καὶ τοὺς θανάτους, ἀλλὰ στίλβωσιν ὅπλων, καὶ οἱονεὶ παρασκευήν τινα πρὸς τὴν ἄμυναν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ διασμήχοντες τὰ ὅπλα τὴν ἐπὶ τὸν πόλεμον ὁρμὴν διὰ τούτου παραδηλοῦσιν, οὕτω καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ τιμωρεῖσθαι κίνησιν ἐμφῆναι βουλόμενος ὁ λόγος, στιλβοῦν ἔφησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ῥομφαίαν. Τὸ τόξον αὐτοῦ ἐνέτεινε, καὶ ἡτοίμασεν αὐτὸ, καὶ ἐν ### English translation (Claude) “Judge me, then, O Lord, according to my own righteousness,” that is, the righteousness attainable by human beings and possible for those living in the flesh. “And according to my innocence that is in me.” For in this way especially the disposition of the speaker is shown to be very far from Pharisaic arrogance. For he calls “innocence” a kind of simplicity and inexperience of things useful for knowledge, as it is said in Proverbs, “The innocent believes every word.” Since, then, we human beings fall into many things unguardedly through inexperience, he begs God and asks to receive pardon for his innocence. From this it is clear that what is said shows the humility of the speaker rather than arrogance. “For judge me,” he says, “according to my righteousness, and judge me according to the innocence that is in me.” “Weighing my righteousness against human weakness, judge me so; and … the simplicity of my ways … do not condemn me when I sin as though I were shrewd or highly experienced in the affairs of the world.” “Let the wickedness of sinners be brought to an end.” The one who prays this is plainly a disciple of the Gospel commandments. For he prays for those who abuse him, asking that the wickedness of those who sin be bounded by a limit and an end. It is as if someone praying for those sick in body were to say, “Let the disease of the sick be brought to an end.” For so that sin may not creep further and spread like gangrene, the one who loves his enemies and wishes to do good to those who hate him, and therefore prays for those who abuse him, prays God that the further spreading of sin may stop and be bounded. “And you will direct the just.” The just man is called upright, and the heart that has done right is upright. What, then, does the prophet's prayer mean here? For he prays that one who already has uprightness may be directed. For no one would say that there is anything crooked or twisted or tortuous in the just man. But perhaps the request for the just man is necessary so that the uprightness of his purpose and the undistorted state of his judgment may be directed by God's guidance, so that he may never turn aside through weakness from the rule, as it were, of truth, nor be [led astray] by the enemy of truth …. “God who tries hearts and reins with justice.” Since Scripture often takes “heart” for the governing part, and “reins” often for the desiring part of the soul, here too it means the same: “O God, judge me both in the doctrines I hold about godliness and in the movements of passion; for you are the one who tries hearts and reins.” “Trying” is properly the inquiry conducted by judges with every kind of torture on those under examination, so that those who conceal what is sought may by the compulsion of pain bring what is hidden into the open. For in the judge's examinations, which no reasoning can evade, our thoughts are tried, and our actions are tried too. “Let no one judge before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and disclose the purposes of the hearts.” In trying hearts and reins, then, God shows his own justice. The heart of Abraham was tried, whether he loved God with all his soul and with all his heart, when he was commanded to offer Isaac as a whole burnt offering, so that it might appear that he did not love his son more than God. Jacob too was tried when his brother plotted against him, so that his brotherly love might shine out, unstained by the many sins of Esau. These men's hearts were tried; but Joseph's reins were tried when his licentious mistress was mad with desire for him and he preferred the dignity of chastity to shameful pleasure. He was tried for this purpose: that the spectators of God's judgment might agree that the honor was justly given him, because his dignity shone out in great trials. [7] “My help is from God.” Properly it is in wars, at the attacks of the enemy, that those under attack seek help. And here too the one who perceives his invisible enemies, and sees the danger that threatens him from the foes encamped around him, will say, “My help is not from wealth, nor from bodily resources, nor from my own power and strength, nor from human kinship; but my help is from God.” What kind of alliance the Lord sends to those who fear him we have learned elsewhere, where the psalm says, “The angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and will deliver them,” and elsewhere, “The angel who delivers me.” … [He is upright] in heart whose reasoning does not lean toward excess or deficiency but is directed toward the mean of virtue. For one who turns aside from courage toward the less is distorted into cowardice, while one stretched beyond it inclines to rashness. Therefore Scripture calls such people crooked, …, those who miss the mark. For as a line becomes crooked when the straight line is bent, now convex and now concave, so too a heart is crooked that is now lifted up by boasting and now humbled by griefs and dejection. Therefore Ecclesiastes says …. “God is a just judge, and strong and patient, and does not bring on his anger every day.” The prophet seems to say this addressing those who were then to be troubled at what had happened, as if calming people's disturbance, lest they lose faith in the providence over all things when they saw a father unavenged at his son's rebellion and the wickedness of Absalom prospering in what he had planned. Correcting, then, the folly of their reasonings, he solemnly declared to them: “God is a just judge, and strong and patient, and does not bring on his anger every day.” Nothing that happens happens without judgment; God measures back to each by the measures with which each first measured out the actions of his life. Since, then, some sin was committed by me, I receive in return according to my own desert. Do not, then, [speak] injustice against God; for God is a just judge. Nor think so meanly of God as to suppose him too weak for vengeance; for he is also strong. What, then, is the reason that punishment is not quickly brought on sinners? Because he is patient, “and does not bring on his anger every day.” “If you do not turn, he will furbish his sword.” The word is threatening, urging those slow to repent toward turning. He does not threaten wounds and blows and deaths at once, but the furbishing of weapons, as it were a preparation for retaliation. For as those who polish their weapons show by this their eagerness for war, so the word, wishing to show God's movement toward punishment, said that he furbishes his sword. “He has bent his bow and made it ready, and on it …” ### Scripture references - Ps 7:8 (7:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Prov 14:15: quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:9 (7:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:44: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Tim 2:17: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 4:5: quotation, high confidence - Gen 22:2: allusion, high confidence - Deut 6:5: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 27:41: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 39:7: allusion, high confidence - Ps 7:10 (7:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:7 (33:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 48:16: quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:11 (7:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:2: allusion, low confidence - Ps 7:12 (7:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eccl 1:15: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 75:5 (74:6 LXX): allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Aristotle, Eth. nic. 2.6 (Aristotle (works)): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 7:8–12 (LXX 7:9–13); Prov 14:15; 1 Cor 4:5; Ps 34:7 (LXX 33:8); Gen 48:16. Allusions: Ps 75:5 (LXX 74:6, “do not speak injustice against God”); Matt 5:44; 2 Tim 2:17 (gangrene); Gen 22 (Abraham); Gen 27:41–33:4 (Jacob and Esau); Gen 39:7–12 (Joseph); Deut 6:5; Matt 7:2 (measure for measure). Several passages are lost in the scan where Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved, and are marked “…”: in “… the simplicity of my ways …”, after “the enemy of truth”, after “The angel who delivers me” (the next verse, Ps 7:10, “who saves the upright in heart”, is lost), after “calls such people crooked”, after “Ecclesiastes says” (Eccl 1:15, “the crooked cannot be made straight”, whose quotation is lost; the scan garbles the name), and at the end of the section, which breaks off in the middle of Ps 7:12–13; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. Basil's account of virtue as a mean between excess and deficiency follows the Aristotelian commonplace (Aristotle, Eth. nic. 2.6). - The marker [7] shows where Migne's section 7 begins. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.6 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-6). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-7 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 7:13 Basil explains God's bow and “instruments of death” as his punishing power, and says that his arrows are made for souls already set on fire by the devil's darts of passion. ### Greek text καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ἡτοίμασε σκεύη θανάτου. … διατείνουσα τὸ τόξον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ κολαστικὴ δύνα μις, ποτὲ μὲν ἐντεινομένη, ποτὲ δὲ ἀνιεμένη. Τῷ οὖν ἁμαρτάνοντι ἀπειλεῖ ὁ λόγος. ὅτι ἕτοιμα αὐτῷ ἐστι τὰ μέλλοντα εἰς κόλασιν ἀποπέμπεσθαι, ἐὰν ἐπιμένῃ τῇ ἀμαρτίᾳ. 'Ἡτοίμασται γάρ ἐν τῷ τόξῳ σκεύη θανάτου. Σκεύη δὲ θανάτου δυνάμεις εἰσὶν ἀφανιστικαὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ θεοῦ. Τὰ βέλη αὑτοῦ τοῖς καιομένοις ἐξειργάσατο. Ὥσπερ τὸ πῦρ τῇ καιομένῃ ὕλῃ παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος ἐξειργάσθη" οὐ γὰρ διὰ τὸν ἀδάμαντα ἐκτίσθη τὸν μὴ τηκόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ “πυρὸς. ἀλλὰ διὰ τὰ ξύλα τὰ κατακαιόμενα· οὕτω καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ βέλη ταῖς εὐκαταπρήστοις ψυχαῖς, ὧν πολὺ τὸ ὑλικὸν καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἀφανισμὸν ἐπιτήδειον συνείλεχται, παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κατειργάσθη. Οἱ οὖν προλαβόντες καὶ ἔχοντες ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὰ πεπυρωμένα βέλη τοῦ διαβόλου, οὗτοι δέχονται τὰ βέλη τοῦ Θεοῦ. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι Τὰ βέλη αὑτοῦ τοῖς ἤδη καιομένοις ἐξειργάσατο. Καίουσι δὲ ψυχὴν ἔρωτες σαρκικοὶ, καὶ ἐπιθυμίαι χρημάτων, καὶ διάπυροι ὀργαὶ, καὶ λύπαι φλέγουσαι καὶ ἐκτήκουσαι τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ φόβοι οἱ ἀλλότριοι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ μέντοι ἄτρωτος ὑπὸ τῶν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ βελῶν, καὶ ἐνδεδυμένος τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῶν θανατηφόρων βελῶν ἀπείρατος διαμένει. ### English translation (Claude) “And on it he has prepared instruments of death.” … [It is no bowstring that] stretches the bow of God, but a punishing power, now tightened and now relaxed. The word, then, threatens the sinner that what is to be sent forth for punishment is ready for him if he persists in sin. For instruments of death have been made ready on the bow. And instruments of death are powers that destroy the enemies of God. “He has made his arrows for those who burn.” As fire was made by the Creator for material that burns (for it was not created for the adamant, which is not melted by fire, but for the wood that burns up), so too God's arrows have been made by him for souls that catch fire easily, in which much material fit for destruction has been gathered. Those, then, who have already received and hold within themselves the fiery darts of the devil are the ones who receive the arrows of God. That is why he says, “He has made his arrows for those who are already burning.” And the soul is set burning by carnal loves, by desires for money, by fiery angers, by griefs that inflame and consume the soul, and by fears that are foreign to God. But one who is unwounded by the enemy's darts and has put on the whole armor of God remains untouched by the death-bearing arrows. ### Scripture references - Ps 7:13 (7:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eph 6:16: allusion, high confidence - Eph 6:11: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The opening of this section in the scan is Migne's notes and Latin, which are removed by logged corrections; a line is lost after the quotation (marked “…”), and the bracketed words are supplied by sense. Quotations: Ps 7:13 (LXX 7:14). Allusions: Eph 6:16 (fiery darts); Eph 6:11 (whole armor of God). The last lines of the section in the scan are Latin and are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.7 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-7). ## Homilies on the Psalms 7.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-8 - Source: PG 29:300 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 7:14–15: the order travail–conception–birth describes sin's birth in the heart, Absalom being the devil's offspring; and in Scripture pits stand for evil, wells (which reveal hidden springs) for good. ### Greek text Ἰδοὺ ὠδίνησεν ἀδικίαν, συνέλαβε πόνον, καὶ ἔτεκεν ἀνομίαν. Ὥς μὲν πρὸς τὴν τάξιν δοκεῖ συγκεχυμένως ἡ λέξις ἔχειν " ἐπειδὴ πρῶτον αἱ δὲ τίκτουσιν " ἐνταῦθα δὲ πρῶτον ἡ ὠδὶν, εἶτα ἡ σύλληψις, εἶτα ὁ τοκετός " πρὸς δὲ τὴν τῆς καρδίας σύλληψιν ἐμφαντικώτατα ἔχει. Αἱ γὰρ ἄλογοι τῶν ἀκολάστων ὁρμαὶ καὶ αἱ μανικαὶ καὶ παροιστρῶσαι ἐπιθυμίαι ὠδῖνες ἐλέχθησαν, διὰ τὸ μετὰ ὀξύτητος καὶ πόνου ἐγγίνεσθαι τῇ ψυχῇ. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν τοιαύτὴν ὁρμὴν, ὁ περικρατὴς τῶν πονηρῶν μὴ γενόμενος βουλευμάτων συνέλαβε πόνον," καὶ ὁ τὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ κακίαν διὰ τῶν πονηρῶν πράξεων ἐκκαύσας ἕτεκε τὴν ἀνομίαν. "Ἔοικε δὲ ταῦτα λέγειν αἰσχυνόμένος ἐπὶ τῷ πατὴρ εἶναι παιδὸς παρανόμου. Οὐχ ἐμὸς, φησὶν, ὁ παῖς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πατρὸς γέγονεν υἱὸς, ᾧ διὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἑαυτὸν εἰσεποίησε. Διότι κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην, Ὁ ποιῶν. τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγέννηται. Ἰδοὺ οὖν ὠδίνησεν αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς ἀδικίας, καὶ συνέλαβεν αὐτὸν, οἱονεὶ ἐν τοῖς οἰκειοτάτοις ἑαυτοῦ ὑπὸ τὰ σπλάγχνα τῆς ἰδίας διαθέσεως ἤγαγε καὶ ἐκυοφόρησεν αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος " εἶτα ἀπεγέννησεν αὐτὸν, ἐκφανῆ τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτοῦ καταστήσας, διότι πᾶσι προεκηρύχθη ἡ κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπανάστασις. Λάκκον ὥρυξε, καὶ ἀνέσκαψεν αὖτόν. Οὐ πάνυ ἐπὶ καλοῦ εὑρίσκομεν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ λάκκου τεταγμένον ἐν ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς " ὡς οὐδὲ τὸ φρέαρ ὕδατος ἐπὶ χείρονος. Λάκκος μὲν γάρ ἔστιν εἰς ὃν ἐβλήθη ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Καὶ ὅτε πατάσσεται ᾿Απὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραὼ ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς αἰχμαλώτιδος τῆς ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ. Καὶ ἐν τοῖς ψαλμοῖς " Προσελογίσθην μετὰ τῶν καταβαινόντων εἰς λάκκον. Καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ φησίν" Ἐμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος, καὶ ὥρυξαν ἑαυτοῖς λάκκους συντετριμμένους, οἵ οὐ δυνήσονται ὕδωρ συνέχειν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ Δανιὴλ λάκκος λεόντων ἀναγέγραπται, εἰς ὃν ῥίπτεται Δανιήλ. Φρέαρ δὲ ὀρύσσει Ἀβραάμ· καὶ οἱ παῖδες τοῦ Ἰσαάκ᾽ καὶ ἐπὶ φρέαρ ἐξελθὼν ἀνεπαύετο Μωῦσῆς. Καὶ ἐντολὴν λαμβάνομεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Σολομῶντὸς πίνειν ὕδατα ἀπὸ ἡμετέρων ἀγγείων καὶ ἀπὸ ἡμετέρων φρεάτων πηγῆς. Καὶ ὁ Σωτὴρ παρὰ τῷ φῤέατι τῇ Σαμαρείτιδι περὶ θείων μυστηρίων διαλέγεται. Τὴν δὲ αἰτίαν τοῦ ἐπὶ χειρόνων μὲν τοὺς λάκκους τετάχθαι, ἐπὶ κρειττόνων δὲ τὰ φρέατα, νομίζομεν ταύτην ὑπάρχειν " ἐπίκτητον τὸ ὕδωρ ἐν τοῖς λάκκοις, πῖπτον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐν δὲ τοῖς φρέασι φλέβες ὑδάτων κεχωσμέναι, πρὶν ὀρυχθῆναι τοὺς τόπους, φανεροῦνται, περιαιρεθέντων τῶν ἐπικαλυπτόντων χωμάτων, καὶ οἱασδήποτε οὐσίας ἐπικειμένης, ἧτις πᾶσά ἔστι γῇ. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τοίνυν ἐστὶν οἱονεὶ ὄρυγμα, ἐν αἷς καταπίπτει τὰ κρείττονα μεταβάλλοντα καὶ παραχαραττόμενα, ὅτε τις τὰς περὶ τῶν καλῶν ἐννοίας πεσούσας εἰς αὐτὸν τρέπει, ἐπὶ τὸ κακουργότερον αὑτὰς διαστρέφων, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἐναντία τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, οὐδὲν οἰκεῖον βεβουλευμένος ἔχειν καλόν. Καὶ πάλιν φρέατα, ὅτε, περιαιρεθέντων τῶν ἐπικαλυπτόντων χειρόνων, ἀναλάμπει φῶς καὶ πηγὴ ὕδατος ἐν λόγῳ καὶ δόγμασι ποτίμου. Διὰ τοῦτο ἕκαστον ἑαυτῷ φρέαρ κατασκευάσαι ἀναγκαῖον, ἵνα τηρήσῃ τὴν προειρημένην ἐντολὴν ᾿τὴν λέγουσαν" Πίνε ὕδατα ἀπὸ σῶν ἀγγείων, καὶ ἀπὸ σῶν φρεάτων πηγῆς. Οὕτω γὰρ χρηματίσομεν τέκνα τῶν ὀρυξάντων τὰ φρέατα, ᾿Αβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ. Λάκκον δὲ οὐ ποιητέον, ἵνα μὴ ἐμπέσωμεν εἰς τὸ ὄρυγμα, κατὰ τὸ ἐνθάδε εἰρημένον, μηδὲ ἀκούσωμὲν τὰ ἐν τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ ἐπ᾽ ὀνειδισμῷ τῶν ἀμαρτανόντων ἀναγεγραμμένα, τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγοντος περὶ αὐ τῶν ἃ καὶ πρὸ βραχέως παρεθέμεθα - ᾿Εμὲ ἐγκατέλιπον πηγὴν ὕδατος ζῶντος, καὶ ὥρυξαν ἑαυτοῖς λάκκους συντετριμμένους, οἱ οὐ δυνήσονται ὕδωρ αὑτοῖς συνέχειν... ### English translation (Claude) “Behold, he travailed with injustice, conceived toil, and brought forth lawlessness.” As regards order, the wording seems confused; for first [women conceive, then they travail,] then they give birth; but here first comes the travail, then the conception, then the birth. But as regards the conception of the heart, it is most expressive. For the irrational impulses of the licentious and their mad and frenzied desires are called travail because they arise in the soul with sharpness and pain. In accordance with such an impulse, the one who has not become master of his evil plans has conceived toil; and the one who has kindled the wickedness in his heart by evil deeds has brought forth lawlessness. He seems to say this in shame at being the father of a lawless son. “The boy is not mine,” he says, “but has become the son of the father to whom he has adopted himself through sin.” For, according to John, “The one who commits sin is of the devil.” “Behold,” then, the devil “travailed” with him through injustice, and “conceived” him, as it were carrying him in his womb, in the most intimate parts of his own disposition, and then brought him forth, making his lawlessness manifest, since the rebellion against his father was proclaimed to all. “He dug a pit and hollowed it out.” We do not find the word “pit” used in a good sense in the divine Scriptures, as neither is “well of water” used in a bad one. For the pit is the one into which Joseph was thrown by his brothers. And … when the firstborn are struck, “from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the captive woman in the pit.” And in the psalms: “I was counted with those who go down into the pit.” And in Jeremiah he says, “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug for themselves broken pits, which will not be able to hold water.” And in Daniel too a pit of lions is recorded, into which Daniel is thrown. But Abraham digs a well, and the servants of Isaac; and Moses, having gone out to a well, rested there. And we receive a commandment from Solomon to drink waters from our own vessels and from the spring of our own wells. And the Savior speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well about divine mysteries. We think the reason why pits are used of worse things and wells of better is this: in pits the water is acquired from outside, falling from the sky; but in wells veins of water that were buried before the places were dug come to light when the covering earth is removed, along with whatever substance lay over them, all of which is earth. So in souls too there is, as it were, a dug-out pit, into which the better things fall and are changed and debased, when someone turns the notions of good things that fall into him, twisting them toward greater wickedness and toward what is contrary to truth, having resolved to have no good thing of his own. And again there are wells, when, the worse things that cover them being removed, light shines out and a spring of water drinkable in word and doctrine. That is why each must make a well for himself, so as to keep the commandment mentioned before, which says, “Drink waters from your own vessels and from the spring of your own wells.” For so we shall be called children of those who dug the wells, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. But we must not make a pit, so that we may not fall into the hole, as is said here, nor hear what is written in Jeremiah in reproach of sinners, when God says of them what we cited a little before: “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug for themselves broken pits, which will not be able to hold water for themselves.” … ### Scripture references - Ps 7:14 (7:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 John 3:8: quotation, high confidence - Ps 7:15 (7:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 37:24: allusion, high confidence - Exod 12:29: quotation, high confidence - Ps 88:4 (87:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Jer 2:13: quotation, high confidence - Dan 6:16: allusion, high confidence - Gen 21:25: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 26:15: allusion, medium confidence - Exod 2:15: allusion, high confidence - Prov 5:15: quotation, high confidence - John 4:6: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 7:14–15 (LXX 7:15–16); 1 John 3:8; Exod 12:29; Ps 88:4 (LXX 87:5); Jer 2:13; Prov 5:15. Allusions: Gen 37:24; Dan 6:16; Gen 21:25–30; 26:15–22; Exod 2:15; John 4:6–26. Lost words are supplied in brackets (the normal order of conception, travail, birth) and a lost line is marked “…” before the Exodus quotation; the end of the section in the scan is Migne's Latin and is removed. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 7.8 (PG 29:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-7-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.0 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-14-0 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The verse of Psalm 14 (15) on which the homily is preached. ### Greek text Κύριε, τίς παροικήσει ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου, ἣ τίς κατασκηνώσει ἐν ὄρει ἁγίῳ σου; ### English translation (Claude) “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tabernacle, or who shall dwell on your holy mountain?” ### Scripture references - Ps 15:1 (14:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Ps 15:1 (LXX 14:1). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.0 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/7-1/#p-14-0). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-1 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil expounds Ps 15:1–3: the sojourner treats the flesh as a lodging and life as exile; the holy mountain is the heavenly Zion; blamelessness and working righteousness, truth in the heart and guileless speech, and doing no harm or reproach to one's neighbor mark the perfect man. ### Greek text Τὸν τέλειον ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος ὑπογράψαι βουλόμενος, τὸν τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἐπιτυγχάνειν μέλλοντα, τάξει τινὶ καὶ ὁδῷ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν θεωρουμένων χρησάμενος, ἀπὸ τῶν προσεχεστέρων καὶ πρώτων τὴν ἀρχὴν πεποίηται. Κύριε, τίς παροικήσει ὃν τῷ σκηνώματί σου; Ἢ παροικία ἐστὶ διαγωγὴ πρόσκαιρος, οὐχ ἱδρυμένην ζωὴν, ἀλλὰ παροδικὴν, ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττονα μεταστάσεως, ὑποφαίνουσα. ᾿Αγίου δὲ ἀνδρὸς, παροδεύειν μὲν τὸν βίον τοῦτον, ἐπείγεσθαι δὲ πρὸς ἑτέραν ζωήν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Δαβὶδ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ φησι " Πάροικος ἐγώ εἰμι παρὰ σοὶ καὶ παρεπίδημος. καθὼς οἱ πατέρες μου. Πάροικος γὰρ ᾿Αβραὰμ, οὐδὲ βῆμα ποδὸς ἰδίας γῆς κεκτημένος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε ταφῆς αὐτῷ ἐδέησεν, ἀργυρίου κτησάμενος ταύτην φαίνεται " δεικνύντος τοῦ λόγου, ὅτι ζῶντα μὲν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ πάροικον εἴναι προσήκει, μεταδαίνοντα δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης, τοῖς οἰκείοις τόποις ἐναναπαύεσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν μὲν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ παροικεῖ τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις, ἐν δὲ τῇ ταφῇ οἰκείαν ἑαυτῷ τὴν δεξομένην αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα γῆν ἐπραγματεύσατο. Μακάριον δὲ τῷ ὄντι, μὴ ὡς οἰκείοις προστετηκέναι τοῖς ἐν τῇ γῇ, μηδὲ ὥσπερ πατρίδος τινὸς φυσικῆς ἀντέχεσθαι τῶν ἐνταῦθα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰδέναι τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν βελτιόνων ἀπόπτωσιν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ καταδίκης ἐνθάδε διαγωγὴν βαρυνόμενον, οὕτω παροικεῖν, ὡς οἱ ὑπὸ δικαστῶν τινων ἐπί τισι πλημμελήμασιν εἰς τὴν ὑπερορίαν ἐκ τῆς ἐνεγκούσης ἀπελαθέντες. Σπάνιος δὲ ὁ τοιοῦτος, ὁ μὴ ὡς ἰδίοις προσέχων τοῖς παροῦσιν ὁ τοῦ πλούτου τὴν χρῆσιν πρόσκαιρον ἐπιστάμενος " ὁ τοῦ σώματος τὴν εὐεξίαν ὀλιγοχρόνιον τιθείς " ὁ γνωρίζων τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης δόξης τὸ ἄνθος ἀβέβαιον. Τίς οὖν παροικήσει ἐν τῷ σκηνώματί σου; Σκήνωμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ παρ᾽ αὖτοῦ δεδομένη σὰρξ τῇ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ψυχῇ εἰς ἑνοίκησιν ὀνομάζεται. Τίς ὡς ἀλλοτρίᾳ τῇ σαρκὶ ταύτῃ προσέξει; Ὥσπερ οἱ πάροικοι, ἀλλοτρίαν ἐκμισθούμενοι γῆν, πρὸς τὸ βούλημα τοῦ ἐκδεδωκότος γεωργοῦσι τὴν χώραν " οὕτω καὶ ἡμῖν κατὰ συγγραφὴν ἡ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπιμέλεια παραδέδοται, ὥστε προσ…ναι τῷ δεδωκότι. Ἐὰν δὲ ἧ Θεοῦ ἀξία ἡ σὰρξ, γίνεται τῷ ὄντι Θεοῦ σκήνωμα κατὰ τὴν ἐνοίκησιν αὐτοῦ τὴν εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους. Τοιαύτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ παροιχοῦντος. Διὰ τοῦτο, Κύριε, τίς παροικήσει ἐν τῷ σχηγώματί σου; Εἶτα προκοπὴ καὶ πρόοδος ἡ ἐπὶ τὸ τελειότερον. Καὶ τίς κατασκηνώσει ἐν ὄρει ἁγίῳ σου; Ἰουδαῖος μὲν ὁ γήϊνος, ὅταν ὄρος ἀκούσῃ, … πρὸς τὴν Σιὼν ἀποτρέχει. Τίς κατασκηνώσει τῷ ὄρει τῷ ἁγίῳ σου; Ὁ τῇ σαρκὶ παροιχήσας ἐν τῷ ἀγίῳ ὄρει κατασκηνώσει. Ὄρος ἐκεῖνο, τὴν ὑπερουράνιον χώραν, τὴν περιφανῆ καὶ λαμπράν " περὶ οὗ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος λέγει, ὅτι Σιὼν ὄρει, καὶ πόλει Θεοῦ ζῶντος, Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ, ἐν ἧ πανήγυρις ἀγγέλων, καὶ Ἐκκλησία πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐραγοῖς. Ἐπὰν οὖν τις παρέλθῃ τὴν σάρκα ταύτην ἀπροσπαθῶς ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν παροικῶν, καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἰδίας ἐξηρτημένος, οὗτος, διὰ τὸ νεκρῶσαι αὐτοῦ τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὸν ἀγιασμὸν κατορθώσας, ἄξιός ἐστι τῆς ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὄρει κατασκηνώσεως " ἧς ἐπιθυμῶν ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Διελεύσομαι ἐν τόπῳ σκηνῆς θαυμαστῆς καὶ τὸ, Ὡς ἀγαπητὰ τὰ σκηνώματά σου, Κύριε τῶν δυνάμεων. Ἐχεῖ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἡ πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον τῷ λόγῳ ἐκείνης τῆς ἐν τῷ ὄρει κατασκηνώσεως, καὶ ἡ ἐκ τοῦ μαμμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας γινομένη φιλία κατασκηνοῖ, Ποιήσατε γὰρ ἑαυτοῖς φίλους ἐκ τοῦ μαμμωνᾶ τῆς ἀδικίας, ἵνα, ὅταν ἐκλίπητε, δέξωνται ὑμᾶς εἷς τὰς αἰωνίους σκηνάς. Περὶ ἐκείνης τῆς διαγωγῆς ὁ Κύριος ἐν εὐχῆς εἴδει ἔλεγε τὸ, Πάτερ ἅγιε, δὸς ἵνα, ὅπου ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ αὐτοὶ ὦσι. Σπάνιος καὶ ὁ παροικῶν ἐν τῷ σώματι, καὶ ὁ κατασκηνῶν ἐν τῷ ὄρει. Διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἀπορῶν ὁ λόγος φησί " Τίς πάροικήσει; καὶ, Τίς κατασκηνώσει; ὡς τὸ, Τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου; καὶ τὸ, Τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν, ὅτι πῦρ καίεται; καὶ τὸ, Τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν τὸν τόπον τὸν αἰώνιον; καὶ τὸ, Τίς ἄρα ὁ πιστὸς καὶ φρόνιμος οἰκονόμος; Τάχα δὲ καὶ ἐρωτηματικόν ἐστι τὸ, Τίς, ὡς ἀπόκρισιν ἐπιζητοῦντος παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ ἁγίου, ᾧ διαλέγεται. Πρὸς ὃν ἡ θεία φωνὴ, λύουσα τὸ ἐπερώτημα, τί φησι; Πορευόμενος ἅμωμος, καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην. Εἰ ἅμωμός ἐστιν ὁ μηδενὸς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐλλιπὴς, ἀπὸ πάσης κακίας ἀπταίστως τὸν βίον ἑαυτοῦ διεξάγων, τίνα ἔχει πρὸς τὸν ποιοῦντα δικαιοσύνην διαφοράν; Ἆρ᾽ οὖν τὸν αὐτὸν νοῦν ἐν διπλοῖς ῥήμασιν ἀπαγγέλλει " Πορευόμενος ἅμωμος, καὶ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην; Ἢ ἰδίαν τινὰ διάνοιαν ἐκάτερον τῶν εἰρημένων παρίστησιν; ἵνα ἧ ὁ μὲν ἄμωμος ὁ κατὰ τὸν ἐν κρυπτῷ ἄνθρωπον εἰς πᾶσαν τελείωσιν ἀρετῆς ἀπηρτισμένος, ὁ δὲ ἐργαζόμενος δικαιοσύνην ὁ τὸ πρακτικὸν ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τῶν σωματικῶν ἐνεργειῶν τελειῶν. Δεῖ γὰρ οὐ μόνον ποιεῖν τὴν δικαίαν πρᾶξιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ διαθέσεως δικαίας ἐργάζεσθαι - κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, ὅτι Δικαίως τὸ δίκαιον διώξεις " … τὴν πρᾶξιν. Οἷον ποιεῖ μὲν γάρ τι ἰατρικὸν πρὸς ὠφέλειαν φέρον τῶν ἀσθενούντων ὁ ἰδιώτης, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ καὶ ἰατρικῶς ἐποίησεν ὁ τοιοῦτος, τῷ μὴ ἔχειν τι τῆς τέχνης τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ συνεπόμενον. Πορευόμενος οὖν ἅμωμος ὁ κατὰ νοῦν τέλειος· “ ἐργαζόμενος δὲ δικαιοσύνην ὁ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου φωνὴν ἀνεπαίσχυντος τοῦ Κυρίου ἐρ…. Πρόσχες δὲ τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ τῆς λέξεως. Οὐχ εἰπε, Πορευθεὶς ἄμωμος, ἀλλὰ, Πορευόμενος ἅμωμος οὐδὲ, Ἐργασάμενος δικαιοσύνην, ἀλλ᾽, Ἐργαζόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ μία πρᾶξις τελειοῖ τὸν σπουδαῖον, ἀλλὰ παντὶ προσῆκε τῷ βίῳ τὰς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἐνεργείας … αὐτοῦ, ὃς οὐκ ἐδόλωσεν ἐν γλώσσῃ αὑτοῦ. Πάλιν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει κοινωνίαν πρὸς ἄλληλα τὸ λαλεῖν ἀλήθειαν ἐν καρδίᾳ, καὶ τὸ μὴ δολοῦν ἐν γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ - ὁποίαν εἶχε τὸ εἶναι ἄμωμον πρὸς τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι δικαιοσύνην. Ὡς γὰρ ἐχεῖ καὶ τὸν ἐν κρυπτῷ τέλειον, καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ πρακτικῷ εὐοδούμε νον ὁ λόγος παρίστησιν, οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ἐπειδὴ τὸ λαλούμενον ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματός ἐστι τῆς καρδίας, οἷον ἀπὸ πηγῆς τῆς ἔνδον διαθέσεως τοῦ λόγου ῥέοντος, πρότερον εἶπε τὴν ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀλήθειαν, εἶτα τὸ ἐν τῷ λόγῳ ἄδολον τῷ διὰ τῆς γλώσσης ἐνεργουμένῳ. Δύο δὲ τὰ σημαινόμενα τῆς ἀληθείας εὑρήσομεν " ἕν μὲν τὴν περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων τῶν ἐπὶ τὸν μακάριον βίον φερόντων κατάληψιν, ἕτερον δὲ τὴν περὶ οἱουδήποτε τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον εἴδησιν ὑγιῇ. Ἐκείνην ( μὲν οὖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τὴν συνεργὸν τῆς σωτηρίας ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ οὖσαν τοῦ τελείου, χρὴ ἀδόλως ἐν παντὶ τῷ πλησίον παραδιδόναι " ἐν δὲ τοῖς κατὰ τὸν βίον πράγμασιν, ἐάν που καὶ διαπίπτῃ τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ σπουδαῖος, οὐδὲν ἐμπόδιον αὐτῷ εἰς τὰ προκείμενα ἔσται. Πόσοι γὰρ στάδιοι γῆς ἣ θαλάσσης, καὶ πόσοι κινοῦνται τῶν ἀστέρων, καὶ πόσον ἕτερος τοῦ ἑτέρου προέχει τῷ τάχει, ἐὰν μὴ εἰδῶμεν τὴν ἐν τούτοις ἀλήθειαν, οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐμποδίσει πρὸς τὸ ἐπιτυχεῖν τῆς ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις μακαριότητος. Τάχα δέ τι καὶ τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος παρίστησιν, ὅτι τὰ περὶ ἀληθείας, τουτέστι, τὰ μυστικὰ, λαλεῖν προσῆκεν οὐ παντὶ, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλησίον " ἀντὶ τοῦ, οὐχ εἰς τοὺς τυχόντας ἐκφαίνειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κεκοινωνηκότας τῶν μυστηρίων. Εἰ δὲ ἀλήθεια ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐστιν, ἐντετυπωμένην καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐσφραγισμένην τῇ ἑαυτοῦ καρδίᾳ ταύτην τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἕκαστος ἔχωμεν " περὶ ἧς λαλοῦντες ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἑαυτοῖς, μὴ δολῶμεν τὸν λόγον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐν τῷ ἀναγγέλλειν τοῖς πλησίον ἡμῶν τὸ κήρυγμα. Ὃς οὐκ ἐδόλωσεν ἐν γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ. Πολλαχοῦ ὡς ἐχθρὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ δόλος ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ διαβέβληται. Ἐξολοθρεύσαι, φησὶ, Κύριος πάντα τὰ χείλη τὰ δόλια" καὶ, Δόλος ἐν καρδίᾳ τεκταινομένων κακά. Πᾶν δὲ τὸ κρεῖττον ἂν τῇ τοῦ χείρονος ἐπιμιξίᾳ δολοῦσθαι λέγεται, ὡς οἶνος δολοῦται τῷ χείρονα αὐτῷ παραμίγνυσθαι, ἢ τὸ ὕδωρ αὐτῷ παραχίρνασθαι" καὶ χρυσὸς δολοῦται ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἄργυρον καὶ χαλκὸν κοινωνίᾳ " οὕτω καὶ ἀλήθεια δολοῦται, τοῖς ἁγίοις λόγοις τῶν δυσφημοτέρων … Οὐδὲ ἐποίησε τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ κακόν. Τίνα λέγει τὸν πλησίον ὁ λόγος, οὐδεὶς ἀμφιβάλλει τῶν ἀκουσάντων τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου πρὸς τὸν ἐρωτήσαντα " Καὶ τίς ἐστί μου πλησίον; Ὧ ὁ Κύριος εἶπε τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλὴμ καταβαίνοντος εἰς Ἱεριχώ" ὃν καὶ ἢρώτησε" Τίς τούτων δοκεῖ σοι γεγονέναι πλησίον; Κἀκεῖνος ἀπεκρίνατο, Ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Ἐδίδαξε γὰρ διὰ τούτων πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἡγεῖσθαι πλησίον. Δυσκατόρθωτον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ πολλῆς δεόμενον ἐπιμελείας, μήτε μικρῷ τινι, μήτε μείζονι καταβλάπτειν τὸν πλησίον" μὴ ἐν ῥήματι βλάψαι" μὴ ἀποστερῆσαί τι τῶν καθηκόντων" μὴ βουληθῆναι αὐτῷ πονηρόν· μὴ βασκανίᾳ χρήσασθαι πρὸς τὰς εὐπραγίας τῶν πέλας. Καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν οὐκ ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ. ᾿Αμφίβολος ἡ λέξις “ πότερον αὐτὸς ἄξια τοῦ ὀνειδίζεσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἔγγιστα οὐκ ἐποίησε, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐχ ἔλαβε παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ὀνειδισμὸν, ἢ οὐδένα τῶν ἔγγιστα αὐτὸς ὠνείδισε, τῶν ἂν ἀνθρωπίνοις πταίσμασι γενομένων, ἢ ἐν πηρώμασι σωματικοῖς, ἢ ἄλλοις τισὶν ὑστερήμασι τῆς σαρκὸς εὑρισκομένων. Οὔτε γὰρ τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα ὀνειδιστέον κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον" Μὴ ὀνείδιζε ἄνθρωπον ἀποστρέφοντα ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔγνωμέν ποτε ἐπ᾽ ὠφελείᾳ τῶν πλημμελούντων τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν παρειλημμένον, τοῦ Ἀποστόλου ἐν ταῖς πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ μαθητὴν Τιμόθεον ὑποθήκαις ἔλεγχον μὲν καὶ παράκλησιν καὶ ἐπιτίμησιν ἐπιτρέψαντος, οὐδαμοῦ δὲ τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν, ὡς ἐναντίον, παραλαβόντος. Καὶ ἔοικεν ὁ μὲν ἔλεγχος τέλος ἔχειν τὴν διόρθωσιν τοῦ ἁμαρτάνοντος, ὁ δὲ ὀνειδισμὸς ἐπὶ ἀσχημοσύνῃ τοῦ ἐπταικότος γίνεσθαι. Πενίαν δὲ, ἣ δυσγένειαν, ἣ ἀμάθειαν, ἣ σώματος ἀῤῥωστίαν ὀνειδίζειν πάντη ἄλογον, καὶ ἀλλότριον τοῦ σπουδαίου. “Ἃ γὰρ οὐχ ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἡμῖν συμβαίνει, ταῦτα ἀκούσια' ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς ἀκουσίοις ἐλαττώμασιν ἐλεεῖ- ### English translation (Claude) Wishing to sketch for us the perfect man, the one who is to attain the beatitudes, the word follows a certain order and path through the things to be considered about him, and makes its beginning from the nearest and first. “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tabernacle?” Sojourning is a temporary way of life, suggesting not a settled life but a passing one, in hope of a change to better things. It belongs to a holy man to pass through this life while hastening toward another life. That is why David too says of himself, “I am a sojourner with you and a stranger, as all my fathers were.” For Abraham was a sojourner, possessing not even a foot's breadth of land of his own; but when he needed a grave, he is seen to have bought one with silver, the word showing that while living in the flesh one ought to be a sojourner, but when passing out of this life one rests in one's own places. That is why in this life he sojourns among foreigners, but at his burial he purchased land of his own to receive his body. Blessed indeed it is not to cling to the things on earth as one's own, nor to hold on to the things here as to some native homeland, but to know one's fall from better things and, weighed down by the life here as by a sentence of condemnation, to sojourn as those do who have been banished by judges from their native land beyond the frontier for certain offenses. Rare is such a man: one who does not attend to present things as his own; who knows that the use of wealth is temporary; who considers the body's good health short-lived; who recognizes that the flower of human glory is unstable. “Who, then, shall sojourn in your tabernacle?” God's tabernacle is the name given to the flesh given by him to the human soul as a dwelling. Who will treat this flesh as another's? As sojourners, renting another's land, farm the ground according to the wishes of the one who leased it, so the care of the flesh has been entrusted to us by contract, so that we may … to the one who gave it. And if the flesh is worthy of God, it truly becomes God's tabernacle, according to his indwelling in the saints. Such is the flesh of the one who sojourns. That is why it says, “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tabernacle?” Then comes progress and advance toward what is more perfect: “And who shall dwell on your holy mountain?” The earthly Jew, when he hears “mountain,” … runs off to Zion. “Who shall dwell on your holy mountain?” The one who has sojourned in the flesh will dwell on the holy mountain. That mountain is the region above the heavens, the famous and splendid one, of which the Apostle says: “To Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, where there is a festal gathering of angels and the church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven.” When, then, someone passes through this flesh without attachment, sojourning in it as another's and not depending on it as his own, he, because he has put to death his members that are on earth and has achieved holiness, is worthy of dwelling on the holy mountain; longing for it, the psalmist said, “I will go into the place of the wonderful tabernacle,” and, “How lovely are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!” There [lead] us both love of neighbor, for the sake of that dwelling on the mountain, and the friendship that comes from the mammon of unrighteousness: “For make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.” Of that way of life the Lord spoke in the form of a prayer: “Holy Father, grant that where I am, they also may be.” Rare is the one who sojourns in the body, and rare the one who dwells on the mountain. That is why the word says, as if at a loss, “Who shall sojourn?” and “Who shall dwell?”, like “Who has known the mind of the Lord?” and “Who will tell you that a fire is burning?” and “Who will tell you of the eternal place?” and “Who then is the faithful and wise steward?” But perhaps the “who” is also a question, as though he were seeking an answer from the holy Lord with whom he is conversing. And the divine voice, resolving the question, what does it say to him? “He who walks blameless and works righteousness.” If the blameless man is one who lacks none of the goods and passes his life without stumbling into any wickedness, what difference is there between him and one who does righteousness? Does he, then, express the same thought in two phrases, “He who walks blameless and works righteousness”? Or does each of the sayings present a meaning of its own? So that the blameless is one who is fully equipped for every perfection of virtue in the hidden man, while the one who works righteousness is one who perfects his practical life through bodily actions. For one must not only do the just deed but also work from a just disposition, as it is said, “You shall pursue justice justly”; … the deed. For example, a layman may do something medical that benefits the sick, but such a man has not acted medically, since nothing of the art accompanies his action. The one who walks blameless, then, is perfect in mind; and the one who works righteousness is, in the Apostle's words, the Lord's unashamed wor[ker]. Note the exactness of the wording. He did not say “having walked blameless” but “walking blameless,” nor “having worked righteousness” but “working.” For a single deed does not make the earnest man perfect; the activities of virtue must extend through the whole of life. … “[He who speaks truth in his heart], who has not deceived with his tongue.” Here again, speaking truth in the heart and not deceiving with one's tongue have the same relation to each other as being blameless had to working righteousness. For as there the word presents both the one perfect in the hidden man and the one who prospers in practical life, so here, since what is spoken comes from the abundance of the heart, as the word flows from the spring of the inner disposition, he first mentioned truth in the heart and then guilelessness in speech, which is worked through the tongue. We shall find two meanings of truth: one the grasp of the things that lead to the blessed life, the other a sound knowledge of any of the things of this life. That truth, then, which cooperates with salvation and is in the heart of the perfect man, must be handed on without guile to every neighbor; but in the affairs of life, if the earnest man should miss the truth somewhere, it will be no hindrance to him in what lies before him. For how many stades there are of land or sea, how many of the stars are in motion, and how much one surpasses another in speed: if we do not know the truth in these things, it will not hinder us from attaining the blessedness of the promises. But perhaps the word presents something like this to us too: that the things of truth, that is, the mysteries, must be spoken not to everyone but to the neighbor; that is, they must not be disclosed to just anyone, but to those who have shared in the mysteries. And if our Lord is the truth, let each of us have this truth stamped and, as it were, sealed on his own heart; and speaking of it in our hearts, let us not falsify the word of the Gospel in proclaiming the message to our neighbors. “Who has not deceived with his tongue.” In many places deceit is condemned in Scripture as God's enemy. “May the Lord destroy,” it says, “all deceitful lips,” and, “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil.” And everything better is said to be adulterated by mixture with the worse, as wine is adulterated when worse wine is mixed with it, or water blended into it, and gold is adulterated in combination with silver and bronze; so too truth is adulterated when [what is] more blasphemous [is mixed] with the holy words …. “Nor has he done evil to his neighbor.” Whom the word calls the neighbor, no one doubts who has heard the Gospel's answer to the one who asked, “And who is my neighbor?”, to whom the Lord told the parable of the man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and whom he also asked, “Which of these seems to you to have been a neighbor?” And he answered, “The one who showed mercy to him.” By this he taught that every human being is to be considered a neighbor. This too is hard to achieve and needs much care: to harm one's neighbor neither in small things nor in greater; not to hurt him in word; not to deprive him of anything that is his due; not to wish him evil; not to give way to envy at the good fortune of those near us. “And has not taken up a reproach against those nearest him.” The expression is ambiguous: whether he himself did nothing deserving of reproach from those nearest him and therefore received no reproach from them; or whether he himself reproached none of those nearest him, whether they had fallen into human failings or were found with bodily defects or other shortcomings of the flesh. For the sinner is not to be reproached, as it is written, “Do not reproach a man who is turning away from sin.” For we have never known reproach to be used for the benefit of offenders, since the Apostle, in his counsels to his own disciple Timothy, permitted rebuke and exhortation and reproof, but nowhere took up reproach, as something contrary. Rebuke seems to have as its end the correction of the sinner, while reproach aims at the disgrace of the one who has stumbled. To reproach someone with poverty, or low birth, or lack of learning, or bodily illness is altogether unreasonable and foreign to the earnest man. For what does not happen to us by choice is involuntary; and for involuntary defects one should show pity ### Scripture references - Ps 15:1 (14:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 39:12 (38:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Acts 7:5: allusion, high confidence - Gen 23:16: allusion, high confidence - Heb 12:22: quotation, high confidence - Heb 12:23: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:5: allusion, high confidence - Ps 42:4 (41:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 84:1 (83:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Luke 16:9: quotation, high confidence - John 17:24: quotation, high confidence - Rom 11:34: quotation, high confidence - Isa 33:14: quotation, high confidence - Luke 12:42: quotation, high confidence - Ps 15:2 (14:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Deut 16:20: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 2:15: allusion, high confidence - Ps 15:3 (14:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 12:34: allusion, high confidence - John 14:6: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 2:17: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 12:3 (11:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Prov 12:20: quotation, high confidence - Luke 10:29: quotation, high confidence - Luke 10:36: quotation, high confidence - Luke 10:37: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:2: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Sir 8:5 (Sirach): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 15:1–3 (LXX 14:1–3); Ps 39:12 (LXX 38:13); Heb 12:22–23; Ps 42:4 (LXX 41:5); Ps 84:1 (LXX 83:2); Luke 16:9; John 17:24; Rom 11:34 (Isa 40:13); Isa 33:14 LXX (“who will tell you that a fire is burning?”, “the eternal place”); Luke 12:42; Deut 16:20; Ps 12:3 (LXX 11:4); Prov 12:20; Luke 10:29, 36–37; Sir 8:5 (“Do not reproach a man who is turning away from sin”). Allusions: Acts 7:5 and Gen 23 (Abraham's land and grave); Col 3:5; 2 Tim 2:15 (the unashamed worker); Matt 12:34 (abundance of the heart); 2 Cor 2:17 and 4:2 (adulterating the word); John 14:6; 2 Tim 4:2. Migne's Latin column, notes and margin letters are mixed into this section in the scan and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…” at “so that we may … to the one who gave it” (the duty owed to the owner), after “when he hears ‘mountain’” (Basil's remark on the literal-minded reading), after “You shall pursue justice justly” (the end of the thought and the word “deed” only survive), after “must extend through the whole of life” (where the verse “He who speaks truth in his heart” is lost; it is supplied in brackets), and at the end of the comparison of adulterated wine; the scan also garbles “worker” (2 Tim 2:15). The section breaks off mid-word at the page turn; it continues in 14.3, the intervening staged section 14.2 holding only scan debris. - This first homily on Psalm 14 (15) is not in FOTC 46, which translates only the second (against usurers); whether it is Basil's should be checked. It was re-read against the Greek, without a modern comparison. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.1 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-3 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 15:4 Basil explains that the just man despises the wicked however great and honors the God-fearing however lowly, and reconciles the psalm's praise of true swearing with the Gospel's “do not swear at all.” ### Greek text Ἐξουδένωται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πονηρευόμενος· τοὺς δὲ φοβουμένους τὸν Κύριον δοξάζει. Μεγαλοφυοῦς διανοίας καὶ πρὸς οὐδὲν κατακλινομένης τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων χρείᾳ καὶ ἀνδρὸς τὴν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἕξιν εἰς ἄκρον κατωρθωκότος, τὸ διανέμειν ἑκάστῳ τὰ πρὸς ἀξίαν" τούς τε πονηρευομένους ἐξουδενοῦν, κἂν τὰς μεγάλας τύχωσι δυναστείας περιβεβλημένοι, κἂν πλούτῳ κομῶντες κἂν περιφανείᾳ γένους, κἂν λαμπρότητα ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιφημίζοντες, πονηρία δὲ μόνη ἑνυπάρχουσα αὐτοῖς φωραθῇ, ἐξουδενοῦν τοὺς τοιούτους, τουτέστιν ἀντ᾽ οὐδενὸς λογίζεσθαι. Ἔμπαλιν δὲ, τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν Κύριον, κἂν πένητες ὦσι, κἂν ἀγενεῖς, κἂν ἰδιῶται τῷ λόγῳ, κἂν ἀσθενεῖς τῷ σώματι, δοξάζειν καὶ ὑπεραίρειν καὶ μακαρίους ἡγεῖσθαι, δεδιδαγμένον παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος μακαρίζειν τοὺς τοιούτους. Μακάριοι γὰρ, φησὶ, πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον. Τῆς αὐτῆς δέ ἔστι διανοίας τόν τε πονηρευόμενον ἐξουδενῶσαι, κἂν ὑπεραίρηται λαμπρότῆτι, καὶ τὸν φοβούμενον τὸν Κύριον δοξάζειν, κἂν εὐτελὴς ἧ, κἂν πένης ἐν τῷ βίῳ, κἂν εὐκαταφρόνητος, κἂν μηδὲν τῶν ἐκτὸς προκαλουμένων εἰς ἀποδοχὴν κεκτημένος. Ὁ ὀμνύων τῷ πλησίον αὑτοῦ, καὶ οὖκ ἀθετῶν. Τί δῆ ποτε ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἡ εὐορκία συγχωρεῖται ἐν τοῖς τῷ τελείῳ πρέπουσιν ἀνδραγαθήμασιν, ἐν δὲ τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ παντελῶς ἀπηγόρευται; Τίς παροικήσει, καὶ τίς κατασκηνώσει; Ὃ ὀμνύων τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἀθετῶν. Ἐχεῖ δὲ, Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ὀμόσαι ὅλως. Τί οὖν φαμεν; Ὅτι πανταχοῦ τοῦ αὐτοῦ σκοποῦ ἔχεται ὁ Κύριος, προλαμβάνων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτῶν τὰ ἀποτελέσματα, καὶ ἐκ τῆς πρώτης ἀρχῆς ἐχτέμνων τὴν πονηρίαν. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ μὲν παλαιὸς ἔλεγε νόμος, Οὐ μοιχεύσεις" ὁ δὲ Κύριος, Οὐδὲ ἐπιθυμήσεις " κἀκεῖνος μὲν, Οὐ φονεύσεις" ὁ δὲ τὰ τελειότερα νομοθετῶν, Οὐδὲ ὀργισθήσῃ· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα ὁ μὲν ἀρκεῖται τῇ εὐορκίᾳ, ὁ δὲ τῆς ἐπιορκίας τὴν ἀφορμὴν διακόπτει. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εὐορκῶν, τυχὸν ἄν ποτε καὶ παρασφαλείη ἄκων᾽ ὁ δὲ μὴ ὀμνύων, τὸν τῆς ἐπιορκίας κίνδυνον διαπέφευγε. Τὸν ὄρκον δὲ πολλαχοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀμετάθετον περὶ ἐκάστου πράγματος διαβεβαίωσιν ὀνομάζει" ὡς τὸ, Ὥμοσα, καὶ ἔστησα τοῦ φυλάξασθαι τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου" καὶ τὸ, Ὥμοσε Κύριος, καὶ οὒ μεταμεληθήσεται. Οὐχ ὅτι Θεὸν εἰς μαρτυρίαν τῶν εἰ παρήγαγεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἀτρέπτοις καὶ ἀκινήτοις δόγμασι τὴν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας χάριν τῷ Δαβὶδ ἐβεβαίωσεν. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἐνταῦθα δυνατὸν εἰρῆσθαι. Ὁ ὀμνύων τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ " τουτέστι, …μενος τῷ πλησίον, καὶ οὐχ ἀθετῶν " ἵνα ἧ σύμφωνον τῷ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρημένῳ, τῷ, Ἔστω δὲ ὑμῶν ὁ λόγος, ναὶ ναὶ, καὶ οὒ οὔ. Περὶ τῶν τοιούτων πραγμάτων διαβεβαιούμενος κατάνευε " καὶ περὶ τῶν μὴ ὄντων, κἂν πάντες ἄνθρωποι παρακαλῶσι, μὴ συμπεισθῇς ποτε παρὰ τὴν τῆς φύσεως ἀλήθειαν διαβεβαιώσασθαι. Οὐ γέγονε τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἄρνησις. διαβεβαιούτω. Χωρὶς τῆς πρὸς ἕτερον ἐπιπλοκῆς αὐτὴν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν πειρῶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν παριστᾷν, ψιλαῖς ταῖς διαβεβαιώσεσι κεχρημένος. Ὁ ἄπιστος ἐχέτω τὴν βλάβην τῆς ἀπιστίας. Αἰσχρὸν γὰρ πανκολῶς καὶ ἀνόητον ἑαυτοῦ κατηγορεῖν ὡς ἀναξίου πίστεως, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ὄρκων ἀσφάλειαν ἐπιφέρεσθαι. Εἰσὶ δέ τινες λόγοι, σχήματα μὲν ὄρκων ἔχοντες, οὐχ ὅρκοι δὲ ὄντες, ἀλλὰ θεραπεία πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας. Ὡς ὁ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον οἰκειούμενος, νὴ τὴν ὑγίειαν ὤμνυε Φαραώ. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος τὴν πρὸς Κορινθίους ἀγάπην ἑαυτοῦ παριστῶν, ἔφη" Νὴ τὴν ὑμετέραν καύχησιν, ἣν ἔχω ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. Οὐ γὰρ παρἤκουσε τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς διδασκαλίας ὁ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον πεπιστευμένος, ἀλλὰ λόγον ψιλὸν ἐν σχήματι … ἔδωκεν ὄρκου, τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς καύχησιν ὡς τοῦ παντὸς αὐτῷ ἀξίαν οὖσαν διὰ τοῦ τοιούτου τρόπου δεικνύς. ### English translation (Claude) “In his sight the evildoer is set at nought, but he glorifies those who fear the Lord.” It belongs to a lofty mind, which stoops to nothing for human need, and to a man who has brought the habit of justice to its summit, to give each his due: to set at nought evildoers, even if they happen to be clothed with great power, even if they are luxuriant in wealth or in distinction of family, even if they claim splendor for themselves, if wickedness alone is found in them; to set such people at nought, that is, to count them as nothing. And conversely, to glorify those who fear the Lord, even if they are poor, even if lowborn, even if unskilled in speech, even if weak in body, and to exalt them and consider them blessed, since he has been taught by the Spirit to call such people blessed. “For blessed,” it says, “are all who fear the Lord.” It belongs to the same mind both to set at nought the evildoer, even if he is lifted up by splendor, and to glorify the one who fears the Lord, even if he is of no account, even if he is poor in life, even if despised, even if he possesses none of the outward things that invite approval. “He who swears to his neighbor and does not break his word.” Why ever is swearing truly allowed here among the brave deeds fitting for the perfect man, while in the Gospel it is wholly forbidden? “Who shall sojourn, and who shall dwell? He who swears to his neighbor and does not break his word.” But there: “But I say to you, do not swear at all.” What, then, do we say? That the Lord everywhere keeps to the same aim, forestalling the effects of sins and cutting out wickedness from its first beginning. For as the old law said, “You shall not commit adultery,” but the Lord, “Nor shall you desire”; and the one, “You shall not murder,” but he who gives the more perfect laws, “Nor shall you be angry”: so too here the one is content with true swearing, but the other cuts off the occasion of perjury. For one who swears truly may perhaps sometimes slip against his will; but one who does not swear has escaped the danger of perjury. Scripture often also calls an oath the unchangeable confirmation of each matter, as in, “I have sworn and confirmed it, to keep the judgments of your righteousness,” and, “The Lord has sworn and will not repent.” Not that God brought [someone] as witness …, but that he confirmed the grace of his promise to David by unalterable decrees. So it is possible that here too it is said in this sense: “He who swears to his neighbor,” that is, who [affirms] to his neighbor, “and does not break his word,” so that it may agree with what the Lord said: “Let your word be yes, yes, and no, no.” About things that are so, nod your assent when you affirm them; and about things that are not, even if all men urge you, never be persuaded to affirm them against the truth of nature. The thing has not happened: let the denial be the affirmation. Try to present the truth itself, by itself, without involving anything else, using plain affirmations. Let the unbeliever bear the harm of his unbelief. For it is utterly shameful and foolish to accuse oneself of being unworthy of belief and then to bring in the security of oaths. There are certain expressions that have the form of oaths but are not oaths, being courtesy toward the hearers. So Joseph, winning over the Egyptian, swore by the health of Pharaoh. And the Apostle, showing his love for the Corinthians, said, “By the boasting in you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.” For he who had been entrusted with the Gospel did not disregard the Gospel teaching; but … a plain word in the form of an oath, showing by such a turn of phrase that his boasting in them was worth everything to him. ### Scripture references - Ps 15:4 (14:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 128:1 (127:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:34: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:14: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:28: allusion, high confidence - Exod 20:13: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:22: allusion, high confidence - Ps 119:106 (118:106 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 110:4 (109:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 89:35 (88:36 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:37: quotation, high confidence - Gen 42:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:31: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 15:4 (LXX 14:4); Ps 128:1 (LXX 127:1); Matt 5:34; Exod 20:14 and Matt 5:28; Exod 20:13 and Matt 5:22; Ps 119:106 (LXX 118:106); Ps 110:4 (LXX 109:4); Matt 5:37; Gen 42:15–16 (Joseph swears by Pharaoh's life); 1 Cor 15:31. Allusion: Ps 89:3–4, 35 (LXX 88) (the oath to David). Words lost in the scan are marked “…” after “brought [someone] as witness” and after “but”; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. In “let the denial be the affirmation” Basil means that a plain “no” should suffice as a sworn statement would. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.3 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-3). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-4 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil turns to Matt 5:42, grounding generosity in human nature as social. ### Greek text Τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός" καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ θέλοντος δανείσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς. Ἐπὶ τὸ κοινωνικὸν, καὶ φιλάλληλον, καὶ τῇ φύσει οἰκεῖον ὁ λόγος ἡμᾶς προκαλεῖται. Πολιτικὸν γὰρ ζῶον καὶ συναγελαστικὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Ἐν δὲ τῇ κοινῇ πολιτείᾳ καὶ τῇ μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἀναστροφῇ ἀναγκαῖον τὸ εὐμετάδοτον εἰς ἐπανόρθωσιν τοῦ ἐνδέοντος. Τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός. Βούλεταί σε διὰ μὲν τὴν ἀγάπην ἐν ἁπλότητι ἀνειμένον εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς αἰτοῦντας, ### English translation (Claude) “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow.” The word calls us to what is social, mutually loving, and akin to our nature. For man is a political and gregarious animal. And in common civic life and in living with one another, readiness to share is necessary for relieving the one in need. “Give to him who asks of you.” He wants you, because of love, to be open-handed in simplicity toward those who ask, ### Scripture references - Matt 5:42: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Aristotle, Pol. 1.2 (Aristotle (works)): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Matt 5:42. “Man is a political animal” is Aristotle's definition (Pol. 1.2, 1253a). The sentence continues in staged section 14.6; this short section and 14.6 form one section of Migne. The broken word at its end is removed by a logged correction and is restored at the start of 14.6. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.4 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-6 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains that almsgiving needs discernment, as in the church of Acts, where gifts were pooled and distributed by those in charge of the poor; giving to the poor is lending to God, with the kingdom as pledge. ### Greek text λογισμῷ δὲ πάλιν διακρίνειν ἑκάστου τὴν χρείαν τῶν Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος ἐναργῶς ἡμῖν διετάξατο λέγων" τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός. καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ θέλοντος δανείσασθαι μὴ. ἀποστραφῇς. … ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι, τίνα τρόπον δυνατὸν κατορθοῦσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἐπιστημόνως τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας σκοπὸν ἐκπληρούντων· Ὅσοι γὰρ, φησὶ, κτήτορες χωρίων ἣ οἰκιῶν ὑπῆρχον, πωλοῦντες ἔφερον τὰς τιμὰς τῶν πιπρασκομένων, καὶ ἐτίθουν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων. Διεδίδοτο δὲ ἑκάστῳ, καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ ὑπερβαίνοντες τὴν χρῖγσιν τῶν ἀναγκαίων, ἀφορμὴν ἐμπορίας καὶ ὑπόθεσιν τρυφῆς ἀσελγοῦς ποιοῦνται τὴν αἴτησιν, ἀναγκαίως παρὰ τοῖς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῶν πτωχῶν πεπιστευμένοις ἡ συγκομιδὴ τῶν χρημάτων ἐγίνετο, ὥστε ἐκεῖθεν ἐπιστημόνως καὶ οἰκονομικῶς ταῖς ἑκάστου χρείαις τὴν διανομὴν τῶν ἀναγκαίων γίνεσθαι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀῤῥωστούντων χρεία μέτρου καὶ ποιότητος χαταστοχάσασθαι“ χρεία δὲ ἰατροῦ πρὸς τὴν δόσιν τοῦ οἴνου οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἣ περὶ τὴν θεραπείαν τῶν δεομένων οἰκονομία οὐ παρὰ πάντων ὠφελίμως ἐνεργεῖσθαι δύναται. Τοῖς γὰρ δὴ τὰ θρηνώδη μέλη πρὸς τὴν τῶν γυναικῶν ἀπάτην συντιθεῖσι, καὶ τὰ πηρώματα τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τὰ ἕλκη πρὸς ἐμπορίας ἀφορμὴν προτιθεῖσιν, οὐ πάντως τὸ δαψιλὲς τῆς διακονίας ὠφέλιμον. ᾿Αφορμὴ γὰρ αὐτοῖς εἰς κακίαν ἡ χορηγία γενήσεται, ᾿Αλλὰ μικρᾷ δόσει χρὴ τὴν τῶν τοιούτων ὑλακὴν ἀπωθεῖσθαι, τὸ δὲ συμπαθὲς καὶ φιλάδελφον ἐπιδεικνυμένους, ἐν τοῖς μεθ᾽ ὑπομονῆς τὴν θλίψιν φέρειν δεδιδαγμένοις " ὑπὲρ ὧν καὶ λεχθήσεται αὐτοῖς, ὅτι Ἐπείνασα, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν, και τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ θέλοντος δανείσασθαι, μὴ ἀποστραφῇς. Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ παράγγελμα ἔχεται τῶν προτέρων. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἐνταῦθα αἰτῶν, πτωχὸς ὧν, δάνειον αἰτεῖ παρὰ σοῦ, δεικνύς σοι τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς πλούσιον, διαλύοντά σοι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τὸ χρέος. Ὁ γὰρ ἐλεῶν, φησὶ, πτωχὸν Θεῷ δανείζει. Ἐχέγγυον δὲ τοῦ δάνους ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀξιωθῆναι χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ᾽ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. των. ### English translation (Claude) but by reasoning, in turn, to discern the need of each of those … . The Lord, then, has clearly commanded us, saying, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow.” … in the Acts, how this can be carried out by those who fulfill the aim of godliness with understanding: “For as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of what was sold and laid them at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as anyone had need.” For since many, going beyond the use of necessities, make their asking an occasion for trade and a pretext for licentious luxury, the collecting of the money was necessarily done by those entrusted with the care of the poor, so that from there the distribution of necessities might be made with understanding and good management according to each one's needs. For as with the sick there is need to estimate measure and quality, and need of a physician for giving wine, so too the management of the care of the needy cannot be carried out profitably by everyone. For to those who compose mournful songs to deceive women, and who display their bodily deformities and sores as a means of trade, lavish help is not altogether profitable; for the supply will become for them an occasion for wickedness. One should drive off the barking of such people with a small gift, but show compassion and brotherly love toward those who have been taught to bear affliction with patience, of whom it will be said to them, “I was hungry and you gave me food,” and so on. “And do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow.” This command too is connected with the former ones. For the one who asks here, being poor, asks a loan from you, showing you the rich one in heaven who pays the debt to you on his behalf. “For he who has pity on the poor,” it says, “lends to God.” And the pledge for the loan is the kingdom of heaven. May we all be counted worthy of it, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and the Holy Spirit be the glory and the power to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Matt 5:42: quotation, high confidence - Acts 4:34: quotation, high confidence - Acts 4:35: quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:35: quotation, high confidence - Prov 19:17: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This section continues the sentence begun in 14.4 (the scan split the word “by reasoning” across the two); the scan's opening and middle are Migne's Latin and notes, mixed with repeated Greek lines, and are removed by logged corrections. Quotations: Matt 5:42; Acts 4:34–35; Matt 25:35; Prov 19:17. Lines are lost and marked “…” after “of those” and before “in the Acts”. A stray syllable at the very end of the scan is left as printed. The homily on Psalm 14 (15) breaks off its exposition here at verse 5a; the second homily on the psalm (14.7–14.9) treats lending at interest. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.6 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-6). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-7 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil opens his second homily on Psalm 14 (15), on Ps 15:5a, by condemning lending at interest from the Law and the Prophets and by portraying the moneylender's hypocrisy toward the needy borrower. ### Greek text Χθὲς εἰς τὸν τεσσαρεσκαιδέκατον ψαλμὸν ὑμῖν … τῆς ὥρας οὐχ ἐπετράπημεν. Νῦν δὲ ἔχομεν εὐγνώμονες ὀφειλέται τὰ χρέα τῶν ἐλλειφθέντων ὑμῖν ἀποτιννύντες. Ἔστι δὲ τὸ λειπόμενον βραχὺ μὲν τὸ ἀκοῦσαι, ὥστε οὑτωσὶ δόξαι, καὶ ἴσως τοὺς πολλοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ παρέλαβεν, ὡς μηδὲ παραλελεῖφθαί τι τοῦ ψαλμοῦ νομισθῆναι" μεγάλην μέντοι πρὸς τὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα δύναμιν ἔχειν τὴν βραχεῖαν ταύτην λέξιν καταμαθόντες, οὐχ ᾠήθημεν δεῖν παρεῖναι τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἐξετάσεως χρήσιμον. Ὑπογράφων τῷ λόγῳ τὸν τέλειον ὁ Προφήτης, τὸν τῆς ἀσαλεύτου ζωῆς ἐπιβήσεσθαι μέλλοντα, ἐν τοῖς ἀνδραγαθήμασιν ἀπηρίθμησε τὸ ἀργύριον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τόκῳ μὴ δοῦναι. Πολλαχοῦ τῆς Γραφῆς διαβέβληται ἡ ἁμαρτία αὔτη. Ὅ τε γὰρ Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις τῶν κακῶν τίθεται τόκον λαβεῖν καὶ πλεονασμὸν, καὶ ὁ νόμος διαῤῥήδην ἀπαγορεύει" Οὐκ ἐκτοκιεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου καὶ τῷ πλησίον σου. Καὶ πάλιν φησί" Δόλος ἐπὶ δόλῳ, καὶ τόκος ἐπὶ τόκῳ. Καὶ περὶ πόλεως δὲ τῆς ἐν πλήθει κακῶν εὐθηνουμένης ὁ ψαλμὸς τί φησιν; Οὐκ ἐξέλιπεν ἐκ τῶν πλατειῶν αὐτῆς τόκος καὶ δόλος. Καὶ νῦν χαρακτηριστικὸν τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τελειώσεως τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο παρείληφεν ὁ Προφήτης, λέγων Τὸ ἀργύριον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἐπὶ τόκῳ. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ἀπανθρωπίας ὑπερβολὴν ἔχει τὸν μὲν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐνδεῶς ἔχοντα ζητεῖν δάνεισμα εἰς παραμυθίαν τοῦ βίου, τὸν δὲ μὴ ἀρκεῖσθαι τῷ κεφαλαίῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπινοεῖν ἐκ τῶν συμφορῶν τοῦ πένητος προσόδους ἑαυτῷ καὶ εὐπορίας συνάγειν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος ἐναργῶς ἡμῖν διετάξατο, λέγων Καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανείσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς" ὁ φιλάργυρος, ὁρῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἄνδρα κατακαμπτόμενον πρὸ τῶν γονάτων ἱκετεύοντα, τί οὐ ποιοῦντα ταπεινόν; τί οὐ φθεγγόμενον; οὐχ ἐλεεῖ παρ᾽ ἀξίαν πράττοντα, οὐ λογίζεται τὴν φύσιν, οὐκ ἐνδίδωσι ταῖς ἱκεσίαις, ἀλλ' ἄκαμπτος καὶ ἀμείλικτος ἔστηκεν, οὐ ταῖς δεήσεσιν εἴκων, οὐ δάκρυσιν ἐπικλώμενος, ἐπιμένων τῇ ἀρνήσει, ἐξομνύμενος καὶ ἐπαρώμενος ἑαυτῷ, ἣ μὴν ἀπορεῖν παντελῶς χρημάτων, καὶ περισκοπεῖν καὶ αὐτὸς εἴ τινα εὕροι τῶν δανειζόντων, καὶ πιστούμενος τὸ ψεῦδος διὰ τῶν ὄρκων, κακὸν παρεμπόρευμα τῆς ἀπανθρωπίας τὴν ἐπιορκίαν προσκτώμενος. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὁ ζητῶν τὸ δάνειον τόκων μνησθῇ, καὶ ὑποθήκας ὀνομάσῃ, τότε καταβαλὼν τὴν ὀφρὺν προσεμειδίασε, καί που καὶ πατρῴας φιλίας ἀνεμνήσθη, καὶ συνήθη εἶπε καὶ φίλον" καὶ, Ὀψόμεθα, φησὶν, εἴ που τί ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἀποκείμενον ἀργύριον. Ἔστι δὲ παρακαταθήκη … ἐκεῖνος μὲν βαρεῖς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τοὺς τόκους ὥρισεν" ἡμεῖς δὲ πάντως ἐπανήσομέν τι, καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐλάττοσι τοῖς τόκοις δώσομεν. Τοιαῦτα κατασχηματιζόμενος, καὶ τοιούτοις λόγοις ὑποσαίνων καὶ δελεάζων τὸν πρὸς τῇ καταπονούσῃ πενίᾳ ἔτι καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προσαφελόμενος, ᾧχετο. Ὁ γὰρ τόκοις ἑαυτὸν ὑπεύθυνον καταστήσας, ὧν τὴν ἔκτισιν οὐχ ὑφίσταται, δουλείαν αὐθαίρετον κατεδέξατο διὰ βίου. Χρήματα, εἰπέ μοι, καὶ πόρους ἐπιζητεῖς, παρὰ τοῦ ἀπόρου; Καὶ εἰ πλουσιώτερόν σε ἀποφαίνειν ἠδύνατο, τί ἐζήτει παρὰ τὰς θύρας τὰς σάς; Ἐπὶ συμμαχίαν ἐλθὼν, πολέμιον εὗρεν. ᾿Αλεξιφάρμακα περιζητῶν, δηλητηρίοις ἐνέτυχε. Δέον παραμυθεῖσθαι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς … καρποῦσθαι ζητῶν τὴν ἔρημον, "Ὥσπερ ἄν εἴ τις ἰατρὸς πρὸς κάμνοντας εἰσιὼν, ἀντὶ τοῦ ὑγείαν αὐτοῖς ἐπαναγαγεῖν, ὁ δὲ καὶ τὸ μικρὸν λείψανον τῆς δυνάμεως προσαφέλοιτο᾽ οὕτω καὶ σὺ τὰς συμφορὰς τῶν ἀθλίων ἀφορμὴν πόρων ποιῇ. Καὶ ὥσπερ οἱ ᾿ γεωργοὶ ὅμβρους εὔχονται εἰς πολυπλασιασμὸν τῶν σπερμάτων, οὕτω καὶ σὺ ἐνδείας καὶ ἀπορίας ἄνθρώπων ἐπιζητεῖς, ἵνα σοι ἐνεργὰ τὰ χρήματα γένηται. ᾿Αγνοεῖς πλείονα προσθήκην ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ποιούμενος, ἣ τῷ πλούτῳ τὴν αὔξησιν ἀπὸ τῶν τόκων ἐπινοῶν; Καὶ ὁ μὲν ζητῶν τὸ δάνεισμα, μὲν σὸς ἀμηχανίας ἀπειλημμένος, ὅταν μὲν πρὸς τὴν πενίαν ἀπίδῃ, ἀπογινώσκει τὴν ἔκτισιν, ὅταν δὲ πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν ἀνάγκην, χατατολμᾷ τοῦ δανείσματος, …χεται, γραμματείοις αὑτὸν καὶ ἐχεγγύοις ἀσφα- ### English translation (Claude) Yesterday, [speaking] to you on the fourteenth psalm, … we were not allowed by the hour [to reach the end]. Now we have come as grateful debtors to pay you what was left owing. What remains is short to hear, so that it may seem so, and perhaps it even escaped most of you, so that it was not thought that anything of the psalm had been left out; but since we have learned that this short saying has great force for the affairs of life, we did not think we should pass over the benefit of examining it. The prophet, sketching in his discourse the perfect man, the one who is to enter on the unshaken life, counted among his brave deeds not giving his money at interest. This sin is condemned in many places in Scripture. For Ezekiel places taking interest and increase among the greatest of evils, and the law expressly forbids it: “You shall not lend at interest to your brother and to your neighbor.” And again it says, “Deceit upon deceit, and interest upon interest.” And of a city teeming with a multitude of evils, what does the psalm say? “Interest and deceit have not departed from its streets.” And now the prophet has taken this very thing as a mark of human perfection, saying, “He has not given his money at interest.” For it is truly the height of inhumanity that one who lacks necessities should seek a loan to relieve his life, and that the other, not content with the principal, should devise revenues for himself from the poor man's misfortunes and gather wealth. The Lord has clearly commanded us, saying, “And do not turn away from him who wishes to borrow from you.” But the lover of money, seeing a man bowed down by necessity at his knees in supplication, what humble thing does he not do? what does he not say? He does not pity one who is faring worse than he deserves, takes no account of their common nature, does not yield to his entreaties, but stands unbending and implacable, not giving way to prayers, not softened by tears, persisting in his refusal, swearing and calling down curses on himself that he is utterly without money and is himself looking around to see if he can find someone to lend; confirming the lie by oaths, and acquiring perjury as an evil by-product of his inhumanity. But when the one seeking the loan mentions interest and names securities, then he lowers his brow and smiles, and somehow remembers even a friendship of their fathers, and calls him intimate and friend, and says, “We shall see whether we have any money laid by. There is a deposit …; but he fixed a heavy interest on it, whereas we will certainly remit something and give it at lower interest.” Pretending such things, and fawning on and enticing the wretched man with such words, he [binds him with contracts] and, having taken away the man's freedom besides the poverty that oppresses him, he goes off. For the man who has made himself liable for interest that he cannot bear to pay has accepted a voluntary slavery for life. Tell me, do you seek money and income from the man without means? If he could have made you richer, why would he have come begging at your doors? He came for help and found an enemy; he looked for antidotes and met with poisons. When you ought to have relieved the man's [need] …, you seek to reap the desert. As if a physician, coming in to the sick, instead of restoring them to health, should take away the little remnant of their strength, so you make the misfortunes of the wretched an occasion of revenue. And as farmers pray for rain to multiply their seed, so you seek the want and helplessness of men, so that your money may become productive for you. Do you not know that you are making a greater addition to your sins than the increase you plan for your wealth from the interest? And the one seeking the loan, caught in the middle of his helplessness, despairs of repayment when he looks at his poverty, but when he looks at his present necessity, he dares the loan. [And so the one is overcome …, and the other] goes off, having secured himself with contracts and pledges. ### Scripture references - Ps 15:5 (14:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ezek 22:12: allusion, high confidence - Deut 23:19 (23:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Jer 9:6: quotation, high confidence - Ps 55:11 (54:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:42: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This is the opening of Basil's second homily on Psalm 14 (15), against those who lend at interest. Quotations: Ps 15:5 (LXX 14:5); Deut 23:19 (LXX 23:20; cf. Lev 25:36–37); Jer 9:6 LXX (“deceit upon deceit, interest upon interest”); Ps 55:11 (LXX 54:12); Matt 5:42. Allusion: Ezek 22:12; 18:13. Lines are lost in the scan where Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved, and are marked “…”: in the opening sentence, after “There is a deposit” (the friend who left it for business), after “relieved the man's [need]”, and before the last words; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. - Homily 2 on Psalm 14 is staged here as 14.7–14.9; in Migne it has its own sections 1–5 (14.7 = section 1; 14.8 = sections 2–3; 14.9 = sections 4–5). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.7 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-7). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-8 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil describes the borrower's brief luxury and long misery, urges the poor to sell their goods rather than borrow, and explains interest (tokos, “offspring”) as an unnaturally fertile beast. ### Greek text Λαβὼν δὲ τὰ χρήματα, τὴν μὲν πρώτην λαμπρός ἔστι καὶ περιχαρὴς, ἀλλοτρίῳ ἄνθει γεγανωμένος, ἐπισημαίνων τῇ μεταβολῇ τοῦ βίου - τράπεζα γὰρ ἀνειμένη. ἐσθὴς πολυτελεστέρα " οἰκέται πρὸς τὸ φαιδρότερον ἐξηλλαγμένοι τῷ σχήματι, κόλακες, συμπόται" κηφῆνες οἴκων μυρίοι" ὡς δὲ τὰ μὲν χρήματα ὑποῤῥεῖ, ὁ δὲ χρόνος προϊὼν τοὺς τόκους ἑαυτῷ συμπροάγει, οὐ νύκτες ἐκείνῳ ἀνάπαυσιν φέρουσιν, οὐχ ἡμέρα φαιδρὰ, οὐχ ἥλιος τερπνὸς, ἀλλὰ δυσχεραίνει τὸν βίον, μισεῖ τὰς ἡμέρας πρὸς τὴν προθεσμίαν ἐπειγομένας, φοβεῖται τοὺς μῆνας ὡς τόκων πατέρας. Κἂν καθεύδῃ, ἐνύπνιον βλέπει τὸν δανειστὴν, κακὸν ὄναρ, τῇ κεφαλῇ περιστάμενον" κἂν γρηγορῇ, ἔννοια αὐτῷ καὶ φροντὶς ὁ τόκος ἐστί" … ἀλλήλοις, ἐπισκοπὴν ἀμφοτέρων ποιεῖται ὁ Κύριος. Ὁ μὲν ὥσπερ κύων ἐπιτρέχει τῇ ἄγρᾳ ὁ δὲ ὥσπερ ἕτοιμον θήραμα καταπτήσσει τὴν συντυχίαν. ᾿Αφαιρεῖται γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν παῤῥησίαν τὸ πένεσθαι. ᾿Αμφοτέροις ἡ ψῆφος ἐπὶ δακτύλων " τοῦ μὲν χαίροντος ἐπὶ τῇ αὐξήσει τῶν τόκων, τοῦ δὲ στενάζοντος ἐπὶ τῇ προσθήκῃ τῶν συμφορῶν. Πῖνε ὕδατα ἀπὸ σῶν ἀγγείων" τουτέστι, τὰς οἰκείας ἀφορμὰς περισκόπει, μὴ ἐπ᾽ ἀλλοτρίας πηγὰς βάδιζε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ οἰκείων λιβάδων σύναγε σεαυτῷ τὰς παραμυθίας τοῦ βίου. "Ἔχεις χαλκώματα, ἐσθῆτα, ὑποζύγιον, σκεύη παντοδαπά; ταῦτα ἀπόδου" πάντα προέσθαι κατάδεξαι, πλὴν τῆς ἐλευθερίας. ᾿Αλλ’ αἰσχύνομαι αὐτὰ δημοσιεύειν, φησίν. Τί οὖν ὅτι μικρὸν ὕστερον ἄλλος αὐτὰ προκομίσει, καὶ ἀποκηρύξει τὰ σὰ, καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σοῖς ἐπευωνίζων αὐτὰ διαθήσεται; Μὴ βάδιζε ἐπ’ ἀλλοτρίας θύρας. Φρέαρ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι στενὸν τὸ ἀλλότριον. Βέλτιον ταῖς κατὰ μικρὸν ἐπινοίαις τὴν χρείαν παραμυθήσασθαι, ἣ ἀθρόως, ἐπαρθέντα τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις, ὕστερον πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν προσόντων ἀπογυμνοῦσθαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἔχεις ὅθεν ἀποδῷς, τί οὐχὶ τὴν παροῦσαν ἔνδειαν ἐκ τούτων τῶν ἀφορμῶν διαλύεις; εἰ δὲ ἀπορεῖς πρὸς τὴν ἔκτισιν, κακὸν κακῷ θεραπεύεις, Μὴ δέξῃ πολιορκοῦντά σε δανειστήν. Μὴ ἀνάσχῃ ὥσπερ ἄλλο τι θήραμα …κίας. “Αλλα ῥήματα τοῦ δανειζομένου, καὶ ἄλλα τοῦ ἀπαιτουμένου. Εἴθε σοι μὴ ἀπήντησα τότε, ἤδη ᾿ ἂν εὗρον τὰς ἀφορμὰς πρὸς τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τῆς ἀνάγκης. Οὐχὶ δὲ ἄκοντός μου ἐνέβαλες τῇ χειρὶ τὰ χρήματα; Ὑπόχαλχον δέ σου τὸ χρυσίον, καὶ παρακεκομμένον τὸ νόμισμα. Εἴτε οὖν φίλος ὁ δανείζων, μὴ ζημιωθῇς αὐτοῦ τὴν φιλίαν " εἴτε ἐχθρὸς, μὴ γένῃ τῷ δυσμενεῖ ὑποχείριος. Μικρὸν ἐγκαλλωπισάμενὸς τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις, ὕστερον καὶ τῶν πατρῴων ἐκστήσῃ. Πένης εἶ νῦν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλεύθερος, Δανεισάμενος δὲ οὐδὲ πλουτήσεις, καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀφαιρεθήσῃ. Δοῦλος τοῦ δεδανεικότος ὁ δανεισάμενος, καὶ δοῦλος μισθοφόρος ἀπαραίτητον φέρων τὴν λειτουργίαν. Οἱ … προσερεθίζεται. Οὐ γὰρ παύεται ὑλακτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πλέον ἐπιζητεῖ. Ἐὰν ὀμνύῃς, οὐ πιστεύει " ἐρευνᾷ τὰ ἔνδον, τὰ συναλλάγματά σου πολυπραγμονεῖ. Ἐὰν προΐῃς του δωματίου, ἕλκει πρὸς ἑαυτὸν καὶ κατασύρει· ἐὰν ἔνδον σεαυτὸν κατακρύψῃς, ἐφέστηκε τῇ οἰκίᾳ, καὶ θυροκρουστεῖ. Ἐπὶ γαμετῆς καταισχύνει, ἐπὶ φίλων καθυβρίζει, ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἄγχει" κακὸν συνάντημα ἑορτῆς - ἀβίωτόν σοι κατασκευάζει τὸν βίον. ᾿Αλλὰ μεγάλη, φησὶν, ἡ ἀνάγκη, καὶ οὐδεὶς πόρος χρημάτων ἕτερος. Τί οὖν τὸ ὄφελος ἐκ τοῦ τὴν σήμερον ὑπερθέσθαι; Πάλιν γὰρ ἥξει σοι ἡ πενία ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς δρομεὺς, καὶ ἡ αὐτὴ ἀνάγκη μετὰ προσθήκης παρέσται. Τὸ γὰρ δάνος οὐκ ἀπαλλαγὴν παντελῆ, ἀλλὰ μικρὰν ἀναβολὴν τῆς ἀμηχανίας παρέχεται Σήμερον πάθωμεν τὰ ἐκ τῆς ἐνδείας δυσχερῆ, καὶ μὴ ἀποτιθώμεθα εἰς τὴν αὔριον. Μὴ δανεισάμενος μὲν ὁμοίως ἔσῃ πένης καὶ σήμερον καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς. δανεισάμενος δὲ χαλεπώτερον ἐκτρυχωθήσῃ, τοῦ τόκου τὴν πενίαν προσεπιτείναντος. Καὶ νῦν μὲν οὐδεὶς ἐγκαλεῖ σοι πτωχεύοντι" ἀκούσιον γὰρ τὸ κακόν" ἐὰν δὲ τόκοις ὑπεύθυνος ἧς, οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις οὐ μέμψεταί σοὺ τῇ … Μὴ οὖν πρὸς τοῖς ἀκουσίοις κακοῖς ἔτι καὶ αὖθαίρετον κακὸν ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀνοίας ἐπισπασώμεθα Νηπίας φρενὸς μὴ ἐκ τῶν παρόντων ἑαυτὸν περιστέλλειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀδήλοις ἐλπίσιν ἐπιτρέψαντα φανερᾶς βλάβης καὶ ἀναντιῤῥήτου κατατολμᾷν. Ἤδη βούλευσαι πόθεν ἀποτίσεις, ᾿Αφ᾽ ὧν λαμβάνεις; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐχ ἐξαρχεῖ καὶ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἔκτισιν. Ἐὰν δὲ δὴ καὶ τοὺς τόκους λογίσῃ, πόθεν τὰ χρήματα εἰς τοσοῦτον πολυπλασιασθήσεται, ὥστε ἰδίᾳ μέν σου θεραπεύειν τὴν χρείαν, ἰδίᾳ δὲ ἐκπληροῦν τὸ κεφάλαιον, ἔξωθεν δὲ καὶ τόκους ἀπογεννᾷν; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐχ ἐξ ὧν λαμβάνεις ἀποδώσεις τὸ δάνειον. Ἑτέρωθεν δέ; Ἐκείνας οὖν ἀναμένωμεν τὰς ἐλπίδας, καὶ μὴ ἔλθωμεν, ὥσπερ οἱ ἰχθύες ἐπὶ τὸ δέλεαρ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι μετὰ τῆς τροφῆς τὸ ἄγκιστρον καταπίνουσιν, οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς διὰ τὰ χρήματα τοῖς τόκοις περιπειρόμεθα. Οὐδεμίαν αἰσχύνην τὸ πένεσθαι προξενεῖ, Τί οὖν τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ὀφείλειν ὀνείδη ἑαυτοῖς προστιθέμεθα; Οὐδεὶς τραύματα τραύματι θεραπεύει, οὐδὲ κακῷ τὸ κακὸν ἰᾶται, οὐδὲ πενίαν τόκοις ἐπανορθοῦται. Πλούσιος εἶ; μὴ δανείζου. Πένης εἴ; μὴ δανείζου. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ εὐπορεῖς, οὐ χρῄζεις δανείσματος - εἰ δὲ οὐδὲν ἔχεις, οὐχ ἀποτίσεις τὸ δάνειον. Μὴ δῷς σεαυτοῦ τὸν βίον εἰς ὑστεροβουλίαν, μήποτε μακαρίσῃς τὰς πρὸ τῶν τόκων ἡμέρας. 'Ἑνὶ τούτῳ διαφέρωμεν τῶν πλουτούντων οἱ πένητες, τῇ ἀμεριμνίᾳ. Καὶ καταγελῶμεν αὑτῶν ἀγρυπνούντων, αὐτοὶ καθεύδοντες - καὶ τῶν συνεστώτων ἀεὶ καὶ φροντιζόντων, αὐτοὶ ἀφροντιστοῦντες καὶ ἀνειμένοι. Ὃ μέντοι ὀφείλων καὶ πένης ἐστὶ καὶ πολυμέριμνος " ἄυπνος νύκτωρ, ἄυπνος μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν, σύννους πάντα τὸν χρόνον’ νῦν μὲν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ οὐσίαν ἀποτιμώμενος, νῦν δὲ τὰς οἱκίας τὰς πολυτελεῖς, τοὺς ἀγροὺς τῶν πλουσίων, τὰς ἐσθῆτας τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων, τὰ σκεύη τῶν ἑστιώντων. Εἰ ταῦτα ἐμὰ ἦν, φησὶν, ἀπεδιδόμην τόσου καὶ τόσου, καὶ ἀπηλλασσόμην τοῦ τόκου. Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ καὶ νύκτωρ ἐγκαθέζεται τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν τὰς ἐννοίας κατείληφεν. Ἐὰν τὴν θύραν πατάξῃς, ὁ χρεώστης ὑπὸ τὴν κλίνην. Σφοδρῶς εἰσέδραμέ τις" τοῦ δὲ ἐπάταξεν ἡ καρδία. Ὑλακτεῖ ὁ κύων: ὁ δὲ ἱδρῶτι περιῤῥεῖται, καὶ ἀγωνίᾳ συνέχεται, καὶ περισκοπεῖ πόθεν φύγῃ. Ὅταν ἡ προθεσμία προσάγῃ, μεριμνᾷ τί ψεύσεται" ποίαν πλασάμενος πρόφασιν τὸν δανειστὴν διακρούσεται. Μὴ μόνον λαμβάνοντα σεαυτὸν ἐννόει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπαιτούμενον. Τί πολυτόκῳ θηρίῳ σεαυτὸν παραζευγνύεις; Τοὺς λαγωούς φασι καὶ τίκτειν ὁμοῦ καὶ τρέφειν καὶ ἐπικυΐσκεσθαι. Καὶ τοῖς τοκογλύφοις τὰ χρήματα ὁμοῦ δανείζεται καὶ γεννᾶται καὶ ὑποφύεται. Οὔπω γὰρ ἐδέξω εἰς χεῖρας, καὶ τοῦ παρόντος μηνὸς ἀπῃτήθης τὴν ἐργασίαν. Καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν δανεισθὲν, ἕτερον κακὸν ἐξέθρεψε, κἀκεῖνο ἕτερον, καὶ τὸ κακὸν εἰς ἄπειρον. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης ἠξίωται τὸ εἶδος τοῦτο τῆς πλεονεξίας. Τόκος γὰρ, ὡς οἶμαι, διὰ τὴν πολυγονίαν τοῦ κακοῦ προσηγόρευται. Πόθεν γὰρ ἄλλοθεν; Ἢ τάχα τόκος λέγεται διὰ τὰς ὠδῖνας καὶ λύπας, ἃς ἐμποιεῖν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν δανεισαμένων πέφυκεν. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ ὠδὶς τῇ τικτούσῃ, οὕτως ἡ προθεσμία τῷ ὑπόχρεῳ παρίσταται. Τόκος ἐπὶ τόκῳ, πονηρῶν γονέων πονηρὸν ἔκγονον. Ταῦτα λεγέσθω γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τὰ τῶν τόκων ἀποχυήματα. Τὰς ἐχίδνας λέγουσι τὴν γαστέρα τῆς μητρὸς διεσθιούσας τίκτεσθαι. Καὶ οἱ τόκοι τοὺς οἴκους τῶν ὀφειλόντων ἐκφαγόντες ἀπογεννῶνται. Τὰ σπέρματα χρόνῳ φύεται, καὶ τὰ ζῶα χρόνῳ τελεσφορεῖται" ὁ δὲ τόκος … Τῶν ζώων τὰ ταχὺ τίκτοντα ταχὺ τοῦ γεννᾷν παύεται" τὰ δὲ χρήματα, ταχεῖαν λαμβάνοντα τοῦ πλεονασμοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἀτέλεστον ἐπιδέχεται τὴν εἰς τὸ πλεῖον προσθήκην. Τῶν αὐξανομένων ἕκαστον, ἐπειδὰν πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀφίκηται μέγεθος, τῆς αὐξήσεως ἴσταται " τὸ δὲ τῶν πλεονεκτῶν ἀργύριον τῷ χρόνῳ παντὶ συμπαραύξεται. Τὰ ζῶα, παραδόντα τοῖς ἐγγόνοις τὸ τίκτειν, αὐτὰ τῆς κυήσεως παύεται" τὰ δὲ τῶν δανειστῶν ἀργύρια καὶ τὰ ἐπιγινόμενα τίκτει, καὶ τὰ ἀρχαῖα νεάζει. Μὴ σύ γε εἰς πεῖραν ἔλθοις τοῦ ἀλλοκότου τούτου θηρίου. ### English translation (Claude) Having taken the money, at first he is bright and delighted, gleaming with another's bloom, displaying it by the change in his way of life: his table is unrestrained, his clothing more costly, his servants changed to finer dress; there are flatterers, drinking companions, countless drones of the house. But as the money slips away and time, as it goes on, brings the interest forward with it, the nights bring him no rest, the day is not bright, the sun is not pleasant; he is weary of life, he hates the days as they hasten toward the due date, he fears the months as the fathers of interest. If he sleeps, he sees the lender in a dream, an evil vision, standing over his head; if he is awake, interest is his thought and care. “… [When the poor man and the lender] meet one another, the Lord makes a visitation of both.” The one, like a dog, runs after the quarry; the other, like ready prey, cowers at the meeting, for poverty takes away his freedom of speech. Both have the reckoning on their fingers: the one rejoicing at the growth of the interest, the other groaning at the addition to his misfortunes. “Drink waters from your own vessels”: that is, look to your own resources; do not go to others' springs, but gather the comforts of life for yourself from your own streams. Have you bronze vessels, clothing, a beast of burden, utensils of every kind? Sell them; agree to give up everything except your freedom. “But I am ashamed to put them up publicly,” he says. Why, then, when a little later someone else will bring them out and auction off your things and sell them cheap before your eyes? Do not go to others' doors, “for another's well is truly narrow.” Better to relieve the need by small expedients than to be lifted up all at once by others' goods and later stripped of all you have at once. If, then, you have the means to repay, why do you not relieve your present want from those resources? But if you are without means to repay, you are curing evil with evil. Do not take on a lender to besiege you. Do not bear to be [hunted and tracked] like any other prey … . The words of a borrower are one thing, and those of one being dunned another: “I wish I had never met you then; I would by now have found the means of escaping my necessity. Did you not thrust the money into my hand against my will? Your gold was alloyed with bronze, and your coin counterfeit.” If, then, the lender is a friend, do not lose his friendship; if an enemy, do not put yourself in the power of one who hates you. Having adorned yourself for a little with others' goods, you will later be stripped even of your inheritance. You are poor now, but free. Having borrowed, you will not become rich, and you will be deprived of your freedom. The borrower is the slave of the lender, and a hired slave, bearing an inexorable service. Dogs … [the lender, on receiving,] is provoked further. For he does not stop barking, but demands more. If you swear, he does not believe; he searches what is in your house, he meddles in your dealings. If you go out of your room, he drags you to himself and pulls you along; if you hide yourself indoors, he stands at the house and knocks at the door. He shames you before your wife, insults you before your friends, chokes you in the marketplace; he is an evil encounter at a feast; he makes your life unlivable. “But the necessity was great,” he says, “and there was no other source of money.” What, then, is the benefit of putting off today? For poverty will come upon you again like a good runner, and the same necessity will be there with an increase. For the loan offers not a complete release but a short postponement of your helplessness. Let us suffer today the hardships of want, and not put them off till tomorrow. If you do not borrow, you will be poor alike today and hereafter; but if you borrow, you will be more cruelly worn down, since the interest will stretch your poverty further. And now no one blames you for being poor, for the evil is involuntary; but if you are liable for interest, there is no one who will not blame your [folly] … [3] So let us not, besides involuntary evils, draw upon ourselves a self-chosen evil through our own folly. It belongs to a childish mind not to manage oneself from what one has, but to entrust oneself to uncertain hopes and venture on a manifest and undeniable harm. Plan now where you will repay from. From what you receive? But it will not be enough both for your need and for the repayment. And if you reckon the interest too, how will the money be multiplied so much as to meet your need separately, to make up the principal separately, and on top of that to produce interest? But you will not repay the loan from what you receive. From elsewhere, then? Then let us wait for those hopes, and not come like fish to the bait. For as they swallow the hook with the food, so we are pierced through by interest because of the money. Being poor brings no shame; why, then, do we bring upon ourselves the reproaches of debt? No one heals wounds with a wound, nor cures evil with evil, nor corrects poverty with interest. Are you rich? Do not borrow. Are you poor? Do not borrow. For if you are well off, you do not need a loan; and if you have nothing, you will not repay the loan. Do not give your life over to regret, lest you someday call blessed the days before the interest. In this one thing let us the poor surpass the rich: in freedom from care. Let us laugh at them lying awake while we sleep, and at them always busy and anxious while we are free of care and at ease. But the debtor is both poor and full of cares: sleepless by night, sleepless by day, brooding all the time; now valuing his own property, now the costly houses, the fields of the rich, the clothes of those he meets, the furnishings of those who give dinners. “If these were mine,” he says, “I would sell them for so much and so much and be rid of the interest.” These thoughts sit on his heart by night and occupy his mind by day. If you knock at the door, the debtor is under the bed. Someone ran in quickly, and his heart pounded. The dog barks, and he is drenched in sweat, seized with anguish, and looks around for a way to escape. When the due date approaches, he worries over what lie he will tell, what pretext he will invent to put off the lender. Do not think of yourself only as receiving, but also as being dunned. Why do you yoke yourself to a prolific beast? They say that hares at once give birth, nurse, and conceive again. And with the moneylenders the money is at once lent out and begets and grows. You have not yet received it into your hands, and you have been dunned for this month's yield. And this, lent out again, has bred another evil, and that another, and the evil goes on without end. That is why this kind of greed has been thought worthy of this name: for it is called tokos, “offspring,” I think, because of the fertility of the evil. For where else would it come from? Or perhaps it is called tokos because of the birth pangs and pains it usually produces in the souls of borrowers. For as the pang comes to the woman in labor, so the due date comes to the debtor. Interest upon interest: the wicked offspring of wicked parents. Let these be called “broods of vipers,” these progeny of interest. They say that vipers are born by eating through their mother's belly; and interest is born by eating up the houses of debtors. Seeds sprout in time, and animals are brought to term in time; but interest … . Among animals, those that bear quickly cease quickly from bearing; but money, beginning its increase quickly, receives an endless addition toward more. Each growing thing, when it reaches its proper size, stops growing; but the money of the greedy grows with all time. Animals, having handed on bearing to their offspring, themselves cease from conceiving; but the lenders' money both begets the additions and renews the old. May you never come to experience this monstrous beast. ### Scripture references - Prov 29:13: quotation, high confidence - Prov 5:15: quotation, high confidence - Prov 23:27: quotation, high confidence - Prov 24:34: allusion, medium confidence - Prov 22:7: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 3:7: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Aristotle, Hist. an. 6.33 (Aristotle (works)): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Prov 29:13 LXX (“when the debtor and the lender meet one another, the Lord makes a visitation of both”), of which the opening is lost in the scan; Prov 5:15; Prov 23:27 LXX (“another's well is narrow”); Matt 3:7 (“broods of vipers”). Allusions: Prov 6:11 and 24:34 LXX (poverty coming like a good runner); Prov 22:7 (the borrower is the lender's slave). Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved in the scan, together with repeated Greek lines, and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after “like any other prey” (Basil's list of the vices that borrowing begets: lying, ingratitude, perjury), at “Dogs …” (dogs are quieted by what they receive), after “blame your [folly]”, and after “but interest” (born today, it begins to breed today). The marker [3] shows where Migne's section 3 begins. The lore about hares and vipers is ancient natural history (Aristotle, Hist. an. 6.33; Herodotus 3.109). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.8 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-1/#p-14-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 14.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-9/#p-14-9 - Source: PG 29:451 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil urges the poor to work or beg rather than borrow, describes the ruin of debtors and their children, and tells the rich to lend to the poor as to God, who repays the interest himself. ### Greek text Ἐλεύθερον ὁρᾷς τὸν ἥλιον. Τί φθονεῖς σεαυτῷ τῆς παῤῥησίας τοῦ βίου; Οὐδεὶς πύκτης οὕτω τὰς πληγὰς τοῦ ἀνταγωνιστοῦ ὑποφεύγει, ὡς ὁ δανεισάμενος τοῦ χρήστου τὰς συντυχίας, πρὸς κίονας καὶ τοίχους ἀποσκιάζων τὴν κεφαλήν. Πῶς οὖν διατραφῶ, φησίν; Ἔχεις χεῖρας, ἔχεις τέχνην " μισθαρνοῦ, διακόνει " πολλαὶ ἐπίνοιαι τοῦ βίου, πολλαὶ ἀφορμαί. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἀδυνάτως ἔχεις; προσαίτει παρὰ τῶν κεκτημένων. ᾿Αλλ᾽ αἰσχρὸν τὸ αἰτεῖν; Αἰσχρότερον μὲν οὖν τὸ δανεισάμενον ἀποστερεῖν. Οὐ πάντως νομοθετῶν ταῦτα λέγω, ἀλλ᾽ ὑποδεικνὺς, ὅτι πάντα σοι τοῦ δανείζεσθαι φορητότερα. Ὁ μύρμηξ μὲν δύναται, μήτε προσαιτῶν, μήτε δανειζόμενος, τρέφεσθαι· καὶ μέλισσα τὰ λείψανα τῆς οἰκείας τροφῆς βασιλεῦσι χαρίζεται " οἷς οὔτε χεῖρας, οὔτε τέχνας ἢ φύσις ἔδωκεν σὺ δὲ τὸ εὐμήχανον ζῶον ὁ ἄνθρωπος μίαν τῶν πασῶν μηχανὴν οὐχ εὑρήσεις πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βίου διαγωγήν; Καίτοι ὁρῶμεν οὐχὶ τοὺς τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐνδεεῖς ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ δάνειον ( οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔχουσι τοὺς πιστεύοντας), ἀλλὰ δανείζονται ἄνθρωποι, δαπάναις ἀνειμέναις καὶ πολυτελείαις ἀκάρποις ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδιδόντες, οἱ γυναικείαις ἧδυπαθείαις δουλεύοντες. Ἐμοὶ, φησὶν, ἐσθῆτα πολυτελῆ καὶ χρυσία, τοῖς παιδίοις κόσμον αὐτοῖς εὐπρεπῇ τῶν ἐνδυμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς οἰκέταις ἀνθινὰ καὶ ποικίλα τὰ περιβόλαια, τῇ τραπέζῃ δαψίλειαν. Ὁ τὰ τοιαῦτα λειτουργῶν γυναικὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τραπεζίτην ἔρχεται, καὶ πρὶν χρήσασθαι τοῖς ληφθεῖσιν, ἄλλον ἐξ ἄλλου μεταλαμβάνει δεσπότην, καὶ μετενδεσμῶν ἀεὶ τοὺς δανείζοντας, τῇ συνεχείᾳ τοῦ κακοῦ φεύγει τῆς ἀπορίας τὸν ἔλεγχον. Καὶ ὥσπερ οἱ ὑδεριῶντες ἐν ὑπονοίᾳ πολυσαρκίας εἰσὶν, οὕτω καὶ οὗτος ἐν φαντασίᾳ περιουσίας ὑπάρχει, ἀεὶ λαμβάνων, καὶ ἀεὶ διδοὺς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν δευτέρων διαλύων τὰ φθάσαντα, τὴν πρὸς τὸ λαμβάνειν ἀξιοπιστίαν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ κακοῦ συνεχείας περιποιούμένος ἑαυτῷ. Εἶτα ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῆς χολέρας οἱ τὸ ἀεὶ προϊστάμενον ἐξερῶντες, καὶ πρὶν παντελῶς καθαρθῆναι δευτέραν τροφὴν ἐπεμβαλλόμενοι, πάλιν ἐμοῦσι μετ᾽ ὀδύνης καὶ σπαραγμῶν· οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι …θᾶραι τὰ πρῶτα, δεύτερον ἐπεισάγοντες δάνεισμα, μικρὸν χρόνον τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐναβρυνόμενοι, ὕστερον καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα ὠδύραντο. Ὧ πόσους ἀπώλεσε τὰ ἀλλότρια ἀγαθά! Πόσοι ὄναρ πλουτήσαντες ὑπεραπήλαυσαν τῆς ζημίας ! ᾿Αλλὰ πολλοὶ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐκ δανεισμάτων ἐπλούτησαν. Πλείους δὲ, οἶμαι, καὶ βρόχων ἥψαντο. Σὺ δὲ τοὺς μὲν πλουτήσαντας βλέπεις, τοὺς δὲ ἀπαγξαμένους οὐχ ἀριθμεῖς, οἵ, τὴν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀπαιτήσεσιν αἰσχύνην μὴ φέροντες, τὸν δι᾽ ἀγχόνης θάνατον τοῦ ἐπονειδίστως ζῇν προετίμησαν. Εἶδον ἐγὼ ἐλεεινὸν θέαμα, παῖδας ἐλευθέρους ὑπὲρ χρεῶν πατρικῶν ἑλκομένους εἰς τὸ πρατήριον. Οὐχ ἔχεις καταλιπεῖν χρήματα τοῖς παισί; μὴ προσαφέλῃ καὶ τὴν εὐγένειαν. Ἕν τοῦτο διατήρησον αὐτοῖς τὸ κτῆμα τῆς ἐλευθερίας, τὴν παρακαταθήκην ἣν παρὰ τῶν γονέων παρέλαβες. Οὐδεὶς πενίαν πατρὸς ἐνεκλήθη ποτέ" ὄφλημα δὲ πατρῷον εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἄγει. Μὴ καταλίπῃς γραμματεῖον ὥσπερ ἀρὰν πατρικὴν εἰς παῖδας καταβαίνουσαν καὶ ἐγγόνους. ᾿Ακούετε, οἱ πλούσιοι, ὁποῖα συμβουλεύομεν τοῖς πτωχοῖς διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀπανθρωπίαν " ἐγκαρτερεῖν μᾶλλον τοῖς δεινοῖς, ἢ τὰς ἐκ τῶν τόκων συμφορὰς ὑποδέχεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ ἐπείθεσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, τίς χρεία τῶν λόγων τούτων; Τίς δέ ἐστιν ἡ συμβουλὴ τοῦ Δεσπότου; Δανείζετε παρ᾽ ὧν οὐχ ἐλπίζετε ἀπολαβεῖν. Καὶ ποῖον, φησὶ, τοῦτο δάνεισμα, ᾧ τῆς ἀποδόσεως ἐλπὶς οὐ συνέζευκται; Νόησον τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ῥητοῦ, καὶ θαυμάσεις τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ νομοθέτου. Ὅταν πτωχῷ παρέχειν μέλλης διὰ τὸν Κύριον, τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ δῶρόν ἐστι καὶ δάνεισμα δῶρον μὲν διὰ τὴν ἀνελπιστίαν τῆς ἀπολήψεως, δάνεισμα δὲ διὰ τὴν μεγαλοδωρεὰν τοῦ Δεσπότου τοῦ ἀποτιννύντος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ὃς, μικρὰ λαβὼν διὰ τοῦ πένητος, μεγάλα ὑπὲρ αὑτῶν ἀποδώσει. Ὃ γὰρ ἐλεῶν πτωχὸν δανείζει Θεῷ. Οὐ βούλει τὸν πάντων Δεσπότην ὑπεύθυνον ἔχειν σεαυτῷ πρὸς τὴν ἔκτισιν; Ἢ τῶν μὲν ἐν τῇ πόλει πλουσίων ἐάν τις ὁμολογήσῃ σοι τὴν ὑπὲρ ἑτέρων ἔκτισιν, δέχῃ αὑτοῦ τὴν ἐγγύην; Θεὸν δὲ ὑπερεκτιστὴν τῶν πτωχῶν οὐ προσίεσαι. Δὸς τὸ εἰκῆ κείμενον ἀργύριον, … ἕξει καλῶς. Σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ὑπάρξει τὸ ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς ἀσφαλές" τῷ δὲ λαβόντι τὸ ἐκ τῆς χρήσεως κέρδος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ προσθήκην ἐπιζητεῖς, ἀρκέσθητι τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου. Αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ τῶν πενήτων τὸν πλεονασμὸν ἀποτίσει. Παρὰ τοῦ ὄντως φιλανθρώπου ἀνάμενε τὰ φιλάνθρωπα, “Ὁ γὰρ λαμβάνεις, ταῦτα μισανθρωπίας οὐδεμίαν ὑπερβολὴν ἀπολείπει. ᾿Ἀπὸ συμφορῶν κερδαίνεις, ἀπὸ δακρύων ἀργυρολογεῖς, τὸν γυμνὸν ἄγχεις, τὸν λιμώττοντα τύπτεις " ἔλεος οὐδαμοῦ " ἕννοια τῆς συγγενείας τοῦ πάσχοντος οὐδεμία: καὶ τὰ ἐντεῦθεν κέρδη φιλάνθρωπα ὀνομάζεις. Οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πικρὸν γλυκὺ, καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πικρὸν καὶ οἱ τὴν μισανθρωπίαν φιλανθρωπίαν προσαγορεύοντες. Οὐδὲ τὰ τοῦ Σαμψὼν αἰνίγματα τοιαῦτα ἧν, ἃ προεβάλετο τοῖς συμπόταις: ᾿Απὸ ἐσθίοντος ἐξῆλθε βρῶσις, καὶ ἀπὸ ἰσχυροῦ γλυκύ" καὶ ἀπὸ μισανθρώπου ἐξηλθε φιλανθρωπία. Οὐ συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὰς, οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα, οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τόκων φιλανθρωπίαν. Πᾶν γὰρ δένδρον σαπρὸν καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ. καὶ … ἀκουσθῆναι ὀνόματα" μηνιαῖοι ἀπαιτηταὶ, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰς ἐπιληψίας ποιοῦντες δαίμονες, κατὰ τὰς περιόδους τῆς σελήνης ἐπιτιθέμενοι τοῖς πτωχοῖς. Πονηρὰ δόσις ἑκατέρῳ. καὶ τῷ διδόντι, καὶ τῷ λαμβάνοντι" τῷ μὲν εἰς χρήματα, τῷ δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν φέρουσα τὴν ζημίαν. Ὁ γεωργὸς, τὸν στάχυν λαβὼν, τὸ σπέρμα πάλιν ὑπὸ τὴν ῥίζαν οὐχ ἐρευνᾷ " σὺ δὲ καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς ἔχεις, καὶ οὐχ ἀφίστασαι τῶν ἀρχαίων. ἄνευ γῆς φυτεύεις ἄνευ σπορᾶς θερίζεις. Ἄδηλον, τίνι συνάγεις. Ὃ μὲν δακρύων ἐπὶ τοῖς τόκοις πρόδηλος " ὁ δὲ ἀπολαύειν μέλλων τῆς ἀπὸ τούτων περιουσίας ἀμφίβολος, "Αδηλον γὰρ εἰ μὴ ἑτέροις τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ πλούτῳ χάριν ἀφήσεις, τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἀδικίας κακὸν σεαυτῷ θησαυρίσας. Μήτε οὖν τὸν θέλοντα δανείσασθαι ἀποστραφῇς, καὶ τὸ ἀργύριόν σου μὴ δῷς ἐπὶ τόκῳ, ἵνα, ἐκ Παλαιᾶς καὶ Νέας Διαθήκης τὰ συμφέροντα διδαχθεὶς, μετ᾽ ἀγαθῆς τῆς ἐλπίδος πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἀπίης, ἐκεῖ τοὺς τόκους τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἀποληψόμενος, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. ### English translation (Claude) You see the sun free. Why do you grudge yourself freedom of life? No boxer dodges his opponent's blows as the borrower dodges meetings with his creditor, hiding his head behind pillars and walls. “How, then, shall I be fed?” he says. You have hands, you have a trade: work for wages, serve; there are many ways of making a living, many resources. But you are unable? Beg from those who have. But is it shameful to beg? It is more shameful to cheat a lender. I do not say this at all to lay down a law, but to show that anything is more bearable for you than borrowing. The ant can feed itself without begging or borrowing, and the bee gives kings the remains of its own food, though nature gave them neither hands nor arts; and will you, man, the inventive animal, not find one device among them all for getting through life? And yet we see that it is not those in need of necessities who come to borrow (for they do not find anyone to trust them), but people who give themselves up to unrestrained expenses and fruitless extravagance, slaves to effeminate luxuries. “For me,” he says, “costly clothes and gold plate; for my children fine clothing to adorn them; for my servants bright and many-colored garments; for my table abundance.” The man who performs such services for a woman goes to the banker, and before he has used what he received, he takes one master after another, and by always binding himself to fresh lenders he escapes, by the continuity of the evil, the exposure of his want. And as those with dropsy are thought to be fat, so this man lives in an appearance of wealth, always receiving and always paying, settling earlier debts from later ones, and securing credit for borrowing by the continuity of the evil. Then, as those with cholera who keep vomiting up what was taken before, and, before they are wholly cleansed, put in a second meal and vomit again with pain and convulsions, so these men, [before they have cleared off] the first, bring in a second loan, and after glorying for a short time in others' goods, later lament even their own. O how many have others' goods destroyed! How many, rich in a dream, have reaped a loss beyond measure! “But many,” he says, “have grown rich from loans.” More, I think, have put their necks in the noose. You see those who grew rich, but you do not count those who hanged themselves, who, unable to bear the shame of being dunned, preferred death by hanging to living in disgrace. I have seen a pitiful sight: free children dragged to the auction for their fathers' debts. Can you not leave money to your children? Do not also take away their free birth. Keep for them this one possession, their freedom, the trust you received from your parents. No one was ever prosecuted for his father's poverty, but a father's debt leads to prison. Do not leave behind a bond like a father's curse descending on children and grandchildren. [5] Hear, you rich, what counsel we give the poor because of your inhumanity: to endure their hardships rather than take on the misfortunes that come from interest. But if you obeyed the Lord, what need would there be of these words? And what is the Master's counsel? “Lend to those from whom you do not hope to receive.” “And what sort of loan is this,” he says, “to which no hope of return is joined?” Consider the force of the saying, and you will admire the love for mankind of the lawgiver. When you are about to provide for a poor man for the Lord's sake, the same thing is both a gift and a loan: a gift because of the absence of hope of getting it back, a loan because of the munificence of the Master who repays on his behalf, who, receiving small things through the poor man, will repay great things for them. “For he who has pity on the poor lends to God.” Do you not want to have the Master of all liable to you for repayment? If one of the rich men in the city promised you payment on behalf of others, would you accept his surety? Yet you do not accept God as surety for the poor. Give the money that lies idle, … and it will be well for both: for you there will be the safety of its keeping, for the one who receives it the profit of its use. And if you seek an increase too, be content with what comes from the Lord. He himself will pay the increase on behalf of the poor. Wait for kindness from the one who is truly kind. For the interest you take leaves no excess of misanthropy untried. You profit from misfortunes, you collect money from tears, you strangle the naked, you beat the starving; there is no mercy anywhere, no thought of kinship with the sufferer; and you call the gains from this “kindness.” “Woe to those who call bitter sweet and sweet bitter,” and who call misanthropy kindness. Not even Samson's riddles that he put to his drinking companions were like this: “Out of the eater came food, and out of the strong came sweetness”; and out of the misanthrope came kindness! “They do not gather grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles,” nor kindness from interest. “For every bad tree bears evil fruit.” … names dreadful even to hear; monthly collectors, who, like the demons that cause epileptic fits, attack the poor according to the cycles of the moon. Evil is the giving for both, for the giver and the receiver, bringing loss to the one in money, to the other in his very soul. The farmer, having taken the ear of grain, does not search again for the seed under the root; but you both have the fruits and do not let go of the principal. Without land you plant; without sowing you reap. It is unclear for whom you gather. The one weeping over the interest is plain to see; but the one who is to enjoy the abundance from it is uncertain. For it is unclear whether you will not leave the pleasure of the wealth to others, having stored up for yourself the evil of the injustice. So neither turn away from him who wishes to borrow, nor give your money at interest, so that, taught what is profitable from the Old and the New Testament, you may depart to the Lord with good hope, there to receive the interest of your good works, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory and the power to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Prov 6:6: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 6:35: quotation, high confidence - Prov 19:17: quotation, high confidence - Isa 5:20: quotation, high confidence - Judg 14:14: quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:16: quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:17: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:42: quotation, high confidence - Ps 15:5 (14:5 LXX): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Luke 6:34–35; Prov 19:17; Isa 5:20; Judg 14:14; Matt 7:16–17; Matt 5:42; Ps 15:5 (LXX 14:5). Allusion: Prov 6:6–8 LXX (the ant and the bee). The marker [5] shows where Migne's section 5 begins (its numeral is misread in the scan). Lines are lost and marked “…”: in the comparison with cholera (“[before they have cleared off]” is supplied by sense), after “Give the money that lies idle” (where the scan has Migne's Latin and notes; the sense is “without burdening it with additions”), and before “names dreadful even to hear” (Basil names the collectors of the hundredth and the tenth). The closing scripture references and Latin in the scan are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 14.9 (PG 29:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-9/#p-14-9). ## Homilies on the Psalms 28.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-9/#p-28-1 - Source: PG 29:383 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains the title of Psalm 28 (29), “at the going out of the tabernacle,” literally of the priests' service and spiritually of departure from the body, and why the gifts must be brought by “sons of God.” ### Greek text Ὁ εἰκοστὸς ὄγδοος ψαλμὸς ἔχει μὲν καὶ τὸ κοινὸν τῆς ἐπιγραφῆς " Ψαλμὸς γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ Δαβἰδ᾽. ἔχει δὲ τι καὶ ἰδιάζον· πρόσκειται γὰρ, Ἐξοδίου σκηνῆς. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστι; Νοήσωμεν τί τὸ ἐξόδιον, καὶ τίς ἡ σκηνὴ, ἵνα ἐν τῷ βουλήματι τοῦ ψαλμοῦ δυνηθῶμεν γενέσθαι. Πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὴν ἱστορίαν δόξει τοῖς ἱερεῦσι καὶ τοῖς Λευῖταις ἀφεμένοις τοῦ ἔργου τὸ παράγγελμα δίδοσθαι τοῦτο, ὥστε μεμνῆσθαι τῶν ὀφειλόντων αὐτοῖς παρασκευασθῆναι πρὸς τὴν λατρείαν. Ἐξοδεύουσι γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ ἐξιοῦσι λοιπὸν ὁ λόγος διαμαρτύρεται ἅτινα αὐτοὺς ἑτοιμάσαντας προσῆκε, τίνα ἔχοντας πρὸς τὴν ἑξῆς ἀπαντῆσαι ὅτι, υἱοὺς κριῶν " ὅτι, δόξαν καὶ τιμήν ὅτι, δόξαν ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ " ὅτι, οὐδαμοῦ ἀλλαχοῦ λατρεύειν ἣ ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ ἁγιάσματος προσῆκε. Πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἡμέτερον νοῦν τὸν τὰ ὑψηλὰ θεωροῦντα, καὶ διὰ τῆς μεγαλοφυοῦς καὶ πρεπούσης τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ διανοίας οἰκειοῦντα ἡμῖν τὸν νόμον, ἐκεῖνα ἡμῖν ὑποπίπτει" οὔτε κριὸς τὸ ἄῤῥεν ἐν τοῖς προβάτοις νοεῖται, οὔτε σκηνὴ τὸ ἐκ τῆς ἀψύχου ταύτης ὕλης συμπηγνύμενὸν οἴκημα, οὔτε ἔξοδος σκηνῆς ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ ναοῦ ἀναχώρησις, ἀλλὰ σκηνὴ μὲν ἡμῖν τὸ σῶμα τοῦτο, ὡς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξε λέγων, ὅτι Οἱ ὄντες ἐν τῷ σκήνει στενάζομεν " καὶ πάλιν ὁ ψαλμός " Καὶ μάστιξ οὐχ ἐγγιεῖ τῷ σκηνώματί σου. Ἐξόδιον δὲ σκηνῆς ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου τούτου ἀναχώρησις, πρὸς ἣν παρασκευάζεσθαι ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος παρεγγυᾷ, τάδε τινὰ καὶ τάδε κομίζοντας τῷ Κυρίῳ " ἐπείπερ ἡ ἐνταῦθα ἐργασία ἐφόδιόν ἐστι πρὸς τὸ μέλλον. Καὶ ὁ ἐνταῦθα διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων δόξαν φέρων καὶ τιμὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ, οὗτος δόξαν ἑαυτῷ καὶ τιμὴν κατὰ τὴν δικαίαν τοῦ κριτοῦ ἀνταπόδοσιν θησαυρίζει. Ἐν ᾿ πολλοῖς μέντοι τῶν ἀντιγράφων προσκείμενον εὕρομεν τὸ, Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἐπείπερ οὐ παντὸς δῶρον εὐπρόσδεκτον τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀπὸ καρδίας προσάγοντος καθαρᾶς: Οὐ γὰρ ἁγναὶ, φησὶν, εὐχαὶ ἀπὸ μισθώματος ἑταίρας· καὶ πάλιν Ἱερεμίας, Μὴ εὐχαὶ, φησὶ, καὶ κρέα ἅγια ἀφελοῦσί σου τὰς κακίας, ἣ τούτοις ἔσῃ καθαρός; διόπερ ὁ ψαλμὸς πρότερον ἡμᾶς βούλεται υἱοὺς εἶναι θεοῦ, εἶτα τότε ἀπαντᾷν ἐπὶ τὸ προσκομίζειν τὰ δῶρα τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ταῦτα οὐ τὰ τυχόντα, ἀλλ᾽ οἷα αὐτὸς διετάξατο. Πρότερον εἰπὲ, Πάτερ, εἶτα αἴτησον τὰ ἐφεξῆς. Δοκίμασον δὲ σεαυτὸν ἐκ ποταποῦ βίου ἀπήντηκας· εἰ ἄξιος εἴ Θεὸν τὸν ἅγιον πατέρα σεαυτοῦ ὀνομάζειν. Δι᾿ ἁγιασμοῦ ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἢ πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον οἰκείωσις. Εἰ βούλει ἀεὶ υἱὸς τοῦ ἁγίου εἶναι, ἁγιασμός σε υἱοθετείτω. Ἐνέγκατε οὖν τῷ Κυρίῳ οὐχ οἱ τυχόντες. οὐδὲ οἱ ἐκ τῶν τυχόντων, ἀλλ᾽ υἱοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μεγάλα μέλλει ἐπιζητεῖν τὰ δῶρα" διὰ τοῦτο μεγάλους ἐκλέγεται τοὺς προσφέροντας. Ἵνα γάρ σου μὴ ῥίψῃ χαμαὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς, μηδέ σε ποιήσῃ κριὸν τὸ ἄλογον τοῦτο τετράπουν καὶ βληχητικὸν ζῶον ἐπιζητεῖν, ὡς ἐκ τῆς τούτου θυσίας τοῦ προσδοκᾷν ἱλεοῦσθαι τὸν Θεὸν, Ἐνέγκατε, φησὶ, τῷ Κυρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ υἱοῦ χρεία, ἵνα υἱὸν αὐτὸν προσφέρῃ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μέγα τι ὁ υἱὸς, μέγα τι καὶ ἐπάξιον τῆς τε υἱοῦ διαθέσεως καὶ τῆς πατρικῆς ἀξίας τὸ προσφερόμενον εἶναι προσῆκεν. Υἱοὺς οὖν, φησὶν, ἐνέγκατε κριῶν· ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ προσφερόμενοι παρ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ εἶναι υἱοὶ κριῶν εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι υἱοὶ Θεοῦ μεταβάλωνται. ### English translation (Claude) The twenty-eighth psalm has the title in common with others, for it says, “A psalm of David”; but it also has something peculiar, for there is added, “At the going out of the tabernacle.” What is this? Let us understand what the going out is and what the tabernacle is, so that we may be able to enter into the intention of the psalm. As regards the history, this command will seem to be given to the priests and Levites when they are released from their work, so that they may remember what they ought to prepare for the service. For as they go out of the tabernacle and depart, the word solemnly reminds them what they should get ready, with what they should come to the next [service]: that is, “sons of rams,” “glory and honor,” “glory to his name”; and that it is fitting to worship nowhere else than in the court of the Lord and in the place of the sanctuary. But to our understanding, which contemplates high things and, by an elevated way of thinking that befits the divine Scripture, makes the law our own, these things suggest themselves: the ram is not understood as the male among the sheep, nor the tabernacle as the dwelling put together from this lifeless material, nor the going out of the tabernacle as departure from the temple; rather, the tabernacle for us is this body, as the Apostle taught us, saying, “We who are in this tabernacle groan,” and again the psalm, “And no scourge shall come near your tabernacle.” And the going out of the tabernacle is departure from this life, for which the word charges us to prepare, bringing such and such things to the Lord; for the work done here is provision for the journey to the future. And the one who here brings glory and honor to the Lord through good works stores up for himself glory and honor according to the just recompense of the judge. In many of the copies, however, we found added, “Bring to the Lord, you sons of God.” And since not everyone's gift is acceptable to God, but only that of one who offers it from a pure heart (for “vows from a harlot's hire are not pure,” it says; and again Jeremiah: “Shall vows and holy flesh take away your wickedness, or shall you be clean by these?”), therefore the psalm wishes us first to be sons of God and then to come to bring our gifts to God, and those not just any gifts, but such as he himself has ordained. First say “Father,” then ask for what follows. And examine yourself, from what kind of life you have come, whether you are worthy to call the holy God your Father. Our kinship with the Holy One is through holiness. If you wish always to be a son of the Holy One, let holiness adopt you. “Bring to the Lord,” then, not just anyone, nor those born of just anyone, but “the sons of God.” He is going to ask for great gifts; that is why he chooses great people to offer them. For so that he may not throw your thoughts down to the ground or make you seek the ram, this irrational four-footed bleating animal, as though … expect to appease God by its sacrifice, he says, “Bring to the Lord, you sons of God.” For there is no need of a son, that he should offer a son himself; but if a son is something great, what is offered must also be something great and worthy both of a son's disposition and of the Father's dignity. “Bring, then,” he says, “sons of rams,” so that those offered by you may themselves be changed from being sons of rams to becoming sons of God. ### Scripture references - Ps 29:1 (28:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 5:4: quotation, high confidence - Ps 91:10 (90:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 2:6: allusion, low confidence - Jer 11:15: quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:9: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Pet 1:15: allusion, medium confidence - Prov 19:13: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 29:1 (LXX 28:1, with the title “at the going out of the tabernacle” and “bring to the Lord sons of rams”); 2 Cor 5:4; Ps 91:10 (LXX 90:10); Prov 19:13 LXX (a Septuagint addition; cf. Deut 23:18); Jer 11:15 LXX. Allusions: Matt 6:9 (“Father”); 1 Pet 1:15–16; Rom 2:6. The Septuagint of this psalm has a double line, “Bring to the Lord, you sons of God, bring to the Lord sons of rams”; Basil notes that the first half was in many copies. The scan of the title and of the passage after “as though” is mixed with Migne's Latin and repeated lines, removed by logged corrections; a few words lost there are marked “…”. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 28.1 (PG 29:383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-9/#p-28-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 28.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-9/#p-28-2 - Source: PG 29:383 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 29:1–6: the rams are the Church's leaders and their sons the faithful; glory and honor are brought by good works and right doctrine; worship belongs within the Church's one court; the Lord's voice is an inward impression, heard in baptism and the Gospel's thunder; and he breaks the proud cedars of Lebanon. ### Greek text Ὁ κριὸς τοίνυν ἡγεμονικόν ἐστι ζῶον, καθηγούμενον τῶν προβάτων ἐπί τε νομὰς τροφίμους καὶ ἀναπαύσεις ὑδάτων, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ σηκοὺς καὶ ἐπαύλεις, Τοιοῦτοι δέ τινες καὶ οἱ τῆς ποίμνης τοῦ Χριστοῦ προεστῶτες " προάγοντες μὲν ἐπὶ τὰς εὐανθεῖς καὶ εὐώδεις τῆς πνευματικῆς διδασκαλίας τροφὰς, καὶ ὕδατι ζῶντι τῇ ἐπιχορηγίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος …φοντες " ὁδηγοῦντες δὲ πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ἀσφάλειαν, Τούτων οὖν τοὺς υἱοὺς παρὰ τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ προσάγεσθαι βούλεται τῷ Κυρίῳ ὁ λόγος. Εἰ δὲ κριοὶ οἱ προηγούμενοι τῶν λοιπῶν, υἱοὶ ἂν τούτων εἶεν οἱ πρὸς τὸν κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν βίον διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων σπουδῆς ἐκ τῆς διδασκαλίας τῶν προεστώτων μεμορφωμένοι. Ἐνέγκατε οὖν τῷ Κυρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὺς κριῶν. “Ἔμαθες τίνι διαλέγεται; ἔμαθες περὶ τίνων; Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ, φησὶ, δόξαν καὶ τιμήν. Πῶς οὖν ἡμεῖς, ἡ γῆ καὶ σποδὸς, τῷ μεγάλῳ Κυρίῳ δόξαν προσφέρομεν; πῶς δὲ καὶ τιμήν; Δόξαν μὲν διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων, ὅταν λάμπῃ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὥστε ἰδόντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν δοξάσαι τὸν Πατέρα ἡμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Καὶ διὰ σωφροσύνης καὶ τοῦ ἐπιβάλλοντος τοῖς τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπαγγελλομένοις ἁγιασμοῦ δοξάσαι δυνατόν ἐστι τὸν Θεὸν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου παραίνεσιν, λέγοντος " Δοξάσατε δὴ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν, Ταύτην καὶ ἀπαιτεῖ παρὰ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν πιστευόντων καὶ τῷ χαρίσματι τῆς υἱοθεσίας τετιμημένων τὴν δόξαν ὁ Κύριος. Υἱὸς γὰρ, φησὶν, δοξάζει πατέρα " καὶ, Εἰ πατήρ εἰμι ἐγὼ, ποῦ ἔστιν ἡ δόξα μου; Τιμὴν δὲ φέρει τῷ Θεῷ ὁ κατὰ τὴν Παροιμίαν τιμῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν δικαίων ἑαυτοῦ πόνων, καὶ ἁπαρχόμενος αὐτῷ ἀπὸ καρπῶν αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνης. Καὶ πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἐπιτεταγμένως θεολογῶν, ὡς μὴ ἀποπίπτειν τῆς ὀρθῆς περὶ Πατρὸς ἐννοίας, καὶ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Μονογενοῦς θεότητος, καὶ περὶ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος δόξης, οὗτος φέρει τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν. Ἐπιτείνει δὲ τὴν δόξαν ὁ δυνάμενος τοὺς λόγοὺς ἀποδιδόναι καθ᾽ οὖς ἔκτισται τὰ σύμπαντα, καὶ καθ᾽ οὗς συγκρατεῖται, τῆς ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ προνοίας μέχρι τῶν μικροτάτων διικνουμένης, καὶ καθ᾽ οὗς μετὰ τὴν ὧδε οἰκονομίαν ὑπὸ τὴν κρίσιν ἀχθήσεται. Ὁ τρανοῖς καὶ ἀσυγχύτοις λογισμοῖς αὐτός τε θεωρῆσαι τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον δυνηθεὶς, καὶ μετὰ τὸ αὐτὸς τεθεωρηκέναι, δυνάμενος καὶ ἑτέροις τὰ περὶ τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως αὐτοῦ παραστῆσαι, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ φέρων τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν, καὶ ὁ τῷ ἀρμόζοντι τῇ τοιαύτῃ θεωρίᾳ κεχρημένος βίῳ. Τοῦ γὰρ τοιούτου λάμπει τὸ φῶς ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ διὰ παντοδαπῶν ἀνδραγαθημάτων δοξαζομένου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς Πατρός. Οὐ φέρει δὲ τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν ὁ περὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἐπτοημένος δόξαν " οὐδὲ ὁ τιμῶν ἀργύριον " οὐδὲ ὁ τὰς ἡδονὰς τιμῶν τοῦ σώματος οὐδὲ ὁ θαυμάζων τὰ ἀλλότρια τῆς θεοσεβείας δόγματα. "Ὥσπερ γὰρ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων δόξαν φέρομεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, οὕτω διὰ τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων τὸ ἐναντίον. Τοῖς γὰρ ἁμαρτάνουσι τί λέγει; Τὸ ὄνομά μου δι’ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος" Διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις. Ὕβρις γάρ ἔστι τῷ νομοθέτῃ ἡ τῶν νόμων ὑπεροψία καὶ καταφρόνησις. Καὶ οἰκίας κακῶς οἰκουμένης ἐν ἧ θυμὸς καὶ κραυγὴ, ὕβρις καὶ γέλως, τρυφὴ καὶ ἀσωτία, ἀκαθαρσία καὶ ἀσέλγεια, ἐπὶ τὸν κρατοῦντα αὐτῆς ἡ ἀτιμία καὶ ἡ αἰσχύνη τῶν γινομένων ἐπάνεισιν. ᾿Ακόλουθον δὲ νοεῖν ἡμᾶς, ὅτι, ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔργοις δοξάζεται ὁ Θεὸς, οὕτως ἐν τοῖς πονηροῖς δοξάζεται ὁ ἐχθρός. “Ὅταν γὰρ, ἄρας τὰ μέλη τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ποιήσω μέλη πόρνης, μετήνεγκα τὴν δόξαν ἐπὶ τὸν ἀπολλύντα με ἀπὸ τοῦ σώζοντός με. Καὶ ὁ ἄπιστος μεταλλάσσει τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀφθάρτου Θεοῦ ἐν εἰκόνι φθαρτοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ πετεινῶν, καὶ τετραπόδων καὶ ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ ὁ σεβόμενος καὶ ὁ λατρεύων τῇ κτίσει παρὰ τὸν κτίσαντα, οὐ τῷ Θεῷ φέρει δόξαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς κτίσμασιν. Ὥστε ὁ κτίσμα λέγων τι, εἶτα προσκυνῶν, γνωριζέτω ἑαυτοῦ τὴν μερίδα μεθ᾽ ἧς τετάξεται. Φοβηθῶμεν οὖν μὴ, δόξαν καὶ καύχημα διὰ τῆς ἀμαρτίας ἡμῶν τῷ διαβόλῳ προσφέροντες, μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τῇ αἰωνίᾳ αἰσχύνῃ παραδοθῶμεν. Ὅτι γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἡμῶν δόξα τῷ ἐνεργοῦντι αὐτὴν ἐν ἡμῖν γίνεται, νόησον δι᾽ εἰκόνος τὸ λεγόμενον. Δύο στρατηγῶν ἀντεπιόντων ἀλλήλοις, ὅταν μὲν τοῦτο νικᾷ τὸ τάγμα, ὁ στρατοπεδάρχης αὐτοῦ τὴν δόξαν φέρεται" ὅταν δὲ τὸ ἐναντίον ἐπικρατῇ, ἐπ᾽ ἐκεῖνον πάλιν ἡ τιμὴ μεταπίπτει. Οὕτως ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς σου ἔργοις Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ δοξα… μοι περινόει τοὺς πολεμίους, μηδὲ πόῤῥωθεν ἀποσκόπει τοὺς στρατηγούς " ἀλλὰ σεαυτὸν ἐπίσκεψαι, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῆς εἰκόνος εὑρήσεις. Ὅταν γὰρ νοῦς παλαίῃ τῷ πάθει, ἐὰν μὲν δι᾿ εὐτονίας καὶ προσεχείας ἐπικρατῇ, φέρεται κατὰ τοῦ πάθους τὰ νικητήρια, καὶ οἱονεὶ στεφανοῖ δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Θεόν. Ὅταν δὲ καταμαλακισθεὶς ὑποκύψῃ τῇ ἡδονῇ, δοῦλος καὶ αἰχμάλωτος ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις γενόμενος, καύχημα καὶ ἔπαρσιν καὶ ὑπερηφανίας προσ… Προσκυνήσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν αὐλῇ ἁγίᾳ αὖτοῦ. Μετὰ τὴν καρποφορίαν τῶν ἐπιζητουμένων, ἀναγκαία ἣ προσκύνησις. Προσκύνησις δὲ ἡ οὐχ ἔξω τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ αὐλῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ τελουμένη. Μή μοι, φησὶν, ἰδίας αὐλὰς καὶ συναγωγὰς ἐπινοεῖτε. Μία ἐστὶν αὐλὴ ἁγία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἦν αὐλὴ πρότερον ἢ τῶν Ἰουδαίων συναγωγή " ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτίαν ἐγένετο ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτῶν ἠρημωμένη. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος " Καὶ ἄλλα πρόβατα ἔχω, ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς αὐλῆς ταύτης. Τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν προωρισμένους εἰς σωτηρίαν λέγων, δείκνυσιν ἰδίαν αὐλὴν παρὰ τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων. Οὐ τοίνυν ἔξω τῆς ἁγίας ταύτης αὐλῆς προσκυνεῖν προσῆκε τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔνδον αὐτῇ γενόμενον - ἵνα μὴ ἔξω τις αὐτῆς ὧν, μηδὲ ἑλκόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν ἕξω, ἀπολέσῃ τὸ εἶναι ἐν αὐλῇ Κυρίου. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἑστᾶσιν ἐν σχήματι μὲν προσευχῆς, οὔχ εἰσι δὲ ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ, διὰ τὴν τοῦ νοῦ περιφορὰν καὶ τὸν ἀφελκυσμὸν τῆς διανοίας αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν τῇ ματαιότητι μερίμνης. … ἐπουράνιον διαγωγήν. Διὰ τοῦτο οἱ Πεφυτευμένοι ἐνταῦθα ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος, ἐκεῖ Ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐξανθήσουσιν. Ὁ δὲ θεοποιῶν κοιλίαν, ἢ δό ξαν, ἣ ἀργύριον, ἣ ἄλλο τι, ὃ πάντων μᾶλλον τετίμη κεν, οὔτε προσκυνεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ, οὔτε ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ ἐστι τῇ ἁγίᾳ, κἂν ἄξιος τῶν αἰσθητῶν συνάξεων εἶναι δοκῇ. Φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων. Πολλαχοῦ ἂν εὕροις τὸ τῆς φωνῆς ὄνομα κείμενον. Ὥστε ὑπὲρ τοῦ νοῆσαι, τίς ἐστι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ φωνὴ, ἄξιόν ἐστι συναγαγεῖν ἡμᾶς κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἐκ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς τὰ γεγραμμένα περὶ φωνῆς" ὡς ἐν τῷ πρὸς ᾿Αβραὰμ χρηματισμῷ " Καὶ εὐθέως φωνὴ ἐγένετο λέγουσα· Οὐ κληρονομήσει σὲ οὗτος" καὶ ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως· Καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἑώρα τὴν φωνὴν καὶ τὰς λαμπάδας" καὶ παρὰ τῷ Ἡσαῖᾳ πάλιν - Φωνὴ λέγοντος· Βόησον. Ἢ μὲν οὖν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν φωνὴ ἣ ἀήρ ἐστι πεπληγμένος, ἢ τὸ γινόμενον εἶδος περὶ τὸν ἀέρα, πρὸς ὃ βούλεται τυποῦν ὁ ἐκφωνῶν. Τί οὖν ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου; πότερον πληγὴ περὶ τὸν ἀέρα νοοῖτο; ἣ ἀὴρ πεπληγμένος φθάνων μέχρι τῆς ἀκοῆς τοῦ πρὸς ὃν γίνεται ἡ φωνή; Ἢ οὐδέτερον τούτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἑτερογενής τίς ἐστιν αὕτη, φαντασιουμένου τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων οὃς ἂν ἀκούειν βούληται τῆς ἰδίας φωνῆς ὁ θεός ὥστε ἀναλογίαν ἔχειν τὴν φαντασίαν ταύτην πρὸς τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὀνείροις γινομένην πολλάκις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ, οὐ πληττομένου τοῦ ἀέρος, λαμβάνομέν τινα ἐν ταῖς καθ᾽ ὕπνον φαντασίαις ῥημάτων τινῶν καὶ φθόγγων μνήμην, οὐ διὰ τῆς ἀκοῆς δεξάμενοι τὴν φωνὴν, ἀλλ᾽ αὑτῆς τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν τυπωθείσης " τοιαύτην τινὰ χρὴ νομίζειν καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ φωνὴν ἐγγίνεσθαι τοῖς προφήταις. Φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων. Ὡς μὲν πρὸς τὸ αἰσθητὸν, ἐπειδὴ αἱ νεφέλαι, ἐπειδὰν ὕδατος ὦσι πλήρεις, ἦχον καὶ ψόφον ἀποτελοῦσι συγκρουόμεναι πρὸς ἀλλήλας, Φωνὴ, φησὶ, Κυρίου ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ εἴ που ψόφος ὑδάτων περιῤῥηγνυμένων τισὶ τῶν ἀντιτύπων γίγνοιτο, καὶ εἰ ἡ θάλασσα πνεύμασι …τὰ ἄψυχα ταῦτα τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἔχει φωνὴν, δεικνύντος τοῦ λόγου, ὅτι πᾶσα ἣ κτίσις μονονουχὶ βοᾷ τὸν ἑαυτῆς δημιουργὸν ἀναγγέλλουσα. Κἂν βροντὴ δὲ ἀπὸ νεφῶν ἐκραγῇ, οὐχ ἄλλο τι χρὴ νομίζειν, ἢ ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δόξης ἑβρόντησε, καὶ ὅτι Κύριός ἔστιν ὁ τὴν ὑγρὰν φύσιν συνέχων δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ. Κύριος ἐπὶ ὑδάτων πολλῶν. Μεμαθήκαμεν γὰρ ἐν τῇ κοσμογενείᾳ ὕδωρ ἐπάνω τῶν οὐρανῶν, ὕδωρ πάλιν τὸ τῆς ἀβύσσου, ἕτερον τὰ συστήματα τῶν θαλασσῶν. Τὶς οὖν ἐστιν ὁ συγκρατῶν ταῦτα, καὶ μὴ ἐῶν αὐτὰ τῇ φυσικῇ ῥοπῇ φέρεσθαι πρὸς τὰ κάτω, ἣ ὁ Κύριος ὁ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἐμβεβηκὼς, ὃς καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων ἔχει τὸ κράτος; Τάχα δὲ καὶ μυστικώτερον, Φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων, ὅτε βαπτισθέντι τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἐγένετο ἄνωθεν φωνὴ, ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός. Τότε γὰρ ὁ Κύριος μὲν ἣν ἐπὶ ὑδάτων πολλῶν, ἁγιάζων τὰ ὕδατα διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος" ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς δόξης τῇ μεγαλοφωνίᾳ τῆς μαρτυρίας ἄνωθεν ἐπεβρόντησε. Καὶ τοῖς βαπτιζομένοις δὲ ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου καταλειφθεῖσα φωνὴ ἐπιλέγεται" Πορευθέντες γὰρ, φησὶ. βαπτίζετε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἀγίου Πνεύματος. Φωνὴ οὖν Κυρίου ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων. … κοιλότησι νεφέλης ἐναποληφθὲν. καὶ ὑπὸ εὖτονίας τοῖς κοιλώμασι τῶν νεφῶν ἐνστρεφόμενον, ζητῇ διέξοδον πρὸς τὰ ἔξω. ᾿Αντέχουσαι μὲν οὖν ὑπὸ τῆς ἄγαν πιλήσεως αἱ νεφέλαι, τὸν τραχὺν ἐκεῖνον ἐκ τῆς τοῦ πνεύματος παρατρίψεως ἀποτελοῦσιν ἦχον" ἔπειδὰν δὲ ὥσπερ πομφόλυγες περιταθεῖσαι τῷ πνεύματι ἐπιπλέον ἀντέχειν καὶ στέγειν ἀδυνατήσωσι, βιαίως ἀποῤῥηγνύμεναι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἔξω ἀναπνοὴν διεῖσαι τὸ πνεῦμα, τοὺς κατὰ τὰς βροντὰς ἀποτελοῦσι ψόφους. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἀστραπὴν ἐργάζεσθαι πέφυκε. Κύριος οὖν ἐστιν ὁ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων ὧν, καὶ ὁ τοὺς μεγάλους ψόφους τῆς βροντῆς ἐνεργῶν, ἐν ἀπαλῇ τοῦ ἀέρος φύσει τοσαύτην ψόφου ὑπερβολὴν ἐργαζόμενος. Δυνατὸν δέ σοι καὶ κατὰ τὸν ἐκκλησιαστικὸν λόγον τὴν μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα γινομένην ἐκ τῆς μεγαλοφωνίας τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν ἤδη τελειουμένων παράδοσιν βροντὴν ὀνομάζειν. Ὅτι γὰρ βροντὴ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, δηλοῦσιν οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου μετονομασθέντες μαθηταὶ καὶ υἱοὶ βροντῆς χρηματίζοντες. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐχ ἐν τῷ τυχόντι τῆς τοιαύτης βροντῆς ἡ φωνὴ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις ἄξιος ἣ ὀνομάζεσθαι τροχός. Φωνὴ γὰρ τῆς βροντῆς σου, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ τροχῷ. Ἐάν τις ἢ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενης, ὥσπερ ὁ τροχὸς, ὀλίγῳ μέρει τῆς γῆς ἐφαπτόμενος, καὶ ὅλως τοιοῦτος, ὁποῖος ἦν περὶ οὐ ἔλεγεν Ἰεζεκιὴλ· Καὶ εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ τροχὸς εἷς ἐπὶ γῆς ἐχόμενος τῶν ζώων τοῖς τέσσαρσι, καὶ τὸ εἶδος αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ποίησις αὐτῶν ὡς εἶδος Θαρσεῖς. Θεὸς οὖν τῆς δόξης ἐβρόντησε, Κύριος ἐπὶ ὑδάτων πολλῶν. “Ὑδατά εἰσι καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι, διότι ποταμοὶ ῥέουσιν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτῶν, τουτέστι, πνευματικὴ διδασκαλία ἄρδουσα τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀκουόντων. Καὶ πάλιν, λαμβάνουσιν ὕδωρ ἀλλόμενον εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ὅπερ γίνεται ἐν τοῖς καλῶς λαβοῦσι πηγὴ ὕδατος ἀλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων οὖν ὑδάτων ὁ Κύριος. Μνήσθητι δὲ καὶ τῆς ἱστορίας Ἠλίου, ὅτε ἐκλείσθη ὁ οὐρανὸς ἔτη τρία καὶ μῆνας ἔξ’ ὅτε, αἰθρίας οὔσης ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ Καρμήλου, ἤκουσε φωνῆς ὑδάτων πολλῶν “εἶτα ἐπηκολούθησε τὸ καὶ βροντὴν γενέσθαι ἐκ νεφελῶν καὶ ὕδωρ ῥυῆναι. Κύριος οὖν ἐπὶ ὑδάτων πολλῶν. Φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐν ἰσχύϊ. "Ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ τροχῷ ἡ φωνὴ γίνεται, οὖτως ἐν ἰσχύϊ ἡ φωνὴ συνίσταται τοῦ Κυρίου. Ὁ γὰρ πάντα ἰσχύων ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντι αὐτὸν Χριστῷ, οὗτος ἀκούει τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ποιεῖ. Φωνὴ οὖν Κυρίου, οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἀσθενεῖ καὶ ἐκλελυμένῃ ψυχῇ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ εὐτόνως καὶ ἰσχυρῶς κατεργαζομένῃ τὸ ἀγαθόν. Φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐν μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ. Ἢ μεγαλοπρέπεια ἀρετὴ ἐστιν ἐκπρεπῶς μεγάλη. Ὁ οὖν πρεπόντως ἀποδιδοὺς τὰς περὶ τῶν μεγάλων πράξεων ἐνεργείας, ὁ τοιοῦτος ἀκούει μεγαλοπρεπῆς. Ὅταν οὖν ψυχὴ ἀδούλωτος ἧ τῷ φρονήματι τῆς σαρκὸς, μέγεθος δὲ καὶ ἀξίωμα πρέπον ἑαυτῇ ἐκ τῆς συναισθήσεως τῶν προσόντων αὐτῇ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἀναλάβῃ, ἐν ταύτῃ γίνεται ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου. Οἱ οὖν μεγαλοφυεῖς μὲν ἔχοντες τὰς περὶ Θεοῦ ἐννοίας, ὑψηλῶς δὲ τεθεωρηκότες τοὺς περὶ κτίσεως λόγους, καὶ δυνηθέντες ἐπὶ ποσὸν γοῦν ἐπιβαλεῖν τῷ ἀγαθῷ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας, καὶ προσέτι ἐν ταῖς δαπάναις ἀφειδεῖς, καὶ μεγαλόδωροι ἐν τῷ τὰς τῶν ἀδελφῶν χρείας ἐπανορθοῦσθαι, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ μεγαλοπρεπεῖς, ἐν οἷς ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐμπολιτεύεται. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ὁ μεγαλοπρεπὴς ὑπερορᾷ πάντα τὰ σωματικὰ, οὐδενὸς εἶναι ἄξια κρίνων λόγου τῇ παραθέσει τῶν ἀοράτων. Τὸν μεγαλοπρεπὴ οὐδεμία λυπήσει περίστασις· οὐδὲ ὅλως πάθος τι αὐτὸν ἐκταράξει, οὐδὲ ἀνθρωπαρίων φαύλων καὶ εὐκαταφρονήτων ἁμαρτήματα κινήσει" οὐδὲ ἀκαθαρσία τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτὸν ταπεινώσει. Δυσπρόσιτος γάρ ἔστι τοῖς ταπεινωτικοῖς πάθεσιν, οὐδὲ προσβλέπειν αὐτῷ δυναμένοις διὰ τὸ ὕψος τῆς γνώμης. Λέγεται δέ τις καὶ Θεοῦ μεγαλοπρέπεια· ὡς τὸ, Ἐπήρθη ἡ μεγαλοπρέπειά σου ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν. Οἱ οὖν τὰ μεγάλα περὶ Θεοῦ δοξάζοντες, οὗτοι ὑπεραίρουσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν μεγαλο…. Φωνὴ Κυρίου συντρίβοντος κέδρους. Ἣ κέδρος ποτὲ μὲν ὡς μόνιμον, καὶ σήψεως βέλτιον, καὶ εὐῶδες, καὶ σκέπην ἱκανὸν παρέχεσθαι παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς ἐπαινεῖται " ποτὲ δὲ ὡς ἄκαρπον καὶ δυσκαμπὲς διαβάλλεται, ὡς καὶ εἰκόνα πληροῦν τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς. Εἶδον γὰρ τὸν ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου. Καθ' ὃ τὸ σημαινόμενον καὶ νῦν παρελήφθη. Ἡ γὰρ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου συντρίβει κέδρους. “Ὥσπεῤ γὰρ ἐν τῇ μεγαλοπρεπεῖ ψυχῇ γίνεται, οὕτω τοὺς εἰκῇ φυσιουμένους, τοὺς ἑπαίροντας ἑαυτοὺς ἐν τοῖς νομιζομένοις ὑψώμασι τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, πλούτου, ἢ δόξης, ἣ δυναστείας, ἣ κάλλους σώματος, ἣ δυνάμεως, ἣ ἰσχύος. συντρίβειν λέγεται. Καὶ συντρίψει Κύριος τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου. Οἱ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις πράγμασιν ἐπιβαίνοντες, καὶ ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνων ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἀλαζονείαν συνάγοντες, οὗτοί εἰσι κέδροι τοῦ Λιβάνου. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ κέδροι, καθ᾽ ἑαυτὰς οὖσαι ὑψηλαὶ, τῷ ἐπ᾽ ὅρους ὑψηλοῦ πεφυκέναι, ἐκ τῆς προσθήκης τοῦ ὄρους περιφανέστεραι γίνονται " οὕτω καὶ οἱ τοῖς φθαρτοῖς τοῦ κόσμου πράγμασιν ἐπερειδόμενοι κέδροι μέν εἰσι διὰ τὴν ἀλαζονείαν καὶ τὸ τῆς διανοίας ἕπαρμα, Λιβάνου δὲ κέδροι προσαγορεύονται, διὰ τὸ τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ ὑψώματι ἐπαγάλλεσθαι, καὶ ὑπὸ γῆς καὶ τῶν γηίνων πραγμάτων, οἷον ὑπὸ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ Λιβάνου, πρὸς ἀλαζονείαν ἐπαίρεσθαι. Οὐ πάσας δὲ τὰς κέδρους συντρίβει ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλὰ τὰς τοῦ Λιβάνου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰδωλολατρείας τόπος ὁ Λίβανος, ὅσαι ψυχαὶ ἑπαίρονται κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, αὗται τοῦ Λιβάνου ὀνομάζονται, καὶ συντριβῆς ἀξιοῦνται. Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες κέδροι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἃς αἱ ἀναδενδράδες τῆς ἀπ᾿ Αἰγύπτου μετατεθείσης ἀμπέλου καλύπτουσιν, ὡς ἐν Ψαλμοῖς μεμαθῆκαμεν Ἐκάλυψεν ὄρη ἡ σκιὰ αὑτῆς, καὶ αἱ ἀναδενδράδες αὐτῆς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν περὶ Χριστοῦ ἐννοιῶν καὶ ἄμπελος ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν λέγεται. Ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι, φησὶν, ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα· κέδροι εἰσὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ τέως μὲν. ἄκαρποι καὶ πρὸς καῦσιν ἐπιτήδειοι, ὑπελθόντες δὲ τὴν σκέπην τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι αὐτὸν, ἐκ τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ χάριτος τὸ ἄκαρπον τῆς ἑαυτῶν ζωῆς συγκαλύπτουσι. Τὰς μὲν οὖν κέδρους τοῦ Θεοῦ λεπτυνεῖ αὐτὰς ὡς τὸν μόσχον τὸν Λίβανον. Μνὴσθητι τοῦ μόσχου τοῦ ἐν τῇ ᾿Εξόδῳ, ὃν κατὰ τὴν εἰδωλολατρείαν ἀνέπλασαν, ὃν ἐλέπτυνε Μωῦσῆς καὶ ἐπότισε τὸν λαόν. Ἐκείνῳ τοίνυν τῷ μόσχῳ παραπλησίως ὅλον τὸν Λίβανον καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ κρατοῦσαν συνήθειαν τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας ἐξαφανίσει. Καὶ ὁ ἠγαπημένος ὡς υἱὸς μονοκερώτων, Ὁ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς, ὁ διδοὺς ζωὴν τῷ κόσμῳ, ὅταν μὲν προσφέρῃ θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν ἑαυτὸν τῷ Θεῷ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀμνὸς ὀνομάζεται͵ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πρόβατον. Ἴδε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ (θ)" καὶ πάλιν: Ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη. Ὅταν δὲ ἀμύνασθαι δέῃ καὶ καθελεῖν τὴν δυναστείαν τὴν ἐπιφυομένην τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐκτεθηριωμένην τινὰ καὶ ἀπηγριωμένην … ### English translation (Claude) The ram, then, is a leading animal, going before the sheep to nourishing pastures and resting waters, and back again to folds and steadings. Such too are those who preside over the flock of Christ: leading them to the flowering and fragrant food of spiritual teaching, [nourishing them] with living water by the supply of the Spirit, and guiding them to rest and to safety from those who plot against them. The word, then, wants the sons of these to be brought to the Lord by the sons of God. And if rams are those who lead the rest, their sons would be those formed by the teaching of those who preside toward the life of virtue through zeal for good works. “Bring, then, to the Lord, you sons of God, bring to the Lord sons of rams.” Have you learned whom he addresses? Have you learned about whom? “Bring to the Lord,” he says, “glory and honor.” How, then, do we, earth and ashes, bring glory to the great Lord? And how honor? Glory through good works, when our works shine before men, so that men, seeing our works, glorify our Father in heaven. And through self-control and the holiness fitting for those who profess godliness one can glorify God, according to the exhortation of Paul, who says, “Glorify God in your members.” This glory the Lord demands of those who believe in him and have been honored with the gift of adoption. “For a son,” it says, “glorifies his father”; and, “If I am a father, where is my glory?” And he brings honor to God who, according to the Proverb, honors God from his own just labors and offers him first fruits from his fruits of righteousness. And everyone who speaks of God with care, so as not to fall away from the right notion of the Father and of the Godhead of the Only-begotten and of the glory of the Holy Spirit, brings the Lord glory and honor. And he increases the glory who can give the reasons by which all things were created and by which they are held together, the providence that comes from him reaching even to the smallest things, and by which, after the dispensation here, they will be brought to judgment. The one who has been able himself to contemplate each thing with clear and unconfused reasonings, and, after contemplating it himself, can also present to others the truths about the goodness of God and his just judgment, he is the one who brings the Lord glory and honor, and who leads a life in keeping with such contemplation. For the light of such a man shines before men, the Father in heaven being glorified in word and deed and through every kind of brave deed. But he does not bring the Lord glory and honor who is excited about human glory, nor one who honors silver, nor one who honors the pleasures of the body, nor one who admires doctrines foreign to the worship of God. For as we bring glory to the Lord through good works, so through evil works we do the opposite. For what does he say to sinners? “Because of you my name is blasphemed among the nations.” And again the Apostle: “You dishonor God by breaking the law.” For contempt and disregard of the laws is an insult to the lawgiver. And of a badly managed house, in which there is anger and shouting, insolence and laughter, luxury and prodigality, uncleanness and licentiousness, the dishonor and shame of what goes on falls back on its master. It follows that we should understand that, as God is glorified in good works, so the enemy is glorified in evil ones. For when I take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot, I have transferred the glory from him who saves me to him who destroys me. And the unbeliever exchanges the glory of the incorruptible God for an image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things on the earth. And one who reveres and serves the creature rather than the Creator brings glory not to God but to created things. So let anyone who calls something a creature and then worships it know the portion with which he will be ranked. Let us fear, then, lest, by bringing glory and boasting to the devil through our sin, we be handed over with him to eternal shame. That our sin becomes glory for the one who works it in us, understand what is said by an image. When two generals face each other, whenever this army wins, its commander carries off the glory; but when the opposing one prevails, the honor passes over to him. So in your good works it is the Lord who is glorified … . Do not imagine the enemies for me, nor look at the generals from afar; but look at yourself, and you will find the whole truth of the image. For when the mind wrestles with passion, if by vigor and attentiveness it prevails, it carries off the prizes of victory over the passion and, as it were, crowns God through itself. But when, having gone soft, it bows to pleasure, becoming a slave and captive to sins, it [brings] boasting and exultation and pride … [3] “Worship the Lord in his holy court.” After bearing the fruits that are required, worship is necessary. And worship is not that performed outside the Church but within the very court of God. “Do not devise for me,” he says, “private courts and synagogues. There is one holy court of God.” The court used to be the synagogue of the Jews; but after their sin against Christ their fold became desolate. That is why the Lord too says, “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold,” speaking of those from the nations predestined to salvation, and showing that he has a court of his own besides that of the Jews. One must not, then, worship God outside this holy court, but having come to be inside it; so that no one outside it, or drawn away by those outside, may lose being in the court of the Lord. For many stand in the posture of prayer and yet are not in the court, because of the wandering of their mind and the distraction of their thought by care for vanity. … the heavenly way of life. That is why those planted here in the house of the Lord, which is the Church of the living God, will flourish there “in the courts of our God.” But one who makes a god of his belly, or glory, or money, or anything else he has honored above all things, neither worships the Lord nor is in the holy court, even if he seems worthy of the visible assemblies. “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters.” You will find the word “voice” used in many places. So, in order to understand what the voice of the Lord is, it is worth our gathering, as far as possible, what is written about voice in the divine Scripture: as in the oracle to Abraham, “And at once a voice came, saying: This man shall not be your heir”; and in the case of Moses, “And all the people saw the voice and the torches”; and again in Isaiah, “The voice of one saying, Cry out.” Our voice is either air that has been struck, or the form produced in the air that the speaker wishes to shape. What, then, is the voice of the Lord? Is it to be understood as a striking of the air? Or air that has been struck, reaching the hearing of the one to whom the voice comes? Or neither of these, but this is something of a different kind: an impression made on the governing part of those men whom God wishes to hear his own voice, so that this impression is analogous to that which often comes in dreams. For as, without the air being struck, we receive in our imaginations during sleep a memory of certain words and sounds, not taking in the voice through hearing but by our heart itself being impressed, so we must think that the voice from God comes about in the prophets. “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters.” As regards what is perceived by the senses, since the clouds, when they are full of water, produce a sound and a noise when they collide with one another, he says, “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters.” And also if there is a noise of waters breaking against some obstacle, and if the sea, [stirred] by the winds, … these lifeless things have a voice from the Lord, the word showing that all creation all but cries out, proclaiming its own Creator. And if thunder bursts from the clouds, we must think nothing else than that the God of glory thundered, and that it is the Lord who holds together the watery nature by himself. “The Lord is upon many waters.” For we have learned in the account of creation of water above the heavens, water again of the abyss, and another, the gatherings of the seas. Who, then, holds these together and does not let them be carried downward by their natural inclination, but the Lord who rests upon all things, who also has power over the waters? But perhaps, more mystically, “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters” when, after Jesus was baptized, a voice came from above: “This is my beloved Son.” For then the Lord was upon many waters, sanctifying the waters by baptism; and the God of glory thundered from above with the loud voice of his testimony. And over those being baptized there is spoken the voice left by the Lord: “Go,” it says, “baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” “The voice of the Lord,” then, “is upon the waters.” … [when wind,] caught in the hollows of a cloud and whirled by its force within the cavities of the clouds, seeks an outlet. The clouds, holding out because of their great compression, produce that rough sound from the rubbing of the wind; but when, stretched by the wind like bubbles, they can no longer hold out and contain it, they burst violently and, releasing the wind to breathe outward, produce the noises of thunder. This also naturally produces lightning. It is the Lord, then, who is upon the waters and who works the great noises of thunder, producing so great an excess of sound in the soft nature of the air. And you may also, according to the Church's interpretation, call thunder the handing on of the Gospel, which after baptism comes about in the souls of those already being perfected through the loud voice of the Gospel. That the Gospel is thunder is shown by the disciples who were renamed by the Lord and called “sons of thunder.” That is why the voice of such thunder is not in just anyone, but in one who is worthy to be called a wheel. “For the voice of your thunder,” it says, “was in the wheel.” If anyone, then, is stretching forward to what lies ahead, like the wheel, touching the earth with a small part, and wholly such as that of which Ezekiel spoke: “And I looked, and behold, one wheel upon the earth beside the four living creatures, and their appearance and their workmanship were like the appearance of Tharsis” …. [4] “The God of glory,” then, “thundered; the Lord is upon many waters.” The saints too are waters, because rivers flow from their belly, that is, spiritual teaching that waters the souls of the hearers. And again, they receive water springing up to eternal life, which becomes in those who have received it well a spring of water springing up to eternal life. Upon such waters, then, is the Lord. And remember too the story of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, when, the sky being clear, on the summit of Carmel he heard the sound of much water; then followed thunder from the clouds and the pouring of water. “The Lord,” then, “is upon many waters.” “The voice of the Lord is in strength.” As the voice comes about in the wheel, so the voice of the Lord consists in strength. For the one who can do all things in Christ who strengthens him hears the commandments of the Lord and does them. The voice of the Lord, then, is not in the weak and slack soul, but in the one that works the good vigorously and strongly. “The voice of the Lord is in majesty.” Majesty is a virtue that is remarkably great. The one, then, who fittingly carries out the activities of great deeds, such a one is called a man of majesty. When, then, a soul is not enslaved to the mind of the flesh, but takes up a greatness and dignity befitting itself from its awareness of what it has from God, in it the voice of the Lord comes about. Those, then, who have lofty notions of God, who have contemplated the principles of creation in an elevated way and have been able to grasp in some measure the good of God's providence, and who besides are unsparing in their expenses and munificent in relieving the needs of the brothers, these are the people of majesty in whom the voice of the Lord dwells. For truly the man of majesty looks down on all bodily things, judging them worthy of no account in comparison with the invisible. No circumstance will grieve the man of majesty; no passion at all will disturb him, nor will the sins of base and contemptible little men move him; nor will uncleanness of the flesh humble him. For he is hard to approach for humbling passions, which cannot even look up at him because of the height of his mind. There is also said to be a majesty of God, as in, “Your majesty has been lifted up above the heavens.” Those, then, who think great things of God exalt his majesty. [5] “The voice of the Lord who breaks the cedars.” The cedar is sometimes praised by Scripture as lasting, superior to decay, fragrant, and able to give enough shelter; but sometimes it is censured as fruitless and hard to bend, so as even to furnish an image of the ungodly man: “For I saw the ungodly man exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon.” In this sense it has been taken now too. For “the voice of the Lord breaks the cedars.” For as it comes about in the soul of majesty, so it is said to break those who are vainly puffed up, who lift themselves up in what are thought the heights of this world: wealth, or glory, or power, or beauty of body, or might, or strength. “And the Lord will break the cedars of Lebanon.” Those who climb on others' affairs and gather boasting for themselves from them, these are cedars of Lebanon. For as cedars, tall in themselves, become more conspicuous by the addition of the mountain because they grow on a high mountain, so those who rely on the perishable affairs of the world are cedars because of their boasting and the elation of their mind, and are called cedars of Lebanon because they exult in another's height and are lifted up to boasting by the earth and earthly affairs, as by the summit of Lebanon. But the Lord does not break all the cedars, only those of Lebanon. For since Lebanon is a place of idolatry, all souls that lift themselves up against the knowledge of God are called those of Lebanon, and are thought worthy of breaking. For there are certain cedars of God, which the branches of the vine transplanted from Egypt cover, as we have learned in the Psalms: “Its shadow covered the mountains, and its branches the cedars of God.” Since, then, among the other names for Christ, our Lord is also called a vine (“For I am the vine,” he says, “you are the branches”), those are cedars of God who for a while were fruitless and fit for burning, but who came under the shelter of Christ and, as it were, put him on, and by the grace that comes from him cover over the fruitlessness of their own life. The cedars of God, then, … “and he will grind them small like the calf of Lebanon.” Remember the calf in Exodus, which they fashioned in their idolatry, which Moses ground small and made the people drink. Like that calf, then, he will make all of Lebanon, and the habit of idolatry that prevails in it, disappear. “And the beloved as the son of unicorns”: the only-begotten Son, who gives life to the world, when he offers himself as a sacrifice and offering to God for our sins, is called the lamb of God and a sheep. “Behold,” it says, “the lamb of God”; and again, “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter.” But when he must defend and destroy the power that has grown up against the human race, a power become savage and wild, … ### Scripture references - Ps 29:1 (28:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 23:2 (22:2 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Gen 18:27: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:16: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:20: quotation, high confidence - Mal 1:6: quotation, high confidence - Prov 3:9: quotation, high confidence - Isa 52:5: quotation, high confidence - Rom 2:24: quotation, high confidence - Rom 2:23: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:15: quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:23: quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:25: quotation, high confidence - Ps 29:2 (28:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 10:16: quotation, high confidence - Ps 92:13 (91:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 3:15: allusion, high confidence - Phil 3:19: allusion, high confidence - Ps 29:3 (28:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 15:4: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:18: quotation, high confidence - Isa 40:6: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:7: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 3:17: quotation, high confidence - Matt 28:19: quotation, high confidence - Mark 3:17: allusion, high confidence - Ps 77:18 (76:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:13: allusion, medium confidence - Ezek 1:15: quotation, high confidence - Ezek 1:16: quotation, high confidence - John 7:38: quotation, high confidence - John 4:14: quotation, high confidence - 1 Kgs 18:41: allusion, high confidence - Jas 5:17: allusion, high confidence - Ps 29:4 (28:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Phil 4:13: quotation, high confidence - Ps 8:1 (8:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 29:5 (28:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 37:35 (36:35 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 10:5: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 80:10 (79:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 15:5: quotation, high confidence - Ps 29:6 (28:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 32:20: allusion, high confidence - John 1:29: quotation, high confidence - Isa 53:7: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 29:1–6 (LXX 28:1–6); Matt 5:16; 1 Cor 6:20 (“glorify God in your members”, in Basil's form); Mal 1:6; Prov 3:9; Isa 52:5 (Rom 2:24); Rom 2:23; 1 Cor 6:15; Rom 1:23, 25; John 10:16; Ps 92:13 (LXX 91:14); Gen 15:4; Exod 20:18; Isa 40:6; Matt 3:17; Matt 28:19; Ps 77:18 (LXX 76:19, “the voice of your thunder in the wheel”); Ezek 1:15–16; John 7:38; John 4:14; Phil 4:13; Ps 8:1 (LXX 8:2); Ps 37:35 (LXX 36:35); Ps 80:10 (LXX 79:11); John 15:5; John 1:29; Isa 53:7 (Acts 8:32). Allusions: Gen 18:27 (“earth and ashes”); Ps 23:2; Phil 3:19; 1 Tim 3:15; Gen 1:7–10; Mark 3:17; Phil 3:13; 1 Kgs 18:41–45 and Jas 5:17; Exod 32:20; 2 Cor 10:5. Basil's remark on one who calls something a creature and then worships it probably has in view those who called the Son a creature yet worshipped him. Migne's Latin, notes and repeated lines are interleaved in the scan and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after “it is the Lord who is glorified” (the contrasting clause about the enemy), after “pride” (the end of the comparison), before “the heavenly way of life” (Basil's statement of what the court signifies), after “if the sea, [stirred] by the winds” and after “is upon the waters” (the opening of the account of thunder, partly supplied in brackets), after “Tharsis”, and at the end of the section, which breaks off mid-sentence. The markers [3], [4] and [5] show where Migne's sections 3–5 begin. Words are also lost before “and he will grind them small” (Basil contrasts the cedars of God with those of Lebanon). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 28.2 (PG 29:383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/14-9/#p-28-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 28.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/28-5/#p-28-5 - Source: PG 29:402 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 29:6–11: Christ is the “unicorn” as having the one power of the Father; God's voice divides the fire of judgment into light and burning, makes the desert fruitful, prepares the “deer” (the saints) and uncovers the thickets of sin; he rebukes chatter in church, and reads the flood as baptism. ### Greek text δύναμιν, τότε υἱὸς μονοκερώτων ὀνομάζεται, Ζῶον γὰρ, ὡς ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ μεμαθήκαμεν, ὁ μονόκερώς ἔστιν ἄμαχον τὴν δύναμιν, ἀνυπότακτον τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Οὐ γὰρ δήσεις αὐτὸν, φησὶν, ἱμάντι, οὐδὲ κοιμηθήσεται ἐπὶ φάτνης. Καὶ πολλὰ περὶ τοῦ ἐλευθεριάζειν τὸ ζῶον καὶ μὴ ὑπείκειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ μέρει τῆς προφητείας εἴρηται. Καὶ παρατετήρηται, ὅτι ἐπ᾿ ἀμφότερα κέχρηται τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ μονοκέρωτος ἡ Γραφή· ποτὲ μὲν ἐπαινετῶς, ἄλλοτε δὲ διαβεβλημένως. Ῥῦσαι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ ῥομφαίας τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἀπὸ κεράτων μονοκερώτων τὴν ταπείνωσίν μου. Τὸν πολεμοποιὸν λαὸν διαβάλλων ταῦτά φησι παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ πάθους ἐπαναστάντα αὐτῷ. Πάλιν δὲ, ᾿Υψωθήσεται, φησὶν, ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ κέρας μου. … Ἔοικεν οὖν διὰ μὲν τὸ ἀμυντικὸν τοῦ ζώου ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν χειρόνων εἰκασίαν πολλάκις παραλαμβάνεσθαι, διὰ δὲ τὸ ὑψίκερων καὶ ἐλευθέριον πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βελτίονος ἄγεσθαι εἰκασίαν. Καὶ ὅλως, ἐπειδὴ τὸ κέρας ὑπὸ τῆς Γραφῆς ἀντὶ τῆς δόξης πολλαχοῦ παρειλημμένον ἔστιν εὑρεῖν, ὡς τὸ, Ὑψώσει κέρας λαοῦ αὐτοῦ" καὶ, Τὸ κέρας αὐτοῦ ὑψωθήσεται ἐν δόξῃ ἣ καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸ κέρας ἀντὶ δυνάμεως πολλάκις παραλαμβάνεται: ὡς τὸ, Ὑπερασπιστής μου καὶ κέρας σωτηρίας μου" Χριστὸς δὲ Θεοῦ δύναμις " διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἐν ἔχων κέρας, τουτέστι μίαν δύναμιν ἔχων τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς, μονόκερως προσηγόρευται. Διεκόπη μὲν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν τῶν παίδων τῶν τριῶν ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ ἡ φλὸξ τοῦ πυρὸς, ὅτε ὑπερεξεχύθη μὲν τεσσαρακονταεννέα πήχεις ἡ κάμινος, ἐνεπύριζε δὲ τοὺς κύκλῳ πάντας διακοπεῖσα δὲ τῷ προστάγματι τοῦ Θεοῦ, πνεῦμα ἐδέξατο ἐν ἑαυτῇ, ἡδίστην ἀναπνοὴν καὶ ἀνάψυξιν, ὥσπερ ἐν σκιᾷ. τινι φυτῶν, ἐν εἰρηνικῇ καταστάσει παρεχομένη τοῖς παισίν. Ἐγένετο γὰρ, φησὶν, ὡσεὶ πνεῦμα δρόσου διασυρίζον. Καὶ θαυμαστότερόν γε πολλῷ πυρὸς φύσιν διακοπῆναι, ἣ καταδιαιρεθῆναι τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν εἰς διαιρέσεις. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ τὸ συνεχὲς τῇ φύσει καὶ ἡνωμένον τοῦ πυρὸς διακόπτει. Καίτοι ἄτμητον καὶ ἀδιαίρετον ἐπινοίαις ἀνθρωπίναις τὸ πῦρ εἶναι δοκεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως Οἶμαι δὲ, ὅτι τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον εἰς κόλασιν τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ διακόπτεται τῇ φωνῇ τοῦ Κυρίου " ἵνα, ἐπειδὴ δύο εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ πυρὶ δυνάμεις, ἢ τε καυστικὴ καὶ ἡ φωτιστικὴ τὸ μὲν δριμὺ καὶ κολαστικὸν τοῦ πυρὸς τοῖς ἀξίοις τῆς καύσεως προσαπομείνῃ, τὸ δὲ φωτιστικὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ λαμπρὸν τῇ φαιδρότητι τῶν εὐφραινομένων ἀποκληρωθῇ. Φωνὴ οὖν Κυρίου διακόπτοντος φλόγα πυρὸς καὶ μερίζοντος, ὡς ἀλαμπὲς μὲν εἶναι τὸ πῦρ τῆς κολάσεως, ἄκαυστον δὲ τὸ φῶς τῆς ἀναπαύσεως ἀπομεῖναι. Φωνὴ Κυρίου συσσείοντος ἔρημον. Ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῆς ἐρήμου ὁ συσσεισμὸς αὐτῇ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου οἰκονομεῖται, ἵνα, μεταβαλοῦσα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔρημος εἶναι, γένηται γῇ κατοικουμένη, καὶ ἀποθεμένη τὸ τῆς ἀτεκνίας ὄνειδος, τῆς πολυπαιδίας λάβῃ τὸν ἔπαινον (Πολλὰ γὰρ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου, ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα), καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων τοῦ πνεύματος πληρωθεῖσα, γένηται ἡ πρὸ τούτου ἔρημος εἰς λίμνας ὑδάτων. Καὶ συσσείσει Κύριος τὴν ἔρημον Κάδης. Οὐ πᾶσαν οὖν ἔρημον ὁ Κύριος συσσείσει, ἀλλὰ τὴν Κάδης, τουτέστι, τὸν ἀγιασμόν ’ Κάδης γὰρ ἁγιασμὸς ἑρμηνεύεται. Φωνὴ Κυρίου καταρτιζομένη ἐλάφους. Ὁμότιμα χρὴ τοῖς προ… κέρας ἀποδοθῆναι καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ καταρτισμοῦ τῶν ἐλάφων, ὃν ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐνεργεῖ. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἡ ἔλαφος τοιαύτης ἔτυχε τῆς κατασκευῆς ὡς κρείττων εἶναι τῆς ἐκ τῶν ἑρπετῶν βλάβης, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθαρτήριον αὐτῇ ἐστιν, ὥς φασιν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα τετηρηκότες, τὸ τῆς ἐχίδνης βρῶμα, πάντα δὲ τὰ ἰοβόλα πρὸς τὴν τῶν πονηρῶν καὶ ἀντικειμένων δυνάμεων εἰκόνα λαμβάνεται (τοῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος " Δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων, καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ" καὶ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ πάλιν ἐπαγγελλομένου τῷ προφήτῃ, ὅτι Ἐπὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσῃ)" ἀνάγκη, ὅταν ἐλάφου ὄνομα ἀκούωμεν ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ, πρὸς τὴν βελτίονα εἰκόνα τὸν λόγον ἕλκειν. Ὄρη γὰρ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ταῖς ἐλάφοις" καὶ, Ἐπιποθεῖ ἡ ἔλαφος ἐπὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ πᾶς δίκαιος ἐν ὑψηλοῖς ἔχει τὴν διατριβὴν, Κατὰ σκοπὸν διώκων ἐπὶ τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ποτίμους πηγὰς ἀνατρέχει, τὰς πρώτας ἀρχὰς τῆς θεολογίας ἀναζητῶν. “Ἕλκει δὲ ἡ ἔλαφος τῇ ἀναπνοῇ τοῦ στόματος τὰ φωλεύοντα τῶν ἰοβόλων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν καταδύσεων ἐξάγει τῇ βίᾳ τοῦ πνεύματος. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἀετὸς λέγεται ὁ ἅγιος διὰ τὸ μετεωροπόρον, καὶ διὰ τὸ διηρμένον ἀπὸ γῆς ἐπὶ πλεῖον" καὶ ὡς πρόβατον διὰ τὸ ἥμερον καὶ μεταδοτικὸν ὧν ἔχει " καὶ κριὸς διὰ τὸ ἡγεμονικόν᾽ καὶ περιστερὰ διὰ τὸ ἄκακον " οὕτω καὶ ἔλαφος διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὰ πονηρὰ ἐναντίωσιν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Σολομών φησιν " Ἔλαφος φιλίας, καὶ πῶλος σῶν χαρίτων ὁμιλείτω σοι" διδάσκων ἡμᾶς τοὺς προειρημένους ἐλάφους ἐπιτηδείους εἶναι πρὸς θεολογίας διδασκαλίαν. Φωνὴ Κυρίου καταρτιζομένη ἐλάφους. Ὅταν οὖν ἴδωμέν τινα ἄνθρωπον Θεοῦ τέλειον καὶ κατηρτισμένον, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ὁμιλίας αὐτοῦ ὠφέλειαν μεταδιώκωμεν, Ὅπου γὰρ ἐλάφου παρουσία, φυγαδεύεται πᾶσα τῶν ἑρπετῶν ἡ κακία. Οὐ γὰρ φέρει τὴν ὀσμὴν τοῦ ζώου τὰ ἰοβόλα, ὅπου γε καὶ τοῖς κέρασιν αὐτῶν ὑποθυμιωμένοις ὑποχωρεῖ. Καὶ ἀποκαλύψει δρυμούς. Πρῶτον ἣ φωνὴ τοῦ Κυρίου καταρτίζεται τὰς ἐλάφους " ἔπειτα ἀποκαλύπτει δρυμοὺς, τοὺς συμφύτους καὶ ἀπὸ ἀγρίας καὶ ἀκάρπου ὕλης πεπυκνωμένους τόπους, οἷς μάλιστα προσφεύγειν τὰ ἰοβόλα πέφυκεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤδη τετελείωται διὰ τὸν παρὰ τοῦ … ὁμοιούμενος δίκαιος ἀποκαλύπτει τοὺς δρυμοὺς, ἵνα γυμνοὶ καὶ ἕτοιμοι παραδοθῶσιν οἱ φθαρτικοὶ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ Πᾶν ξύλον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἀξίνης, καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται, ἀναγκαίως οἱ δρυμοὶ ἀνακαθαίρονται, αἱ ὑλώδεις ψυχαὶ, ἐν αἷς, ὥσπερ τινὰ θηρία, τὰ ποικίλα πάθη τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐμφωλεύει, ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου, ὅς ἐστι τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πεφορτισμένοι ταῖς βιωτικαῖς μερίμναις, οἷόν τινα γῆν ἀκανθοφόρον τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς ἔχουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἐῶσιν αὐτὰς εἰς τὴν τοῦ λόγου καρποφορίαν ἐντρέφεσθαι, ἀποκαλύπτει ὁ Κύριος τοὺς δρυμοὺς, τουτέστι, τὸ ἄσχημον καὶ ἀπρεπὲς καὶ βλαβερὸν τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ φροντίδων, ἵνα, τρανωθέντος τοῦ περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ τόπου, μὴ ἔχωσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ὑπὸ ἀμαθίας τὰς περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων κρίσεις ἐνηλλαγμένας. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τὰ μὲν ἀγαθὰ, ὅταν ἐπίπονα ἧ, κακὰ νομίζουσι τὰ δὲ κακὰ διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτοῖς ἡδονὴν ὡς ἀγαθὰ μεταδιώκουσι " καὶ ἀμύθητος ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἡ περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πλάνη. Ἔστι μὲν οὖν τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν φύσεως ξύλα καρποφόρα καὶ πᾶσαι κέδροι, ἃ καὶ πρὸς τὸν αἶνον παραλαμβάνεται " τῶν δὲ κακῶν οἱ δρυμοὶ, οὗς, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ ἀπατηθῆναι τοὺς νομίζοντας εὑρήσειν τινὰ καρπὸν χρήσιμον ἐν αὐτοῖς, ἀποκαλύπτει καὶ φανεροῖ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φωνή. Καὶ ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ πᾶς τις λέγει δόξαν. ᾿Ακουέτωσαν τῶν ῥημάτων τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, καὶ ἐντραπήτωσαν οἱ τοῖς μακροῖς λόγοις ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδιδόντες. Τί φησιν ὁ ψαλμός; Ὃ ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ γενόμενος οὐ κακολογίαν, οὐ ματαιότητα, οὐχ αἰσχρῶν πραγμάτων γέμοντα ῥήματα ἀπαγγέλλει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ πᾶς τις λέγει δόξαν. Ἑστήκασιν οἱ ἀπογραφόμενοι τὰ ῥήματα ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι πάρεστιν ὁ Κύριος τὰς διαθέσεις τῶν εἰσιόντων ἐπισκοπῶν. Ἢ προσευχὴ ἑκάστου πεφανέρωται Θεῷ " τίς ἐκ διαθέσεως, τίς ἐπιστημόνως ἐπιζητεῖ τὰ ἐπουράνια" τίς ἀφωσιωμένως ἄκροις τοῖς χείλεσι τὰ ῥήματα φθέγγεται, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτοῦ πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. Κἂν εὔχηται, ὑγίειαν σαρκὸς, καὶ σωματικὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ δόξαν ἀνθρωπίνην ἐπιζητεῖ. Δεῖ δὲ οὐδὲν τούτων, ὡς ὁ λόγος διδάσκει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ πᾶς τις λέγει δόξαν. Οἱ οὐρανοὶ διηγοῦνται δόξαν Θεοῦ. ᾿Αγγέλοις ἔργον δοξολογεῖν Θεόν. Πάσῃ τῇ στρατιᾷ τῶν ἐπουρανίων ἐν τοῦτο ἔργον, δόξαν ἀναπέμπειν τῷ κτίσαντι. Ἢ κτίσις πᾶσα, ἢ τε σιωπῶσα, καὶ ἡ φθεγγομένη, ἥ τε ὑπερκόσμιος, ἧ τε περίγειος δοξάζει τὸν κτίσαντα. “Ανθρωποι δὲ ἐλεεινοὶ, καταλιπόντες τοὺς οἴκους καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ναὸν συνδραμόντες, ὡς δή τι ἑαυτοὺς ὠφελήσοντες, οὐχ ὑπέχουσι τὰς ἀκοὰς λόγοις Θεοῦ, οὐ λαμβάνουσιν αἴσθησιν τῆς ἑαυτῶν φύσεως, οὐ λυποῦνται προληφθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας" οὐ λυποῦνται εἰς μνήμην τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἀφικνούμενοι, οὐ τρέμουσι τὴν κρίσιν " ἀλλὰ μειδιῶντες, καὶ τὰς δεξιὰς ἀλλήλοις ἐμβάλλοντες, τόπον μακρολογίας τὸν οἶκον ποιοῦνται τῆς προσευχῆς, παρακούοντες τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τοῦ διαμαρτυρομένου καὶ λέγοντος, ὅτι Ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ πᾶς τις λέγει δόξαν. Σὺ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐ λέγεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρῳ ἐμπόδιον γίνῃ ἐπιστρέφων πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τῷ ἰδίῳ θορύβῳ ὑπερηχῶν τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος. Ὅρα μή ποτε ἀπέλθῃς, ἀντὶ τοῦ μισθὸν λαβεῖν ἐπὶ δοξολογίᾳ, τοῖς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ βλασφημοῦσι συγκαταδικασθείς. ἔχεις, προφητείαν ἔχεις, εὐαγγελικὰ παραγγέλματα, τὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων κηρύγματα. Ἡ γλῶσσα ψαλλέτω, ὁ νοῦς ἐρευνάτω τὴν διάνοιαν τῶν εἰρημένων, ἵνα ψάλλῃς τῷ πνεύματι, ψάλλῃς δὲ καὶ τῷ νοῖ, Μὴ … μήτι ἐκ εἶναι τοῦ δοξασθῆναι. Διότι Ὃ σπείρει ἄνθρωπος, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει. Σπεῖρον δοξολογίαν, ἵνα θερίσῃς στεφάνους καὶ τιμὰς καὶ ἐπαίνους ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Ταῦτα οὐκ ἀχρήστως ἐν παρεκβάσει εἴρηται εἰς τὸ, Ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ πᾶς τις λέγει δόξαν, διὰ τὸ τοὺς ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄπαυστα γλωσσαλγοῦντας καὶ ἀνωφελῶς εἰσιόντας " εἴθε δὲ … τὸ ὑποκείμενον, καὶ καθαρίζοντος ἅπαν τὸ προεῤῥυπωμένον. Τὴν οὖν τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάριν κατακλυσμὸν ὀνομάζει, ὥστε τὴν ἀποπλυναμένην τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ψυχὴν, καὶ ἀποκαθηραμένην τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐπιτηδείαν εἶναι λοιπὸν πρὸς κατοικητήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Πνεύματι. Συνάδει δὲ τούτῳ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῷ τριακοστῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ εἰρημένα. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγνώρισα, καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μου οὐκ ἐκάλυψα" καὶ τὸ, ὅτι Ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς προσεύξεται πρὸς σὲ πᾶς ὅσιος" ἐπήγαγε· Πλὴν ἐν κατακλυσμῷ ὑδάτων πολλῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐχ ἐγγιοῦσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐγγιοῦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῷ λαβόντι τὸ βάπτισμα τῆς ἀφέσεως τῶν παραπτωμάτων διὰ τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος. Συγγενὲς δὲ τούτῳ καὶ ἐν τῇ προφητείᾳ Μιχαίου εὕρηται· Ὅτι θελητὴς ἐλέους ἐστὶν, ἐπιστρέψει καὶ ἐλεήσει ἡμᾶς" καταδύσει τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀποῤῥιφήσονται εἰς τὰ βάθη τῆς … αἰῶνα. Τῇ λαμπούσῃ ψυχῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἐνιδρυθεὶς ὁ Θεὸς, οἱονεὶ θρόνον αὐτὴν ἑαυτῷ ἀπεργάζεται. Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὑτοῦ δώσει" Κύριος εὐλογήσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν εἰρήνῃ. ᾿Απὸ μὲν τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ λαοῦ ἀφελεῖ Κύριος ἰσχύοντὰ καὶ ἰσχύουσαν, τῷ δὲ δικαιοπραγοῦντι δίδωσιν ἰσχύν. Διότι Τῷ ἔχοντι παντὶ δοθήσεται. Ἐνδυναμωθεὶς δὲ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἐνέργειαν, ἄξιος γίνεται τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐλογίας, "Ἔοικε δὲ τελειοτάτη τῶν εὐλογιῶν εἶναι ἡ εἰρήνη, εὐστάθειά τις οὖσα τοῦ ἡγεμονικοῦ" ὥστε τὸν εἰρηνικὸν ἄνδρα ἐν τῷ κατεστάλθαι τὰ ἤθη χαρακτηρίζεσθαι· τὸν δὲ πολεμούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν μήπω τῆς ἀπὸ Θεοῦ εἰρήνης μετεσχηκέναι, ἣν ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκε τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς, ἥτις, ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν, φρουρήσει τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀξίων. Ταύτην καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ἐπεύχεται ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις, λέγων " Χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη. Γένοιτο οὖν ἡμῖν καλῶς ἀγωνισαμένοις, καὶ τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς καταστρεψαμένοις, ὅ ἐστιν ἔχθρα εἰς Θεὸν, ἐν γαληνιώσει καὶ ἀχύβονι καταστάσει τῆς ψυχῆς γενομένης, εἰρήνης ἡμᾶς υἱοὺς χρηματίζειν, καὶ τῆς εὐλογίας τοῦ Θεοῦ μετασχεῖν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. ### English translation (Claude) … power, then he is called the son of unicorns. For the unicorn, as we have learned in Job, is an animal of invincible strength, not subject to men. “You will not bind him,” it says, “with a strap, nor will he lie down at a manger.” And much is said in that part of the prophecy about the animal's being free and not yielding to men. And it has been observed that Scripture uses the image of the unicorn in both ways, sometimes in praise, at other times in blame. For “Deliver my soul from the sword,” it says, “and my lowliness from the horns of unicorns.” He says this in blame of the warlike people who rose up against him at the time of his passion. And again, “My horn shall be exalted like that of a unicorn.” … It seems, then, that because of the animal's readiness to fight back, it is often taken as an image of the worse, but because of its lofty horn and its freedom it is drawn to an image of the better. And in general, since one can find “horn” often taken by Scripture for glory, as in “He will exalt the horn of his people,” and “His horn shall be exalted in glory”; and since “horn” is often taken for power, as in “My protector and the horn of my salvation”; and Christ is the power of God: for this reason, as having one horn, that is, having one power, that of the Father, he has been called a unicorn. [6] “The voice of the Lord who cuts through the flame of fire.” According to the history too, the flame of fire was cut through in the case of the three youths in Babylon, when the furnace poured out forty-nine cubits and set on fire all those around; but, cut through by the command of God, it received a wind within itself, a most pleasant breath and refreshment, as in the shade of some trees, providing the youths with a peaceful condition. “For it became,” it says, “like a whistling wind of dew.” And it is much more wonderful for the nature of fire to be cut through than for the Red Sea to be divided into parts. Yet the voice of the Lord cuts through even the continuity and unity of fire by nature. And though fire seems to human thought to be uncuttable and indivisible, yet … I think that the fire prepared for the punishment of the devil and his angels is cut through by the voice of the Lord, so that, since there are two powers in fire, the burning and the illuminating, the sharp and punishing part of the fire may remain for those who deserve burning, while its illuminating and bright part may be allotted to the brightness of those who rejoice. “The voice of the Lord,” then, “cuts through the flame of fire” and divides it, so that the fire of punishment is without light, while the light of rest remains without burning. “The voice of the Lord who shakes the desert.” The shaking is arranged by the Lord for the desert's benefit, so that, changing from being a desert, it may become an inhabited land, and, putting off the reproach of childlessness, it may receive the praise of many children (“For many are the children of the desolate, more than of her who has a husband”), and, filled with the waters of the Spirit, the former desert may become pools of water. “And the Lord will shake the desert of Kadesh.” The Lord does not shake every desert, but that of Kadesh, that is, of sanctification, for Kadesh is interpreted “sanctification.” “The voice of the Lord preparing the deer.” What is said about the preparing of the deer, which the voice of the Lord works, must be explained with equal care as what went before …. Since, then, the deer has been made such as to be superior to harm from reptiles, and indeed, as those who have observed such things say, the viper is a purgative food for it, and all venomous creatures are taken as an image of the evil and opposing powers (the Lord saying, “I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy,” and the psalm again promising the prophet, “You shall tread on the asp and the basilisk”), it is necessary, when we hear the name of the deer in Scripture, to draw the word toward the better image. For “The high mountains are for the deer,” and, “As the deer longs for the springs of water.” Since, then, every just man too has his dwelling in high places, “pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call,” and runs up to the drinkable springs, seeking out the first principles of theology. The deer also draws out by the breath of its mouth the venomous creatures lurking in their holes, and brings them out of their hiding places by the force of its breath. As, then, the saint is called an eagle because he travels on high and is lifted far above the earth, and a sheep because he is gentle and shares what he has, and a ram because he leads, and a dove because he is guileless, so too a deer because of his opposition to evil things. That is why Solomon too says, “Let the deer of friendship and the colt of your graces keep company with you,” teaching us that the deer we spoke of are suited to teaching theology. [7] “The voice of the Lord preparing the deer.” When, then, we see some man of God perfect and fully prepared, let us seek the benefit of his company. For where there is the presence of a deer, all the wickedness of reptiles is put to flight. For venomous creatures cannot bear the smell of the animal; they withdraw even when its horns are burned as incense. “And he will uncover the thickets.” First the voice of the Lord prepares the deer; then it uncovers the thickets, places overgrown and dense with wild and fruitless wood, to which venomous creatures naturally flee most of all. Since, then, the just man has already been perfected by the [preparing] from …, being made like [the deer], he uncovers the thickets, so that those who corrupt our life may be handed over bare and ready. And since “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down by the axe and thrown into the fire,” the thickets are necessarily cleared away: the woody souls, in which, like wild beasts, the varied passions of sins lurk, by the word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword. And since many people, burdened with the cares of life, have their souls like thorn-bearing ground and do not let them be nourished to bear the fruit of the word, the Lord uncovers the thickets, that is, the unsightliness, unseemliness and harm of the cares of this life, so that, the place of good and of evil having been made clear, people may not through ignorance have their judgments about things reversed. For many think good things evil when they are toilsome, and pursue evil things as good because of the pleasure attached to them; and untold is the error among men about such things. To the nature of good things belong fruit-bearing trees and all cedars, which are also called on to praise; to evil things belong the thickets, which the voice of God uncovers and makes manifest, so that those who think they will find some useful fruit in them may not be deceived. “And in his temple everyone speaks glory.” Let those who give themselves to long chatter hear the words of the psalm and be ashamed. What does the psalm say? The one who has come into the temple of God does not utter slander, nor vanity, nor words full of shameful things; but “in his temple everyone speaks glory.” The holy angels stand there who write down the words; the Lord is present, observing the dispositions of those who enter. The prayer of each is manifest to God: who seeks the heavenly things from the heart and with understanding, who utters the words perfunctorily with the tips of his lips while his heart is far from God. Even when he prays, he seeks health of the flesh, bodily wealth and human glory. But none of these is needed, as the word teaches; rather, “in his temple everyone speaks glory.” “The heavens declare the glory of God.” It is the work of angels to glorify God. For the whole army of heaven this one work is theirs: to send up glory to the Creator. All creation, both the silent and the speaking, both that above the world and that on earth, glorifies the Creator. But wretched men, leaving their houses and running to the temple, as though to benefit themselves, do not lend their ears to the words of God, take no awareness of their own nature, are not grieved at having been overtaken by sin; they are not grieved when they come to remember their sins, they do not tremble at the judgment; but smiling and shaking hands with one another, they make the house of prayer a place for long chatter, not heeding the psalm that solemnly testifies and says, “In the temple of God everyone speaks glory.” But you not only do not speak it, you even become a hindrance to another, turning him toward yourself and drowning out the teaching of the Spirit with your own noise. Take care that you do not go away, instead of receiving a reward for giving glory, condemned along with those who blaspheme the name of God. [You have a psalm], you have prophecy, Gospel commandments, the preaching of the apostles. Let the tongue sing; let the mind search out the meaning of what is said, so that you may sing with the spirit and sing also with the mind. … [that you may be worthy] of being glorified. For “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Sow glorification, so that you may reap crowns and honors and praises in the kingdom of heaven. These things have not been said uselessly as a digression on “In his temple everyone speaks glory,” because of those who chatter unceasingly in the temple of God and enter without profit. Would that … [8] … [the flood washing away] what lies beneath and cleansing all that was defiled before. He calls the grace of baptism, then, a flood, so that the soul that has washed away its sins and cleansed itself of the old man is thereafter fit to be a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. And what is said in the thirty-first psalm agrees with this. For after saying, “I made my iniquity known and did not cover my sin,” and “For this every holy one will pray to you,” he added, “Yet in the flood of many waters they will not come near him.” For sins will not come near one who has received the baptism of the forgiveness of trespasses through water and the Spirit. And akin to this is what is found in the prophecy of Micah: “For he delights in mercy; he will turn and have mercy on us; he will sink our sins, and they will be cast into the depths of the [sea]” … forever. Seated in the soul that shines after the flood, God makes it, as it were, a throne for himself. “The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” From the sinful people the Lord takes away the strong man and the strong woman, but to the one who does justice he gives strength. For “to everyone who has will more be given.” And having been strengthened for the working of good works, he becomes worthy of the blessing from God. Peace seems to be the most perfect of blessings, being a kind of steadiness of the governing part; so that the peaceful man is marked by the calming of his character, while the one at war with the passions has not yet shared in the peace from God, which the Lord gave to his own disciples, which, surpassing all understanding, will guard the souls of the worthy. This too the Apostle prays for the churches, saying, “Grace to you, and peace be multiplied.” May it be granted, then, to us who have contended well and overthrown the mind of the flesh, which is enmity toward God, when the soul has come into a calm and untroubled state, to be called sons of peace and to share in the blessing of God in peace, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory and the power now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Ps 29:6 (28:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Job 39:10: quotation, high confidence - Ps 22:21 (21:22 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 92:10 (91:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 148:14: quotation, high confidence - Ps 112:9 (111:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 18:2 (17:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:24: allusion, high confidence - Ps 29:7 (28:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Dan 3:19: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 25:41: allusion, high confidence - Ps 29:8 (28:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 54:1: quotation, high confidence - Isa 35:7: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 29:9 (28:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Luke 10:19: quotation, high confidence - Ps 91:13 (90:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 104:18 (103:18 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 42:1 (41:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:14: quotation, high confidence - Prov 5:19: quotation, high confidence - Matt 3:10: quotation, high confidence - Heb 4:12: quotation, high confidence - Mark 4:19: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 29:13: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 19:1 (18:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 14:15: allusion, high confidence - Gal 6:7: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:22: allusion, high confidence - Ps 32:5 (31:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 32:6 (31:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Mic 7:18: quotation, high confidence - Mic 7:19: quotation, high confidence - Ps 29:10 (28:10 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Ps 29:11 (28:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 3:1: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 25:29: quotation, high confidence - John 14:27: allusion, high confidence - Phil 4:7: allusion, high confidence - 1 Pet 1:2: quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:7: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Pr Azar 3:50 (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This section continues the sentence that ends 28.2. Quotations: Ps 29:6–11 (LXX 28:6–11); Job 39:10, 9; Ps 22:20–21 (LXX 21:21–22); Ps 92:10 (LXX 91:11); Ps 148:14; Ps 112:9 (LXX 111:9); Ps 18:2 (LXX 17:3); 1 Cor 1:24; Dan 3:47–50 LXX (the Song of the Three, “a whistling wind of dew”, outside the Hebrew; extrabiblical); Isa 54:1 (Gal 4:27); Luke 10:19; Ps 91:13 (LXX 90:13); Ps 104:18 (LXX 103:18); Ps 42:1 (LXX 41:2); Phil 3:14; Prov 5:19 LXX; Matt 3:10; Heb 4:12; Ps 19:1 (LXX 18:2); 1 Cor 14:15; Gal 6:7; Ps 32:5–6 (LXX 31:5–6); Mic 7:18–19; Matt 25:29; 1 Pet 1:2. Allusions: Matt 25:41; Isa 35:6–7; Isa 3:1 LXX; John 14:27; Phil 4:7; Rom 8:7; Eph 2:22; Mark 4:19; Isa 29:13. Basil reads the “one horn” of the unicorn as the one power of Father and Son. Lost lines (the scan has Migne's Latin and notes in their place) are marked “…”: after “like that of a unicorn” (Basil's application of the verse to Christ), after “yet” in the account of fire, after “what went before”, after “perfected by the [preparing] from”, after “sing also with the mind”, after “Would that” (where Basil passes to Ps 29:10, “The Lord dwells in the flood”), and in the Micah quotation; bracketed words are supplied by sense. The markers [6], [7] and [8] show where Migne's sections 6–8 begin; this section begins inside his section 5. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 28.5 (PG 29:402; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/28-5/#p-28-5). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.0 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-0 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The title of Psalm 29 (30) on which the homily is preached. ### Greek text Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς τοῦ ἐγκαινισμοῦ τοῦ οἴκου ### English translation (Claude) “A psalm of a song, of the dedication of the house.” ### Scripture references - Ps 30:1 (29:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Ps 30, title (LXX 29:1). The title is badly garbled in the scan and is restored from the visible letters, which match the Septuagint title “A psalm of a song, of the dedication of the house of David”; the last words are not legible. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.0 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-0). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-1 - Source: PG 29:508 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil distinguishes “psalm” (action) from “song” (contemplation), reads the “dedication of the house” of Christ's incarnation and of the Church's renewal, and asks how man can “exalt” God. ### Greek text ψαλτήριον μὲν τροπικῶς, καὶ ὄργανον ἡρμοσμένον μουσικῶς εἰς ὕμνους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ἡ τοῦ σώματός ἐστι κατασκευή " ψαλμὸς δὲ αἱ διὰ τοῦ σώματος πράξεις, αἱ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ἀποδιδόμεναι, ὅταν ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου ἡρμοσμένον μηδὲν ἐχμελὲς ἀποτελῶμὲν ἐν τοῖς κινήμασιν. Ὡδὴ δέ ἐστιν, ὅσα θεωρίας ἔχεται ὑψηλῆς καὶ θεολογίας. Ὥστε ὁ ψαλμὸς λόγος ἐστὶ μουσικὸς, ὅταν εὐρύθμως κατὰ τοὺς ἀρμονιχοὺς λόγους πρὸς τὸ ὄργανον κρούηται· ᾠδὴ δὲ φωνὴ ἐμμελὴς ἀποδιδομένη ἐναρμονίως, χωρὶς τῆς συνηχήσεως τοῦ ὀργάνου. Ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ ἐπιγέγραπται, Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς, ἡγούμεθα τὴν ἀκόλουθον πρᾶξιν τῇ θεωρίᾳ τὸν λόγον αἰνίσσεσθαι. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ ψαλμὸς τῆς ᾠδῆς, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν, τοῦ ἐγκαινισμοῦ τοῦ οἴκου περιέχει τινὰς λόγους. Καὶ ἔοικε κατὰ μὲν τὸ σωματικὸν, ἐπὶ τῶν χρόνων τοῦ … ὁ λόγος διεξοδεύεσθαι, πρὸς τὸ ψαλτήριον μελῳδούμενος κατὰ δὲ τὸ νοητὸν, τὴν ἐνσωμάτωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου σημαίνειν, καὶ τὸν ἐγκαινισμὸν τοῦ καινῶς καὶ παραδόξως αὐτοῦ κατασκευασθέντος οἴκου, … ψαλμῷ τούτῳ ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπαγγελλόμενα. Ἢ τάχα οἶκον νοῆσαι προσήκει τὴν οἰκοδομουμένην ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν καθὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐν τῇ πρὸς Τιμόθεον Ἐπιστολῇ γράφει" Ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἧτις ἐστὶν Ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος. Ἐγκαινισμὸν δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὑποληπτέον τὴν ἀνακαίνωσιν τοῦ νοὸς, τὴν διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος γινομένην τοῖς καθ᾽ ἕνα τῶν συμπληρούντων τὸ σῶμα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. "Ἔστι δὲ ἡ θεία καὶ μουσικὴ ἀρμονία, οὐ περιέχουσά τινας λόγους ἀκοὴν εὐφραίνοντας, ἀλλὰ καταστέλλοντας καὶ καταπραΰνοντας τὰ ἐνοχλοῦντα πονηρὰ πνεύματα ταῖς εὐεπηρεάστοις ψυχαῖς. ᾿Υψώσω σε, Κύριε, ὅτι ὑπέλαβές με, καὶ οὐκ εὔφρανας τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου ἐπ' ἐμέ. Πῶς ὃ ἐν τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν ὑψοῦται ὑπὸ τῶν τὴν ταπεινὴν χώραν λαχόντων; εἰ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω, καὶ σὺ ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω, τίνι ἂν τρόπῳ τὸν Θεὸν ὑψώσειας; Τί οὖν βούλεται τῷ προφήτῃ ἡ ἐπαγγελία; ἣ μήποτε ὑψοῦσθαι λέγεται ὑπὸ τῶν μεγάλα καὶ θεοπρεπῇ νοεῖν περὶ αὑτοῦ δυναμένων, καὶ ἐν τῷ βιοῦν εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ; Ὁ μὲν οὖν σπεύδων μετ᾽ ἐπιστήμης ἐπὶ τὴν μακαριότητα ὑψοῖ τὸν Θεόν" ὁ δὲ τὴν ἐναντίαν τρεπόμενος, ὃ μηδὲ θέμις εἰπεῖν, τὸ ὅσον ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ τὸν Θεὸν ταπεινοῖ. ### English translation (Claude) Figuratively, the psaltery, an instrument tuned musically for hymns to our God, is the structure of the body; and the psalm is the actions done through the body that are rendered to the glory of God, when, tuned by reason, we do nothing discordant in our movements. And a song is whatever belongs to lofty contemplation and theology. So the psalm is a musical utterance when it is struck rhythmically on the instrument according to the principles of harmony, while a song is a melodious voice rendered harmoniously without the accompaniment of the instrument. Here, then, since the title is “A psalm of a song,” we take it that the word hints at action following upon contemplation. This psalm of a song, according to the title, contains certain words about the dedication of the house. And according to the bodily sense, the word seems to be set forth about the times of …, sung to the psaltery; but according to the spiritual sense, it signifies the incarnation of God the Word, and the dedication of the house that was built for him in a new and wonderful way, … the things declared in this psalm in the person of the Lord. Or perhaps we should understand the house as the Church built by Christ, as Paul too writes in the letter to Timothy: “So that you may know how one ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God.” And the dedication of the Church must be taken to be the renewal of the mind which comes about through the Holy Spirit in each of those who make up the body of the Church of Christ. The divine and musical harmony does not contain words that delight the ear, but words that calm and soothe the evil spirits that trouble souls easily assailed. “I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have upheld me, and have not made my enemies rejoice over me.” How is he who dwells on high exalted by those who have received the lowly region as their lot? For if God is in heaven above and you on earth below, in what way could you exalt God? What, then, does the prophet's promise mean? Is it perhaps that he is said to be exalted by those who are able to think great things worthy of God about him, and by living to the glory of God? The one, then, who hastens with understanding toward blessedness exalts God; but the one who turns the opposite way (what it is not even right to say) humbles God, as far as lies in him. ### Scripture references - Ps 30:1 (29:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 3:15: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 30:1 (LXX 29:2); 1 Tim 3:15. Lines are lost in the scan and marked “…”: after “the times of” (probably a historical figure, perhaps Solomon or David) and after “in a new and wonderful way” (where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.1 (PG 29:508; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-2 - Source: PG 29:508 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains that Scripture speaks of God sleeping, turning away or forgetting according to our own condition, and that God “upholds” us like a swimmer or a wrestler, so that afflictions do not give the enemy joy unless we give in, as Job did not. ### Greek text Καὶ πᾶσαν δὲ ἁρμόζουσαν τοῖς πράγμασιν ἡμῶν κατάστασιν οἱονεὶ περιτίθεμεν τῷ θεῷ. Διὰ τοῦτο, νυσταζόντων ἡμῶν καὶ νωθρῶς ἐνεργούντων, ὑπνοῦν λέγεται ὁ Θεὸς, ἀναξίους ἡμᾶς κρίνων τῆς ἐπισκοπούσης ἡμᾶς ἐγρηγόρσεως αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὰν δέ ποτε αἰσθόμενοι τῆς ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου βλάβης εἴπωμεν᾽ Ἀνάστηθι, ἵνα τί ὑπνοῖς, Κύριε; Οὐ νυστάξει, οὐδὲ ὑπνώσει τότε ὁ φυλάσσων τὸν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἄλλοι τινὲς οἱονεὶ ἀποστρέφουσι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ, διὰ τὸ αἰσχρὸν ὧν ποιοῦσι καὶ ἀνάξιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ " οἱ μεταμεληθέντες λέγουσιν " Ἵνα τί τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀποστρέφεις; Καὶ ἄλλοι παρὰ τούτους εἰσὶν οἱ ἐκβληθέντες τῆς μνήμης τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οἱονεὶ λήθην αὐτῷ ἐμποιοῦντες ἑαυτῶν - οἵτινες λέγουσιν, ὅτι ἐπιλανθάνῃ τῆς πτωχείας ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν. Καὶ ἀπαξαπλῶς, τὰ ἀνθρωποπαθῶς λεγόμενα περὶ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι ἐργάζονται, τοιοῦτον ἑαυτοῖς ποιοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν, οἷον αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἔκαστος προευτρεπίζει, Ὑψώσω σε οὖν, Κύριε, ὅτι ὑπέλαβές με, καὶ οὐχ εὔφρανας τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου ἐπ' ἐμὲ, μηδὲν ταπεινὸν μηδὲ χαμαίζηλον ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου μου φέρων. Καὶ πόθεν μοι ἢ τοῦ ὑψοῦν ἐνυπάρχει δύναμις; Ἐπειδὴ σύ με προλαβὼν ὑπέλαβες, Ἐμφαντικῶς εἴρηκε τὸ, Ὑπέλαβες, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἐμετεώρισάς με, καὶ ἀνώτερον τῶν κατεπανισταμένων με ἐποίησας. Οἰονεὶ παῖδά τινα ἀπείρως ἔχοντα πρὸς τὸ νήχεσθαι, τῇ χειρί τις ὑπολαβὼν, μετεωρότερον ἄγοι τοῦ ὕδατος. Ὁ οὖν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείας ἀνανεύσας ἀπὸ τοῦ πτώματος, οὗτος ὑπὸ εὐγνωμοσύνης διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ὕψωσιν ἐπαγγέλλεται τῷ Θεῷ. Ἢ ὥσπερ τινὰ παλαιστὴν ἀσθενοῦντα ὑποστηρίξας τις ἀπὸ τοῦ τοῦ συμπαλαίοντος, τῷ μὲν τῆς νίκης παρέσχε τὴν ἀφορμὴν, τοῦ δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ πτώματι αὐτοῦ εὐφροσύνην ἀφείλετο, Οὐχὶ δὲ αἱ θλίψεις, αἱ δοκιμασίας ἕνεκεν προσαγόμεναι τοῖς ἁγίοις, εὐφροσύνην τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἡμῶν τοῖς ἀοράτοις προξενοῦσιν " ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν ἡμῶν οἱ λογισμοὶ, ἀπειρηκότων ἡ μῶν πρὸς τὸ πυκνὸν τῶν κακώσεων, τότε εὐφραίνονται καὶ κροτοῦσι καὶ ἐπιχαίρουσιν. Οἷον ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ. Ἀπολωλέκει τὴν κτῆσιν τέκνων ἐστέρητο᾽ ἰχῶρας αὑτῷ καὶ σκώληκας ἡ σὰρξ ἀπέζεσεν οὔπω τοῦτο εὐφροσύνη τῷ ἀντιπάλῳ. Εἰ δὲ ἐνδοὺς πρὸς τὰ ἐπίπονα εἰρήκει δύσφημον ῥῆμα κατὰ τὴν συμβουλὴν τῆς γυναικὸς, τότε ἂν εὐφράνθησαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ. Τοῦτο … καὶ ἐπὶ Παύλῳ πεινῶντι, καὶ διψῶντι, καὶ γυμνητεύοντι, καὶ κολαφιζομένῳ, καὶ κοπιῶντι, καὶ ἀστατοῦντι᾽ οὐχ εὐφραίνετο ὁ ἐχθρός " τὸ ἐναντίον μὲν οὖν, συνετρίβετο βλέπων οὕτω τὰ ἀγωνίσματα φέροντα, ὥστε λέγειν αὐτὸν καταφρονητικῶς" Τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐκέκραξα πρὸς σὲ, καὶ ἰάσω με. Μακάριος ὁ τὴν ἐν τῷ βάθει πληγὴν ἑαυτοῦ γνωρίζων, ὥστε δύνασθαι τῷ ἰατρῷ προσιέναι καὶ λέγειν" Ἴασαί με, Κύριε, ὅτε ἐταράχθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου" καὶ, ᾿Εγὼ εἶπα, Κύριε, ἐλέησόν με, ἴασαι τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι ἥμαρτόν σοι. Ἕνταῦθα μέντοι εὐχαριστία ἐστὶν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐπαχθείσης αὐτῷ ἰατρείας" Κύριε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ Θεός μου. Οὐ πάντων θεὸς ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ τῶν οἰκειωθέντων αὐτῷ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης. Θεὸς γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Εἰ δὲ πάντων ἦν Θεὸς, οὐχ ἂν ἐκείνοις ὡς ἐξαίρετον τοῦτο προσεμαρτυρεῖτο. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Ἰακὼβ· Ἐβοήθησέ σοι ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐμός. Καὶ Θωμᾶς μετὰ τὴν πληροφορίαν κατασπαζόμενος τὸν Δεσπότην, Ὁ Κύριός μου, φησὶ, καὶ ὁ Θεός μου. Ἐνδιάθετος οὖν ἡ φωνὴ ἡ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ### English translation (Claude) And we, as it were, clothe God with every state that fits our own affairs. That is why, when we are drowsy and act sluggishly, God is said to sleep, judging us unworthy of his watchful care over us. But when, perceiving the harm of the sleep, we say, “Arise; why do you sleep, O Lord?”, then “he who keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.” And others, as it were, turn away God's eyes because of the shamefulness of what they do, unworthy of God's eyes; when they repent they say, “Why do you turn your face away?” And others besides these are cast out of God's memory and, as it were, make him forget them; they say, “You forget our poverty and our affliction.” And in a word, what is said of God in human terms [shows that] men make God for themselves the sort of being each prepares himself to be. “I will exalt you,” then, “O Lord, for you have upheld me, and have not made my enemies rejoice over me,” bringing nothing low or groveling into my life. And from where do I have the power to exalt? Because you went before me and upheld me. He has said “you have upheld” expressively, meaning “you have lifted me up and made me higher than those rising against me.” It is as if someone took a child who did not know how to swim with his hand and held him up above the water. The one, then, who by God's help has recovered from his fall promises out of gratitude to exalt God through good works. Or it is as if someone propped up a weak wrestler against his opponent: he gave the one the occasion of victory and took from the other his joy at his fall. Afflictions, brought on the saints for the sake of testing, do not provide joy for our invisible enemies; but when our thoughts [give way], when we have grown weary under the frequency of our hardships, then they rejoice and clap and gloat. As with Job: he had lost his possessions, he had been deprived of his children; his flesh boiled with discharges and worms; this was not yet joy for the adversary. But if he had given in to his sufferings and spoken a blasphemous word according to his wife's advice, then his enemies would have rejoiced over him. … And in the case of Paul, hungry and thirsty and naked and beaten and toiling and homeless, the enemy did not rejoice; on the contrary, he was crushed seeing him bear his contests so well that he said disdainfully, “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” [3] “O Lord my God, I cried to you, and you healed me.” Blessed is the one who recognizes his own deep wound, so as to be able to come to the physician and say, “Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled,” and, “I said, O Lord, have mercy on me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.” Here, however, there is thanksgiving for the healing brought to him. For he says, “O Lord my God.” God is not the God of all, but of those who have been made his own through love. For he is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. If he were the God of all, this would not have been attested to them as something special. And again Jacob: “My God has helped you.” And Thomas, after being fully assured, embracing the Master, says, “My Lord and my God.” The cry, then, “O Lord my God,” comes from the heart. ### Scripture references - Ps 44:23 (43:24 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 121:4 (120:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 44:24 (43:25 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:1 (29:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Job 2:7: allusion, high confidence - Job 2:9: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:27: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:11: allusion, high confidence - Rom 8:35: quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:2 (29:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 6:2 (6:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 41:4 (40:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 3:6: quotation, high confidence - Gen 49:25: quotation, high confidence - John 20:28: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 44:23 (LXX 43:24); Ps 121:4 (LXX 120:4); Ps 44:24 (LXX 43:25); Ps 30:1 (LXX 29:2). Allusion: Job 1–2. Migne's notes and Latin are interleaved in the middle of the section in the scan and are removed by logged corrections; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. The sentence continues in 29.4. - This section continues the sentence ending 29.2. Quotations: Rom 8:35; Ps 30:2 (LXX 29:3); Ps 6:2 (LXX 6:3); Ps 41:4 (LXX 40:5); Exod 3:6; Gen 49:25; John 20:28. Allusions: Job 2:9–10; 2 Cor 11:27; 1 Cor 4:11. A line is lost after the first sentence (marked “…”). The marker [3] shows where Migne's section 3 begins. The section ends with the verse whose second half begins 29.5. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.2 (PG 29:508; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-3 - Source: PG 29:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 30:2–4 Basil teaches that God answers at once, that the soul is raised from Hades and the pit of sin by Christ, and that only the holy truly sing psalms. ### Greek text … πρὸς σὲ, καὶ ἰάσω με. Οὐδὲν ἐγένετο μέσον τῆς ἐμῆς φωνῆς καὶ τῆς σῆς χάριτος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοῦ τε ἐκέκραξα, καὶ προσῆλθεν ἡ ἴασις. Ἔτι γὰρ λαλοῦντός σου, φησὶν, ἐρῶ" Ἰδοὺ πάρειμι. Μεγάλα οὖν δεῖ, φθέγγεσθαι εὐχόμενον τῷ Θεῷ, ἵνα ταχεῖα ἡμῖν ἐπανατείλῃ ἡ ἴασις. Κύριε, ἀνήγαγες ἐξ ἄδου τὴν ψυχήν μου. Περὶ ταύτης τῆς ἰάσεως εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ Θεῷ ὁ κατελθὼν μὲν ἐξ ἀσθενείας εἰς ἄδην, ἀναχθεὶς δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ ᾅδου διὰ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν καταπαλαίσαντος τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου. "Ἔσωσάς με ἀπὸ τῶν καταβαινόντων εἷς λάκκον. Πολλαχοῦ μὲν οἱ λάκκοι ὀνομάζονται τὰ ὑπόγεια Οὕτω γὰρ εἴρηται ἐν τῇ ᾿Ἐξόδῳ᾽ ᾿Απὸ πρωτοτόκου Φαραὼ ἕως πρωτοτόκου τῆς αἰχμαλωτίδος τῆς ἐν τῷ λάκκῳ. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τὸν Ἱερεμίαν εἰς λάκκον ἐνέβαλον· καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ὑπὸ τοῦ φθόνου οἱ ἀδελφοὶ λάκκῳ ἐναπέκλεισαν ὕδωρ μὴ ἔχοντι. Ἑκάστη οὖν πρᾶξις ἣ ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω ἡμᾶς κατάγει, βαρύνουσα ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἣ ἐπὶ τὰ ἄνω κουφίζει, πτεροῦσα ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Ἔσωσας οὖν ἐμὲ πρότερον ὄντα ἐν βίῳ πονηρῷ, χωρίσας ἀπὸ τῶν κατα… . Τοῦτο οὖν ἐστι τὸ, Ὑπέλαβές με" τουτέστιν, Ἐπανήγαγές με ἀπὸ τῆς εἰς τὸ κάτω φορᾶς, ὡς μὴ δοῦναι καιρὸν ἐπευφρανθῆναί μοι τοὺς ἐχθρούς. Ὃ οὖν ἀλλαχοῦ εἴρηκεν, ὅτι Καταρτιζόμενος τοὺς πόδας μου ὡσεὶ ἐλάφου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἱστῶν με· τὴν εἰς τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἐπάνοδον λάκκου ἀπαλλαγὴν καὶ ὑπόληψιν ὀνομάζει. Ψάλατε τῷ Κυρίῳ, οἱ ὅσιοι αὑτοῦ. Οὐχ εἴ τις τῷ στόματι προφέρει τὰ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ῥήματα, οὗτος ψάλλει τῷ Κυρίῳ " ἀλλ᾽ ὅσοι ἀπὸ καρδίας καθαρᾶς ἀναπέμπουσι τὰς ψαλμῳδίας, καὶ ὅσοι εἰσὶν ὅσιοι, σώζοντες τὴν πρὸς θεὸν δικαιοσύνην, οὗτοι δύνανται ψάλλειν τῷ Θεῷ τοῖς ῥυθμοῖς … . Πόσοι ἀπὸ πορνείας ἑστᾶσιν ἐνταῦθα, πόσοι ἀπὸ κλοπῆς, πόσοι δόλον, πόσοι ψευδολογίαν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις κρύπτοντες ! Ψάλλειν οἴονται, τῇ ἀληθεία μὴ ψάλλοντες. Ὅσιον γὰρ καλεῖ πρὸς ψαλμολογίαν ὁ λόγος. Οὐ δύναται δένδρον πονηρὸν καρποὺς ἀγαθοὺς ποιεῖν, οὐδὲ καρδία πονηρὰ ῥήματα ζωῆς ἐκβάλλειν. Ποιήσατε οὖν τὸ δένδρον καλὸν, καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτοῦ καλούς. Καθάρατε τὰς καρδίας, ἵνα καρποφορῆτε τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ δυνηθῆτε, ὅσιοι γενόμενοι, ψάλλειν συνετῶς τῷ Κυρίῳ. ### English translation (Claude) “… to you, and you healed me.” Nothing came between my voice and your grace, but as soon as I cried out, the healing came. “For while you are still speaking,” he says, “I will say: Here I am.” So one must utter great things when praying to God, so that healing may dawn for us quickly. “O Lord, you brought up my soul from Hades.” For this healing gives thanks to God the one who went down into Hades from weakness, but was brought up from Hades by the power of him who for our sake wrestled down the one who has the power of death. “You saved me from those who go down into the pit.” In many places pits are the name for underground [places]. So it is said in Exodus, “From the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the captive woman in the pit.” And they threw Jeremiah into a pit; and his brothers, out of envy, shut Joseph up in a pit that had no water. Each action, then, either brings us down below, weighing us down through sin, or lightens us upward, giving us wings toward God. “You saved me,” then, when I was formerly in an evil life, separating me from those who go down …. This, then, is “you have upheld me”: that is, “you brought me back from the downward course, so as not to give my enemies occasion to rejoice over me.” What he has said elsewhere, “Who makes my feet like a deer's and sets me on the heights,” calls the return to the heights deliverance from the pit and being upheld. “Sing to the Lord, you his holy ones.” It is not whoever utters the words of the psalm with his mouth who sings to the Lord; but those who send up their psalmody from a pure heart, and those who are holy, preserving righteousness toward God, these are able to sing to God in rhythm … . How many stand here from fornication, how many from theft! How many hide deceit, how many falsehood in their hearts! They think they are singing, though in truth they are not singing. For the word calls the holy one to psalmody. A bad tree cannot bear good fruit, nor an evil heart bring forth words of life. Make the tree good, then, and its fruit good. Cleanse your hearts, so that you may bear fruit in the spirit and, having become holy, be able to sing to the Lord with understanding. ### Scripture references - Ps 30:2 (29:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 58:9: quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:3 (29:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:14: allusion, high confidence - Exod 12:29: quotation, high confidence - Jer 38:6 (45:6 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Gen 37:24: allusion, high confidence - Ps 18:33 (17:34 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:4 (29:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 12:33: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 14:15: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The first words of the section in the scan are Migne's Latin and notes; the verse's opening word (“I cried”) is lost (“…”). Quotations: Ps 30:2–4 (LXX 29:3–5); Isa 58:9; Exod 12:29; Ps 18:33 (LXX 17:34); Matt 7:18; Matt 12:33. Allusions: Heb 2:14; Jer 38:6 (LXX 45:6); Gen 37:24; 1 Cor 14:15. Lines are lost and marked “…” after “those who go down” and after “in rhythm” (Basil's phrase “to the rhythms of the spirit”); the last lines in the scan are Migne's variant readings and are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.3 (PG 29:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-3). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-4 - Source: PG 29:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 30:4–7: “confession” here means thanksgiving; God's “wrath” is his judgment and “anger” its execution, as a physician decides and then cuts; God wills life for all; weeping in the evening and joy in the morning point to the passion and resurrection; and he begins on “strength to my beauty” by citing the philosophers' account of virtue. ### Greek text Καὶ ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῇ μγήμῃ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης αὐτοῦ. Οὐχ εἴπεν, Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῇ ἀγιωσύνῃ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ, Τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης αὐτοῦ· τουτέστιν, Εὐχαριστεῖτε. Ἢ γὰρ ἐξομολόγησις ἐνταῦθα ἀντὶ εὐχαριστίας λαμβάνεται. Εὐχαριστεῖτε οὖν, ὅτι ἐν μνήμῃ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης αὐτοῦ ἐγένεσθε" οἱ πρότερον, διὰ τὸ ἐμβαθύνειν τῇ κακίᾳ, καὶ ταῖς ἀκαθαρσίαις τῆς σαρκὸς ἐμμολύνεσθαι, εἰς λήθην ἤλθετε τῆς ἀγιωσύνης τοῦ ποιήσαντος ὑμᾶς. “Ὑπὲρ οὖν τοῦ ἐξιλασμοῦ τῶν ἡμαρτημένων, ἐξομολογεῖσθε περὶ τῶν οὐχ ὑγιῶς ὑμῖν προπεπραγμένων. Ὅτι ὀργὴ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ζωὴ ἐν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ. Πρότερον εἶπε τὸ σκυθρωπὸν, ὀργὴν ἐν τῷ θυμῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ’ εἶτα τὸ φαιδρότερον, τὴν ζωὴν ἐν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ. Δοκεῖ ταυτολογία εἶναι τοῖς μὴ δυναμένοις τῆς ἀκριβείας τῶν σημαινομένων ἐφάπτεσθαι, τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος ὀργὴν εἷναι ἐν τῷ θυμῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὄντος ὀργῆς καὶ θυμοῦ" πλεῖστον δὲ τὸ διάφορον. Θυμὸς μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἡ κρίσις τοῦ ἐπαχθῆναι τάδε τινὰ τὰ σκυθρωπὰ τῷ ἀξίῳ" ὀργὴ δὲ ὁ πόνος ἤδη, καὶ ἡ κόλασις ἣ ἀπὸ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τῆς ἀδικίας ἐπαγομένη. ᾿Απὸ παραδείγματος δὲ σαφέστερον ὃ λέγω γενήσεται. Σημειωσάμενος ὃ ἰατρὸς τὸ φλεγμαῖνον μέρος καὶ ὕπουλον, ἐγκρίνει τὴν τομὴν ἀναγκαίαν εἶναι τῷ κάμνοντι. Τοῦτο θυμὸν ὀνομάζει ἡ Γραφὴ. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ βοηθήματι κρίσιν τοῦ ἰατροῦ ἐπακολουθεῖ λοιπὸν ἡ ἐνέργεια εἰς ἔργον ἄγουσα τὰ κριθέντα, καὶ ὁ σίδηρος τέμνων καὶ ὀδύνην ἐμποιῶν τῷ διακοπτομένῳ. Τοῦτο ὀργὴ Θεοῦ ὠνόμασται. Ἐλθὲ τοίνυν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον, καὶ εὑρήσεις τὸ ἀκόλουθον τῆς ἐννοίας. Ὅτι ὀργὴ ἐν τῷ θυμῷ αὑτοῦ. Τιμωρία, κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον κρῖμα τοῦ Θεοῦ: Ζωὴ δὲ ἐν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ. Τί οὖν φησιν; Ὅτι ὃ μὲν θέλει ὁ Θεὸς, τοῦτό ἐστι, πάντας μετέχειν αὐτοῦ τῆς ζωῆς " τὰ δὲ περιστατικὰ, οὐχὶ τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ ἐνεργεῖται, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀξίᾳ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων ἐπάγεται. Τὴν μὲν οὖν ζωὴν ὁ θεὸς τῷ ἰδίῳ θελήματι ἑκάστῳ χαρίζεται, τὴν δὲ ὀργὴν αὑτὸς ἕκαστος ἑαυτῷ θησαυρίζει Ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ. Σύνηθες δὲ τῇ Γραφῇ προτάσσειν τὰ σκυθρωπὰ τῶν χρηστοτέρων " διότι ἡδίων ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, προκαθηγησαμένων αὐτῆς τῶν λυπούντων. ᾿Εγὼ γὰρ ἀποκτενῶ, φησὶ, καὶ ζῇν ποιήσω. Δευτέρα ἡ εὐεργεσία μετὰ τὴν κόλασιν. Πατάξω, κἀγὼ ἰάσομαι. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀλγεῖν ποιεῖ, καὶ πάλιν ἀποκαθίστησιν᾽" ἔπαισε, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἰάσαντο. Προλαμβάνει τὰ κακοῦντα, ἵνα μονιμώτεραι ἡμῖν αἱ χάριτες γένωνται, σφοδρῶς ἀντιποιηθέντων ἡμῶν τῆς φυλακῆς τῶν δοθέντων. Τὸ ἑσπέρας αὐλισθήσεται κλαυθμὸς, καὶ εἷς τὸ πρωὶ ἀγαλλίασις. Μνήσθητι τοῦ καιροῦ τοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἐν πάθος τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ εὑρήσεις τὰ σημαινόμενα. Ἑσπέρας γὰρ ηὐλίσθη κλαυθμὸς τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοῦ Κυρίου, ὅτι ἔβλεπον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ κρεμάμενον᾽ τὸ δὲ πρωὶ ἀγαλλίασις, ὅτι μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν διέτρεχον μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀλλήλοις διδόντες τὰ εὐαγγέλια τῆς ὁπτασίας τοῦ Κυρίου Ἢ τάχα καὶ καθολικῶς ἑσπέρα ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος λέγεται, ἐν ᾧ οἱ μακαρίως κλαύσαντες, τῆς πρωίας ἐπελθούσης, παρακληθήσονται. Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Μακάριοι οἱ κλαίοντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ γελάσουσιν Οἱ οὖν τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ ἤδη ὄντος, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἑαυτοῦ δυσμὰς ἀποκλίνοντος ἐν τῷ ἀποκλαίειν τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτίας διαγαγόντες, οὗτοι τῆς ἀληθινῆς ἐκείνης πρωίας ἐπελθούσης ἀγαλλιάσονται. Οἱ σπείροντες γὰρ ἐν δάκρυσι νῦν, ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει θεριοῦσι" δηλαδὴ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον. … σαλευθῶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. "Ὥσπερ πόλεώς ἔστιν εὖθηνία ἣ τῶν ὠνίων κατ᾽ ἀγορὰν ἀφθονία, καὶ χώραν εὐθηνεῖσθαι λέγομεν τὴν πολλοὺς εὐφορήσασαν τοὺς καρπούς᾽ οὕτω καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τίς ἐστιν εὐθηνία τῆς πεπληρωμένης παντοδαπῶν ἔργων " ἦν πρῶτον μὲν γεωργηθῆναι δεῖ φιλοπόνως, καὶ τότε ταῖς ἀφθόνοις τῶν οὐρανίων ὑδάτων ἐπιῤῥοίαις … θῆναι, ὥστε καρποφορῆσαι ἐν τριάκοντα, καὶ ἐν ἐξῆκοντα, καὶ ἐν ἑκάτὸν, καὶ τυχεῖν τῆς εὐλογίας τῆς λεγούσης " Εὐλογημέναι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου, καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου. Ὁ οὖν αἰσθανόμενος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ βεβαιότητος, πεποιθότως ἐρεῖ, καὶ ζομένου, ὡς ἀγρὸς πλήρης, ὃν εὐλόγησεν ὁ Κύριος" … τῷ κάλλει μου δύναμιν. Οἱ περὶ τὴν ἐξέτασιν τοῦ περὶ ἀρετῶν λόγου κατατριβέντες τὰς μὲν τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐκ θεωρημάτων ἔφασαν συνεστάναι, τὰς δὲ ἀθεωρήτους οἷον, φρόνησιν μὲν ἐκ θεωρημάτων συνεστάναι, ἐν τῷ περὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ κακῶν τόπῳ " σωφροσύνην δὲ ἐκ τοῦ περὶ τῶν αἱρετῶν καὶ φευκτῶν" δικαιοσύνην δὲ ἐκ τοῦ περὶ τῶν ἀπονεμητέων καὶ οὐχ ἀπονεμητέων᾽ καὶ ἀνδρείαν ἐκ τοῦ περὶ δεινῶν καὶ οὐ δεινῶν" κάλλος δὲ καὶ ἰσχὺν ἀθεωρήτους εἶναι τῷ περὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ κακῶν τόπῳ, ### English translation (Claude) “And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.” He did not say, “Give thanks to his holiness,” but “at the remembrance of his holiness,” that is, “Give thanks.” For confession here is taken for thanksgiving. Give thanks, then, that you have come into the remembrance of his holiness, you who formerly, by sinking deep into wickedness and being defiled with the uncleanness of the flesh, came to forget the holiness of him who made you. For the expiation of your sins, then, confess the things you did wrongly before. “For anger is in his wrath, and life in his will.” He first said the gloomy thing, anger in God's wrath; then the brighter, life in his will. It seems to be tautology to those who cannot grasp the exactness of the meanings, when the prophet says that anger is in God's wrath, as though anger and wrath were the same; but the difference is very great. For wrath is the judgment that certain painful things should be brought upon the one who deserves them; anger is the pain itself, the punishment brought by the just judge according to the measure of the injustice. What I mean will become clearer from an example. A physician, having noted the inflamed and festering part, judges that cutting is necessary for the patient. This Scripture calls wrath. After the physician's judgment about the remedy, there follows the action that puts what was decided into effect, and the iron that cuts and causes pain to the one being cut. This is called the anger of God. Come, then, to the passage before us, and you will find the sequence of the thought. “For anger is in his wrath”: punishment, according to the just judgment of God. “But life in his will.” What, then, does he say? That what God wills is that all should share in his life; but hardships are not worked by his will, but are brought upon sinners according to their deserts. Life, then, God freely gives each person by his own will; but anger each one stores up for himself “in the day of wrath and revelation and just judgment of God.” It is customary for Scripture to put the gloomy before the more pleasant, because enjoyment is sweeter when painful things have gone before it. “For I will kill,” it says, “and I will make alive.” The kindness comes second, after the punishment. “I will strike, and I will heal.” “For he causes pain, and restores again; he struck, and his hands healed.” He sends the hardships first, so that his gifts may remain more lasting with us, when we have clung earnestly to the keeping of what was given. “In the evening weeping shall lodge, and in the morning joy.” Remember the time of the Lord's passion, and you will find what is meant. For in the evening weeping lodged with the Lord's disciples, when they saw him hanging on the cross; but in the morning joy, when after the resurrection they ran about with gladness, giving one another the good news of the sight of the Lord. Or perhaps, more generally, this age is called evening, in which those who have wept blessedly will be comforted when the morning comes. “For blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” “Blessed are those who weep, for they shall laugh.” Those, then, who spend the days of this age, which is already at its consummation and declining toward its setting, in weeping for their own sins, will rejoice when that true morning comes. “For those who sow now in tears will reap in joy,” clearly with respect to the future. [5] “… [In my prosperity I said:] I shall not be moved forever.” As the prosperity of a city is the abundance of goods for sale in the marketplace, and we say a land prospers when it has borne much fruit, so too there is a prosperity of the soul filled with all kinds of works. It must first be farmed industriously, and then [watered] with abundant streams of the heavenly waters, so as to bear fruit thirty, sixty and a hundredfold, and to receive the blessing that says, “Blessed are your storehouses and what you leave over.” The one, then, who perceives his own steadfastness will say with confidence … like a full field, which the Lord has blessed. “[O Lord, in your will you gave] strength to my beauty.” Those who have spent their time examining the teaching about virtues have said that some of the virtues consist of theoretical principles, and others are without theory: for example, that prudence consists of theoretical principles in the field of good and evil things; self-control in that of things to be chosen and avoided; justice in that of what is to be distributed and not; courage in that of what is to be feared and not; but that beauty and strength are without theory in the field of good and evil things, ### Scripture references - Ps 30:4 (29:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:5 (29:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 2:4: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 2:5: quotation, high confidence - Deut 32:39: quotation, high confidence - Job 5:18: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:4: quotation, high confidence - Luke 6:21: quotation, high confidence - Ps 126:5 (125:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:6 (29:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:8: allusion, high confidence - Deut 28:5: quotation, high confidence - Gen 27:27: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 30:7 (29:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The opening words of the section in the scan are Migne's notes; the verse's last word is joined to them and is restored. Quotations: Ps 30:4–7 (LXX 29:5–8); Rom 2:5; Deut 32:39; Job 5:18; Matt 5:4; Luke 6:21; Ps 126:5 (LXX 125:5); Deut 28:5 (LXX); Gen 27:27 (“like a full field which the Lord has blessed”). Allusions: 1 Tim 2:4; Matt 13:8. Lines are lost and marked “…” before the verse “I shall not be moved forever” (supplied in brackets), at “[watered]”, after “will say with confidence”, and before “strength to my beauty” (supplied in brackets). The account of theoretical and non-theoretical virtues is Stoic; the sentence continues in 29.7. - The marker [5] shows where Migne's section 5 begins. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.4 (PG 29:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-5 - Source: PG 29:518 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains beauty and strength as the virtues that follow on contemplation, given by grace to restore the beauty of creation; true beauty is God's, reflected in those who behold him, as in Moses' face, while the passions make the soul hideous. ### Greek text ἀρετὰς, ἐπακολουθούσας ταῖς ἐκ θεωρημάτων. Κατὰ γὰρ τὴν συμμετρίαν καὶ ἁρμονίαν τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς θεωρημάτων, ἕνιοι τῶν σοφῶν νενοήκασι τὸ κάλλος" κατὰ δὲ τὸ ἀποτελεστικὸν τῶν ὑποβαλλομένων ἐκ τῶν θεωρητικῶν ἀρετῶν, τὴν ἰσχὺν νενοήκασι. Πλὴν ἵνα καὶ κάλλος ἐπιγένηται τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ δύναμις τῶν δεόντων ἐπιτελεστικὴ, θείας εἰς τοῦτο χάριτος χρήζομεν. Ὡς τοίνυν ἄνω εἴρηκεν, Ὅτι ζωὴ ἐν τῷ θελήματι αὐτοῦ" οὕτω νῦν ὑψοῖ τὸν Θεὸν διὰ τῆς εὐχαριστίας λέγων ὅτι Ἐν τῷ θελήματί σου παρέσχον τῷ κάλλει μου δύναμιν. Καλὸς μὲν γὰρ ἤμην κατὰ τὴν φύσιν, ἀσθενὴς δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς τοῦ ὄφεως νεκρωθῆναι τῷ παραπτώματι. Τῷ οὖν κάλλει μου, ὃ παρὰ σοῦ ἔλαβον ἐκ τῆς πρώτης κατασκευῆς, προσέθηκας δύναμιν τὴν τῶν δεόντων πρακτικήν. πρακτικήν. Καλὴ μὲν οὖν πᾶσα ψυχὴ ἡ ἐν συμμετρίᾳ τῶν οἰκείων δυνάμεων θεωρουμένη " κάλλος δὲ ἀληθινὸν, καὶ ἐρασμιώτατον, μόνῳ τῷ τὸν νοῦν κεκαθαρμένῳ θεωρητὸν, τὸ περὶ τὴν θείαν καὶ μακαρίαν φύσιν. Οὗ ὁ ἐνατενίσας ταῖς μαρμα᾿ καὶ ταῖς χάρισι, μεταλαμβάνει τι ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὥσπερ ἀπό τινος βαφῆς, αἴγλην τινὰ ἀνθηρὰν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ὄψιν ἀναχρωννύμενος. Ὅθεν καὶ Μωῦσῆς, τῷ μετειληφέναι τοῦ κάλλους ἐκείνου ἐν τῷ ὁμιλεῖν Θεῷ, ἐδοξάσθη τὸ πρόσωπον. Ὁ οὖν αἰσθόμενος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀρετῆς, τὴν εὐχαριστικὴν ταύτην ἀφίησι φωνήν" Κύριε, ἐν τῷ θελήματί σου παρἐσχον τῷ κάλλει μου δύναμιν. “Ὥσπερ δὲ ταῖς θεωρητικαῖς ἀρεταῖς ἀθεώρητοι ἀκολουθοῦσι, τό τε κάλλος καὶ ἡ δύναμις, οὕτως εἰσί τινες κακίαι ἀθεώρητοι, ἥ τε αἰσχρότης καὶ ἢ ἀσθένεια. Τί γὰρ ἀωρότερον καὶ εἰδεχθέστερον ψυχῆς ἐμπαθοῦς; Ἴδε μοι τὸν θυμούμενον, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ ἀγριότητα. Θέασαι τὸν λυπούμενον, καὶ τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ ταπεινὸν καὶ συμπεπτωκὸς τῆς ψυχῆς. Τὸν δὲ λαγνείαις ἣ νον, τίς ἂν καὶ προσβλέψαι ἀνάσχοιτο; διαβαινούσης μέχρι τῶν περάτων τοῦ σώματος τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν διαθέσεως" ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὰ ἴχνη τοῦ κάλλους τῆς Ψυχῆς ἐν τῇ καταστάσει τοῦ ἁγίου διαφαίνεται. Προνοητέον τοίνυν τοῦ κάλλους ἡμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ νυμφίος Λόγος ἀποδεξάμενος ἡμᾶς εἴπῃ “Ὅλη καλὴ ἡ πλησίον μου, καὶ μῶμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν σοί. ### English translation (Claude) being virtues that follow on those that consist of theoretical principles. For some of the wise have understood beauty as the proportion and harmony of the soul's principles, and strength as the power to carry out what the theoretical virtues suggest. But for beauty to come upon the soul, and power to accomplish what is needed, we need divine grace for this. As, then, he said above, “life is in his will,” so now he exalts God through thanksgiving, saying, “In your will you gave strength to my beauty.” For I was beautiful by nature, but weak because I had been made dead by the trespass through the serpent's plot. To my beauty, then, which I received from you in the first creation, you added power to do what is needed. Every soul, then, is beautiful that is seen in the proportion of its own powers; but the true and most lovely beauty, which can be contemplated only by one whose mind has been cleansed, is that which belongs to the divine and blessed nature. Whoever gazes intently at its radiance and graces receives something from it, as from a dye, coloring his own face with a blooming brightness. That is why Moses too, by sharing in that beauty in speaking with God, had his face glorified. The one, then, who perceives his own virtue utters this voice of thanksgiving: “O Lord, in your will you gave strength to my beauty.” And as non-theoretical qualities, beauty and power, follow the theoretical virtues, so there are certain non-theoretical vices, ugliness and weakness. For what is more unsightly and more hideous than a soul ruled by passion? Look at the angry man and the savagery in him. Observe the grieving man, and the lowness and collapse of his soul. And who could bear even to look at the man [given over] to lusts, since the disposition of his soul passes through to the very extremities of the body? Just as, then, the traces of the soul's beauty shine through in the bearing of the saint. We must, therefore, take thought for beauty, so that the Word, the bridegroom, may receive us and say, “You are all fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you.” ### Scripture references - Ps 30:5 (29:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:7 (29:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:15: allusion, low confidence - Exod 34:29: allusion, high confidence - Song 4:7: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This section continues the sentence ending 29.6. Quotations: Ps 30:5, 7 (LXX 29:6, 8); Song 4:7. Allusions: Gen 3 and Rom 5 (death through the trespass); Exod 34:29–35; 2 Cor 3:7. The view that beauty is the proportion of the soul's principles and strength their power of execution is Stoic. Migne's Latin and notes interleaved in the scan are removed by logged corrections; the bracketed word is supplied by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.5 (PG 29:518; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-5). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-6 - Source: PG 29:518 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 30:7–12: God turns his face away to test us; true crying is for heavenly things; we should not pamper the flesh, which buries the mind; the Lord turns mourning into joy for those who lament their sins; and the glory that sings is the Spirit in the just. ### Greek text Ἀπέστρεψας δὲ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, καὶ ἐγενήθην τεταραγμένος. Ἕως μὲν ὅτε, φησὶν, αἱ ἀκτῖνες τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς σου ἐπέλαμπόν μοι, ἐν εὐ… ἀπέστρεψάς σου τὸ πρόσωπον, τὸ ἐμπαθὲς καὶ τεθορυβημένον τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπηλέγχθη. ᾿Αποστρέφειν δὲ λέγεται τὸ ἑαυτοῦ πρόσωπον ὁ Θεὸς, ὅταν ἐν τοῖς τῶν περιστάσεων καιροῖς ἐκδότους ἀφίῃ τοῖς πειρασμοῖς, ἐπὶ τὸ γνωσθῆναι τὸ εὔτονον τοῦ ἀγωνιζομένου. Ἐὰν οὖν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡ ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν φρουρήσῃ τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν, δυνάμεθα τὴν ταραχὴν καὶ τὴν σύγχυσιν τῶν παθῶν διαφυγεῖν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀντίκειται τῷ μὲν θελήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ ἀποστροφὴ, τῷ δὲ κάλλει καὶ τῇ ὡραιότητι καὶ τῇ δυνάμει ἡ ταραχή " εἴη ἂν ἡ ταραχὴ αἶσχος καὶ ἀσθένεια ψυχῆς, ἐκ τῆς ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἀλλοτριώσεως ἐγγινομένη. Εὐχώμεθα οὖν ἀεὶ ἐπιλάμπειν ἡμῖν τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα ἐν καταστήματι ὦμεν ἱεροπρεπεῖ, καὶ πρᾶοι, καὶ παντὶ τρόπῳ ἀτάραχοι ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὰ καλὰ ἑτοιμότητος. Ἡτοιμάσθην γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ οὐκ ἐταράχθην. Πρὸς σὲ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν μου δεηθήσομαι. Πολλάκις εἴρηται περὶ τοῦ κεκραγέναι πρὸς Κύριον, ὅτι μόνου τοῦ μεγάλα καὶ ἐπουράνια ἐπιθυμοῦντός ἐστι τὸ κράζειν. Εἰ δέ τις μικρὰ καὶ ἐπίγεια αἰτοίη τὸν Θεὸν, μικρᾷ καὶ ταπεινῇ κέχρηται τῇ φωνῇ, μὴ φθανούσῃ εἰς ὕψος, μηδὲ ἐρχομένῃ εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς τοῦ Κυρίου. Τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου, ἐν τῷ καταβαίνειν μὲ εἰς διαφθοράν; Τί, φησὶν, ἐκέκραξα; καὶ περὶ τίνος ἐδεήθην πρὸς σὲ τὸν Κύριόν μοῦ καὶ τὸν Θεόν μου; Τίς μοι χρεία, φησὶ, σαρκὸς εὐπαθείας καὶ αἵματος πλήθους, μέλλοντος ὅσον οὐδέπω παραδίδοσθαι τῇ κοινῇ διαλύσει τοῦ σώματος; Ἀλλ᾽ ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα, καὶ μοι τοῦ αἵματος, ἀφορμὴ πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν ἡ πολυσαρκία γένηται. Μὴ κολάκευέ σου τὴν σάρκα ὕπνοις καὶ λουτροῖς καὶ μαλακοῖς στρώμασιν, ἀεὶ ἐπιλέγων τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο Τίς ὡφέλεια ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου, ἐν τῷ καταβαίνειν μὲ εἰς διαφθοράν; Τί περιέπεις τὸ μικρὸν ὕστερον φθαρησόμενον; τί καταπιαίνεις σεαυτὸν καὶ περισαρκοῖς; Ἢ ἀγνοεῖς, ὅτι ὅσῳ παχυτέραν τὴν σάρκα σεαυτῷ ποιεῖς, τοσούτῳ βαρύτερον τῇ Ψυχῇ κατασκευάζεις τὸ δεσμωτήριον; Μὴ ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι χοῦς, ἣ ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου; Πῶς γὰρ ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ σάρκινος ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι τῷ Θεῷ; πῶς δὲ καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν ἐν τοσούτῳ βάρει τῆς σαρκὸς τὸν νοῦν ἑαυτοῦ συγκεχωσμένον ἔχων; Διὰ τοῦτο τοίνυν ἐκτήκω μου τὴν σάρκα, καὶ ἀφειδῶ τοῦ αἵματος ὅπερ εἰς σάρκα πέφυκε μεταπήγνυσθαι, ἵνα μηδέν μοι ἢ πρὸς ἐξομολόγησιν ἣ πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας κατανόησιν ἐμπόδιον ᾖ. Ἤκουσε Κύριος, καὶ ἠλέησέ με" Κύριος ἐγενήθη βοηθός μου. Μετὰ τὸ διηγήσασθαι τίνα ἦν ἃ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐκέκραξεν, εὐθὺς αἰσθόμενος τῆς ἀντιλήψεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, παρορμῶν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὁμοίων αἴτησιν, Ἤκουσε, φησὶ, Κύριος, καὶ με" Κύριος ἐγενήθη βοηθός μου. Εὐχώμεθα οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶ κράξωμεν τὴν πνευματικὴν βοὴν, αἰτούμενοι τὰ μεγάλα, μὴ ἀντιποιούμενοι τῆς σαρκὸς (οἱ γὰρ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες, Θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται), ἵνα καὶ ἡμῶν ἐπακούσῃ ὁ Κύριος, ἐλεήσας ἡμῶν τὸ ἀσθενὲς, καὶ τῆς θείας βοηθείας ἀπολαύσαντες καὶ ἡμεῖς εἴπωμεν" Ἔστρεψας τὸν κοπετόν μου εἰς χαρὰν ἐμοί. Οὐ τῇ τυχούσῃ ψυχῇ ἡ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ χαρὰ ἐγγίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις πολλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀπεκλαύσατο, ἰσχυροῖς ὀδυρμοῖς καὶ θρήνοις διηνεκέσιν, ὡς ἐπὶ τεθνεῶτι ἑαυτῷ κοπετὸν ἐποιήσατο, τοῦ τοιούτου ὁ κοπετὸς εἰς χαρὰν στρέφεται. Ὅτι δέ ἐστιν ἐπαινετῶς κόψασθαι, δηλοῦσιν οἱ ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καθήμενοι παῖδες, οἱ λέγοντες " Ἐθρηνήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε. "Ἔστι δὲ ὁ αὐλὸς ὄργανον μουσικὸν πνεύματι συνεργῷ πρὸς τὴν μελῳδίαν χρώμενον. Διόπερ οἶμαι πάντα ἅγιον προφήτην αὐλὸν τροπικῶς ὀνομάζεσθαι διὰ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἀγίου Πνεύματος κίνησιν. Διόπερ, φησὶν, Ηὐλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐχ ὡρχήσασθε. Οἱ γὰρ προφητικοὶ λόγοι προτρέπονται ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν εὔρυθμον τῆς ἁγίας προφητείας ἐνέργειαν, ἥτις εἴρηται ὄρχησις. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ θρηνοῦσιν ἡμῖν οἱ προφῆται, εἰς κοπετὸν ἡμᾶς προκαλούμενοι, ἵνα, εἰς συναίσθησιν ἐλθόντες ἐκ τῶν προφητικῶν λόγων ἐπὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτήμασι, καταπενθήσωμεν ἡμῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν, ἐν κόποις καὶ μόχθοις τὴν σάρκα ἡμῶν καταπιέσαντες. Τῷ τοιούτῳ τοίνυν περιῤῥήγνυται μὲν τὸ πενθιχὸν …. Περιτίθεται δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ χιτὼν τῆς εὐφροσύνης, καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον τοῦ σωτηρίου, τὰ φαιδρὰ ταῦτα καὶ γαμικὰ ἐνδύματα, οἷς ὁ κεκοσμημένος ἐκ τοῦ νυμφῶνος οὐχ ἐκβληθήσεται. Διέῤῥηξας τὸν σάκκον μου, καὶ περιέζωσάς με εὐφροσύνην. Συνεργὸς εἰς μετάνοιαν ὁ σάκκος, ταπεινώσεως ὑπάρχων σύμβολον. Πάλαι γὰρ ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ, φησὶ, καὶ σποδῷ καθήμενοι μετενόησαν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μεταμορφοῦται ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν, τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ χάριν ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου ἰδίαν λέγει δόξαν. Ὅπως ἂν ψάλῃ σοι ἡ δόξα μου. Δόξα δικαίου τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐν αὐτῷ. Ὁ οὖν ψάλλων τῷ πνεύματι, λεγέτω Ὅπως ### English translation (Claude) “But you turned away your face, and I was troubled.” “As long as,” he says, “the rays of your care shone on me, [I was] in … [but when] you turned away your face, the passion and turmoil of my soul were exposed.” God is said to turn away his own face when in times of hardship he leaves people exposed to temptations, so that the vigor of the one contending may be known. If, then, the peace that surpasses all understanding guards our hearts, we can escape the turmoil and confusion of the passions. Since, then, turning away is opposed to God's will, and turmoil to beauty, comeliness and power, turmoil would be ugliness and weakness of soul, arising from estrangement from God. Let us pray, then, that the face of God may always shine on us, so that we may be in a holy bearing, gentle and in every way untroubled through readiness for good things. “For I was ready,” it says, “and was not troubled.” “To you, O Lord, I will cry, and to my God I will make supplication.” It has often been said about crying to the Lord that crying belongs only to one who desires great and heavenly things. But if someone asks God for small and earthly things, he uses a small and low voice, which does not reach the height or come to the Lord's ears. “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to corruption?” What, he says, did I cry out? And about what did I make supplication to you, my Lord and my God? What need have I, he says, of comfort of the flesh and abundance of blood, when it is about to be handed over almost at once to the common dissolution of the body? “But I pummel my body,” and …, lest abundance of flesh become an occasion of sin. Do not flatter your flesh with sleep and baths and soft beds, but always repeat this saying: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to corruption?” Why do you cherish what will shortly be corrupted? Why do you fatten yourself and put on flesh? Or do you not know that the thicker you make your flesh, the heavier the prison you make for your soul? “Will the dust give thanks to you, or declare your truth?” For how will the earthy and fleshly man give thanks to you, God? And how will he declare it, when he has his mind buried under so great a weight of flesh? That is why I waste away my flesh and do not spare my blood, which naturally turns into flesh, so that there may be nothing to hinder me either in confession or in the understanding of the truth. [7] “The Lord heard and had mercy on me; the Lord became my helper.” After describing what he cried out to God, at once perceiving God's help, and urging us to ask for similar things, he says, “The Lord heard [and had mercy on] me; the Lord became my helper.” Let us too, then, pray and cry the spiritual cry, asking for the great things, not clinging to the flesh (“for those who are in the flesh cannot please God”), so that the Lord may hear us too, and have mercy on our weakness, and that we too, having enjoyed the divine help, may say, “You turned my mourning into joy for me.” Joy from God does not come into just any soul, but if someone has wept much over his own sin, has made lamentation for himself as for one dead with strong and continual wailing and dirges, the lamentation of such a man is turned into joy. That it is praiseworthy to lament is shown by the children sitting in the marketplaces, who say, “We wailed to you, and you did not lament; we piped to you, and you did not dance.” The pipe is a musical instrument that uses breath as its helper for the melody. That is why I think every holy prophet is figuratively called a pipe, because of the movement from the Holy Spirit. That is why it says, “We piped to you, and you did not dance.” For the prophetic words urge us to the rhythmic activity of holy prophecy, which is called dancing. But the prophets also wail to us, calling us to lamentation, so that, coming to an awareness of our own sins from the prophetic words, we may mourn our perdition, pressing down our flesh with toils and labors. For such a man, then, the garment of mourning … is torn off, and the tunic of gladness and the robe of salvation are put on him, those bright and wedding garments, adorned with which he will not be cast out of the bridal chamber. “You tore off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness.” Sackcloth assists toward repentance, being a symbol of humility. “For they would have repented long ago,” it says, “sitting in sackcloth and ashes.” And since the Apostle [says that we all,] with unveiled face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, he calls the grace given him by the Lord his own glory. [8] “That my glory may sing to you.” The glory of the just man is the spirit that is in him. Let the one, then, who sings with the spirit say, “That my glory may sing to you ### Scripture references - Ps 30:7 (29:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Phil 4:7: allusion, high confidence - Ps 119:60 (118:60 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:8 (29:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:9 (29:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 9:27: quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:10 (29:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:8: quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:11 (29:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:17: quotation, high confidence - Isa 61:10: allusion, high confidence - Matt 22:11: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 11:21: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 3:18: quotation, high confidence - Ps 30:12 (29:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 30:7–12 (LXX 29:8–13); Phil 4:7; Ps 119:60 (LXX 118:60); 1 Cor 9:27; Rom 8:8; Matt 11:17 (Luke 7:32); Isa 61:10 (“garment of salvation, tunic of gladness”); Matt 11:21; 2 Cor 3:18. Allusion: Matt 22:11–13 (wedding garment). Lines are lost and marked “…”: after “[I was] in” (where the scan has Migne's notes), after “I pummel my body, and” (probably a phrase on keeping blood in check), and after “the garment of mourning”; bracketed words are supplied by sense. The markers [7] and [8] show where Migne's sections 7 and 8 begin. The section breaks off in the middle of verse 12, which continues in 29.9. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.6 (PG 29:518; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-6). ## Homilies on the Psalms 29.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-8 - Source: PG 29:520 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil ends the homily on Psalm 29 (30) with the psalmist's resolve to sin no more and to give thanks forever for pardon. ### Greek text ἂν ψάλῃ σοι ἡ δόξα μου, καὶ οὗ μὴ κατανυγῶ. Οὐκέτι μὴ, φησὶ, ποιήσω ἄξια τοῦ κατανύσσεσθαι καὶ κατακεντεῖσθαι τὴν καρδίαν ἐπὶ τῇ ὑπομνήσει τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου. Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι" ἀντὶ τοῦ, ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ ἔδωκάς μοι τὴν ἐκ τῆς μετανοίας συγχώρησιν, καὶ ἐπανήγαγές με εἰς δόξαν, τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αἰσχύνην περιελὼν, διὰ τοῦτο εἰς πάντα τὸν αἰῶνα ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι. Τί γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο τοσοῦτον χρόνου διάστημα, ὃ τῇ ἐμῇ ψυχῇ λήθην τῶν τηλικούτων εὐεργεσιῶν ἐμποιῆσαι δυνήσεται; ### English translation (Claude) and I may not be pierced with remorse.” I will no longer, he says, do things deserving to be pierced and stung in my heart at the remembrance of my sin. “O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever”: that is, since you have given me pardon through repentance and brought me back to glory, removing the shame of my sins, I will therefore give thanks to you for all eternity. For what length of time could there be that could make my soul forget such great benefits? ### Scripture references - Ps 30:12 (29:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The opening of the section in the scan is Migne's notes; the verse (Ps 30:12, LXX 29:13) continues from 29.8. Quotation: Ps 30:12 (LXX 29:13). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 29.8 (PG 29:520; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/29-0/#p-29-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-1 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil expounds Ps 33:1–5: the righteous rejoice in God himself; praise befits only the upright; the cithara and ten-stringed psaltery are bodily deeds and the mind keeping the ten commandments; the new song is the spiritual sense; all creation leads to faith; and God joins mercy to judgment. ### Greek text Ἀγαλλιάσθε, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ" τοῖς εὐθέσι πρέπει αἵνεσις. … φαιδροτάτην τινὰ καὶ περιχαρῇ κατάστασιν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀξίοις εὐθυμίας ἐμφαίνουσα. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε οὖν, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ " μὴ ὅταν ὑμῖν εὐθηνῆται τὰ κατὰ τὸν οἶκον, μὴ ὅταν εὐεκτῆτε τῷ σώματι, μὴ ὅταν αἱ ἄρουραι πληθύνωσι καρπῶν παντοδαπῶν " ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι Κύριον ἔχετε, τοιοῦτον μὲν τὸ κάλλος, τοιοῦτον δὲ τὴν ἀγαθότητα, τὴν σοφίαν τοιοῦτον. ᾿Αρκείτω ὑμῖν ἡ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ εὐφροσύνη. "Καὶ ἔοικεν ὁ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης καὶ χαρᾶς ἐπαγαλλόμενός τινι τῶν περισπουδάστων, οὕτως ἀγαλλιᾷν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ. Διὸ τοὺς δικαίους παρορμᾷ ὁ λόγος αἰσθάνεσθαι μετὰ τοῦ ἀξιώματος, ὅτι τοιούτου Δεσπότου δοῦλοι εἶναι κατηξιώθησαν, καὶ ἐπαγάλλεσθαι αὑτοῦ τῇ δουλείᾳ μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀμυθήτου καὶ σκιρτημάτων, … ἀγάπης τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, Εἴ ποτέ σου τῇ καρδίᾳ οἱονεὶ φῶς ἐμπεσὸν ἀθρόαν Θεοῦ ἔννοιαν ἐνεποίησε, καὶ περιέλαμψέ σου τὴν ψυχὴν, ὥστε ἀγαπῆσαι μὲν τὸν Θεὸν, καταφρονῆσαι δὲ κόσμου καὶ τῶν σωματικῶν πάντων, ἐκ τῆς ἀμυδρᾶς ἐκείνης καὶ βραχείας εἰκόνος γνώρισον τὴν ὅλην τῶν δικαίων κατάστασιν, ὁμαλῶς καὶ ἀδιακόπως τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ εὐφροσύνην κατορθούντων. Σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐμπίπτει ποτὲ σπανίως ἐκεῖνο τὸ ἀγαλλίαμα κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ, ἵνα σε διὰ μικροῦ γεύματος εἰς ὑπόμνησιν ἀγάγῃ οἵων ἐστέρησαι τῷ δὲ δικαίῳ διαρκῆς ἔστιν ἡ θεία καὶ ἐπουράνιος εὐφροσύνη, διότι ἅπαξ αὐτῷ ἐνοικεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα" πρῶτος δὲ καρπὸς τοῦ Πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη, χαρὰ, εἰρήνη. ᾿Αγαλλιᾶσθε οὖν, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ. Οἰονεὶ τόπος χωρητικός ἐστι τῶν δικαίων ὁ Κύριος " ἐν ᾧ τὸν γενόμενον πᾶσα ἀνάγκη εὐθυμεῖσθαι καὶ ἐνευφραίνεσθαι. Γίνεται καὶ ὁ δίκαιος τόπος τῷ Κυρίῳ, λαμβάνων αὐτὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Ὁ μὲν ἁμαρτάνων δίδωσι τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ, παρακούων τοῦ λέγοντος Μηδὲ δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ " καὶ τοῦ Ἐκκλησιαστοῦ: ᾿Εὰν πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐξουσιάζοντος ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ σὲ, τόπον σου μὴ ἀφῇς. Ἔν αὐτῷ οὖν γενόμενοι τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ καθόσον ἐσμὲν δυνατοὶ, κατοπτεύοντες αὐτοῦ τὰ θαυμάσια, οὕτω συναγάγωμεν ἐκ τῆς θεωρίας ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν εὐφροσύνην. Τοῖς εὐθέσι πρέπει αἴνεσις ᾿ ὥσπερ σκολιὸς ποῦς ὀρθῷ ὑποδήματι οὐχ ἐναρμόζεται, οὕτως οὐδὲ χαρ. Διὰ τοῦτο, οἶμαι, ὡς οὐ πρέποντος τῷ στόματι τῶν δαιμόνων τοῦ περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λόγου, ἀφαιρεῖται αὐτῶν τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἵνα μὴ φανερὸν αὑτὸν ποιήσωσι. Καὶ τῷ Πύθωνι ὁ Παῦλος ἐπιτιμᾷ, ἵνα μὴ ἀπὸ ἀκαθάρτου ὁ ἅγιος συνιστῆται. Τοιοῦτον καὶ τὸ, Τῷ δὲ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός" Ἵνα τί σὺ ἐκδιηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου; Φιλοτιμώμεθα οὖν φυγεῖν πᾶν σκολιὸν ἔργον καὶ στραγγαλιῶδες, καὶ κατορθώσωμεν ὡς εὐθῆ κανόνα τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν καὶ τὸ κριτήριον τῆς ψυχῆς, ἵνα γενομένοις ἡμῖν εὐθέσιν ἐπιπρέψῃ ἡ αἴνεσις τοῦ Κυρίου, Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καθηγησάμενος ὄφις σκολιὸς λέγεται, καὶ ἐπάγεται ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μάχαιρα ἐπὶ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ὄφιν τὸν σκολιὸν, ὅτι πολλὰς ἐκκλίσεις καὶ ἐκτροπὰς ἐν τῇ πορείᾳ ποιεῖται. Συρόμενος γὰρ ὁ ὁλκὸς τοῦ ὄφεως ἀνωμάλως τῇ γῇ ἐπισύρεται, ἄλλως ὁρμώντων τῶν ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ πλαγίως ἐφεπομένων τῶν ἑξῆς, καὶ πάλιν τῶν οὐραίων πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον ἀπονευόντων. Ὥστε ὁ μὲν τῷ ὄφει ἐπόμενος σκολιὸν καὶ ἀνώμαλον καὶ ἐναντιωμάτων γέμοντα τὸν βίον ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιδείξεται " ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ πορευόμενος εὐθείας ποιεῖται τὰς τρίβους, καὶ ὀρθὰς τὰς τροχιὰς τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ. Εὐθὴς γὰρ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ εὐθύτητας εἶδε τὸ πρόσωπον αὑτοῦ. Ἐὰν δύο κανόνες ἀλλήλοις παρατεθῶσιν, ἡ εὐθύτης αὐτῶν συναρμόζει ἀλλήλοις " ἐὰν δὲ διάστροφον ξύλον κανόνι παρατεθῇ, ἀσυνάρμοστον εὑρίσκεται τῷ ὀρθῷ τὸ στρεβλόν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν εὐθὴς ἔστιν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ αἴνεσις, εὐθείας χρεία καρδίας, ἵνα ἐπιπρέψῃ αὐτῇ καὶ ἐφαρμόσῃ ὁ αἶνος. Εἰ δὲ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, πῶς ἂν ἐνέγκῃς τὸν αἶνον, μὴ ἔχων τὸ εὐθὲς πνεῦμά ἐγκαινισθὲν ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις σου; Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν κιθάρᾳ, ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψάλατε αὐτῷ. Πρότερον ἐν κιθάρᾳ δεῖ ἐξομολογήσασθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ " τουτέστι, τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐνεργείας ἀποδοῦναι ἐναρμονίως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμάρτομεν, ὅτε παρεστήσαμεν τὰ μέλη ἡμῶν δοῦλα τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ εἰς τὴν ἀνομίαν, τῷ σώματι καὶ ἐξομολογησώμεθα, τῷ αὐτῷ κεχρημένοι ὀργάνῳ πρὸς τὴν ἀνάλυσιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Ἐλοιδόρησας; εὐλόγησον. Ἐπλεονέκτη… . Ἐφόνευσας; μαρτύρησον" ἢ τὰ ἰσοδυναμοῦντα τῷ … κάκωσον. Καὶ τότε μετὰ τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν ἄξιος εἶ ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψάλλειν τῷ Θεῷ. Δεῖ γὰρ πρότερον κατορθῶσαι τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐνεργείας, ὥστε ἀρμονίως τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ ἀποτελεῖν, καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν νοητῶν ἀναβῆναι. Ψαλτήριον γὰρ τάχα ὁ νοῦς εἴρηται ὁ τὰ ἄνω ζητῶν. διὰ τὸ τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ ὀργάνου τούτου τὴν ἠχοῦσαν δύναμιν ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ἔχειν. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τοῦ σώματος ἔργα οἱονεὶ κάτωθεν ἐξομολογεῖται τῷ Θεῷ " τὰ δὲ διὰ τοῦ νοῦ ἐπαγγελλόμενα μυστήρια τὰς ἀφορμὰς ἄνωθεν ἔχει, οἱονεὶ ἐνηχουμένου διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. Ὃ τοίνυν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς ἐπιβλέπων, καὶ οἱονεὶ συνῳδίαν αὐτῶν καὶ συμφωνίαν ποιῶν, οὗτος ἐν δεκαχόρδῳ ψαλτηρίῳ ψάλλει τῷ Θεῷ, διὰ τὸ δέκα εἶναι τὰς γενικὰς ἐντολὰς κατὰ τὴν πρώτην τοῦ νόμου παράδοσιν γεγραμμένας. Ἄσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἅσμα καινόν. Τουτέστιν, Μὴ ἐν τῇ παλαιότητι τοῦ γράμματος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ καινότητι τοῦ πνεύματος λατρεύετε τῷ Θεῷ. Ὁ μὴ σωματικῶς ἐκλαμβάνων τὸν νόμον, ἀλλὰ τὸ πνευματικὸν αὐτοῦ γνωρίζων, οὗτος ἄδει τὸ καινὸν ἅσμα. Διότι τὸ μὲν παλαιούμενον καὶ γηράσκον τῆς Διαθήκης διέβη " τὸ δὲ καινὸν καὶ ἀνανεούμενον ᾆσμα ἡμᾶς τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου διδασκαλίας διεδέξατο, ἥτις ἀνακαινίζει ἡμῶν, ὡς ἀετοῦ, τὴν νεότητα, ὅταν φθείρωμεν μὲν τὸν ἔξω ἄνθρωπον, ἀνακαινώμεθα δὲ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ὁ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος ἀεὶ ἑαυτοῦ καινότερος γίνεται. Ὥστε ὁ ἀεὶ καινότερος ἑαυτοῦ γινόμενος καινότερον ᾆσμα ἄδει τῷ Θεῷ. Καινὸν … τὸ προσφάτως παρελθὸν εἰς τὴν γένεσιν. Ἐάν τε οὖν τὸν θαυμάσιον τρόπον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν φύσιν ὑπερβαίνοντα τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως διηγῇ τοῦ Κυρίου, καινότερον ἄσμα καὶ ξένον ἄδεις " ἐάν τε τὴν ἀναγέννησιν καὶ ἀνανέωσιν τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου τοῦ ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας παλαιωθέντος διεξίῃς, καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀπαγγέλλῃς μυστήρια, καὶ οὕτω καινὸν καὶ πρόσφατον ἄδεις τὸ ᾷσμα. Καλῶς ψάλατε αὐτῷ ἐν ἀλαλαγμῷ. ᾿Ακούετε τοῦ παραγγέλματος. Καλῶς ψάλατε - ἀμετεωρίστῳ τῇ διανοίᾳ, εἰλικρινεῖ τῇ διαθέσει. ᾿Εν ἀλαλαγμῷ ψάλατε. “Ὥσπερ τινὲς καλοὶ στρατιῶται μετὰ τὰ νικητήρια τὰ κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, ἀνενέγκατε ὕμνους τῷ αἰτίῳ τῆς νίκης. Θαρσεῖτε, φησὶν, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον. Τίς ἀνθρώπων ἱκανὸς ἀντιστρατεύσασθαι τῷ πονηρῷ, ἐὰν μὴ τῇ σκέπῃ τοῦ ἀρχιστρατήγου τῆς δυνάμεως προσφυγόντες, ἐκεῖθεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ πίστεως βάλωμεν ἡμῶν τὸν ἐχθρὸν, τοξεύσωμεν; Καλῶς οὖν ψάλατε ἐν "Ἔστι δὲ ὁ ἀλαλαγμὸς φωνή τις ἄναρθρος, συμφώνως ἀλλήλοις τῶν συνασπιζόντων ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ συνεπηχούντων. Ἐν συμφωνίᾳ οὖν καὶ ἐν συμπνοίᾳ, καὶ τῇ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ἑνώσει ψάλατε. Τί οὖν δεῖ ψάλλοντας λέγειν; Ὅτι εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου. Διὰ τοῦτο πρότερον τοὺς εὐθεῖς καλεῖ πρὸς τὴν αἴνεσιν, ἐπειδὴ εὐθής ἐστι καὶ ὁ μέλλων δοξάζεσθαι Λόγος, ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου, ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὧν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ὥν. Εὐθὴς οὖν ὁ Πατήρ’ εὐθὴς ὁ Υἱός" εὐθὲς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Τί ἐστιν ὃ λέγει; Ἔργον ὁ οὐρανὸς, ἔργον ἡ γῆ, ἔργον ἡ θάλασσα, ὁ ἀὴρ, τὰ ἄψυχα πάντα, τὰ ἔμψυχα, τὰ λογικὰ, τὰ ἄλογα. Πῶς οὖν ἐν πίστει πάντα; ποία πίστις ἐν τοῖς ἀψύχοις; ποία πίστις ἡ τῶν ἀλόγων; Ποία δὲ πίστις ἐν τῷ λίθῳ; ποία δὲ πίστις ἐν τῷ κυνί; Οὔτε ἄψυχον, οὔτε ἄλογον ἐν πίστει. Ἢ μέντοι ἀπόφασις οὐδὲν ὑπεξείλετο, ἀλλὰ πάντα περιείληφεν εἰποῦσα " Πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὃ λέγει; Ἐάν τε οὐρανὸν, φησὶν, ἴδῃς, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ τάξιν, πίστεώς ἐστιν ὁδηγός " δείκνυσι γὰρ τὸν τεχνίτην δι᾿ ἑαυτοῦ " ἐάν τε τὰς περὶ τὴν γῆν διακοσμήσεις, πάλιν καὶ διὰ τούτων αὔξεταί σοι ἡ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν πίστις. Οὐ γὰρ σαρκίνοις ὀφθαλμοῖς καταμαθόντες τὸν Θεὸν, πεπιστεύκαμεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ νοῦ δυνάμει διὰ τῶν ὁρωμένων τὸν ἀόρατον καθορῶμεν. Πάντα οὖν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Κἂν τὸν λίθον καταμάθῃς, ἔχει καὶ αὐτός τινα τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἀπόδειξιν᾽ κἂν μύρμηκα, κἂν ἐμπίδα, κἂν μέλισσαν. Πολλάκις καὶ ἐν τοῖς μικροτάτοις ἡ σοφία τοῦ δημιουργοῦ διαφαίνεται. Ὃ γὰρ οὐρανὸν διαπλώσας, καὶ τὰ ἄπλετα μεγέθη τῶν πελαγῶν ἀναχέας, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ καὶ τὸ λεπτότατον κέντρον τῆς μελίσσης κοιλάνας ὥσπερ αὐλὸν, ὥστε δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἰὸν ἀποχεῖσθαι. Πάντα οὖν τὰ ἔργα αὑτοῦ ἐν πίστει. Μηδέν σοι ἀπιστίας ἐφόδιον ἔστω. Μὴ εἴπῃς " Ὡς ἔτυχε, γέγονε τοῦτο, καὶ αὐτομάτως ἀπήντησε τόδε. Οὐδὲν ἄτακτον, οὐδὲν ἀόριστον, οὐδὲν εἰκῆ γενόμενον, οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχε φερόμενον ἐν τοῖς οὖσιν, Ἢ, Κακὴ συντυχία, ἣ, πονηρὰ ὥρα. ᾿Απαιδεύτων αὗται αἱ φωναί. Οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἐν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἄνευ τοῦ θείου θελήματος. Πόσαι αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς· Μία αὐτῶν οὐχ ἔστιν ἐπιλελησμένη. Ὁρᾷς τὸν θεῖον ὀφθαλμὸν, ὡς οὐδὲν τῶν μικροτάτων τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ διαφεύγει; ᾿Αγαπᾷ ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν ὁ Κύριος" τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ. Εἰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ὑπῆρχεν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσις, ἀποτόμως ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἡμῶν ἀποδιδόντος πρὸς ἃ ἐποιήσαμεν, ποία ἦν ἐλπίς; τίς ἂν ἐσώθη τῶν πάντων; Νῦν δὲ ἀγαπᾷ … τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ποιησάμενος, καὶ προβληθεῖσαν τῷ βασιλικῷ τῆς κρίσεως θρόνῳ, οὕτω παράγει εἰς κρίσιν ἕκαστον. ᾿Εὰν ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃς, Κύριε, Κύριε, τίς ὑποστήσεται; Οὔτε ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἄκριτος, οὔτε ἡ κρίσις ἀνελεήμων. Πρὸ τῆς κρίσεως οὖν ἀγαπᾷ ἐλεημοσύνην, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὴν κρίσιν. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀλλήλοις συνέζευκται, ὁ ἔλεος μετὰ τῆς κρίσεως " ἵνα μήτε ὁ ἔλεος μόνος χαυνότητα ἐμποιήσῃ, μήτε μόνη ἡ κρίσις ἀπόγνωσιν ἐνεργάσηται. Βούλεταί σε ἐλεῆσαι, καὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ οἰκτιρμῶν μεταδοῦναι ὁ κριτῆς " ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν εὕρῃ σε μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταπεινὸν, συντετριμμένον, πολλὰ μετακλαύσαντα ἐπὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς ἔργοις, τὰ γενόμενα κρυφῇ ἀνεπαισχύντως δημοσιεύσαντα, τὰ καὶ ὅλως ἐλεεινόν σε γενόμενον ἐὰν ἴδῃ, ἄφθονόν σοι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἐλεημοσύνην ἐπιχορηγεῖ - ἐὰν δὲ καρδίαν ἀμετανόητον, φρόνημα ὑπερήφανον, ἀπιστίαν τοῦ αἰῶνος τοῦ μέλλοντος, ἀφοβίαν τῆς κρίσεως, τότε ἀγαπᾷ ἐπὶ σοὶ τὴν κρίσιν. Ὡς γὰρ ἰατρὸς ἐμμελῆς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος καταντλήμασι πρότερον καὶ περιπλάσμασιν ἁπαλοῖς πειρᾶται καταστεῖλαι τὸ οἴδημα· ἐπὰν δὲ ἴδῃ ἀνενδότως καὶ σκληρῶς ἀντιτυποῦντα τὸν ὄγκον, ῥίψας τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ τὴν μαλακὴν ἀγωγὴν, αἱρεῖται λοιπὸν τὴν τοῦ σιδήρου χρῆσιν. ᾿Αγαπᾷ οὖν ἐλεημοσύνην ἐπὶ τῶν μετανοούντων “ ἀγαπᾷ δὲ καὶ κρίσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνενδότων. Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας λέγει τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι Ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη σου εἰς σταθμόν. Καὶ γὰρ κἀκεῖνος τὴν μετὰ κρίσεως ἐλεημοσύνην παρίστησι, ζυγῷ καὶ ἀριθμῷ καὶ σταθμῷ κατὰ τὴν ἑκάστου ἀξίαν ἀντιμετροῦντος. ### English translation (Claude) “Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; praise befits the upright.” … showing a most bright and joyful state of the soul at things worthy of good cheer. “Rejoice, then, you righteous, in the Lord”: not when your household affairs prosper, not when you are in good bodily health, not when your fields abound with fruits of every kind, but because you have the Lord, so great in beauty, so great in goodness, so great in wisdom. Let joy in him be enough for you. And the one who exults with gladness and joy in something he greatly prizes seems to rejoice in this way over it. That is why the word urges the righteous to perceive, together with the dignity, that they have been counted worthy to be servants of such a Master, and to exult in his service with unspeakable joy and leaping, … love of the good. If ever, like a light falling into your heart, a sudden notion of God has come upon you and lit up your soul, so that you loved God and despised the world and all bodily things, recognize from that dim and brief image the whole state of the righteous, who maintain their gladness in God evenly and without interruption. For to you that exultation comes rarely, by God's dispensation, so that through a small taste he may remind you of what you have been deprived of; but for the righteous the divine and heavenly gladness is lasting, because the Spirit dwells in him once for all; and the first fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. “Rejoice, then, you righteous, in the Lord.” The Lord is, as it were, a place that holds the righteous; whoever has come into it must be of good cheer and rejoice. And the righteous man too becomes a place for the Lord, receiving him into himself. The sinner gives place to the devil, not heeding the one who says, “Do not give place to the devil,” and Ecclesiastes: “If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place.” Having come, then, into the Lord himself, and contemplating his wonders as far as we can, let us gather gladness into our hearts from the contemplation. “Praise befits the upright.” As a crooked foot does not fit into a straight shoe, so neither does … . That is why, I think, since speech about the Savior does not befit the mouth of demons, he takes away their liberty, so that they may not make him known. And Paul rebukes the spirit of Python, so that the Holy One may not be commended by the unclean. Of the same kind is this: “But to the sinner God said: Why do you recount my statutes?” Let us strive, then, to flee every crooked and twisted deed, and let us set our mind and the judgment of our soul straight like a rule, so that the praise of the Lord may befit us when we have become upright. For as the serpent that led the way to sin is called crooked, and God's sword is brought against the dragon, the crooked serpent, because it makes many bends and turnings in its course (for as it crawls, the serpent's coil drags unevenly along the ground, the front parts moving one way, those following coming on aslant, and the tail turning back the opposite way), so one who follows the serpent will show his life crooked, uneven and full of contradictions; but one who walks after the Lord God makes his paths straight and the tracks of his feet upright. “For the Lord our God is upright, and his face beheld uprightness.” If two rules are set beside each other, their straightness fits them to each other; but if a twisted piece of wood is set beside a rule, the crooked is found not to fit the straight. Since, then, the praise of God is upright, there is need of an upright heart, so that the praise may befit it and fit it. And if “no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit,” how could you offer praise, not having an upright spirit renewed within you? [2] “Give praise to the Lord on the cithara; sing to him on the ten-stringed psaltery.” First one must give praise to the Lord on the cithara, that is, render the actions of the body harmoniously. For since we sinned in the body, when we presented our members as slaves to sin for lawlessness, let us give praise with the body too, using the same instrument for the undoing of sin. Have you reviled? Bless. Have you been greedy …? Have you murdered? Bear witness, or … afflict [your body]. And then, after the confession, you are worthy to sing to God on the ten-stringed psaltery. For one must first set right the actions of the body, so as to carry them out in harmony with the divine word, and so ascend to the contemplation of intelligible things. For the mind that seeks the things above is perhaps called a psaltery, because the construction of this instrument has its sounding power from above. The works of the body, then, as it were, give praise to God from below; but the mysteries announced through the mind have their source from above, as if sounded within through the Spirit. The one, then, who looks to all the commandments and, as it were, makes them sing together in harmony, sings to God on the ten-stringed psaltery, because the general commandments are ten, according to the first giving of the law. “Sing to the Lord a new song”: that is, serve God not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the Spirit. The one who does not take the law bodily but recognizes its spiritual meaning sings the new song. For what was growing old and aging of the covenant has passed away, and we have received in succession the new and renewed song of the Lord's teaching, which renews our youth like an eagle's, when our outer man is wasting away but we are being renewed day by day. And the one who stretches forward to what lies ahead always becomes newer than himself. So the one who always becomes newer than himself sings a newer song to God. New … what has recently come into being. If, then, you recount the Lord's incarnation, wonderful in manner and surpassing all nature, you sing a newer and strange song; and if you go through the regeneration and renewal of the whole world grown old under sin, and proclaim the mysteries of the resurrection, then too you sing the new and fresh song. [3] “Sing well to him with a shout of joy.” Hear the command: “Sing well,” with an undistracted mind, with a sincere disposition. “Sing with a shout of joy.” Like good soldiers after their victories over the enemy, offer hymns to the cause of the victory. “Take courage,” he says, “I have overcome the world.” Who among men is able to campaign against the evil one, unless, fleeing to the shelter of the commander of the host, we shoot at the enemy from there, from the faith in him? “Sing well, then, with a shout of joy.” The shout of joy is an inarticulate cry, raised together in agreement by those who stand shield to shield in war. Sing, then, in harmony and with one breath and in the unity of love. What, then, must we say when we sing? “That the word of the Lord is upright.” That is why he first calls the upright to praise, since the Word who is to be glorified is also upright, the Word of the Lord, who was in the beginning with God and was God. Upright, then, is the Father; upright the Son; upright the Holy Spirit. “And all his works are in faithfulness.” What does he mean? The heaven is a work, the earth a work, the sea a work, the air, all lifeless things, the living, the rational, the irrational. How, then, are all things in faith? What faith is there in lifeless things? What faith belongs to irrational creatures? What faith is in a stone? What faith in a dog? Nothing lifeless or irrational is in faith. Yet the statement excepts nothing, but includes all things when it says, “All his works are in faith.” What, then, does he mean? If you see the heaven and the order in it, it is a guide to faith, for it shows the Craftsman through itself; and if you see the adornments of the earth, again through these your faith in God grows. For we have not believed in God by learning about him with eyes of flesh; rather, by the power of the mind we behold the invisible through the visible. “All his works,” then, “are in faith.” Even if you study a stone, it too holds some proof of the power of its maker; so too an ant, a gnat, a bee. Often in the smallest things the wisdom of the Creator shines through. For he who spread out the heaven and poured out the boundless expanses of the seas is the one who hollowed out the bee's very fine sting like a pipe, so that its venom pours through it. “All his works,” then, “are in faith.” Let there be no provision for unbelief in you. Do not say, “This happened by chance, and that came about of itself.” Nothing among things that exist is disorderly, nothing undetermined, nothing done at random, nothing carried along by chance. Or, “An unlucky chance,” or “An evil hour”: these are the words of the uneducated. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall” without the divine will. How many are the hairs of the head? Not one of them is forgotten. Do you see the divine eye, how none of the smallest things escapes its oversight? “The Lord loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” If God's judgment existed by itself, and he repaid us severely, according to our deserts, for what we have done, what hope would there be? Which of all men would be saved? But as it is, he loves … having made mercy and set it before the royal throne of judgment, he thus brings each one to judgment. “If you mark iniquities, O Lord, O Lord, who shall stand?” Neither is mercy without judgment, nor judgment without mercy. Before judgment, then, he loves mercy, and after mercy he comes to judgment. These are yoked together, mercy with judgment, so that neither mercy alone may produce laxity, nor judgment alone produce despair. The judge wishes to have mercy on you and to share his compassion with you; but if he finds you humble after the sin, contrite, weeping much over your evil works, having made public without shame what was done in secret, and in general become pitiable, he supplies his mercy to you abundantly; but if he sees an impenitent heart, a proud mind, unbelief in the age to come, no fear of the judgment, then he loves judgment toward you. As a skillful and kindly physician first tries to reduce the swelling with fomentations and soft poultices, but when he sees the tumor resisting stubbornly and hard, throws away the oil and the gentle treatment and chooses at last the use of the knife. He loves mercy, then, toward the repentant, and he loves judgment toward the stubborn. Isaiah too says something like this to God: “Your mercy is by weight.” For he too presents mercy joined with judgment, God measuring back by balance and number and weight according to each one's desert. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:1 (32:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:22: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:27: quotation, high confidence - Eccl 10:4: quotation, high confidence - Mark 1:34: allusion, medium confidence - Acts 16:18: allusion, high confidence - Ps 50:16 (49:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 27:1: allusion, high confidence - Prov 4:26: allusion, low confidence - Ps 11:7 (10:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 12:3: quotation, high confidence - Ps 51:10 (50:12 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Ps 33:2 (32:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 6:19: allusion, high confidence - Ps 33:3 (32:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:6: quotation, high confidence - Heb 8:13: allusion, high confidence - Ps 103:5 (102:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:16: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:13: allusion, high confidence - John 16:33: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:4 (32:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 1:1: quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:20: allusion, high confidence - Matt 10:29: quotation, high confidence - Matt 10:30: allusion, high confidence - Ps 33:5 (32:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 130:3 (129:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Jas 2:13: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 28:17: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 11:20 (Wisdom of Solomon): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Psalm 32 in the Septuagint is Psalm 33 in the English Bible. Quotations: Ps 33:1–5 (LXX 32:1–5); Gal 5:22; Eph 4:27; Eccl 10:4; Ps 50:16 (LXX 49:16); Isa 27:1; Ps 11:7 (LXX 10:7); 1 Cor 12:3; Rom 6:19; Rom 7:6; Ps 103:5 (LXX 102:5); 2 Cor 4:16; Phil 3:13; John 16:33; John 1:1; Matt 10:29–30; Ps 130:3 (LXX 129:3); Isa 28:17 LXX. Allusions: Mark 1:34; Acts 16:16–18; Prov 4:26; Ps 51:10 (LXX 50:12); Exod 20 and Deut 5 (the ten commandments); Heb 8:13; Rom 1:20; Jas 2:13; Wis 11:20 (“measure, number and weight”). Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved throughout the scan and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after the verse (Basil's definition of rejoicing), after “joy and leaping”, after “so neither does” (the crooked heart and praise), in the list of remedies for sins (after “greedy” and before “afflict”), after “New” (Basil's definition of the new), and after “he loves” in the account of mercy and judgment. The markers [2] and [3] show where Migne's sections 2 and 3 begin. - This staged section holds Migne's sections 1–3; 32.1 and 32.2 together form his section 4. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.1 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-4 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains that on earth God's mercy works without judgment, since Christ came to save, while at the judgment there will be no judgment without mercy. ### Greek text Τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ. Ἐνταῦθα διέζευκται ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως ὁ ἔλεος. Μόνου γὰρ τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ, τῆς κρίσεως εἰς τὸν ὡρισμένον καιρὸν ταμιευθείσης. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὖν ἔλεός ἐστι χωρὶς κρίσεως “ οὐ γὰρ ἦλθεν ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα σώσῃ τὸν κόσμον. Ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ κρίσις χωρὶς ἐλέους, διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι ἄνθρωπον καθαρὸν εὑρεθῆναι ἀπὸ ῥύπου, μηδὲ ἐὰν μία ἡμέρα ἣ τῆς γενέσεως αὐτοῦ. "Ὥστε ἐάν τις ἴδῃ τὴν κακίαν ὁσημέραι νεμομένην, καὶ τὸ ἐπίκηρον γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄξιον μυρίων θανάτων, ὅσον ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι τυγχάνον, θαυμάσει τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς χρηστότητος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας. Ἐν τῇ γῇ μέντοι ὄντες τοῦ ἐλέους χρήζομεν. Οἱ γὰρ ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ τοῦ μακαρίζεσθαί εἰσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ τοῦ ἐλεεῖσθαι ἄξιοι, Ἢ τάχα διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῖν ἐπενεχθεῖσαν καταδίκην γῆ λεγόμεθα ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀκούσαντες παρὰ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ, Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ" οἱ πλήρεις ἐσμὲν τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ - Νεκροὺς γὰρ ὄντας ἡμᾶς ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις καὶ τοῖς παραπτώμασιν ἐλεήσας ὁ Θεὸς συνεζωοποίησε τῷ Χριστῷ. Τῷ λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν. Ποῦ οἱ τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐξουθενοῦντες; ποῦ οἱ χωρίζοντες αὐτὸ ἀπὸ τῆς δημιουργικῆς δυνάμεως; ποῦ οἱ τῆς πρὸς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν συναφείας αὐτὸ διατέμνοντες; ᾿Ακουέτωσαν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ λέγοντος " Τῷ λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὑτῶν. Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ Λόγος, ἣ κοινὴ αὕτη λαλιὰ, νομισθήσεται ἐξ ὀνομάτων καὶ ῥημάτων τὴν σύστασιν ἔχουσα, οὔτε τὸ Πνεῦμα ἀτμὶς εἰς ἀέρα διαχεομένη " ἀλλὰ καὶ Λόγος ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὧν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὃ ἰδίως τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης τετύχηκεν. Ὡς οὖν ὁ δημιουργὸς Λόγος ἐστερέωσε τὸν οὐρανὸν, οὕτω τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται (τουτέστιν, ὃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὑτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ τῶν ἔξωθέν τι καὶ τῶν κτισμάτων αὐτὸ κρίνῃς. ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχον τὴν ὑπόστασιν δοξάζῃς), ἁπάσας τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ δυνάμεις συνεπέφερε. Τῷ οὖν Πνεύματι πᾶσα ἣ δύναμις ἡ ἐπουράνιος ἐστερεώθη᾽" τουτέστι, τὸ εὔτονον καὶ πάγιον καὶ βέβαιον ἐν ἁγιασμῷ, καὶ πάσῃ τῇ πρεπούσῃ ταῖς ἱεραῖς δυνάμεσιν ἀρετῇ, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐπικουρίας ἔχουσιν. Ἐνθάδε μὲν οὖν Πνεῦμα στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀναγέγραπται" εὑρήσομὲν δὲ ἀλλαχοῦ καὶ Λόγον στόματος αὐτοῦ εἰρημένον, ἵνα νοηθῇ ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ τὸ ἅγιον αὑτοῦ Πνεῦμα ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν Λόγος μὲν Κυρίου ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ Πνεῦμα τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ἀμφότερα δὲ συνήργησε τῇ κτίσει τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν αὑτοῖς δυνάμεων, διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηται Τῷ Λόγῳ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὑτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἁγιάζεται, εἰ μὴ τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος. ᾿Αγγέλων γοῦν τὴν μὲν εἰς τὸ εἶναι πάροδον ὁ δημιουργὸς Λόγος ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ὅλων παρείχετο" τὸν ἀγιασμὸν δὲ αὐτοῖς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον συνεπέφερεν. Οὐ γὰρ νήπιοι κτισθέντες οἱ ἄγγελοι, εἶτα τελειωθέντες τῇ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον μελέτῃ, οὔτως ἄξιοι τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος ὑποδοχῆς γεγόνασιν " ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ συστάσει καὶ τῷ οἱονεὶ φυράματι τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν συγκαταβληθεῖσαν ἔσχον τὴν ἁγιότητα. Διὸ καὶ δυσμετάθετοί εἰσι πρὸς κακίαν, … οἱονεὶ βαφῇ τινι, τῷ ἁγιασμῷ στομωθέντες, καὶ τὸ μόνιμον εἰς ἀρετὴν τῇ δωρεᾷ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἔχοντες. ### English translation (Claude) “The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” Here mercy is separated from judgment. For the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord alone, judgment being reserved for its appointed time. Here, then, there is mercy without judgment; for he did not come to judge the world but to save the world. But there judgment is not without mercy, because no man can be found clean of filth, not even if his life be one day. So if anyone sees wickedness spreading daily, and the mortal race of men deserving countless deaths as far as its sins go, he will wonder at the riches of God's kindness, and his forbearance and patience. While we are on earth, however, we need mercy. For those in heaven are worthy of being called blessed, not of being pitied. Or perhaps, because of the condemnation brought on us by sin, we are called earth, we who heard from God, “You are earth, and to earth you shall return”; we are full of the compassion of God. For when we were dead in sins and trespasses, God had mercy on us and made us alive together with Christ. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their power by the breath of his mouth.” Where are those who set the Spirit at nought? Where are those who separate him from the creating power? Where are those who cut him off from his union with the Father and the Son? Let them hear the psalm saying, “By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their power by the Spirit of his mouth.” For neither will the Word be thought to be this common speech, consisting of nouns and verbs, nor the Spirit a vapor dispersing into the air; but the Word is he who was in the beginning with God, and the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, who has received this name properly. As, then, the creating Word established the heaven, so the Spirit who is from God, who proceeds from the Father (that is, who is “from his mouth,” so that you may not judge him to be something external or one of the creatures, but may glorify him as having his hypostasis from God), brought with him all the powers in them. By the Spirit, then, all the heavenly power was established; that is, they have from the help of the Spirit their vigor, firmness and steadfastness in holiness and in every virtue befitting the holy powers. Here, then, “the Spirit of his mouth” is written; and we shall find elsewhere “the Word of his mouth” as well, so that the Savior and his Holy Spirit may be understood to be from the Father. Since, then, the Savior is the Word of the Lord and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of his mouth, and both worked together in the creation of the heavens and of the powers in them, therefore it has been said, “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all their power by the Spirit of his mouth.” For nothing is sanctified except by the presence of the Spirit. The creating Word, the maker of all things, gave the angels their passage into being, and the Holy Spirit brought them sanctification. For the angels were not created as infants and then perfected by gradual exercise and so became worthy to receive the Spirit; but in their first constitution and, as it were, in the very mixture of their substance they had holiness laid down along with it. That is why they are hard to move toward wickedness, … tempered by holiness as by a dye, and having steadfastness in virtue by the gift of the Holy Spirit. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:5 (32:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 3:17: quotation, high confidence - Job 14:4: quotation, high confidence - Rom 2:4: allusion, high confidence - Gen 3:19: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:5: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:6 (32:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 1:1: allusion, high confidence - John 15:26: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:5 (LXX 32:5); John 3:17 (12:47); Job 14:4–5 LXX. Allusion: Rom 2:4. The sentence continues in 32.2; its last word (“condemnation”) is completed across the break. - Quotations: Gen 3:19; Eph 2:5; Ps 33:6 (LXX 32:6); John 15:26; John 1:1. Allusions: Ps 119:72 or Isa 55:11 (“the word of his mouth”); 2 Thess 2:8. Basil's questions at the start are aimed at those who denied the Spirit's divinity (the Pneumatomachi); “hypostasis” here is the Spirit's distinct subsistence (Greek hypostasis). A line is lost after “hard to move toward wickedness” (marked “…”); the end of the section in the scan is Migne's notes and the opening words of the next verse, removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.4 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-5 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 33:7: God gathers the sea like a wineskin, as at the Red Sea; the “deeps in storehouses” are the unsearchable principles of his judgments, to be seen face to face; and the faithful are new wineskins for the new wine of the Spirit. ### Greek text Συνάγων ὡς ἀσκὸν ὕδατα θαλάσσης, τιθεὶς ἐν θησαυροῖς ἀβύσσους. Οὐκ εἶπε, Συνάγων τὰ ὕδατα τῆς θαλάσσης ὡς ἐν ἀσκῷ, ἀλλ᾽ Ὡς ἀσκὸν, οὕτω τὰ ὕδατα τῆς θαλάσσης συνάγων. Νόησον δέ μοι τὴν τοῦ ἀσκοῦ φύσιν, νῦν μὲν διαφυσωμένην, ὅταν τῷ ἐναποληφθέντι πνεύματι τὸ δέρμα περιταθῇ " νῦν δὲ συστελλομένην, ὅταν ὑποχωρήσῃ τὸ διατεῖνον. Οὕτω τοίνυν ἡ θάλασσα ποτὲ μὲν ἐκφλεγμαίνει καὶ ζεῖ τοῖς πνεύμασιν ἀγριαινομένη καὶ ἐξοιδαίνουσα " ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν ὑπὸ γαλήνης εἰς ταπεινὸν καταστέλλεται. Ὡς οὖν ἀσκὸν, οὕτως συστέλλει καὶ ταπεινοῖ τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς θαλάσσης ὁ Κύριος. Εὔρομεν δὲ ἔν τισι τῶν …, ἐπὶ τὴν παλαιὰν ἱστορίαν τοῦ λόγου ἡμᾶς ἀναπέμποντος, ὅτε ἡ Ἐρυθρὰ θάλασσα, οὐδενὸς αὐτὴν διαιροῦντος, οὐδὲ συνέχοντος, αὐτὴ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν συνειστήκει, οἷον ἀσκῷ τινι ἐνδεδεμένη, τοῦ θείου προστάγματος προχυθῆναι αὐτὴν οὐχ ἐῶντος. Τιθεὶς, φησὶν, ἐν θησαυροῖς ἀβύσσους. ᾿Ακολουθότερον ἣν ὡς πρὸς τὴν κοινὴν ἔννοιαν εἰπεῖν, Τιθεὶς ἐν ἀβύσσοις τοὺς θησαυρούς " τουτέστιν, ἐν μυστηρίῳ συνέχων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πλοῦτον. Νῦν δὲ ὥσπερ τινὰ κειμήλια ἄξια τῶν θείων θησαυρῶν τὰς ἀβύσσους εἶναί φησι. Μήποτε οὖν οἱ περὶ τῆς θείας κρίσεως λόγοι, ἄῤῥητοι ὄντες καὶ ἀκατάληπτοι ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ἐννοίαις, ἄβυσσοι λέγονται, ἐν μόνῃ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ γνώσει ἀποκειμένων τῶν λόγων, καθ᾽ οὗς ἕκαστα οἰκονομεῖ; Ὅτι γὰρ τὰ περὶ ἔκαστον κρίματα ἄβυσσος προσηγορεύθη, ἐν ἑτέρῳ ψαλμῷ δεδιδάγμεθα λέγοντι· Τὰ κρίματά σου ἄβυσσος πολλή. Ἐὰν οὖν ἐπιζητῇς, διὰ τί τοῦ μὲν ἁμαρτωλοῦ ἡ ζωὴ παρατείνεται, τοῦ δὲ δικαίου αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς παροικίας συντέμνονται, διὰ τί ὁ μὲν ἄδικος εὐθηνεῖται, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος θλίβεται, διὰ τί τὸ παιδίον πρὶν εἰς τελείωσιν ἐλθεῖν ἀνηρπάσθη, πόθεν πόλεμοι, διὰ τί τὰ ναυάγια, οἱ σεισμοὶ, οἱ αὐχμοὶ, αἱ ἐπομβρίαι, διὰ τί τὰ φθαρτικὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δεδημιούργηται, διὰ τί ὁ μὲν δοῦλος, ὁ δὲ ἐλεύθερος, ὁ μὲν πλουτεῖ, ὁ δὲ πένεται (πολὺ δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁμαρτανομένοις ἢ κατορθουμένοις ἐστὶ τὸ διάφορον" ἣ μὲν γὰρ πορνοβοσκῷ πραθεῖσα πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ " ἡ δὲ εὐθὺς ἀγαθῆς δεσποίνης ἐπιτυχοῦσα συνεξετράφη τῇ παρθενίᾳ), διὰ τί αὕτη μὲν εὐηργετήθη, ἐκείνη δὲ κατεδικάσθη ' καὶ τίς ἡ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστου τούτων παρὰ τοῦ κριτοῦ ἀνταπόδοσις - ταῦτα πάντα λαβὼν εἰς ἔννοιαν, ἐνθυμήθητι, ὅτι ἄβυσσός ἐστι τὰ κρίματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῷ τοῖς θησαυροῖς τοῖς θείοις ἐναποκεκλεῖσθαι, οὐχ εὔληπτα τοῖς τυχοῦσι, Καὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι δὲ ἐπαγγελία δέδοται παρὰ Θεοῦ, ὅτι Δώσω σοι θησαυροὺς ἀποκρύφους, ἀοράτους. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν καταξιωθῶμεν τῆς πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον γνώσεως, ὀψόμεθα καὶ τὰς ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀβύσσους. Συνάγων δὲ τὰ ἐν τῇ Γραφῇ περὶ ἀσκῶν εἰρημένα, μᾶλλον γενήσῃ ἐν περινοίᾳ τοῦ βουλήματος τοῦ προφητικοῦ. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀνακαινούμενοι ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ τὸν καινὸν οἶνον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀμπέλου τῆς ἀληθινῆς χωροῦντες, ἀσκοὶ εἶναι λέγονται ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ καινοί " οἱ δὲ μηδέπω τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποθέμενοι ἀσκοί εἰσι παλαιοὶ, μὴ δυνάμενοι πιστεύεσθαι τὴν ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ νέου οἴνου. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ βάλλει οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιοὺς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἐκχυθῇ, καὶ πάντη ἀπόλωνται ἐκεῖνοι οἱ ἀσκοὶ, οὐδεμιᾶς ἀξιούμενοι συγγνώμης ἔτι, ἐὰν τὸν καλὸν καὶ καινὸν ἐκχέωσιν οἶνον. Οἶνον γὰρ καινὸν εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινοὺς βλητέον. Τὸν καινὸν καὶ πνευματικὸν οἶνον, καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ ζέοντα, τὸν μηδέποτε παλαιούμενον τῆς ἀληθείας νοῦν εἰς τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον βλητέον· ὅς, διὰ τὸ πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέρειν, ἀσκὸς ἂν λέγοιτο εἶναι καινὸς δικαίως. ### English translation (Claude) “Gathering the waters of the sea as in a wineskin, placing the deeps in storehouses.” He did not say, “gathering the waters of the sea as in a wineskin,” but “as a wineskin,” so gathering the waters of the sea. Consider for me the nature of a wineskin, now inflated when the hide is stretched by the air caught in it, now contracted when what stretched it withdraws. So too the sea sometimes swells and boils, made wild and puffed up by the winds, and sometimes again is calmed down low by stillness. As a wineskin, then, so the Lord contracts and lowers the water of the sea. And we have found in some [copies, “as in a wineskin,”] the word sending us back to the ancient history, when the Red Sea, with nothing dividing or holding it, stood up by itself, as if tied in a wineskin, the divine command not allowing it to pour out. “Placing,” he says, “the deeps in storehouses.” It would have been more in keeping with common understanding to say, “placing the treasures in the deeps,” that is, keeping his own wealth hidden in mystery. But as it is, he says that the deeps are like treasures worthy of the divine storehouses. Perhaps, then, the principles of the divine judgment, being ineffable and incomprehensible to human thoughts, are called deeps, the principles by which he manages each thing being stored up in God's knowledge alone. For that the judgments concerning each thing have been called a deep we have been taught in another psalm, which says, “Your judgments are a great deep.” If, then, you ask why the sinner's life is prolonged while the days of the righteous man's sojourning are cut short; why the unjust man prospers and the just man is afflicted; why the child was snatched away before coming to maturity; where wars come from; why shipwrecks, earthquakes, droughts, floods; why things destructive to men have been created; why one man is a slave and another free, one rich and another poor (and great is the difference in sins and in good deeds too: one woman, sold to a brothel-keeper, is in sin under compulsion, while another, who happened at once on a good mistress, was brought up in virginity); why this one was rewarded and that one condemned; and what the judge's recompense for each of these is: taking all this into mind, consider that the judgments of God are a deep, and, because they are shut up in the divine storehouses, not easily grasped by just anyone. And to one who believes, a promise has been given by God: “I will give you hidden treasures, unseen.” When, then, we are counted worthy of knowledge face to face, we shall see also the deeps in God's storehouses. And if you gather what is said in Scripture about wineskins, you will come nearer to understanding the prophet's intention. Those who are renewed day by day, and hold the new wine from the true vine, are called new wineskins in the Gospel; but those who have not yet put off the old man are old wineskins, not able to be trusted with receiving the new wine. For no one puts new wine into old wineskins, lest the wine be spilled and those wineskins perish altogether, deemed worthy of no further pardon if they spill the good and new wine. For new wine must be put into new wineskins. The new and spiritual wine, boiling with the Holy Spirit, the never-aging understanding of the truth, must be put into the new man, who, because he always carries about in his body the dying of Jesus, may justly be called a new wineskin. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:7 (32:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 15:8: allusion, high confidence - Ps 36:6 (35:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 45:3: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:12: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:16: allusion, medium confidence - John 15:1: allusion, medium confidence - Col 3:9: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 9:17: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:10: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:7 (LXX 32:7); Ps 36:6 (LXX 35:7); Isa 45:3; Matt 9:17; Mark 2:22. Allusions: Exod 14:21–22 and 15:8; 1 Cor 13:12; John 15:1; 2 Cor 4:10, 16; Col 3:9. Words are lost after “we have found in some” (supplied in brackets: Basil reports a reading “as in a wineskin”). Migne's notes interleaved near the end of the scan are removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.5 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-5). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-6 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 33:8–10 Basil teaches that fear begins and love perfects; “came to be” refers to the body and first creation, “was created” to the soul and new creation in Christ; and God scatters the counsels of nations, as at the cross and resurrection, at Samaria's siege, and with Ahithophel. ### Greek text Φοβηθήτω τὸν Κύριον πᾶσα ἡ γῆ " ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ δὲ σαλευθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην. Ἐπειδὴ φόβος Κυρίου ἀρχὴ αἰσθήσεως, οἱ τὰ γήινα φρονοῦντες διὰ φόβου παιδεύ… ἀναγκαίως παραλαμβάνεται ὁ φόβος, ἀγάπη δὲ, λοιπὸν παραλαβοῦσα τοὺς ῥυθμισθέντας ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπιστημονικοῦ φόβου, τελειοῖ. Πάσῃ οὖν τῇ γῇ φόβον παραγγέλλει ὁ λόγος. Σαλευθήτωσαν δὲ, φησὶ, ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην. Οἰονεὶ πᾶν κίνημα, εἴτε κατὰ νοῦν, εἴτε κατὰ σωματικὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐπιτελούμενον, κατὰ τὸ βούλημα αὐτοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνεργείσθω. Οὕτω γὰρ νοῶ τὸ, Σαλευθήτωσαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. Οἱονεὶ μήτε ὀφθαλμὸς σαλευέσθω ἄνευ Θεοῦ - μὴ χεὶρ κινείσθω ἄνευ Θεοῦ" μὴ ἡ καρδία διανοείσθω τὰ μὴ εὐάρεστα τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ὅλως ἀπὸ μηδενὸς ἄλλου σαλευθήτωσαν, μηδὲ αὐτούς τι κινείτω, εἰ μὴ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος. Ὅτι Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν " αὑτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν. Πρὸς δύο τὰ προάγοντα δύο ἐπήγαγε " Φοβηθήτω πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, καὶ, Σαλευθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην, τὸ, Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν, Αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν. Ἐπειδὴ σύνθετος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔκ τε τοῦ γηΐνου πλάσματος καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐνοικούσης ψυχῆς τῷ σώματι, γῇ μὲν λέγεται τὸ ἐκ τῆς γῆς πεπλασμένον, κατοικῶν δὲ τὴν οἰκουμένην, ἡ τὴν ἐν σώματι διαγωγὴν λαχοῦσα ψυχή. Καταλλήλως οὖν τῇ γῇ ἀποδέδοται τὸ, Αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγενήθησαν" ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ πλά… τῆς κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ Θεοῦ κτισθείσης τὸ, ᾿Εκτίσθη. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ κτίσις ἐπὶ τῆς μετακοσμήσεως καὶ βελτιώσεως πολλάκις λαμβάνεται, ὡς τὸ, Εἰ τις ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις " καὶ τὸ, Ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον" τάχα τὸ μὲν, Ἐγενήθη, ἐπὶ τῆς πρώτης οὐσιώσεως τοῦ ἀνθρώπου λέγεται" τὸ δὲ, Ἐκτίσθη, ἐπὶ τῆς δευτέρας διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀναγεννήσεως. Ὅσον δὲ λόγου Ψιλοῦ ἐντολὴ Θεοῦ διαφέρει, τοσοῦτον κτίσεως πρὸς γένεσίν ἐστι τὸ διάφορον. Κύριος διασκεδάζει βουλὰς ἐθνῶν" ἀθετεῖ δὲ λογισμοὺς λαῶν. Ἐξήγησίς ἔστι τοῦ προάγοντος, πῶς ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκότας, ἐκ τοῦ διασκεδάσαι τὰς ἀσυνέτους βουλὰς τῶν λαῶν, ἃς εἶχον περὶ εἰδωλολατρείαν καὶ περὶ πᾶσαν ματαιότητα, καὶ ἀθετεῖν τὰς βουλὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων. Δυνατὸν δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν τοῦ πάθους καιρὸν ἀναγαγεῖν ταῦτα, ὅτε οἱ μὲν ἐνόμιζον σταυροῦν τὸν βασιλέα τῆς δόξης, ὁ δὲ διὰ τῆς τοῦ σταυροῦ οἰκονομίας ἀνενεοῦτο τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀναστάσει διεσκεδάννυτο μὲν ἣ βουλὴ τῶν ἐθνῶν, τοῦ Πιλάτου καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, καὶ ὅσοι τὰ περὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐνήργουν - ἡθετοῦντο δὲ αἱ βουλαὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων, ἀρχιερέων καὶ γραμματέων καὶ τῶν βασιλέων τοῦ λαοῦ. Ἡ γὰρ ἀνάστασις πᾶσαν αὐτῶν διέλυσε τὴν ἐπίνοιαν, ᾿Αναλεγόμενος δὲ τὰ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης ἱστορίας ὅσα περὶ τὰ ἄπιστα ἔθνη ἐνήργησεν ὁ Θεὸς, εὑρήσεις καὶ κατὰ τὸν σωματικὸν νοῦν πολλὴν ἔχον τὴν δύναμιν τὸ ῥητόν. Ὅτε γὰρ Ἰωρὰμ υἱὸς ᾿Αχαὰβ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Ἰσραὴλ, τότε ὁ βασιλεὺς Συρίας υἱὸς ᾿Αδὲρ, πολλῇ δυνάμει καὶ βαρεία χειρὶ στρατηγήσας, περιεκάθητο τὴν Σαμάρειαν, ὥστε ἐπιλιπεῖν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, καὶ κεφαλὴν ὄνον πεντήκοντα εἶναι σίκλων ἀργυρίου, καὶ τέταρτον κάβου κόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε σίκλων Τότε τοίνυν, ἵνα ἡ ἐπαγγελία τοῦ Ἑλισσαίου πληρωθῇ, διεσκεδάσθησαν αἱ βουλαὶ τῆς Συρίας, καὶ καταλιπόντες τὰς σκηνὰς ἑαυτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν περιουσίαν ἔφυγον, τοσαύτην εὐθηνίαν καταλιπόντες ἐν τῇ Σαμαρείᾳ, ὥστε μέτρον σεμιδάλεως σίκλον, … οὖν ὁ Κύριος οἶδε διασκεδάζειν βουλὰς ἐθνῶν. Πῶς δὲ ἀθετεῖ βουλὰς ἀρχόντων, ἐπὶ τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ μεμαθήκαμεν, ὅτε ηὔξατο εὐχὴν ὁ Δαβὶδ λέγων· … Ὅταν οὖν ἀκούσῃς τινὸς ἀπειλοῦντος μεγάλα, καὶ ἐπαγγελλομένου σοι παντοδαπὰς ἐπάξειν κακώσεις, ζημίας, ἢ πληγὰς, ἢ θανάτους, ἀπόβλεψον πρὸς τὸν Κύριον τὸν διασκεδάζοντα βουλὰς ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἀθετοῦντα λογισμοὺς λαῶν. ### English translation (Claude) “Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all who inhabit the world be moved by him.” Since “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of perception,” those who mind earthly things [must be] trained … ; fear is necessarily taken up first, and then love, receiving those who have been formed by an intelligent fear, makes them perfect. So the word commands fear to all the earth. “And let all who inhabit the world,” it says, “be moved by him”: that is, let every movement, whether carried out in the mind or in bodily action, be worked in them according to the will of God. For so I understand “let them be moved by him”: let no eye move without God; let no hand stir without God; let the heart not think what is not pleasing to God. And in general let them be moved by nothing else, and let nothing move them except the fear of God. “For he spoke, and they came to be; he commanded, and they were created.” To the two preceding clauses he added two: to “Let all the earth fear” and “Let all who inhabit the world be moved,” he added “He spoke, and they came to be” and “He commanded, and they were created.” Since man is composite, made of an earthly molding and of the soul that dwells in the body, what was molded from the earth is called earth, and the soul that has been allotted life in the body is called the one who inhabits the world. Fittingly, then, “He spoke, and they came to be” is assigned to the earth: to the molding … [and] to the soul, which was created according to the image of God, “it was created.” And since creation is often taken of reordering and improvement, as in “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation,” and “so that he might create the two into one new man,” perhaps “came to be” is said of man's first coming into existence, and “was created” of the second, the regeneration through the grace of Christ. As much as a command of God differs from a bare word, so great is the difference between creation and coming to be. “The Lord scatters the counsels of the nations; he frustrates the thoughts of peoples.” This is an explanation of what precedes: how God created those who have believed in him, by scattering the senseless counsels of the peoples, which they held about idolatry and every vanity, and by frustrating the counsels of the rulers. It is also possible to refer these words to the time of the passion, when they thought they were crucifying the King of glory, while he by the dispensation of the cross was renewing humanity. For in the resurrection the counsel of the nations was scattered, of Pilate and the soldiers and all who carried out what concerned the cross; and the counsels of the rulers were frustrated, of the chief priests and scribes and the kings of the people. For the resurrection undid all their scheme. And if you gather from each history what God worked against the unbelieving nations, you will find that the saying has great force in its bodily sense too. For when Joram son of Ahab reigned in Israel, then the king of Syria, the son of Ader, campaigning with a great force and a heavy hand, besieged Samaria, so that their necessities failed them and an ass's head cost fifty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a kab of dove's dung five shekels. Then, so that the promise of Elisha might be fulfilled, the counsels of Syria were scattered, and they left their tents and all their substance and fled, leaving such plenty in Samaria that a measure of fine flour cost a shekel …. So the Lord knows how to scatter the counsels of nations. And how he frustrates the counsels of rulers, we have learned in the case of Ahithophel, when David prayed, saying … . So when you hear someone threatening great things and promising to bring on you all kinds of ills, losses or blows or deaths, look to the Lord who scatters the counsels of nations and frustrates the thoughts of peoples. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:8 (32:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Prov 1:7: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 4:18: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 33:9 (32:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:7: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 1:27: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 5:17: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:15: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:10 (32:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:8: allusion, high confidence - Acts 4:27: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Kgs 6:24: allusion, high confidence - 2 Kgs 6:25: quotation, high confidence - 2 Kgs 7:16: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 15:31: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:8–10 (LXX 32:8–10); Prov 1:7 LXX (“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of perception”); 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:15; 2 Kgs 6:25 (LXX 4 Kgdms 6:25); 2 Kgs 7:16. Allusions: 1 John 4:18; Gen 2:7 and 1:27; 1 Cor 2:8; Acts 4:25–28; 2 Kgs 6:24–7:20; 2 Sam 15:31; 17:14. Basil's “son of Ader” is the Septuagint form of Ben-hadad. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after “trained” (the statement that fear is the first discipline), at “to the molding …” (where the assignment of “it was created” to the soul is partly lost; bracketed words supplied), after “a shekel” (the price of barley), and after “saying” (David's prayer, 2 Sam 15:31). Migne's notes at the end of the scan are removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.6 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-6). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-7 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 33:11–12 Basil contrasts the scattered philosophies of the nations with the abiding counsel of God, reads the two “generations” as the two covenants, and calls blessed the chosen people gathered from the nations, before the remnant of Israel. ### Greek text Ἢ δὲ βουλὴ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένει" καὶ λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν δόγματα, τὴν ματαίαν ταύτην φιλοσοφίαν, ὅπως λεπτοὶ καὶ περιττοὶ περὶ τὰς εὑρήσεις τῶν δογμάτων εἰσὶν ἕν τε λογικοῖς θεωρήμασι καὶ ἠθικαῖς διατάξεσι, καὶ φυσιολογίαις τισὶ καὶ δόγμασιν ἄλλοις τοῖς ἐποπτικοῖς λεγομένοις; πῶς διεσκέδασται πάντα, καὶ ἠχρείωται, μόνη δὲ ἐμπολιτεύεται νῦν τῷ κόσμῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου; Πολλαὶ γὰρ αἱ βουλαὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπων· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκράτησε. Καὶ ἀναγκαῖόν γε, εἰ μέλλει μόνιμος καὶ ἑδραία ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλὴ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἐναπομένειν, προδιασκεδασθῆναι πρότερον ἐν ἡμῖν τοὺς ἀνθρωπίνους λογισμούς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ γράφειν μέλλων ἐν κηρῷ, προκαταλεαίνων πρότερον, οὕτως ἐπιβάλλει τοὺς τύπους οὓς ἐὰν θέλῃ" οὕτω καὶ καρδίαν χρὴ τὴν μέλλουσαν τρανῶς ὑποδέχεσθαι τὰ θεῖα λόγια, καθαρὰν ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων λογισμῶν ἀποδειχθῆναι. Λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δύο εἰσὶν οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ λαοὶ, καὶ δύο αὐτοῖς διαθῆκαι εἰσι δεδωρημέναι, δύνανται κατὰ τὸ, Λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν, δὶς τῆς γενεᾶς ὀνομαζομένης, δύο νοεῖσθαι καὶ λογισμοί" εἷς μὲν καθ᾽ ὃν τὴν προτέραν ἐδεξάμεθα Διαθήκην, ἕτερος δὲ ὁ τὴν καινὴν καὶ σωτήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίαν ἡμῖν χαρισάμενος. Μακάριον τὸ ἔθνος οὗ ἐστι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ, λαὸς ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κληρονομίαν ἑαυτῷ. Οὐδεὶς μακαρίζει τὸν λαὸν τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλὰ τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν λαῶν ἀριστίνδην ἐξειλεγμένον. Ἡμεῖς γάρ ἔσμεν τὸ ἔθνος, ὧν ἐστι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν " ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν καὶ λαὸς ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κληρονομίαν ἑαυτῷ - ἔθνος μὲν, διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἐθνῶν πολλῶν συνειλέχθαι, λαὸς δὲ, διὰ τὸ ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀποβληθέντος λαοῦ δὲ ἐκλεκτοὶ, … μακαρίζει οὐχὶ τὸν κληθέντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐκλεχθέντα. Μακάριος γὰρ ὃν ἐξελέξατο. Τίς δὲ ἡ αἰτία τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ; Ἢ προσδοκωμένη κληρονομία τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν. Ἢ μήποτε κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον, ἐπειδὴ, ὅταν τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσέλθῃ, τότε πᾶς Ἰσραὴλ σωθήσεται, πρῶτον μακαρίζει τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἕπειτα τὸν ὕστερον σωζόμενον Ἰσραήλ; Σώζεται δὲ, δηλονότι, οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν, ἀλλὰ τὸ λεῖμμα μόνον τὸ κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν χάριτος. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι" Λαὸς ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κλη- ### English translation (Claude) “But the counsel of the Lord abides forever, and the thoughts of his heart to generation and generation.” Do you not see the doctrines of the nations, this vain philosophy, how subtle and elaborate they are in inventing doctrines, in logical theories and ethical rules and certain natural philosophies and other doctrines called “epoptic”: how all have been scattered and made useless, and now the truth of the Gospel alone holds citizenship in the world? “For many are the counsels in the heart of men, but the counsel of the Lord” has prevailed. And it is necessary indeed, if the counsel from God is to remain lasting and firm in our souls, that human reasonings first be scattered in us beforehand. For as one who is going to write on wax first smooths it and so puts on whatever letters he wishes, so too the heart that is to receive the divine sayings clearly must be shown clean of contrary thoughts. “The thoughts of his heart to generation and generation.” Since, then, there are two chosen peoples, and two covenants have been given them, two thoughts may be understood according to “The thoughts of his heart to generation and generation,” the generation being named twice: one according to which we received the first covenant, and the other, the one that gave us the new and saving teaching of Christ. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.” No one calls blessed the people of the Jews, but the people chosen out of all the peoples on the ground of excellence. For we are the nation whose God is the Lord; we are also the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance: a nation, because it was gathered from many nations; a people, because it was put in place of the people cast off; and chosen …: he calls blessed not the one who was called, but the one who was chosen. For blessed is the one “whom he has chosen.” And what is the cause of the blessedness? The expected inheritance of eternal goods. Or perhaps, according to the Apostle, since “when the fullness of the nations has come in, then all Israel will be saved,” he first calls blessed the fullness of the nations, and then Israel, which is saved later? And it is clear that not just anyone is saved, but only the remnant chosen by grace. That is why he says, “the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance.” ### Scripture references - Ps 33:11 (32:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Col 2:8: allusion, medium confidence - Prov 19:21: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:12 (32:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 2:9: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 22:14: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 11:25: quotation, high confidence - Rom 11:26: quotation, high confidence - Rom 11:5: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:11–12 (LXX 32:11–12); Prov 19:21; Rom 11:25–26; Rom 11:5. Allusions: Col 2:8 (vain philosophy); Matt 22:14 (called and chosen); 1 Pet 2:9–10. “Epoptic” is the philosophers' name for the highest, contemplative doctrine. Basil's contrast between the Jewish people and the Church is translated as written. A line is lost after “and chosen” (marked “…”). The section ends in the middle of the verse; the last words are completed from Basil's quotation. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.7 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-7). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-8 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 33:13–15 Basil contrasts God's overseeing from heaven with his “coming down” to Sodom and Babel, stresses that nothing escapes his eye, and teaches that the creator of the once-simple heart understands all our works and intentions. ### Greek text Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ὁ Κύριος" εἶδε πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξ ἑτοίμου κατοικητηρίου αὑτοῦ. Τοὺς μένοντας ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰδίου ἀξιώματος … ἀνθρωπίνῃ ἄνωθεν ἐφορᾷ ὁ Κύριος " τοὺς δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἔσχατον τῆς κακίας ὑπενεχθέντας ἑτέρως ἐπισκέπτεται διὰ τοῦ αὐτὸς καταβαίνειν. Κραυγὴ γὰρ, φησὶ, Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥας πεπλήθυνται, καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα. Καταβὰς οὖν ὄψομαι εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην πρὸς μὲ συντελοῦνται" καὶ πάλιν" Κατέβη ἰδεῖν τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸν πύργον, ὃν ᾧκοδόμησαν οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ, Ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ὁ Κύριος " εἶδε πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Σκόπει τὸν ὑψηλὸν θεατὴν, σκόπει τὸν … Ὅπου περ ἂν βαδίζῃς, ὅ τι περ ἂν ἐνεργῇς, κἂν ἐν σκότει, κἂν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, ἐπισκοποῦντα ἔχεις τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀφθαλμόν. Ἐξ ἑτοίμου κατοικητηρίου αὐτοῦ. Οὐ πύλαι ἀνοίγονται " οὐ παραπετάσματα συνάγονται" ἕτοιμόν ἔστιν εἰς θέαν τὸ κατοικητήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πάντας ἐφορᾷ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Οὐδὲ εἷς διαφεύγει αὐτοῦ τὴν θέαν " οὐ σκότος, οὐ τοῖχοι παρακαλύπτοντες, οὐδὲν ἐμπόδιόν ἐστιν ὀφθαλμοῖς Θεοῦ. Ὅς γε τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει τοῦ μὴ καθέκαστον ἐφορᾷν, ὅτι καὶ τὰς καρδίας ἐφορᾷ, ἃς αὐτὸς ἔπλασεν ἄνευ τῆς πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον ἐπιμιξίας. Ἁπλῆν αὐτὴν ἔπλασε καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν εἰκόνα σώζουσαν τὴν καρδίαν ὁ δημιουργὸς τῶν ἀνθρώπων Θεός " ὕστερον δὲ αὑτὴν τῇ πρὸς τὰ πάθη τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπιπλοκῇ ποικίλην ἐποιήσαμεν καὶ παντοδαπὴν ἡμεῖς τὴν καρδίαν, τὸ θεοειδὲς αὐτῆς καὶ ἁπλοῦν καὶ μονότροπον διαφθείραντες. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καρδιῶν ἔστι δημιουργὸς, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ συνίησι πάντα τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν. Ἔργα δὲ λέγομεν καὶ τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὰς ἐννοίας, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀπαξαπλῶς τὴν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κίνησιν. Ποίᾳ γὰρ διαθέσει καὶ τίνι προθέσει, πότερον εἰς ἀνθρώπων ἀρέσκειαν, ἣ εἰς ὑπουργίαν τῶν δεδομένων ἡμῖν προσταγμάτων παρὰ Θεοῦ, μόνος οἷδεν ὁ συνιεὶς πάντα τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ περὶ παντὸς ῥήματος ἀργοῦ διδόαμεν λόγον. Καὶ ἕως ποτηρίου ὕδατος ψυχροῦ τὸν μισθὸν οὐχ ἀπόλλυμεν, διὰ τὸ εἰς πάντα ἡμῶν τὰ ἔργα συνιέναι τὸν Κύριον. ### English translation (Claude) “The Lord looked down from heaven; he saw all the sons of men from his prepared dwelling place.” Those who remain in their own dignity … [and do what belongs to] human [nature] the Lord oversees from above; but those who have been carried down to the extreme of wickedness he visits in another way, by coming down himself. For “the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah,” it says, “has multiplied, and their sins are very great. I will go down, then, and see whether they are doing according to their cry that comes to me”; and again, “He came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.” But here: “The Lord looked down from heaven; he saw all the sons of men.” Consider the lofty spectator, consider the … . Wherever you walk, whatever you do, whether in darkness or by day, you have the eye of God watching over you. “From his prepared dwelling place.” No gates are opened, no curtains are drawn aside; the dwelling place of God is ready for viewing. He oversees all the sons of men. Not one escapes his sight; no darkness, no walls that cover, nothing is a hindrance to the eyes of God. He is so far from not overseeing each one that he even oversees their hearts, which he himself molded without mixture with the worse. Simple, keeping the image in itself, did God the creator of men mold the heart; but afterward we ourselves, by entangling it with the passions of the flesh, made the heart varied and manifold, corrupting its godlike, simple and single nature. Since, then, he is the creator of hearts, he therefore understands all our works. And by works we mean words and thoughts and, in short, every movement of man. For with what disposition and what purpose, whether to please men or to serve the commandments given us by God, he alone knows who understands all our works. That is why we give an account even of every idle word, and why we do not lose the reward even of a cup of cold water: because the Lord understands all our works. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:13 (32:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:14 (32:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 18:20: quotation, high confidence - Gen 18:21: quotation, high confidence - Gen 11:5: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:15 (32:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 12:36: allusion, high confidence - Matt 10:42: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:13–15 (LXX 32:13–15); Gen 18:20–21; Gen 11:5. Allusions: Matt 12:36; Matt 10:42; Ps 139:11–12 (LXX 138). Migne's Latin and notes are interleaved after the opening verse and at the end in the scan, and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…” after “in their own dignity” and after “consider the” (bracketed word supplied). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.8 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-1/#p-32-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-32-9 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 33:16–17 Basil teaches that kings, giants and horses are not saved by their strength but by God's grace, which shines most in the weak; the saints did not trust in horses, which belong to Pharaoh and Sennacherib. ### Greek text Οὐ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν. Οὐ στρατιωτικῆς δυνάμεως περιβολὴ, οὐ τείχη πόλεων, οὐ πεζικὴ φάλαγξ, οὐχ ἱππικὴ δύναμις, οὐ ναυτικῆς ἰσχύος παρασκευὴ βασιλεῖ τὴν σωτηρίαν περιποιεῖ. Κύριος γὰρ καθιστᾷ βασιλεῖς καὶ μεθιστᾷ, καὶ οὐχ ἔστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ τεταγμένη. Σώζεται δὲ οὖν βασιλεὺς οὐ παρὰ τὴν πολλὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν. “Ὥστε ἀληθῆ καὶ τούτοις εἶναι τὸν λόγον, ὅτι Χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι. “Ὥσπερ οὐδὲ - γεωργὸς τοσοῦτον διὰ τὴν γεωργικὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τυγχάνει τοῦ γεωργικοῦ μέρους, ὅσον διὰ τὸν αὔξοντα τὰ γεωργούμενα Θεόν. Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ φυτεύων ἐστί τι, οὔτε ὁ ποτίζων, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ αὐξάνων Θεός. Εἰ δὲ καρδία βασιλέως ἐν χειρὶ Θεοῦ, οὐ σώζεται διὰ τὴν ὁπλιτικὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν θείαν χειραγωγίαν. Ἐν χειρὶ δὲ Θεοῦ ἐστιν οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἄξιος τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως προσηγορίας. Ὡρίσαντο δέ τινες βασιλείαν εἶναι τὴν ἔννομον ἐπιστασίαν, ἣ τὴν ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἀρχὴν ἀνυπεύθυνον ἁμαρτίᾳ. Καὶ γίγας οὐ σωθήσεται ἐν πλήθει ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ. Γίγαντα λέγει τὸν φυσικῇ δυνάμει καὶ τόνῳ σωματικῷ κεχρημένον. Οὔτε οὖν βασιλεὺς τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ὁπλιτικοῦ θείαν ἀρχοῦσαν ἔχει πρὸς σωτηρίαν, οὔτε ὁ ἀνδρεῖος ἑαυτῷ πρὸς πάντα ἐπαρκεῖν ἐστιν ἱκανός. ᾿Ασθένεια γάρ ἔστι καὶ ἀδυναμία πάντα ὁμοῦ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα πρὸς τὴν ἀληθινὴν δύναμιν παραβαλλόμενα. τοῦτο Τὰ ἀσθενῆ τοῦ κόσμου ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς, ἵνα καταισχύνῃ τὰ ἰσχυρά" καὶ ἐκ στόματος νηπίων καὶ θηλαζόντων κατηρτίσατο αἶνον, ἵνα καταλύσῃ τὸν ἐχθρὸν καὶ ἐκδικητὴν. Μάλιστα γὰρ ἔλαμψεν ἡ θεία χάρις ἐν τοῖς νηπίοις καὶ ἀνοήτοις ἐνεργουμένη. Ψευδὴς ἵππος εἰς σωτηρίαν" ἐν δὲ πλήθει δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐ σωθήσεται. Ἐκβέβληται τῆς χρήσεως τῶν ἁγίων ὁ ἵππος, Καὶ οὔτε ἐν πολέμοις εὐημερῶν ὁ Ἰσραὴλ ἱππικὴ δυνάμει ποτὲ φαίνεται κεχρημένος, οὔτε ἰδίᾳ ο τις τῶν ἁγίων τὴν χρῆσιν τῶν ἵππων ὡς ἁρμόζουσαν παρεδέξατο,, Φαραὼ δὲ ἵππῳ χρῆται, καὶ Σεναχηρεὶμ ὁ ὑπερήφανος τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῶν ἵππων μέγα φρονεῖ. Διόπερ τοῦ μὲν Φαραὼ ἵππον καὶ ἀναβάτην ἔῤῥιψεν εἰς θάλασσαν: τοῦ δὲ Σεναχηρεὶμ ἐνύσταξαν πάντες οἱ ἐπιβεβηκότες τοῖς ἵπποις " ὅθεν καὶ ὁ διὰ Μωῦσέως νόμος τὰ περὶ βασιλέων νομοθετῶν, Οὐ πληθυνεῖ, φησὶν, ἑαυτῷ ἵππον. Ἐν δὲ πλήθει δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐ σωθήσεται. “Ὅταν γὰρ ἀσθενῶ, φησὶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι. Τὸ δὲ πλῆθος τῆς σωματικῆς δυνάμεως ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν τοῦ πνεύματος. ### English translation (Claude) “A king is not saved by a great army.” Not the encircling of a military force, not the walls of cities, not an infantry phalanx, not a cavalry force, not the equipment of naval strength wins a king salvation. For the Lord sets up kings and removes them, and there is no authority except that appointed by God. So a king is saved not by a great army but by divine grace, so that for kings too the word is true, “By grace you have been saved.” Just as the farmer receives his share of the crops not so much because of his care in farming as because of God, who gives growth to what is farmed: “For neither is he who plants anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the growth.” And if “the king's heart is in the hand of God,” he is not saved by his military force but by divine guidance. But it is not just anyone who is in the hand of God, but the one who is worthy of the name of king. Some have defined kingship as lawful rule, or as rule over all, not accountable for sin. “And a giant will not be saved by the greatness of his strength.” He calls a giant one who has natural power and bodily vigor. So neither does a king have sufficient help for salvation from his army, nor is the brave man able to suffice for himself in all things. For all human things together are weakness and powerlessness when compared with the true power. “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong,” and “out of the mouth of infants and sucklings he perfected praise, to destroy the enemy and avenger.” For divine grace shone out most when working in infants and the simple. “A horse is a false hope for safety; and by the greatness of its power it will not be saved.” The horse has been cast out of the use of the saints. Neither is Israel ever seen using cavalry when prospering in wars, nor did any of the saints in private accept the use of horses as fitting. But Pharaoh uses the horse, and Sennacherib the proud prides himself on his abundance of horses. That is why “horse and rider he threw into the sea” of Pharaoh, and all who were mounted on horses of Sennacherib “slumbered.” Hence the law given through Moses, laying down rules for kings, says, “He shall not multiply horses for himself.” “And by the greatness of its power it will not be saved.” “For when I am weak,” he says, “then I am strong.” And the abundance of bodily power is a hindrance to the salvation of the spirit. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:16 (32:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Dan 2:21: allusion, high confidence - Rom 13:1: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:5: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:7: quotation, high confidence - Prov 21:1: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:27: quotation, high confidence - Ps 8:2 (8:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:17 (32:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 15:1: quotation, high confidence - Ps 76:6 (75:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Deut 17:16: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 12:10: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:16–17 (LXX 32:16–17); Rom 13:1; Eph 2:5; 1 Cor 3:7; Prov 21:1; 1 Cor 1:27; Ps 8:2 (LXX 8:3); Exod 15:1; Ps 76:6 (LXX 75:7); Deut 17:16; 2 Cor 12:10. Allusions: Dan 2:21; 2 Kgs 19:23 (Sennacherib's chariots). The definitions of kingship (“lawful rule”, “rule not accountable”) are commonplaces of Greek political thought. Migne's Latin and notes in the scan before the last sentence are removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.9 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-32-9). ## Homilies on the Psalms 32.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-32-10 - Source: PG 29:598 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil ends his homily on Psalm 32 (33): God's eyes are on those who look to him; the humble hope in his mercy, not their works; the soul waits for him with joy in affliction; his name is holy for what it signifies; and his mercy is measured to our hope. ### Greek text ᾿Ιδοὺ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν. ᾿Αλλαχοῦ μὲν εἴρηται" Ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους" ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ᾿Επὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτόν, Ὅταν ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον … καὶ ὥσιν ἡμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὥστ᾽ ἂν εἰπεῖν ἡμᾶς - ᾿Ιδοὺ ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ δούλων εἰς χεῖρας τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν, οὕτως οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν " τότε οἱονεὶ ἐφελκόμεθα πρὸς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἡ μῶν τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τοῦ Κυρίου. Τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. Τὸ ταπεινὸν τῶν δουλευόντων τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐμφαίνει, πῶς ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐλπίζουσιν. Ὃ γὰρ μὴ πεποιθὼς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ἀνδραγαθήμασι, μηδὲ προσδοκῶν ἐξ ἔργων δικαιωθήσεσθαι, μόνην ἔχει τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας τοὺς οἰκτιρμοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐνθυμηθῇ τὸ, ᾿Ιδοὺ Κύριος καὶ ὁ μισθὸς αὑτοῦ, ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ ὡς τὸ ἔργον αὐτοῦ, καὶ λογίσηται ἑαυτοῦ τὰ πονηρὰ ἔργα, φοβεῖται μὲν τὴν κόλασιν καὶ ὑποπτήσσει τοῖς ἀπειλουμένοις " πρὸς δὲ τὸ μὴ καταποθῆναι ὑπὸ τῆς λύπης, εὔελπίς ἐστι πρὸς τοὺς οἰκτιρμοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπὸν ἀποβλέπων. Ἐλπίζει δὲ, ὅτι ῥυσθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου, καὶ διατραφήσεται ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν λιμῷ. Ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν ὑπομενεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι βοηθὸς καὶ ὑπερασπιστὴς ἡμῶν ἐστι. Παράκλησιν ἔχει πρὸς ὑπομονὴν ὁ λόγος " ὥστε κἄν ποτε καταληφθῶμεν ὑπό τινος τῶν ἐκθλιβόντων ἡμᾶς, μὴ χωρισθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλῃ ψυχῇ ὑπομένειν τὰ ἐπίπονα, τὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ βοήθειαν ἀναμένοντας. Ὅτι ἐν αὑτῷ εὐφρανθήσεται ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ ἠλπίσαμεν. Τοῦτο συνάδει τοῖς ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ: Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ" καὶ, Ἐν αὐτῷ εὐφρανθήσεται ἡ καρδίᾳ ἡμῶν, Καί μοι δοκεῖ κατὰ ταῦτα εἰρηκέναι ὁ ᾿Απόστολος τὸ, Ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς" καὶ τὸ, Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμενοι ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν. Εἰπὼν γὰρ ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς, ὅτι Ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν ὑπομενεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι οὐχὶ βιαίως οὐδὲ καταπιεζόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν θλίψεων τὴν ὑπομονὴν ἐπιδείκνυται, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πάσης χαρᾶς ὑποδέχεται τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου κακώσεις, Οὐ μόνον, φησὶν, ὑπομένομεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἐν αὐτῷ εὐφρανθήσεται ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ ἠλπίσαμεν. Ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν τὸ ὀνομάζεσθαι Χριστιανοὺς πρὸς τὸ πᾶσαν ἐκφυγεῖν τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων … Θεοῦ, οὐ πάντως διὰ τὸ ἐν συλλαβαῖς ἔχειν τινὰ δύναμιν ἁγιαστικὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ ἰδιότης τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἡ ἔννοια τῶν ἐξαιρέτως περὶ αὐτὸν θεωρουμένων ἁγία ἐστὶ καὶ ἀγαθή. Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, καθάπερ ἠλπίσαμεν ἐπὶ σοί. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἐπιστημόνως προσηύξατο; Τὴν ἰδίαν διάθεσιν μέτρον ἐποίησε τῆς ἐπιχορηγίας τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τοσοῦτος, φησὶ, γένοιτο ὁ ἔλεός σου ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ὅσην φθάσαντες ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ σοὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα κατεβαλόμεθα. Πᾶσα δὲ ἡμῶν ἡ ἐλπὶς ἐπιστρέψαι εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν, ἵνα, μετασχηματισθέντος τοῦ σώματος τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν, νοήσωμεν αὐτὸ τοῦτο γενόμενον σύμμορφον τῷ σώματι τῆς δόξης. ### English translation (Claude) “Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him.” Elsewhere it is said, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,” but here, “on those who fear him.” When we … toward the Lord, and our eyes are toward him, so that we can say, “Behold, as the eyes of servants to the hands of their masters, so our eyes are toward the Lord our God,” then we, as it were, draw the eye of the Lord to watch over us. “On those who hope in his mercy.” It shows the humility of those who serve the Lord, how they hope in his mercy. For one who does not trust in his own brave deeds, nor expects to be justified by works, has as his only hope of salvation the compassion of God. For when he considers, “Behold, the Lord, and his reward, to repay each according to his work,” and reckons up his own evil works, he fears the punishment and cowers at the threats; but so as not to be swallowed up by grief, he is of good hope, looking to the compassion and love for mankind of God. And he hopes that his soul will be delivered from death and nourished by him in famine. “Our soul will wait for the Lord, for he is our helper and protector.” The word gives encouragement toward endurance, so that, even if we are ever overtaken by one of those who afflict us, we may not be separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus, but may endure hardships with our whole soul, waiting for the help from God. “For in him our heart will rejoice, and in his holy name we have hoped.” This agrees with what was said at the beginning of the psalm, “Rejoice, you righteous, in the Lord,” and “In him our heart will rejoice.” And I think the Apostle said in accordance with this, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,” and “Not only so, but we also boast in our afflictions.” For the psalmist, having said, “Our soul will wait for the Lord,” to show that he displays endurance not by force or under the pressure of afflictions, but welcomes with all joy the hardships for the name of the Lord, says, “Not only do we endure, but in him our heart will rejoice, and in his holy name we have hoped.” It is enough for us to be called Christians to escape all the [plotting] of our adversaries …. [The name] of God [is holy], not at all because it has some sanctifying power in its syllables, but because every property of God, and the notion of what is contemplated as belonging to him in an exceptional way, is holy and good. “Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in you.” Do you see how knowingly he prayed? He made his own disposition the measure of the supply of God's compassion. Let your mercy, he says, be upon us as great as the hope we first laid down in you. And all our hope is to return to rest, so that, when the body of our humiliation has been transformed, we may understand it as having become conformed to the body of glory. ### Scripture references - Ps 33:18 (32:18 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:15 (33:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 123:2 (122:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gal 2:16: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 40:10: quotation, high confidence - Rev 22:12: quotation, medium confidence - Ps 33:19 (32:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:20 (32:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:39: allusion, high confidence - Ps 33:21 (32:21 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:1 (32:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:37: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:3: quotation, high confidence - Ps 33:22 (32:22 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:21: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 33:18–22 (LXX 32:18–22); Ps 34:15 (LXX 33:16); Ps 123:2 (LXX 122:2); Isa 40:10 and Rev 22:12; Ps 33:1 (LXX 32:1); Rom 8:37; Rom 5:3; Rom 8:39. Allusions: Gal 2:16 (not justified by works); Phil 3:21. Lines are lost and marked “…”: after “When we” (a verb of looking), and after “our adversaries”, where Migne's notes stand in the scan; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 32.10 (PG 29:598; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-32-10). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.0 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-33-0 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The title of Psalm 33 (34), on which the homily is preached. ### Greek text Τῷ Δαβὶδ, ὁπότε ἠλλοίωσε τὸ πρόσωπον αὑτοῦ ἐναντίον Ἀβιμέλεχ, καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ### English translation (Claude) “Of David, when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and ### Scripture references - Ps 34:1 (33:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Ps 34, title (LXX 33:1). The title breaks off in the scan (“and he departed”). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.0 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-33-0). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-33-1 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil reconciles the title of Psalm 33 (34), which names Abimelech, with 1 Samuel, which names Achish: Abimelech was the common title of Philistine kings, as Pharaoh of Egyptian and Caesar of Roman rulers. ### Greek text Ἐπὶ δύο ὑποθέσεις ἔλκει ἡ ἔννοια τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, Τά τε ἐν τῇ Νομβᾷ τῇ πόλει τῶν ἱερέων γενόμενα παρὰ τοῦ Δαβὶδ δοκεῖ οἰκείως ἔχειν τῇ ἐπιγραφῇ, τά τε ἐν τῇ Γὲθ παρὰ τῷ ᾿Αγχοὺς τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων. Ἠλλοίωσε μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ὅτε τῷ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ διελέγετο τῷ ἱερεῖ, κρύπτων μὲν τὴν φυγὴν, σπουδάζειν δὲ δὴ προστάγματι ὑπουργεῖν βασιλικῷ προσποιούμενος, ὅτε καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔλαθε, καὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν τοῦ Γολιάθ. Ἠλλοίωσε δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ὅτε ἐν μέσοις τοῖς πολεμίοις ἀποληφθεὶς, ἐπειδὴ ἤσθετο αὐτῶν διαλεγομένων πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ παρασκευαζομένων εἰς ἄμυναν. Εἶπον γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ παῖδες ᾿Αγχοὺς πρὸς ἑαυτούς" Οὐχ οὗτος Δαβὶδ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς γῆς; Οὐχὶ τούτῳ ἐξῆρχον ἐν χορῷ λέγουσαι, ᾿Επάταξε Δαβὶδ ἐν μυριάσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Σαοὺλ ἐν χιλιάσιν" αὐτοῦ; Καὶ ἐφοβήθη, φησὶ, Δαβὶδ ἀπὸ προσώπου ᾿Αγχοὺς, καὶ ἠλλοίωσε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν. Πῶς οὖν ἡ μὲν ἐπιγραφὴ Ἀβιμέλεχ ὀνομάζει, ἡ δ᾽ ἱστορία ᾿Αγχοὺς παραδίδωσι τὸν βασιλέα Γετθαίων; Τοιοῦτον λόγον τινὰ φθάσαντα ἐκ παραδόσεως εἰς ἡμᾶς ἔχομεν, ὅτι οἱ βασιλεῖς τῶν ἀλλοφύλων κοινὸν μὲν εἶχον ὄνομα τὸ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ, ἴδιον δὲ ἕκαστος ὃ προσηγορεύετο. Ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἔστι βασιλείας ἰδεῖν, Καίσαρας λεγομένους κοινῶς καὶ Αὐγούστους, ἄλλα δὲ τὰ κύρια ἑαυτῶν κεκτημένους ὀνόματα. Τοιοῦτον καὶ παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις ἐστὶ τὸ Φαραώ … Ἰωσήφ Φαραὼ καὶ ὁ ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως μετὰ τέσσαρας γενεὰς ἐγερθεὶς βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου " Φαραὼ καὶ ὁ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους Σολομῶντος - Ἔλαβε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν θυγατέρα Φαραώ" καὶ ὁ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους τῆς προφητείας Ἱερεμίου Φαραὼ προσηγορεύετο. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους ἣν ᾿Αβραὰμ, καὶ κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους Ἰσαάκ - καὶ ὁ νῦν λεγόμενος ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν Δαβίδ. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ ᾿Αβραὰμ εἴρηται, ὅτι Καὶ εἶπεν Αβιμέλεχ, καὶ Ὀχοζὰθ ὁ νυμφαγωγὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ Φικὸλ ὁ ἀρχιστράτηγος τῆς δυνάμεως αὑτοῦ πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ λέγων. Καὶ πάλιν περὶ τοῦ Ἰσαάκ. Ἐγένετο δὲ πολυχρόνιος ἐκεῖ. … διὰ τῆς θυρίδος, εἶδε παίζοντα τὸν ᾿Ισαὰκ …χρόνους Δαβὶδ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ εἴρηται ἐν τῇ ἐπιγραφῇ, τὸ κοινὸν τῆς βασιλείας ὄνομα. ᾿Αγχοὺς δὲ παραδέδοται ὑπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας, ὅπερ ἰδίως ἣν αὐτῷ ἐκ γενετῆς ἐπικείμενον. Ἐπὶ τούτου τοίνυν ἠλλοίωσεν ἑαυτοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον, παραφερόμενος ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν, καὶ ψοφῶν παρὰ τὰς πύλας τῆς πόλεως, καὶ καταῤῥέων, φησὶ, τὰ σίελα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν πώγωνα" ὥστε εἰπεῖν τὸν ᾿Αγχοὺς τοῖς παισί " Τί εἰσεφέρετε αὐτὸν πρὸς με; Μὴ ἐπιδέομαι ἐπιλήπτων ἐγὼ, ὅτι εἰσηνέγκατε αὐτὸν ἐπιληπτεύεσθαι ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ; Καὶ οὕτως ἀπολυθεὶς ἐκεῖθεν, διεσώθη, φησὶν, εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον Ὁδολλάμ. Ὡς οὖν ἐκ μεγάλου κινδύνου διεκφυγὼν, ταύτην ἀναπέμπει τὴν εὐχαριστίαν τῷ ῥυσαμένῳ αὐτὸν Θεῷ. Εὐλογήσω, φησὶ, τὸν Κύριον … ### English translation (Claude) The sense of the psalm draws toward two subjects. Both what David did at Nob, the city of the priests, seems to fit the title, and what he did at Gath before Achish, the king of the foreigners. For he changed his countenance when he spoke with Abimelech the priest, hiding his flight and pretending to be eager to carry out a royal command, when he took the loaves of the presentation and the sword of Goliath. And he changed his countenance also when, caught in the midst of the enemy, he perceived them talking to one another and preparing to take revenge. “For the servants of Achish,” it says, “said among themselves, Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him in the dance, saying, David struck down his ten thousands and Saul his thousands?” “And David was afraid,” it says, “of Achish, and changed his countenance before their eyes.” How, then, does the title name Abimelech, while the history gives Achish as the king of the Gittites? We have an account of this sort that has come down to us by tradition: that the kings of the foreigners had a common name, Abimelech, but each had his own by which he was called. As one can see in the Roman empire, where they are commonly called Caesars and Augusti, but have other names of their own. Such too among the Egyptians is Pharaoh …: Joseph's Pharaoh, and the king of Egypt who arose four generations later in the time of Moses was Pharaoh; and the one in the times of Solomon (“for he took the daughter of Pharaoh,” it says), and the one in the times of Jeremiah's prophecy, was called Pharaoh. So too there was an Abimelech in the times of Abraham, and in the times of Isaac, and the one now mentioned in the times of David. For in the case of Abraham it is said, “And Abimelech, and Ahuzzath his groomsman, and Phichol the commander of his army, said to Abraham.” And again concerning Isaac: “It came to pass that he was there a long time. … through the window, he saw Isaac sporting.” … [In the times] of David he is called Abimelech in the title, the common name of the kingship, but Achish is given by the history, the name that was his own from birth. Before this king, then, he changed his countenance, letting himself be carried in his servants' hands, drumming on the gates of the city, and “letting his spittle run down,” it says, “on his beard,” so that Achish said to his servants, “Why have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought him in to rave before me?” And so, sent away from there, he escaped, it says, to the cave of Adullam. As one who had escaped from great danger, then, he sends up this thanksgiving to God who delivered him: “I will bless,” he says, “the Lord … ### Scripture references - Ps 34:1 (33:1 LXX): allusion, high confidence - 1 Sam 21:1: allusion, high confidence - 1 Sam 21:11: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 21:12: quotation, high confidence - 1 Kgs 3:1: quotation, high confidence - Gen 26:26: quotation, high confidence - Gen 26:8: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 21:13: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 21:15: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 22:1: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: 1 Sam 21:11–13 (LXX 1 Kgdms 21:12–14); 1 Kgs 3:1; Gen 21:22 and 26:26; Gen 26:8; 1 Sam 21:14–15; 1 Sam 22:1. Allusions: 1 Sam 21:1–9 (Nob); Gen 41; Exod 1:8; Jer 44:30. Migne's Latin and notes, with stray lines from the end of the previous homily, are interleaved in the scan and are removed by logged corrections. Lines are lost and marked “…”: in the list of Pharaohs, in the Isaac quotation (Gen 26:8, “Abimelech looked out”), before “of David”, and at the end of the section, where the verse (Ps 34:1) breaks off. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.1 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-33-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-33-2 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil expounds Ps 34:1–7: blessing God at all times, even in affliction; praise as the soul's continual thought of God; boasting only in the Lord; the meek magnifying God together in quiet contemplation; affliction proving the saints; enlightenment of those who come to Christ the true light; voluntary poverty, of which Christ is the model; and the angel who guards the God-fearing. ### Greek text οἷον ὅρους ἑαυτῷ τίθεται τῆς ζωῆς, τυπῶν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς τὸ τῆς πολιτείας ἀκριβές· ὡς μηδένα καιρὸν διαλιμπάνειν τῆς εὐλογίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεγάλων καὶ μικροτέρων πραγμάτων ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀναφέρειν τὴν ἀρχήν. Οὐχὶ ἡγήσομαι, φησὶ, κατὰ τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ἐπιμέλειαν γίνεσθαι, οὐδὲ ἐκ τῆς αὐτομάτου συντυχίας συμβαίνειν, ἀλλ' Ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ εὐλογήσω τὸν Κύριον" οὐχ ἐν ταῖς εὐημερίαις μόνον τοῦ βίου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς περιστατικοῖς καιροῖς. Ἐντεῦθεν μαθητευθεὶς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, Πάντοτε, φησὶ, χαίρετε, ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε, ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε. Ὁρᾷς ἡλίκη τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἡ ἀγάπη; Οὐχ ἀπεδυσπέτει πρὸς τὴν συνέχειαν τῶν κακῶν, ὅτε οὐ μόνον πατρίδος ἀπελήλατο, καὶ συγγενείας, καὶ οἰκείων, καὶ κτημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις παραδοθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης, μικροῦ διασπᾶσθαι παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἔμελλεν. Οὐχ εἶπε " Μέχρι τίνος ἡ συνέχεια τῶν κακῶν; οὐχ ἀπεδυσπέτησε πρὸς τὴν παράτασιν τῆς θλίψεως, ἀλλ᾽ εἰδὼς, Ὅτι ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ τοῖς καλῶς παρεσκευασμένοις αἱ θλίψεις οἰονεὶ τροφαί τινές εἰσιν ἀθλητικαὶ καὶ γυμνάσια, ἐπὶ τὴν πατρῴαν δόξαν τὸν ἀγωνιστὴν προβιβάζουσαι " ὅταν λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογῶμεν, βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλῶμεν, … τῇ θλίψει καυχώμεθα. Αἰσχρὸν γὰρ εὐλογεῖν μὲν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῖς χρηστοτέροις, σιωπᾷν δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς σκυθρωποτέροις καὶ ἐπιπόνοις πράγμασιν. ᾿Αλλὰ τότε καὶ πλέον εὐχαριστεῖν δεῖ, εἰδότας, ὅτι Ὃν ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει" μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται. Διαπαντὸς ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ στόματί μου. Δοκεῖ ἀδύνατόν τι ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι ὁ προφήτης. Πῶς γὰρ διαπαντὸς ἡ αἴνεσις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῷ στόματι ἀνθρώπου εἶναι δύναται; Ὅτε διαλέγεται τὰς συνήθεις καὶ βιωτικὰς ὁμιλίας, οὐχ ἔχει τὸν αἶνον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῷ στόματι. “Ὅτε καθεύδει, σιωπήσεται πάντως. Ἑσθίοντος δὲ καὶ πίνοντος πῶς ἐνεργήσει τὸ στόμα τὴν αἴνεσιν; Πρὸς δὴ τοῦτο λέγομεν, ὅτι ἔστι μέν τι καὶ νοητὸν στόμα τοῦ ἕνδον ἀνθρώπου, ᾧ τρέφεται μεταλαμβάνων τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς, ὅς ἐστιν ἄρτος ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς. Περὶ ἐκείνου τοῦ στόματος καὶ ὁ Προφήτης φησὶν ὅτι" Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα, καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα. Ἐκεῖνο καὶ ὁ Κύριος προκαλεῖται ἡμᾶς εὐρύχωρον ἔχειν εἰς ὑποδοχὴν ἀφθονωτέραν τῶν τροφῶν τῆς ἀληθείας. Πλάτυνον γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ στόμα σου, καὶ πληρώσω αὑτό. Δύναται οὖν ἡ ἐντετυπωμένη ἅπαξ καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐσφραγισμένη τῷ ἡγεμονικῷ τῆς ψυχῆς περὶ Θεοῦ ἔννοια αἴνεσις ὀνομάζεσθαι Θεοῦ, διαπαντὸς ἐνυπάρχουσα τῇ ψυχῇ. Δύναται δὲ καὶ, κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ὑποθήκην, ὁ σπουδαῖος πάντα ποιεῖν εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ, ὥστε πᾶσαν πρᾶξιν, καὶ πᾶν ῥῆμα, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν νοερὰν, αἰνέσεως ἐπέχειν δύναμιν. Εἴτε γὰρ ἐσθίει ὁ δίκαιος, εἴτε πίνει, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ ποιεῖ, Τοῦ τοιούτου καθεύδοντος ἡ καρδία ἐγρήγορεν, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα ἐν τῷ Ἄσματι τῶν ἀσμάτων " ᾿Εγὼ καθεύδω, καὶ ἡ καρδία μου γρηγορεῖ. Ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ πολὺ τὰ καθ᾽ ὕπνον φαντάσματα τῆς μεθημερινῆς ἐννοίας ἐστὶν ἀπηχήματα … Ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπαινεθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ μου. Μηδεὶς, φησὶ, τὴν ἐμὴν ἐπίνοιαν, καθ᾽ ἣν διεσώθην ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων, ἐπαινείτω. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν δυνάμει ἀνθρώπου, οὐδὲ ἐν σοφίᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἣ σωτηρία. Μὴ καυχάσθω, φησὶν, ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, μήτε ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὑτοῦ, μήτε ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ αὑτοῦ" ἀλλ᾽ ἣ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, ἐν τῷ συνιεῖν καὶ γιγνώσκειν Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτοῦ. Ὅρᾷς τὸν ᾿Απόστολον πῶς τοὺς συνεργοὺς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐπαινεῖ; Ὃς ἐστι σύνδουλος καὶ διάκονος ὑμῶν ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἐὰν μέντοι τις ἐπὶ σώματος κάλλει, ὃ γονέων περιφανείᾳ ἐπαινεῖται, οὐχ ἐν … τὸ ἀληθινῶς ἐπαινετὸν ἔχουσι, κυβερνῆται, … ἣ ὑπερόγχους οἰκοδομημάτων κατασκευάς. Οὐ δήπου γὰρ βασιλεῖ μέν τις ὑπηρετῶν μέγα φρονεῖ, … ἐπαινεθήσεται ἡ Ψυχή μου. Ἀκουσάτωσαν πραεῖς, καὶ εὐφρανθήτωσαν, βεβαιούμενοι εἰς τὴν πραότητα τῷ κατ᾽ παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἐπειδὴ κατώρθωσα τὴν πραότητα. Οἱ κατεσταλμένοι τὰ ἤθη καὶ παντὸς πάθους ἀπηλλαγμένοι, ὡς μηδεμίαν ἔχειν ταραχὴν ἑνοικοῦσαν αὐτῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς. οὗτοι πραεῖς προσαγορεύονται. Διὸ καὶ Μωῦσῆς μεμαρτύρηται πραῢς εἶναι παρὰ πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Μεγαλύνατε τὸν Κύριον σὺν ἐμοί. Πρέποντα … Μηδεὶς ταραχώδης, μηδὲ τεθορυβημένος, μηδὲ ἐκ τῶν παθῶν τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν ψυχὴν παροιστρῶν ἐγκαταμιγήτω μοι" ἀλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς οἱ πραεῖς, οἱ τὸ βεβηκὸς καὶ εὐσταθὲς τῆς ψυχῆς κατωρθωκότες, τὸ δὲ νωθρὸν καὶ ὑπνῶδες πρὸς τὰς τῶν καθηκόντων ἐνεργείας ἀποσειόμενοι, ὑμεῖς μεγαλύνατε τὸν Κύριον σὺν ἐμοί. Μεγαλύνει δὲ τὸν Κύριον ὁ μεγάλῃ διανοίᾳ καὶ γαύρῳ τῷ φρονήματι καὶ ἐπηρμένῳ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας πειρασμοὺς ὑπομένων. "Ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ὁ μεγάλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ καὶ θεωρήμασι βαθυτάτοις τὰ μεγέθη τῆς κτίσεως καθορῶν, ἵν᾽ ἐκ τοῦ μεγέθους καὶ τῆς καλλονῆς τῶν κτισμάτων τὸν γενεσιουργὸν αὐτῶν θεωρήσῃ. Ὅτῳ γάρ τις ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐμβαθύνει τοῖς λόγοις καθ᾽ οὃς γεγένηται τὰ ὄντα, καὶ καθ᾽ οὗς οἰκονομεῖται, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον θεωρεῖ τὴν μεγαλοπρέπειαν τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ τὸ ὅσον ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ, μεγαλύνει τὸν Κύριον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν εἷς νοῦς καὶ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς μελέτη, οὐδὲ πρὸς βραχὺ αὐταρκεῖ πρὸς τὴν τῶν μεγαλείων τοῦ Θεοῦ κατάληψιν, πάντας ὁμοῦ τοὺς πραεῖς εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν ταύτης τῆς ἐνεργείας παραλαμβάνει. Δεῖ γὰρ πᾶσαν σχολὴν ἄγειν ἀπὸ θορύβων τῶν ἔξωθεν, καὶ πᾶσαν ἡσυχίαν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τῆς καρδίας βουλευτηρίῳ ποιήσαντα, οὕτως ἐπιβάλλειν τῇ θεωρίᾳ τῆς ἁληθείας, ᾿Ακούεις τοῦ ἐξομολογουμένου τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, τί φησιν; Ἐταράχθη ἀπὸ θυμοῦ ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου. Οὐ μόνον δὲ θυμὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιθυμία, καὶ δειλία, καὶ φθόνος ὀφθαλμὸν ψυχῆς ἐκταράσσει· καὶ ἀπαξαπλῶς πάντα τὰ πάθη συγχυτικὰ καὶ ἐκταρακτικὰ τοῦ διορατικοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστι. Καὶ ὡς οὐ δυνατὸν τεθολωμένῳ ὀφθαλμῷ ἀκριβῇ λαβεῖν τῶν ὁρατῶν τὴν κατάληψιν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τεθολωμένῃ καρδίᾳ τῇ κατανοήσει τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπιβαλεῖν. ᾿Αναχωρῆσαι οὖν δεῖ τῶν τοῦ κόσμου πραγμάτων, καὶ μήτε δι᾽ ὀφθαλμῶν, μήτε δι᾿ ὥτων, μήτε δι᾽ ἄλλης τινὸς αἰσθήσεως ἐπεισάγειν ἀλλοτρίους λογισμοὺς τῇ ψυχῇ. Θορύβων γὰρ ἀσιγήτων καὶ στάσεων ἀδιαλλάκτων ἀναπιμπλῶσι τὰ ἔνδον οἱ τοῦ φρονήματος τῆς σαρκὸς ἐπανιστάμενοι πόλεμοι. Ἐξεζήτησα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐπήκουσέ μου. Ταῦτα, φησὶν, ἀκουσάτωσαν οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ τῷ χαλεπῷ, ὅτε πᾶς μὲν θυμὸς τῶν μνησικαχούντων ἐκινεῖτο κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ, πᾶσα δὲ χεὶρ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ὡπλίζετο, γυμνὸς δὲ ἐγὼ καὶ ἄοπλος ἕτοιμος εἰς πᾶσαν αἰκίαν ἐξεκείμην τοῖς πολεμίοις, τότε οὐ συνεχύθην τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῷ φόβῳ, οὐχ ἐξεκρούσθην ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐννοίας, οὐχ ἀπέγνων τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ σωτηρίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξεζήτησα τὸν Κύριον Οὐχὶ ἐξήτησα μόνον ἁπλῆν τινα καὶ χρονικὴν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἐλπίδα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξεζήτησα, Πλεῖον γάρ τι δηλοῖ παρὰ τὸ ζητῆσαι ἡ ἔμφασις τοῦ ἐκζητῆσαι, ὡς καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἔρευναν ἡ ἐξερεύνησις, ᾿Εξέλιπον γὰρ ἐξερευνῶντες ἐξερευνήσεις. Πολλὴν οὖν τινα σχολὴν καὶ ἀταραξίαν ὁ λόγος παρίστησι διὰ τῆς … Πᾶσα ἡ τοῦ δικαίου ζωὴ τεθλιμμένη ἐστὶ, καί· Στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδός " καὶ, Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολός φησιν, Ἐν παντὶ θλιβόμενοι" καὶ, Ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. Ῥύεται δὲ ἐκ θλίψεως τοὺς ἁγίους αὑτοῦ ὁ Θεὸς, οὐχ ἀδοκιμάστους αὐτοὺς καταλιμπάνων, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑπομονὴν αὐτοῖς χαριζόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ Ἢ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν" ὁ τὴν θλίψιν ἀφαιρούμενος τῆς δοκιμῆς ἑαυτὸν ἀπεστέρησεν. Ὡς οὖν οὐδεὶς στεφανοῦται ἄνευ ἀνταγωνιστοῦ, οὕτως οὐδὲ δόκιμος ἀποφανθῆναι δύναται εἰ μὴ διὰ θλίψεων. Ἐκ πασῶν οὖν τῶν θλίψεων ἐῤῥύσατό με, οὐχὶ μὴ ἐῶν με θλίβεσθαι, ἀλλὰ σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν, τοῦ δύνα σθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν, χαριζόμενος. Προσέλθετε πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ φωτίσθητε" καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, τούτοις παρακελεύεται προσελθεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐγγίσαι αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἀκτῖσι τῆς θεότητος, ἵν᾽, ἐκ τοῦ προσεγγισμοῦ ἐλλαμφθέντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, χάριτι τὸν φωτισμὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἑαυτοὺς χωρήσωσιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ αἰσθητὸν τοῦτο φῶς οὐ πᾶσιν ὁμοίως ἀνατέλλει, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔχουσιν ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ ἐγρηγορόσι, καὶ ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς κωλύματος ἀπολαύειν δυναμένοις τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου ἐπιδημίας "οὕτω καὶ ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος, Τὸ ἀληθινὸν φῶς, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον, οὐ πᾶσι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φαιδρότητα χαρίζεται, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀξίως αὐτοῦ πολιτευομένοις. Φῶς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀνέτειλεν, οὐχὶ τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ, ἀλλὰ τῷ δικαίῳ. Ὡς γὰρ ἀνέτειλε μὲν ὁ ἥλιος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ ταῖς νυκτερίσιν, οὐδὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις ζώοις τοῖς νυκτινόμοις " οὕτω καὶ τὸ φῶς τῇ μὲν ἑαυτοῦ φύσει λαμπρόν ἔστι καὶ φαιδρυντικόν· οὐ πάντες δὲ αὐτοῦ τῆς λαμπηδόνος μεταλαμβάνουσιν. Οὕτω καὶ Πᾶς ὁ τὰ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα μὴ φανερωθῇ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα. Προσέλθετε οὖν πρὸς αὑτὸν καὶ φωτίσθητε, καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. Μακάριος ὁ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος φωτίσαι τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ φανερῶσαι τὰς βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν. τολμήσας ὑπὸ τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο τῶν ἐλέγχων ἀμόλυντον ἔχειν τὸ συνειδὸς ἀπὸ πονηρῶν ἔργων. Οἱ γὰρ τὰ φαῦλα πράξαντες εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν καὶ αἰσχύνην ἀναστήσονται, ἐνορῶντες ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ αἴσχος καὶ τοὺς τύπους τῶν ἡμαρτημένων. Καὶ τάχα φοβερωτέρα τοῦ σκότους καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς τοῦ αἰωνίου ἡ αἰσχύνη ἐστὶν, ἧἦ μέλλουσι συνδιαιωνίζειν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ, ἀεὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἔχοντες τὰ ἴχνη τῆς ἐν σαρκὶ ἀμαρτίας, οἱονεί τινος βαφῆς ἀνεκπλύτου, τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς παραμένοντα. Ὀλίγων δέ ἔστι τὸ προσελθεῖν τῷ φωτὶ τῷ ἀληθινῷ, καὶ ἀποκαλύψαι, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν κρυπτῶν, μὴ ἀπελθεῖν αἰσχυνθέντας τὰ πρόσωπα. Οὗτος ὁ πτωχὸς ἐκέκραξε, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτοῦ. Οὐχ ἀεὶ ἐπαινετὴ ἡ πτωχεία. ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἐκ προαιρέσεως κατὰ τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν σκοπὸν κατορθουμένη. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πτωχοὶ μὲν τῇ περιουσίᾳ, πλεονεκτικώτατοι δὲ τῇ προαιρέσει τυγχάνουσιν" οὖς οὐχ ἡ ἔνδεια σώζει, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ προαίρεσις κατακρίνει. Οὐ τοίνυν ὁ ἐνδεὴς πάντως μακαριστὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ κρείττονα ἡγησάμενος τῶν τοῦ κόσμου θησαυρῶν τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Τούτους καὶ ὁ Κύριος μακαρίζει λέγων: Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι" οὐχ οἱ πένητες κατὰ τὴν περιουσίαν, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ τὴν πτωχείαν ἐκ ψυχῆς προελόμενοι. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀπροαιρέτων μακαριστόν. Διότι πᾶσα ἀρετὴ, μάλιστα δὲ αὕτη πρὸ πάντων, τῷ ἑκουσίῳ χαρακτηρίζεται. Οὗτος οὖν, φησὶν, ὁ πτωχὸς ἐκέκραξε. Τῇ δεικτικῇ φωνῇ ἐπὶ τὸν πτωχεύοντα κατὰ θεὸν, καὶ πεινῶντα, καὶ διψῶντα, καὶ γυμνητεύοντα, τὴν διάνοιάν σου προκαλεῖται - Οὗτος ὁ πτωχὸς, μονονουχὶ δακτύλῳ δεικνύς· Οὗτος ὁ μαθητὴς Χριστοῦ. Δυνατὸν καὶ εἰς Χριστὸν ἀνάξαι τὸν λόγον, ὅς, πλούσιος ὧν τῇ φύσει, διότι πάντα τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστι, δι᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσωμεν. Σχεδὸν γὰρ παντὸς ἔργου τοῦ προάγοντος ἐπὶ τὸν μακαρισμὸν αὐτὸς ἦρξεν ὁ Κύριος, παράδειγμα τοῖς μανθάνουσιν ἑαυτὸν προτιθείς Ἐπάναγε ἐπὶ τοὺς μακαρισμοὺς, καὶ ἔκαστον ἐξετάσας εὑρήσεις, ὅτι προέλαβε τὴν ἐκ τοῦ λόγου διδασκαλίαν τοῖς ἔργοις. Μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς. Πῶς οὖν μάθωμεν τὴν πραότητα; Μάθετε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, φησὶν, ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί. Τίς ἡμᾶς διδάξει τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης καλόν; Αὐτὸς ὁ εἰρηνοποιὸς, ὁ ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ ἀποκαταλλάσσων τοὺς δύο εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον " ὁ εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοί. Αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ πτωχεύσας, καὶ κενώσας ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῇ τοῦ δούλου μορφῇ, ἵνα ἡμεῖς πάντες ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὑτοῦ λάβωμεν, καὶ χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος. Εἴ τις οὖν, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ φιλανθρώπου Πνεύματος ἀγόμενος, μὴ φρονῶν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν, ἵνα τοὺς ἄλλους ὑψώσῃ, κράζοι τῷ πνεύματι τὰ μεγάλα εὐχόμενος, καὶ μηδὲν μικροπρεπὲς μηδὲ ταπεινὸν φθέγγοιτο ἐκ τοῦ τὰ ἐπίγεια καὶ κοσμικὰ ζητεῖν, τοῦ τοιούτου ἦ κραυγὴ εἰσακουστὴ τῷ Κυρίῳ. Τί οὖν τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀκοῆς; Τὸ ῥυσθῆναι ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων ἄτρωτον, μὴ ὑποκατακλιθέντα, μηδὲ δουλεύοντα τῷ φρονήματι τῆς σαρκός. Τίς οὖν καὶ ὁ τρόπος δι’ οὐ ῥύεται ὁ πτωχός; Παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν, καὶ ῥύσεται αὐτούς. Ἡρμήνευσε τίνα λέγει τὸν πτωχὸν, τὸν φοβούμενον τὸν Κύριον. Διότι ὁ φοβούμενος ἔτι ἐν τῇ τοῦ δούλου τάξει ἐστίν. Ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τετελειωμένος πρὸς τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ λοιπὸν ἀξίαν ἀνέδραμε. Διόπερ ὁ μὲν δοῦλος καὶ πτωχὸς λέγεται, τῷ μηδὲν ἴδιον ἔχειν " ὁ δὲ υἱὸς ἤδη καὶ πλούσιος, τῷ κληρονόμος εἶναι τῶν πατρικῶν ἀγαθῶν. Παρεμβαλεῖ οὖν ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν. Παντὶ πεπιστευκότι εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἄγγελος παρεδρεύει, ἐὰν μήποτε αὐτὸν ἡμεῖς ἐκ τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων ἀποδιώξωμεν. Ὡς γὰρ τὰς μελίσσας καπνὸς φυγαδεύει, καὶ τὰς περιστερὰς δυσωδία ἐξελαύνει" οὕτω καὶ τὸν φύλακα τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν ἄγγελον ἡ πολύδακρυς καὶ δυσώδης ἀφίστησιν ἁμαρτία. ᾽Εὰν ἔχῃς ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ἄξια φυλακῆς ἀγγελικῆς ἔργα, καὶ νοῦς πλούσιος ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας θεωρήμασιν ἐνοικῇ σοι διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον τῶν τιμίων ἔργων τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀναγκαίως φρουρούς σοι καὶ φύλακας παρακαθίστησιν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ περιτειχίζει σε φυλακῇ ἀγγέλων. Σκόπει δὲ ἡλίκη ἐστὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἡ φύσις ὅτι ὅλῳ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ παρεμβολῇ πολυανθρώπῳ παρεικάζεται ὁ εἷς ἄγγελος. Διὰ μὲν οὖν τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ φυλάσσοντός σε παρεμβολήν σοι χαρίζεται ὁ Κύριος" διὰ δὲ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ ἀγγέλου οἱονεὶ περιτειχίζει σε πάντοθεν τῇ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀσφαλείᾳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ σημαίνει τὸ, Κύκλῳ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ τῶν πόλεων περίβολοι, κύκλῳ πάσαις περικείμενοι, πάντοθεν τὰς τῶν πολεμίων προσβολὰς ἀπείργουσιν " οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος, καὶ προτειχίζει ἐκ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ ὀπισθοφυλακεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲ τὰ ἑκατέρωθεν ἀφύλακτα καταλείπει. Διὰ τοῦτο Πεσεῖται ἐκ τοῦ κλίτους σου χιλιὰς, καὶ μυριὰς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, … οὐκ ἐγγιεῖ, ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται ### English translation (Claude) … sets himself, as it were, boundaries of life, shaping his soul to strictness of conduct, so as to let no moment go by without blessing, but to refer the beginning of great and lesser things alike to God. I will not think, he says, that things happen by my own care, nor that they come about by chance, but “I will bless the Lord at all times”: not only in life's good days, but also in times of hardship. Taught from this, the Apostle says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything.” Do you see how great the man's love is? He did not lose heart at the succession of evils, when he had been driven not only from his homeland, his kin, his household and his possessions, but, handed over by necessity to his enemies, was all but torn apart by them. He did not say, “How long this succession of evils?” He did not lose heart at the length of the affliction, but [knowing] that “affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character hope.” For truly, for those well prepared, afflictions are a kind of athletes' diet and training, advancing the contender toward his Father's glory, when, being reviled, we bless; being slandered, we [entreat] …, and boast in affliction. For it is shameful for us to bless at the more pleasant things and be silent at the gloomier and toilsome ones. But then we must give thanks all the more, knowing that “the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and scourges every son whom he receives.” “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” The prophet seems to promise something impossible. For how can the praise of God be continually in a man's mouth? When he converses in ordinary and everyday talk, he does not have God's praise in his mouth. When he sleeps, he will certainly be silent. And when he eats and drinks, how will his mouth perform praise? To this we say that there is an intelligible mouth of the inner man, by which he is nourished, partaking of the word of life, which is the bread that came down from heaven. Of that mouth the prophet too says, “I opened my mouth and drew in the Spirit.” The Lord too invites us to have that mouth wide, to receive more abundantly the food of truth: “Open wide your mouth,” he says, “and I will fill it.” The notion of God, then, once stamped and as it were sealed on the governing part of the soul, can be called the praise of God, continually present in the soul. And also, according to the apostolic counsel, the earnest man can do all things to the glory of God, so that every action and every word and every activity of the mind has the force of praise. For whether the righteous man eats or drinks, he does all to the glory of God. When such a man sleeps, his heart is awake, as the one who said in the Song of Songs: “I sleep, but my heart is awake.” For as the images of sleep are mostly echoes of the day's thoughts …. [2] “My soul shall be praised in the Lord.” Let no one, he says, praise my contrivance by which I was saved from the dangers. For salvation is not in man's power or wisdom, but in the grace of God. “Let not the rich man boast in his riches,” it says, “nor the wise man in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength; but let him who boasts boast in this, in understanding and knowing the Lord his God.” Do you see how the Apostle praises the fellow workers of the Gospel? “Who is a fellow servant and minister to you in the Lord.” But if someone is praised for bodily beauty or the distinction of his parents, his soul is not praised in the Lord …. [The arts of] pilots, … or the extravagant constructions of buildings, do not have what is truly praiseworthy. … For surely one who serves a king does not think highly of himself … . [Therefore,] “My soul shall be praised.” “Let the meek hear and be glad,” being confirmed in meekness by …, from God, since I have achieved meekness. Those who have calmed their character and are rid of every passion, so as to have no turmoil dwelling in their souls, are called meek. That is why Moses too is attested to have been meeker than all men on the earth. [3] “Magnify the Lord with me.” Fitting … . Let no one turbulent, or troubled, or with his soul goaded by the passions of the flesh, be mixed with me; but you, the meek, who have achieved firmness and stability of soul, and who shake off sluggishness and drowsiness toward the performance of your duties, you magnify the Lord with me. And he magnifies the Lord who endures trials for godliness with a great mind and a proud and lifted-up spirit. And then also the one who, with a great mind and very deep contemplations, looks on the greatness of creation, so that from the greatness and beauty of created things he may contemplate their author. For the more one delves into the principles by which things have come to be and by which they are governed, the more he contemplates the majesty of the Lord and, as far as lies in him, magnifies the Lord. Since, then, one mind and the study of one man is not sufficient even in a small degree for grasping the great works of God, he takes all the meek together into partnership in this activity. For one must be at leisure from external disturbances, and, having made complete quiet in the hidden council chamber of the heart, so apply oneself to the contemplation of the truth. Do you hear what the one confessing his sin says? “My eye was troubled by anger.” And not only anger, but desire too, and cowardice, and envy disturb the eye of the soul; and in short all the passions confuse and disturb the soul's power of sight. And as it is not possible for a clouded eye to gain an exact grasp of visible things, so neither can a clouded heart apply itself to understanding the truth. One must withdraw, then, from the affairs of the world, and bring no foreign thoughts into the soul through the eyes or the ears or any other sense. For the wars that rise from the mind of the flesh fill the inner man with incessant tumults and irreconcilable factions. “I sought out the Lord, and he heard me.” Let the meek hear this, he says: that in that hard time, when all the anger of those who bore grudges was stirred against me, and every hand was armed against me, and I, naked and unarmed, lay exposed to every outrage from the enemy, then I was not confused in my reasonings by fear, I was not driven out of the thought of God, I did not despair of my own salvation, but “I sought out the Lord.” I did not merely seek a simple and temporary hope in the Lord, but “sought out.” For the force of “seeking out” shows something more than seeking, as “searching out” is more than searching: “They failed in searching out searchings.” The word, then, presents a great leisure and freedom from disturbance through the [seeking out]. [4] … The whole life of the righteous man is afflicted: “Narrow and afflicted is the way,” and, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” That is why the Apostle too says, “Afflicted in every way,” and, “Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God.” But God delivers his saints from affliction, not by leaving them untested, but by granting them endurance. For if affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, the one who takes away affliction has deprived himself of proven character. As, then, no one is crowned without an opponent, so no one can be shown to be approved except through afflictions. “From all my afflictions,” then, “he delivered me,” not by not letting me be afflicted, but by giving with the trial also the way out, so that I could bear it. “Come to him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed.” He bids those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death to come to the Lord and draw near to the rays of his Godhead, so that, illumined by the truth through their approach, they may take his enlightenment into themselves by grace. For as this visible light does not rise for all alike, but for those who have eyes, who are awake, and who can enjoy the sun's presence without any hindrance, so too the sun of righteousness, “the true light, which enlightens every man coming into the world,” does not give his brightness to all, but to those who live worthily of him. “For light has dawned,” it says, not for the sinner but “for the righteous.” For as the sun has risen, but not for bats nor for the other night-feeding animals, so too the light is bright and illuminating by its own nature, but not all share in its radiance. So too “everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be exposed.” “Come to him,” then, “and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed.” Blessed is the one who, in the day of God's righteous judgment, when the Lord comes to bring to light the things hidden in darkness and disclose the purposes of hearts, has dared [to come] under that light of exposure … to have his conscience undefiled by evil works. For those who have done evil will rise to reproach and shame, seeing in themselves the disgrace and the marks of their sins. And perhaps more fearful than the darkness and the eternal fire is the shame in which sinners are to spend eternity, always having before their eyes the traces of the sin committed in the flesh, remaining forever in the memory of their soul like an indelible dye. Few, however, come to the true light, and uncover themselves, and after the uncovering of hidden things do not go away with faces ashamed. [5] “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.” Poverty is not always praiseworthy, but only that which is achieved by choice, according to the aim of the Gospel. For many are poor in substance but most grasping in choice; poverty does not save them, but their choice condemns them. Not every needy man, then, is to be called blessed, but the one who considered the commandment of Christ better than the treasures of the world. These the Lord too calls blessed, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit”: not those poor in substance, but those who chose poverty from the soul. For nothing not chosen is to be called blessed, because every virtue, and this one above all, is marked by its being voluntary. “This poor man,” then, he says, “cried.” By the demonstrative word he calls your thought to the one who is poor according to God, hungry, thirsty, naked: “This poor man,” all but pointing with his finger: this disciple of Christ. It is possible also to refer the word to Christ, who, being rich by nature, since all that is the Father's is his, became poor for our sake, so that we might become rich by his poverty. For the Lord himself began almost every work that leads to blessedness, setting himself as an example for those who learn. Go back to the beatitudes, and examining each one you will find that he anticipated the teaching of the word by his works. “Blessed are the meek.” How, then, shall we learn meekness? “Learn from me,” he says, “for I am meek and lowly in heart.” “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Who will teach us the good of peace? The peacemaker himself, who makes peace and reconciles the two into one new man, who made peace by the blood of his cross, whether of things in heaven or things on earth. “Blessed are the poor.” He it is who became poor and emptied himself in the form of a servant, so that we might all receive from his fullness, grace upon grace. If anyone, then, led by the holy and kindly Spirit, not thinking highly of himself but humbling himself so as to exalt others, cries with the spirit, praying for great things, and utters nothing petty or low from seeking earthly and worldly things, the cry of such a man is heard by the Lord. What, then, is the end of the hearing? To be delivered from all afflictions unwounded, not having bowed down nor being a slave to the mind of the flesh. And what is the manner in which the poor man is delivered? “The angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and will deliver them.” He has explained whom he calls the poor man: the one who fears the Lord. For the one who fears is still in the rank of a servant; but the one made perfect by love has run up to the dignity of a son. That is why the one is called servant and poor, because he has nothing of his own; but the other is now a son and rich, because he is heir of his father's goods. “The angel of the Lord,” then, “will encamp around those who fear him.” An angel attends everyone who has believed in the Lord, unless we drive him away by evil works. For as smoke puts bees to flight and a foul smell drives away doves, so tearful and foul-smelling sin removes the angel who guards our life. If you have in your soul works worthy of angelic guarding, and a mind rich in the contemplations of the truth dwells in you because of the wealth of the precious works of virtue, God necessarily sets guards and watchmen beside you and walls you about with a guard of angels. Consider how great the nature of angels is, that the one angel is compared to a whole army and a populous camp. Because of the greatness of the one who guards you, then, the Lord grants you a camp; and because of the angel's strength he walls you in on every side, as it were, with the safety he gives. For this is what “around” means. For as the walls of cities, lying around them on every side, ward off the attacks of enemies from every direction, so the angel both walls you in front and guards your rear, and leaves neither side unguarded. That is why “a thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, … [but] it will not come near you,” for “he will give his angels charge ### Scripture references - Ps 34:1 (33:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Thess 5:16: quotation, high confidence - 1 Thess 5:17: quotation, high confidence - 1 Thess 5:18: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:3: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:4: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:12: allusion, high confidence - Heb 12:6: quotation, high confidence - John 6:33: allusion, high confidence - Ps 119:131 (118:131 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 81:10 (80:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:31: quotation, high confidence - Song 5:2: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:2 (33:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Jer 9:23: quotation, high confidence - Jer 9:24: quotation, high confidence - Col 4:7: quotation, high confidence - Num 12:3: allusion, high confidence - Ps 34:3 (33:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 6:7 (6:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:7: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 34:4 (33:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 64:6 (63:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:14: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:19 (33:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:8: quotation, high confidence - Acts 14:22: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:13: allusion, high confidence - Ps 34:5 (33:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Luke 1:79: allusion, high confidence - Mal 4:2: allusion, medium confidence - John 1:9: quotation, high confidence - Ps 97:11 (96:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 3:20: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:5: allusion, high confidence - Dan 12:2: allusion, high confidence - Ps 34:6 (33:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:3: quotation, high confidence - John 16:15: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 8:9: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:5: quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:29: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:9: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:15: allusion, high confidence - Col 1:20: allusion, high confidence - Phil 2:7: allusion, high confidence - John 1:16: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:7 (33:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 John 4:18: allusion, medium confidence - Gal 4:7: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 91:7 (90:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 91:11 (90:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:1–7 (LXX 33:2–8); 1 Thess 5:16–18; Rom 5:3–4; 1 Cor 4:12–13; Heb 12:6; John 6:33; Ps 119:131 (LXX 118:131); Ps 81:10 (LXX 80:11); 1 Cor 10:31; Song 5:2; Jer 9:23–24; Col 4:7; Num 12:3; Ps 6:7 (LXX 6:8); Ps 64:6 (LXX 63:7); Matt 7:14; Ps 34:19 (LXX 33:20); 2 Cor 4:8; Acts 14:22; 1 Cor 10:13; Luke 1:79; John 1:9; Ps 97:11 (LXX 96:11); John 3:20; 1 Cor 4:5; Dan 12:2; Matt 5:3, 5, 9; Matt 11:29; Eph 2:15; Col 1:20; Phil 2:7; John 1:16; Ps 91:7, 11 (LXX 90:7, 11). Allusions: Rom 8:7; John 16:15; 2 Cor 8:9; Mal 4:2 (sun of righteousness); Gal 4:7; 1 John 4:18; Rom 2:5. Many lines are lost in the scan where Migne's Latin and notes stand, and are marked “…”: at the start of the section (the first words of Basil's comment on “at all times”), after “we [entreat]”, after “echoes of the day's thoughts”, in the passage on praise in the Lord (after “not [praised] in the Lord”, after “pilots”, and after “thinks highly of himself”), after “confirmed in meekness by”, after “Fitting”, after “[4]” (the end of Ps 34:4, “and delivered me from all my afflictions”, is lost), after “dared [to come] under that light of exposure”, and in the quotation of Ps 91:7 at the end; bracketed words are supplied by sense. The markers [2]–[5] show where Migne's sections 2–5 begin (their numerals are lost or misread in the scan); the first lines of the section end his section 1. In the passage on praise in the Lord, a longer passage on meekness (the meek as victors without war, Ps 132:1, the heavenly Jerusalem as the inheritance of the meek) is almost wholly lost in the scan. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.2 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/32-9/#p-33-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-6 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains Ps 34:8–10: tasting the Lord's goodness through experience of the Word whets insatiable desire; fear of God makes one lack no virtue; Israel the rich became poor of the Word while the seekers from the nations lack no good, for the true good is God, not bodily goods, which Paul lacked. ### Greek text Γεύσασθε, καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι χρηστὸς ὁ Κύριος. Πολλαχοῦ τετηρήκαμεν, ὅτι τοῖς ἔξωθεν μέλεσιν ὁμωνύμως αἱ τῆς ψυχῆς προσαγορεύονται δυνάμεις. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἄρτος ἐστὶν ἀληθινὸς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, καὶ ἢ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ ἀληθής ἐστι βρῶσις " ἀνάγκη τὴν ἥδονην τῆς εὐφροσύνης τοῦ ἄρτου διὰ γεύσεως ἡμῖν νοητῆς ἐγγίνεσθαι. Ὡς τοῦ μέλιτος ἡ φύσις οὐ τοσοῦτον τῷ λόγῳ δύναται παραστῆναι τοῖς ἀπείροις, ὅσον ἀπ' αὐτῆς τῆς κατὰ τὴν γεῦσιν αἰσθήσεως " οὕτως οὐδὲ ἡ χρηστότης τοῦ οὐρανίου λόγου ἐναργῶς παραδοθῆναι διδασκαλίαις δύναται, ἐὰν μὴ, τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας δόγματα ἐπὶ πλέον βασανίσαντες, δυνηθῶμεν τῇ οἰκείᾳ πείρᾳ τὴν χρηστότητα καταλαβεῖν τοῦ Κυρίου. Γεύσασθε δὲ, εἶπε, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐμπλήσθητε" διότι νῦν μὲν ἐκ μέρους γινώσκομεν, καὶ δι᾽ ἐσόπτρου βλέπομεν καὶ αἰνίγματος τὴν ἀλήθειαν" ἥξει δέ ποτε ὅτε ὁ νῦν ἀῤῥαβὼν, καὶ τὸ γεῦμα τοῦτο τῆς χάριτος εἰς τελειότητα ἡμῖν τῆς ἀπολαύσεως καταντήσει. “Ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ στομαχοῦντες καὶ οἱ κακόσιτοι, ἀποστρεφόμενοι τὰ σιτία, ὑπὸ τῶν ἰατρῶν θεραπεύονται τὸ δυσάρεστον, διεγειρόντων τὰς ὀρέξεις διά τινος ἐπιπτηδεύσεως τῆς ἐν τοῖς βρώμασιν, ὥστε, ὑπὸ τῆς καρυκείας ἐκείνης ἐρεθιζομένης τῆς αἰσθήσεως, ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ πλεῖον ἐπιτείνεσθαι τὰς ὀρέξεις " οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας, Αὐτὴ, φησὶν, ὑμᾶς ἡ πεῖρα πρὸς τὸ ἀκόρεστον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀεὶ προσκαλέσεται. Διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶ, Γεύσασθε, ἵνα μακάριοι γένησθε ἀεὶ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην. Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς ἐλπίζει ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν. Ὁ ἀεὶ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ ὧν τοῦ λόγου, ἐπ' οὐδὲν ἕτερον θήσεται τὴν ἐλπίδα ἣ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον. Φοβήθητε τὸν Κύριον, πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι αὐτοῦ ' ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν. Ἐὰν μὴ φόβος παιδεύῃ ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν, ἀμήχανον κατορθωθῆναι τὸν ἁγιασμὸν ἐν τῷ σώματι. Καθήλωσον γὰρ, φησὶ, ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας μου. Ὥς γὰρ οἱ ὑπὸ τῶν ἥλων διαπεπαρμένοι τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος ἀκίνητα ἔχουσι πρὸς ἐνέργειαν, οὕτως οἱ τῷ θείῳ φόβῳ τὴν ψυχὴν κατειλημμένοι πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκ τῶν παθῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐνόχλησιν διαφεύγουσι. Τῷ οὖν φοβουμένῳ οὐχ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα " τουτέστι, πρὸς οὐδεμίαν ἀρετὴν ἔστιν ἐλλιπὴς ὁ ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου ἀπὸ πάσης ἀτόπου πράξεως κωλυόμενος, ἀλλὰ τέλειός ἐστι, μηδενὸς τῶν ἐπιβαλλόντων τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει καλῶν ἀπολειπόμενος. Ὡς γὰρ οὐχ ἔστι τέλειος ἐν τῷ σώματι ὁ ἔν τινι μέρει τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐλλιμπάνων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀτελῆς ἔστι καθ᾽ ὃ ἐλλείπει“ οὕτω καὶ ὁ περὶ μίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν καταφρονητικῶς διακείμενος, διὰ τὸ ὑστερεῖν αὐτῆς, ἀτελής ἐστι κατὰ τὸ ἐλλεῖπον. Ὃ δὲ τὸν τέλειον φόβον ἀνειληφὼς, καὶ πάντα σεται τῷ μηδενὸς ὑπερορᾷν' οὐχ ἕξει δὲ ὑστέρ φόβον. χαταπτήσσων δι᾽ εὐλάῤδειαν, οὐδὲν μὲν ἁμαρτήἡμᾶ, τῷ ἐπὶ πάντα διαρκῶς παρεῖναι αὐτῷ τὸν. Πλούσιοι ἐπτώχευσαν καὶ ἐπείνασαν" οἱ δὲ ἐκζητοῦντες τὸν Κύριον οὐκ ἐλαττωθήσονται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Οἰκοδομείτω μὲν ἡμᾶς καὶ πρὸς τὴν καταφρόνησιν τοῦ, σωματικοῦ πλούτου ὁ λόγος, τὸ ἀβέβαιον τῆς τῶν χρημάτων περιουσίας ἐκδιδάσκων. Εὐμετάπτωτος γὰρ ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ οἱονεὶ κῦμα πεφυκὼς μεταῤῥεῖν. Καὶ πλούσιον λέγει τάχα τὸν Ἰσραήλ ὧν ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία, ὧν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, ἐξ ὧν οἱ πατέρες. Οὗτοι τοίνυν διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἁμαρτίαν ἐπτώχευσαν. Οἱ δὲ ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων ἐκζητήσαντες τὸν Κύριον οὐχ ἐλαττωθήσονται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Ἐπτώχευσαν δέ πως καὶ ἐπείνασαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀπέκτειναν τὸν ἄρτον τῆς ζωῆς, ἦλθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ὁ λιμὸς τοῦ ἄρτου " καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐπεβούλευσαν τῇ πηγῇ τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ζῶντος, ἦλθεν αὐτοῖς δίψα, καὶ ἐπετέθη αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐκ τῆς δίψης κόλασις " λιμὸς δὲ οὐχὶ ἄρτου αἰσθητοῦ, οὐδὲ δίψα ὕδατος, ἀλλὰ λιμὸς τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι λόγον Κυρίου. ᾿Επτώχευσαν μὲν οὖν καὶ ἐπείνασαν. Οἱ μέντοι ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν μαθόντες ἐκζητεῖν τὸν Κύριον οὐχ ἐλαττωθήσονται παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Τὸ παντέλειον ἀγαθὸν αὐτός ἔστιν ὁ Θεός " οὗ οὐχ ἐλαττωθήσονται πάντες οἱ ἐκζητοῦντες αὐτόν. Μὴ γάρ μοί τις ἀπαίδευτος, ἀδιάκριτον ἔχων τὸν περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ τόπον, ἀγαθὸν ὀνομαζέτω τὸν πρόσκαιρον ἔχοντα τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν καὶ τῇ φθορᾷ τοῦ σώματος συναπερχομένην. Ὁ γὰρ τὸν σωματικὸν πλοῦτον καὶ τὰ σωματικὰ προτερήματα εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τάξιν κατάγων. εἰς πράγματα εὐτελῇ καὶ οὐδενὸς λόγου ἄξια ἄγει τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ μόνῳ Θεῷ πρέπον ὄνομα, καὶ ἅμα ἐναντιώματι χαλεπωτάτῳ περιπεσεῖται. Ἢ γὰρ τοὺς ἀποστόλους ἐρεῖ, παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἐκζητῆσαι τὸν Κύριον, μὴ τετυχηκέναι τῶν σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν ἣ εἰ ἐκζητοῦντες ἀπετύγχανον τῶν τοιούτων ἀγαθῶν, τῆς Γραφῆς αὐτῇ κατηγορήσει λεγούσης μηδενὸς ἀγαθοῦ ἐλαττοῦσθαι τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντας τὸν Κύριον. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐξεζήτουν οἱ ἅγιοι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζητουμένου καταλήψεως οὐκ ἠλαττοῦντο, οὐδὲ τῶν ἀποκειμένων ἐν τῇ αἰωνίᾳ ἀναπαύσει ἀγαθῶν ἐστερήθησαν. Περὶ ἐκείνων γὰρ λέγοιτο ἂν κυρίως τὸ, Παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Αἱ γὰρ σωματικαὶ ἀπολαύσεις πλεῖον τὸ ὀδυνηρὸν ἔχουσι τοῦ ἡδέος - οἱ γάμοι τὰς ἀπαιδίας, τὰς χηρείας, τὰς διαφθοράς - αἱ γεωργίαι τὴν ἀκαρπίαν" αἱ ἐμπορίαι τὰ ναυάγια " οἱ πλοῦτοι τὰς ἐπιβουλάς " αἱ τρυφαὶ καὶ οἱ χόροι, καὶ αἱ συνεχεῖς ἀπολαύσεις τὸ ποικίλον τῶν νοσημάτων, καὶ τὸ πολυειδὲς τῶν παθῶν. Παῦλος μέντοι καὶ ἐξεζήτει τὸν Κύριον, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ ἔλειπε τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Καίτοι τίς ἂν ἐξαριθμήσαιτο τὰ τοῦ σώματος … νυχθήμερον ἐν τῷ βυθῷ πεποίηκεν, ἐν ὁδοιπορίαις πολλάκις, ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει, ἐν νηστείαις πολλάκις, ἐν κόπῳ καὶ μόχθῳ, ἐν ἀνάγκαις πολλάκις. Μέχρι τῆς ἐσχάτης ὥρας καὶ πεινῶν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ διψῶν, καὶ γυμνητεύων, καὶ κολαφιζόμενος, πῶς οὐχ ἠλαττοῦτο τῶν σωματικῶν ἀγαθῶν; ᾿Ανάγαγε οὖν μοι τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὸ ὄντως ἀγαθὸν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν συμφωνίαν τῆς Γραφῆς ἐπιγνῷς, καὶ σεαυτὸν μὴ καταβάλῃς τῇ ἀμφιβολίᾳ τῆς ἐννοίας. ### English translation (Claude) “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” We have often observed that the powers of the soul are called by the same names as the outward members. Since our Lord is the true bread, and his flesh is true food, the pleasure of the delight of the bread must come to us through an intelligible taste. As the nature of honey cannot be presented to the inexperienced by description so much as by the very perception of tasting, so neither can the goodness of the heavenly Word be clearly conveyed by teachings, unless, having tested the doctrines of the truth more thoroughly, we can grasp the goodness of the Lord by our own experience. He said “Taste,” not “Be filled,” because now we know in part and see the truth through a mirror and in a riddle; but a time will come when the present pledge and this taste of grace will reach the perfection of enjoyment for us. As with those who have weak stomachs and no appetite and turn away from food, physicians treat their distaste by rousing their appetites through some skill in the dishes, so that, the sense being stimulated by that seasoning, the appetites are always stretched toward more, so too with the word of truth: the very experience, he says, will always call you to an insatiable desire. That is why he says “Taste,” so that you may become blessed, always hungering and thirsting for righteousness. “Blessed is the man who hopes in him.” The one who is always in desire for the word will set his hope on nothing else but the Lord. “Fear the Lord, all you his saints, for there is no want to those who fear him.” Unless fear trains our life, it is impossible to achieve holiness in the body. For “Nail my flesh,” it says, “with your fear.” For as those pierced through with nails keep the members of the body motionless for action, so those whose souls are held by divine fear escape all the troubling that comes from the passions of sin. To the one who fears, then, there is no want; that is, the one kept by fear from every improper action is lacking in no virtue, but is perfect, falling short of none of the goods befitting human nature. For as a man is not perfect in body who lacks some part of what is necessary, but is imperfect in what he lacks, so too one who is contemptuously disposed toward one of the commandments is imperfect, because he falls short of it, in what is lacking. But the one who has taken up perfect fear and, cowering in reverence, [shrinks from] all things, [will commit no sin], because he overlooks nothing; and he will not suffer want, because fear is continually present to him in all things. [7] “The rich have become poor and gone hungry, but those who seek out the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” Let the word build us up also toward contempt of bodily wealth, teaching the instability of an abundance of money. For wealth is easily overturned and, like a wave, naturally flows away. And perhaps he calls Israel rich, “to whom belong the adoption and the worship, to whom the promises, from whom the fathers.” These, then, because of their sin against the Lord, became poor. But those who sought out the Lord in their place shall not lack any good thing. They became poor, then, and hungry. For since they killed the bread of life, the famine of bread came upon them; and since they plotted against the spring of living water, thirst came on them, and the punishment of thirst was laid on them: “a famine not of bread” perceived by the senses, “nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.” They became poor, then, and hungry. But those from the nations who learned to seek out the Lord shall not lack any good thing. The all-perfect good is God himself, of whom none who seek him out shall be in want. Let no uneducated person, having an undiscerning view of good and evil, call good what has a temporary enjoyment and passes away with the decay of the body. For one who ranks bodily wealth and bodily advantages among goods brings down the august name that befits God alone to cheap things worthy of no account, and at the same time will fall into a most grievous contradiction. For either he will say that the apostles failed to obtain bodily goods because they did not seek out the Lord; or, if they failed to obtain such goods while seeking him, he will accuse Scripture itself, which says that those who seek out the Lord lack no good thing. But the saints did seek out the Lord, and were not lacking in the grasp of him whom they sought, nor were they deprived of the goods laid up in eternal rest. Of those goods “any good thing” would properly be said. For bodily enjoyments have more pain than pleasure: marriages bring childlessness, widowhood, ruin; farming, crop failures; trade, shipwrecks; wealth, plots; luxuries and dances and continual enjoyments, the variety of diseases and the many kinds of sufferings. Paul, at least, sought out the Lord, and he lacked none of the good things. And yet who could count the body's [sufferings]? … a night and a day he spent in the deep; on journeys often; in hunger and thirst; in fastings often; in toil and hardship; in necessities often. Right to the last hour hungry and thirsty and naked and beaten, how was he not lacking bodily goods? Lead your mind up, then, to what is truly good, so that you may recognize the agreement of Scripture and not cast yourself down by doubt about its meaning. ### Scripture references - Ps 34:8 (33:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 6:32: allusion, high confidence - John 6:55: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:9: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 1:22: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:6: allusion, high confidence - Ps 34:9 (33:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 119:120 (118:120 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:10 (33:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 9:4: quotation, high confidence - Rom 9:5: quotation, high confidence - Jer 2:13: allusion, medium confidence - Amos 8:11: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:25: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:26: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:27: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:11: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:8–10 (LXX 33:9–11); John 6:32, 55; 1 Cor 13:9, 12; Matt 5:6; Ps 119:120 (LXX 118:120, “nail my flesh with your fear”); Rom 9:4–5; Amos 8:11; 2 Cor 11:25–27; 1 Cor 4:11. Allusions: 2 Cor 1:22 (pledge); Jer 2:13 (spring of living water); John 6:35. Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan: in the account of the perfect man who fears God (bracketed words supplied by sense) and before Paul's catalogue of sufferings (marked “…”). The marker [7] shows where Migne's section 7 begins. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.6 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-6). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-8 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 34:11 Basil distinguishes the enemy fear, born of unbelief, from the saving fear of God, and teaches it through a vivid picture of Christ's judgment seat, the dark fire, the worms and eternal shame. ### Greek text Δεῦτε, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου" Φόβον Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς. Ἐνδιαθέτου διδασκάλου φωνὴ, προσκαλουμένου εἰς μάθησιν διὰ πατρικῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας. Καὶ γὰρ τέκνον ἐστὶ πνευματικὸν τοῦ διδασκάλου ὁ μαθητής. Ὁ γὰρ παρά τινος τὴν μόρφωσιν τῆς εὐσεβείας δεχόμενος, οὗτος οἱονεὶ διαπλάττεται παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς σύστασιν ἄγεται, ὥσπερ καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς κυοφορούσης τὰ ἐν αὑτῇ διαμορφούμενα βρέφη. Ὅθεν καὶ Παῦλος ὅλην τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τῶν Γαλατῶν, ἐκ τῶν προτέρων διαπεσοῦσαν μαθημάτων, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἀμορφωθεῖσαν, πάλιν ἀναλαμβάνων, καὶ μορφῶν ἄνωθεν ἐν αὐτοῖς τὸν Χριστὸν, τέκνα ἔλεγε " καὶ ἐπειδὴ μετ᾽ ὀδύνης καὶ θλίψεως ἐποιεῖτο τῶν ἐσφαλμένων τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν, ὠδίνειν ἔλεγε τῇ ψυχῇ διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀποπεσοῦσι λύπην. Τεκνία μου, οὗς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἄχρις οὐ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν. Δεῦτε οὖν, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου. Τί ποτε ἄρα διδάσκεῖν μέλλει ὁ πνευματικὸς ἡμῶν πατήρ; Φόβον, φησὶ, Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ ἄνω προσέταξε φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ φόβου κέρδος ὑπέδειξεν, εἰπὼν, Ὅτι οὐχ ἔστιν ὑστέρημα τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὑτόν" νῦν καὶ διδασκαλίαν τινὰ τοῦ θείου φόβου ἡμῖν παραδίδωσι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ, ὅτι χρὴ ὑγιαίνειν, παντός ἐστιν εἰπεῖν, καὶ τοῦ ἰδιώτου - τὸ δὲ, πῶς χρὴ κτήσασθαι τὴν ὑγείαν, τοῦτο ἴδιον ἤδη τοῦ τὴν ἰατρικὴν τέχνην ἐπισταμένου. Οὐ πᾶς φόβος ἀγαθόν ἐστι καὶ σωτήριον, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστι τις καὶ ἐχθρὸς φόβος, ὃν ἀπεύχεται ὁ Προφήτης ἐγγενέσθαι αὐτοῦ τῇ Ψυχῇ, λέγων: Ἀπὸ φόβου ἐχθροῦ ἐξελοῦ τὴν ψυχήν μου. Ἐχθρὸς γὰρ φόβος ὁ θανάτου ἡμῖν δειλίαν ἐμποιῶν, ὁ προσώπων ὑπεροχὰς καταπτήσσειν ἡμᾶς ἀναπείθων. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ ταῦτα φοβούμενος δυνήσεται ἐν καιρῷ μαρτυρίου μέχρι θανάτου πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀντικαταστῆναι, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι τῷ Κυρίῳ τὴν ὀφειλήν, τῷ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι; Καὶ ὁ ὑπὸ δαιμόνων εὐπτόητος τὸν ἐχθρὸν ἔχει φόβον ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Καὶ ὅλως, ὁ τοιοῦτος φόβος ἀπιστίας ἔοικεν ἔγγονον εἶναι πάθος. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ πιστεύων ἰσχυρὸν αὐτῷ παρεῖναι τὸν βοηθὸν φοβεῖται ἀπό τινος τῶν ἐπιχειρούντων αὐτὸν ἐκταράσσειν. Φόβος δὲ ὁ σωτήριος, καὶ φόβος ἀγιασμοῦ ποιητικὸς, φόβος ὁ κατ᾽ ἐπιτήδευσιν, καὶ οὐχὶ κατὰ πάθος ἐγγινόμενος τῇ ψυχῇ, ποῖός ἐστι βούλει διηγήσωμαι; Ὅταν μέλλῃς ἐπί τινα ὁρμᾷν ἁμαρτίαν, ἐννόησόν τοῦ ἐκεῖνο τὸ φρικτὸν καὶ ἀνύποιστον τοῦ Χριστοῦ δικαστήριον, ἐν ᾧ προκαθέζεται μὲν ἐπὶ θρόνου τινὸς ὑψηλοῦ καὶ ἐπηρμένου ὁ κριτῆς, παρέστηκε δὲ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις ὑποτρέμουσα τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἕνδοξον" παράγεσθαι δὲ μέλλομεν καθ᾽ ἕνα εἰς ἐξέτασιν τῶν βεβιωμένων ἡμῖν. Εἶτα τῷ πολλὰ πονηρὰ πεποιηκότι κατὰ τὸν βίον φοβεροί τινες καὶ κατηφεῖς παρίστανται ἄγγελοι, πῦρ βλέποντες, … διὰ τὴν πικρίαν τῆς προαιρέσεως, νυκτὶ ἐοικότες τὰ πρόσωπα, διὰ τὸ κατηφὲς καὶ μισάνθρωπον. Εἶτα βάραθρον βαθὺ, καὶ σκότος ἀδιεξόδευτον, καὶ πῦρ ἀλαμπές" ἐν τῷ σκότει τὴν μὲν καυστικὴν δύναμιν ἔχον, τὸ δὲ φέγγος ἀφῃρημένον. Εἶτα σκωλήκων γένος ἰοβόλον καὶ σαρκοφάγον, ἀπλήστως ἐσθίον, καὶ μηδέποτε κορεννύμενον, ἀφορήτους ὀδύνας ἐμποιοῦν τῇ καταδρώσει. Εἶτα τὴν πασῶν χαλεπωτάτην κόλασιν, τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὴν αἰσχύνην τὴν αἰώνιον. Ταῦτα φοβοῦ " καὶ τούτῳ τῷ φόβῳ παιδευόμενος, οἱονεὶ χαλινῷ τινι ἀνάκοπτε τὴν Ψυχὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς τὰ φαῦλα ἐπιθυμίας. Τοῦτον τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς ὁ πατὴρ ἐπηγγείλατο" οὐχ ἁπλῶς διδάσκειν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀκούειν αὐτοῦ προαιρουμένους· οὐ τοὺς μακρὰν ἀποπεσόντας ἀλλὰ τοὺς δι" ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ σωθῆναι προστρέχοντας " οὐ τοὺς ξένους τῶν Διαθηκῶν,, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ βαπτίσματος τῆς υἱοθεσίας οἰκειουμένους τῷ λόγῳ. Διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶ, δεῦτε τουτέστι, διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων ἐγγίσατέ μοι, τέκνα, υἱοὶ φωτὸς γενέσθαι διὰ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας καταξιωθέντες. ᾿Ακούσατε, οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ ὦτα τῆς καρδίας ἀνεῳγμένα - Φόβον Κυρίου διδάξω ὑμᾶς" τοῦτον, ὃν μικρῷ πρόσθεν ὁ λόγος ὑμῖν ὑπέγραψεν. ### English translation (Claude) “Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” It is the heartfelt voice of a teacher, calling to learning with a father's tenderness. For the disciple is a spiritual child of his teacher. For one who receives from someone the formation of godliness is, as it were, molded by him and brought to consistency, as infants are formed by the mother who carries them in the womb. That is why Paul too, taking up again the whole church of the Galatians, which had fallen away from its earlier teaching and, as it were, lost its form, and forming Christ in them anew, called them children; and since he made the correction of those who had gone astray with pain and affliction, he said that he was in labor in his soul because of his grief over those who had fallen away: “My little children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you.” “Come, then, children, listen to me.” What, then, is our spiritual father going to teach? “The fear of the Lord,” he says, “I will teach you.” Since above he commanded us to fear the Lord and showed the gain from fear, saying, “For there is no want to those who fear him,” now he also hands on to us a teaching of the divine fear. For to say that one must be healthy belongs to anyone, even the layman; but how one must acquire health belongs only to one who knows the art of medicine. Not every fear is good and saving; there is also a fear that is an enemy, which the prophet prays may not arise in his soul, saying, “From fear of the enemy deliver my soul.” For the fear that produces cowardice before death in us, that persuades us to cower before the eminence of persons, is an enemy. For how will one who fears these things be able, at the time of martyrdom, to resist sin to the death and repay the debt to the Lord who died and rose for us? And one easily frightened by demons has the enemy fear in himself. And in general such fear seems to be a passion born of unbelief. For no one who believes that he has a strong helper present fears any of those who try to disturb him. But the saving fear, the fear that produces holiness, the fear that comes about in the soul by practice and not by passion: do you want me to describe what it is? … When you are about to rush into some sin, think, I beg you, of that dread and unbearable tribunal of Christ, in which the judge presides on a high and lofty throne, and all creation stands by, trembling at his glorious appearing; and we are to be brought one by one to the examination of our lives. Then, beside the one who has done much evil in his life stand fearful and gloomy angels, looking fire, [breathing] …, because of the bitterness of their purpose, like night in their faces because of their gloom and hatred of men. Then a deep pit, and impenetrable darkness, and a fire without light, having in the darkness its burning power but deprived of brightness. Then a venomous and flesh-eating race of worms, eating insatiably and never filled, causing unbearable pains by their devouring. Then the hardest punishment of all, that reproach and eternal shame. Fear these things, and, trained by this fear, check your soul, as with a bridle, from its desire for base things. This fear of the Lord the father promised to teach us; not simply to teach, but to teach those who choose to listen to him; not those who have fallen far away, but those who run to him out of desire to be saved; not strangers to the covenants, but those made his own by the word through the adoption of baptism. That is why he says, “Come”: that is, draw near to me through good works, children, you who have been counted worthy to become sons of light through the new birth. “Listen,” you who have the ears of your heart opened: “I will teach you the fear of the Lord,” the fear the word sketched for you a little before. ### Scripture references - Ps 34:11 (33:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gal 4:19: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:9 (33:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 64:1 (63:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 12:4: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 5:10: allusion, high confidence - Mark 9:48: allusion, high confidence - Dan 12:2: allusion, medium confidence - Eph 2:12: allusion, high confidence - 1 Thess 5:5: allusion, medium confidence - Titus 3:5: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:11 (LXX 33:12); Gal 4:19; Ps 34:9 (LXX 33:10); Ps 64:1 (LXX 63:2). Allusions: 2 Cor 5:10 (tribunal of Christ); Mark 9:48 (the worm); Matt 25:30 (outer darkness); Dan 12:2 (eternal shame); Eph 2:12 (strangers to the covenants); 1 Thess 5:5; Titus 3:5; Heb 12:4. Basil's description of the punishments of hell is translated as written. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan, and are marked “…”: after “what it is?” and in the description of the angels (“[breathing]” supplied by sense). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.8 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-9 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 34:12–13 Basil teaches that the true life is Christ and the good days are those of the age to come, not this evil age, and that the first commandment of that life is to restrain the tongue, source of the readiest and most varied sins. ### Greek text Τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωὴν, ἀγα πῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Εἴ τις θέλει, φησὶ, ζωὴν, οὐ τὴν κοινὴν ταύτην ἣν καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῇ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὄντως ζωὴν τὴν θανάτῳ μὴ διακοπτομένην. Νῦν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀποθνήσκετε, Καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ Θεῷ ὅταν δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ, ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν, τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ἡ ὄντως ζωὴ ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ἡ ἡμετέρα ἐν αὐτῷ διαγωγὴ ζωή ἐστιν ἀληθινή. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ αἱ ἡμέραι ἄλλαι εἰσὶν ἀγαθαὶ, ἃς ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ προτίθησιν ἀγαπῶν ἡμέρας ἰδεῖν ἀγαθάς; Αἱ γὰρ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἡμέραι πονηραὶ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος, τοῦ κόσμου μέτρον ὑπάρχων, περὶ οὗ εἴρηται, ὅτι Ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, συναφομοιοῦνται τῇ φύσει τοῦ κόσμου ὅν ἐκμετρεῖ. Μέρη δὲ τοῦ χρόνου τούτου αἱ ἡμέραι αὗται. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος" Ἐξαγοραζόμενοι τὸν καιρὸν, ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσι. Καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ δὲ, Αἱ ἡμέραι φησὶ, τῶν ἐτῶν μου μικραὶ καὶ πονηραί. Οὐκοῦν νῦν μὲν οὐχ ἐσμὲν ἐν ζωῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν θανάτῳ. Διὸ καὶ ηὔχετο ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, λέγων " Τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; "Αλλη δέ τίς ἐστι ζωὴ, πρὸς ἣν καλεῖ ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος “ καὶ νῦν μὲν αἱ ἡμέραι ἡμῶν πονηραὶ, ἄλλαι δέ τινές εἰσιν ἀγαθαὶ, ἃς νὺξ οὐ διακόπτει" ἔσται γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν φῶς αἰώνιον, καταλάμπων αὐτὰς τῷ φωτὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δόξης. Μὴ τοίνυν, ὅταν ἀκούσῃς ἡμερῶν ἀγαθῶν, τὴν ἐνταῦθά σοι νομίσῃς ζωὴν ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις προκεῖσθαι. Φθαρταὶ γάρ εἰσιν αὗται, ἃς ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος ἀπεργάζεται" οὐδὲν δὲ φθαρτὸν ἀρμοζόντως ἂν δῶρον γένοιτο τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ. Εἰ γὰρ ἄφθαρτος ἡ Ψυχὴ, ἄφθαρτα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ χαρίσματα. Καὶ Παράγει τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Εἰ δὲ σκιὰν ἔχει ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, νόει μοι τινα Σάββατα τρυφερὰ, ἅγια, ἐκ τῶν αἰωνίων ἡμερῶν, νεομηνίας, ἑορτάς " καὶ νόει μοι ἀξίως τοῦ πνευματικοῦ νόμου. Παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. Εἰ βούλει ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις γενέσθαι ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς, εἰ ἀγαπᾷς τὴν ζωὴν, ποίησον τὴν ἐντολὴν τῆς ζωῆς. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν με, φησὶ, τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσει. Πρώτη δὲ ἐντολὴ τὸ, παῦσαι τὴν γλῶσσαν ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ χείλη τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον. Σχεδὸν γὰρ ἣ προχειροτάτη καὶ πολύτροπος ἁμαρτία ἣ διὰ γλώσσης ἐστὶν ἐνεργουμένη. Ὠργίσθης; καὶ ἣ γλῶσσα προτρέχει. Ἐν ἐπιθυμίαις εἶ; καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἔχεις πρὸ πάντων οἱονεί τινα μαστροπὸν καὶ ὑποκρινομένην τοὺς πλησίον. Καὶ ὅπλον σοι πρὸς τὴν ἀδικίαν ἡ γλῶσσα, μὴ τὰ ἀπὸ καρδίας φθεγγομένη, ἀλλὰ τὰ πρὸς ἀπάτην προφέρουσα. Καὶ τί δεῖ πάντα τῷ λόγῳ ἐπεξιέναι τῶν διὰ γλώσσης ἁμαρτανομένων; Πεπλήρωται ἡμῶν ὁ βίος τῶν ἀπὸ γλώσσης πταισμάτων. Αἰσχρολογία, εὐτραπελία, μωρολογία, τὰ οὐχ ἀνήκοντα, καταλαλιαί, λόγος ἀργὸς, ἐπιορκίαι, ψευδομαρτυρίαι, πάντα ταῦτα τὰ κακὰ, καὶ ἔτι πλείω τούτων, τῆς γλώσσης ἐστὶ δημιουργήματα. Οἱ δὲ ἀνοίγοντες τὸ στόμα κατὰ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀδικίαν εἰς τὸ ὕψος λαλοῦντες, ἄλλῳ τινὶ τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ οὐχὶ τῷ ὀργάνῳ τῆς γλώσσης ἐργάζονται; Ἐπειδὴ οὖν Ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου κατακριθήσῃ, παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐνεργήσῃς θησαυρίσματα γλώσσῃ ψευδεῖ μάταια. Παῦσον δὲ καὶ τὰ χείλη σου τοῦ μὴ λαλῆσαι δόλον: ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ὅλον τὸ ὄργανον τὸ πρὸς τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ λόγου σοι δεδομένον σχολάζειν ἀπὸ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐνεργείας ποίησον. Ἔστι δὲ ὁ δόλος κακοποιία λαθραία ἐν προσποιήσει τῶν βελτιόνων τῷ πλησίον προσφερομένη. ### English translation (Claude) “Who is the man who desires life, who loves to see good days?” If anyone desires life, he says, not this common life which even irrational creatures live, but the real life that is not cut short by death. For now, he says, “you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God; but when Christ, our life, appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.” So Christ is the real life, and our way of living in him is true life. Likewise there are other good days, which he sets before us in the promise: “who loves to see good days?” For the days of this age are evil, since this age too, being the measure of the world, of which it is said that “the whole world lies in the evil one,” is assimilated to the nature of the world that it measures. And these days are parts of this time. That is why the Apostle says, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” And Jacob too says, “The days of the years of my life are few and evil.” So now we are not in life but in death. That is why the Apostle too prayed, saying, “Who will deliver me from the body of this death?” But there is another life, to which the word calls us; and now our days are evil, but there are other good days, which night does not cut short; for God will be their eternal light, shining on them with the light of his own glory. So when you hear of good days, do not think that life here is set before you in the promises. For these are perishable, which the visible sun produces; and nothing perishable could fittingly be a gift to the imperishable. For if the soul is imperishable, its gifts are imperishable too. And “the form of this world is passing away.” And if the law has a shadow of the good things to come, think for me of certain delightful, holy Sabbaths of the eternal days, new moons, feasts; and think of them as befits the spiritual law. “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.” If you wish to be in the good days, if you love life, do the commandment of life. “For the one who loves me,” he says, “will keep my commandments.” And the first commandment is to keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking deceit. For almost the readiest and most varied sin is the one worked through the tongue. Have you become angry? The tongue runs ahead. Are you in desire? You have the tongue before all, as a kind of procurer, deceiving your neighbors. And the tongue is your weapon for injustice, not uttering what is from the heart, but bringing forth what serves deceit. And why must I go through in my discourse all the sins committed by the tongue? Our life is filled with the slips of the tongue: obscene talk, coarse jesting, foolish talk, things not fitting, slanders, idle words, perjuries, false witness; all these evils and still more are the products of the tongue. And those who open their mouths against the glory of God and speak injustice on high, do they work their impiety with some other organ than the tongue? Since, then, “by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned,” keep your tongue from evil, and do not work treasures by a lying tongue, which are vain. And keep your lips from speaking deceit: that is, make the whole organ given you for the service of the word rest from evil activity. Deceit is a secret wrongdoing offered to one's neighbor under the pretense of better things. ### Scripture references - Ps 34:12 (33:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Col 3:3: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:4: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 5:19: quotation, high confidence - Eph 5:16: quotation, high confidence - Gen 47:9: quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:24: quotation, high confidence - Isa 60:19: allusion, medium confidence - Rev 22:5: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 7:31: quotation, high confidence - Heb 10:1: allusion, high confidence - Col 2:16: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 34:13 (33:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 14:15: quotation, high confidence - Eph 5:4: allusion, high confidence - Ps 73:9 (72:9 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Matt 12:37: quotation, high confidence - Prov 21:6: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:12–13 (LXX 33:13–14); Col 3:3–4; 1 John 5:19; Eph 5:16; Gen 47:9; Rom 7:24; 1 Cor 7:31; Heb 10:1; John 14:15, 21; Matt 12:36–37; Prov 21:6 LXX. Allusions: Isa 60:19–20 and Rev 22:5; Col 2:16–17; Eph 5:4; Ps 73:8–9 (LXX 72:8–9). A line is lost after “because the days are evil” in the scan (marked by Migne's notes, removed); the staged section 33.6, which holds only scan debris, belongs here. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.9 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-9). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-10 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 34:14 Basil teaches that turning from evil is the first step for beginners, and that the peace to be pursued is Christ's peace, the calm of a soul unshaken by passions and false doctrine. ### Greek text Ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθόν· " ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Στοιχειώδεις αἱ παραινέσεις, καὶ εἰσαγωγοὶ εἰς … πρῶτον ἀπέχεσθαι, ἐκκλίνειν ἀπὸ κακοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ τελείῳ πρέπουσα ἡ ἀποχὴ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἄρτι στοιχειουμένῳ ἐκνεῦσαι προσήκει ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κακὸν φορᾶς, καὶ οἱονεὶ ὁδοῦ κακῆς τῆς ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ βίῳ συνηθείας ἀπαλλαγέντα, οὕτως ἄψασθαι τῆς τῶν ἀγα θῶν ἐνεργείας. ᾿Αμήχανον γὰρ ἄψασθαι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μὴ ἀποστάντα πρότερον παντελῶς καὶ ἐκνεύσαντα τοῦ κακοῦ " ὡς ἀμήχανον ὑγείαν ἀναλαβεῖν μὴ τῆς νόσου ἀπαλλαγέντα " ἣ ἐν θερμότητι γενέσθαι τὸν μὴ … …δεκτα γὰρ ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις... Οὕτω καὶ τὸν μέλλοντα ἐν ἀγαθῷ βίῳ γενέσθαι, πάσης προσήκει τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ κακὸν συναφείας ἀπαλλαγῆναι. Ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὑτήν. Περὶ ταύτης εἴρηκεν ὁ Κύριος" Εἰρήνην ἀφίημι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν οὐ καθὼς ὁ κόσμος δίδωσιν εἰρήνην, ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν. Ζήτησον οὖν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Διώξεις δὲ οὐκ ἄλλως ἣ κατὰ σκοπὸν τρέχων εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως. “Ἄνω γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡ ἀληθής. Ἐπεὶ ὅσον γε τῇ σαρκὶ συνδεδέμεθα χρόνον, πολλοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμᾶς συνεζεύγμεθα. Ζήτησον οὖν εἰρήνην, λύσιν τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου θορύβων - κτῆσαι γαληνιῶντα νοῦν, ἀκύμονά τινα καὶ ἀτάραχον κατάστασιν τῆς ψυχῆς, μήτε ὑπὸ παθῶν σαλευομένην μήτε ὑπὸ τῶν ψευδῶν δογμάτων διὰ πιθανότητος προκαλουμένων εἰς συγκατάθεσιν περιελκομένην, ἵνα κτήσῃ τὴν εἰρήνην τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ὑπερέχουσαν πάντα νοῦν, φρουροῦσαν τὴν καρδίαν σου. Ὃ ζητῶν εἰρήνην Χριστὸν ἐκζητεῖ, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ὁ κτίσας τοὺς δύο εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὑτοῦ, εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ### English translation (Claude) “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” The exhortations are elementary, introductions to [virtue]: first to abstain, to turn away from evil. For abstaining from evil does not befit the perfect man; but it is fitting for one who is just beginning to learn the elements to turn aside from the drift toward evil, and, having been rid of the habit of an evil life as of an evil road, then to take up the doing of good. For it is impossible to take hold of good without first standing wholly apart from evil and turning away from it, as it is impossible to recover health without being rid of disease, or for one not [rid of cold] to be in warmth; for these cannot receive one another. So too the one who is to be in a good life must be rid of all contact with evil. “Seek peace and pursue it.” Of this the Lord said, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give peace to you.” Seek, then, the peace of the Lord and pursue it. And you will pursue it only by running toward the goal for the prize of the upward call. For true peace is above. Since, at least as long as we are bound to the flesh, we are yoked also to many things that disturb us. Seek, then, peace, release from the tumults of this world; acquire a calm mind, an untroubled and unruffled state of soul, neither shaken by passions nor drawn about by false doctrines that by their persuasiveness invite assent, so that you may acquire “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guarding your heart.” The one who seeks peace seeks Christ, for “he himself is our peace,” who created the two into one new man, making peace, and “making peace by the blood of his cross, whether things in heaven or things on earth.” ### Scripture references - Ps 34:14 (33:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 14:27: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:14: quotation, high confidence - Phil 4:7: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:14: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:15: allusion, high confidence - Col 1:20: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:14 (LXX 33:15); John 14:27; Phil 3:14; Phil 4:7; Eph 2:14–15; Col 1:20. Lines are lost in the scan and marked “…”: after “introductions to” (supplied as “[virtue]”) and in the comparison with heat and cold (bracketed words supplied by sense). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.10 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-10). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-11 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 34:15–16 Basil explains God's “eyes” and “ears” as the angelic powers that oversee and hear the righteous, and his “face” as Christ's manifest coming in judgment, to be seen by the righteous after the resurrection. ### Greek text Ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίοις, καὶ ὦτα αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν. Ὥσπερ οἱ ἅγιοι σῶμά εἰσι Χριστοῦ καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους“ καὶ ἔθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησία τοὺς μὲν ὀφθαλμοὺς, τοὺς δὲ γλώσσας, ἑτέρους τὸν τῶν χειρῶν, καὶ ἄλλους τὸν τῶν ποδῶν ἐπέχοντας λόγον " οὕτω καὶ αἱ ἅγιαι δυνάμεις αἱ πνευματικαὶ καὶ περὶ τὸν οὐράνιον οὖσαι αἱ μὲν ὀφθαλμοὶ λέγονται, τῷ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἡμῶν πιστευθῆναι, αἱ δὲ ὦτα, τῷ παραδέχεσθαι ἡμῶν τὰς δεήσεις. Νῦν οὖν τὴν ἐποπτικὴν ἡμῶν δύναμιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν εὐχῶν ἀντιληπτικὴν, ὀφθαλμοὺς εἶπε καὶ ὦτα. Ὀφθαλμοὶ οὖν Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα αὑτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὑτῶν. Ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα πρᾶξις τοῦ δικαίου ἀξία τῆς θεωρίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πᾶν ῥῆμα, τῷ μηδὲν ἀργῶς λέγεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου, ἐνεργόν ἐστι καὶ ἔμπρακτον, διὰ τοῦτο ἀεὶ ἐφορᾶσθαι καὶ ἀεὶ εἰσακούεσθαι τὸν δίκαιον ὁ λόγος φησί. Πρόσωπον δὲ Κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακὰ, τοῦ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ἐκ γῆς τὸ μνημόσυνον αὑτῶν. Πρόσωπον οἶμαι τὴν πεπαῤῥησιασμένην καὶ φανερὰν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιδημίαν τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς κρίσεως λέγεσθαι. Διὸ καὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου, ὡς ἔτι πόῤῥωθεν ἐπισκοποῦντος ἡμᾶς, ἐπιβλέπειν τὸν δίκαιον εἴρηνται" αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπιφανήσεσθαι, ἐπὶ τῷ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ἐκ γῆς πᾶν τὸ τῆς πονηρίας μνημόσυνον. Μὴ γάρ μοι σωματικῶς διαπεπλασμένον τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ νοήσῃς· ἐπεὶ οὕτω γε καὶ ἄλογον εἶναι δόξει τὸ παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς εἰρημένον, ἰδίᾳ μὲν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπάρχειν ἐπιλάμποντας τῷ δικαίῳ, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπιφερόμενον τοῖς πονηροῖς. Καίτοι οὔτε ὀφθαλμοὶ χωρὶς προσώπου, οὔτε πρόσωπον ὀφθαλμῶν ἐστιν ἄμοιρον. Ἄνθρωπος μὲν οὖν οὐ μὴ ἴδῃ τὸ πρόσωπον Κυρίου, καὶ ζήσεται· οἱ δὲ ἄγγελοι τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ μικρῶν διὰ παντὸς βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Διότι νῦν μὲν χωρῆσαι ἡμᾶς τὴν θέαν τῆς ἐνδόξου ἐπιφανείας διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν περικειμένην ἡμῖν ἀμήχανον᾽ οἱ μέντοι ἄγγελοι, τῷ μηδὲν ἔχειν προκάλυμμα τοιοῦτον παραπλήσιον τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ, ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἐμποδίζονται διηνεκῶς ἐνατενίζειν τῷ προσώπῳ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὥστε καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐπειδὰν γενώμεθα υἱοὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, τότε καταξιωθησόμεθα τῆς πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον γνώσεως. Τότε δὲ οἱ μὲν δίκαῖοι ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τῆς θέας τοῦ προσώπου καταξιωθήσονται· οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐν κρίσει, μελλούσης ἐξολοθρεύεσθαι παρὰ τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ πάσης τῆς ἁμαρτίας. ### English translation (Claude) “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears toward their prayer.” As the saints are the body of Christ and members in part, and God has set in the Church some as eyes, some as tongues, others holding the place of hands and others of feet, so too the holy spiritual powers around the heavenly … : some are called eyes, because they have been entrusted with oversight of us, and some ears, because they receive our prayers. So now he has called eyes and ears the power that oversees us and the power that takes up our prayers. “The eyes of the Lord,” then, “are on the righteous, and his ears toward their prayer.” Since every action of the righteous man is worthy of God's beholding, and every word, since nothing is said idly by the righteous man, is effective and active, the word therefore says that the righteous man is always overseen and always heard. “But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy their remembrance from the earth.” I think “face” means the open and manifest coming of the Lord at the judgment. That is why the eyes of the Lord are said to look on the righteous man, as one who still oversees us from afar, while his very face is to appear to destroy from the earth every remembrance of wickedness. For do not think of God's face as bodily shaped; since in that way what is said by Scripture will even seem absurd, that eyes on the one hand shine on the righteous and the face on the other is brought against the wicked. And yet there are no eyes without a face, nor is a face without eyes. Man, then, shall not see the face of the Lord and live; but the angels of the little ones in the Church always behold the face of our Father in heaven. For now it is impossible for us to take in the sight of his glorious appearing because of the weakness of the flesh that surrounds us; but the angels, because they have no such covering like our flesh, are hindered by nothing from gazing continually on the face of the glory of God. So we too, when we have become sons of the resurrection, shall then be counted worthy of the knowledge face to face. And then the righteous will be counted worthy with exultation of the sight of the face, but sinners will come to judgment, when all sin is to be destroyed by the just judgment of God. ### Scripture references - Ps 34:15 (33:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 12:27: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 12:12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 12:36: allusion, low confidence - Ps 34:16 (33:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 33:20: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:10: quotation, high confidence - Luke 20:36: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:12: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:15–16 (LXX 33:16–17); 1 Cor 12:27; Exod 33:20; Matt 18:10; 1 Cor 13:12. Allusions: 1 Cor 12:12–21; Luke 20:36; Matt 12:36. A line is lost after “around the heavenly” (where Migne's notes stand in the scan; Basil probably wrote “choir” or “throne”), marked “…”. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.11 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-11). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-12 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 34:17–19 Basil teaches that the righteous cry in the heart for heavenly things; the Lord's nearness to the brokenhearted foretells his coming in the flesh; spiritual humility differs from the degradation of sin; and afflictions are the athlete's contest from which God delivers. ### Greek text Ἐκέκραξαν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὑτούς. Νοητὴ τῶν δικαίων ἣ κραυγὴ, ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τῆς καρδίας τὴν μεγαλοφωνίαν ἔχουσα, δυναμένη ἐφικέσθαι καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ὤτων τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ γὰρ μεγάλα αἰτῶν, καὶ περὶ ἐπουρανίων εὐχόμενος, οὗτος κράζει, καὶ ἀκουστὴν ἀναπέμπει τῷ Θεῷ τὴν εὐχήν. ᾿Εκέκραξαν οὖν οἱ δίκαιοι " οὐδὲν μικροπρεπὲς, οὐδὲ γήϊνον, οὐδὲ ταπεινὸν ἐπεζήτησαν. Διὰ τοῦτο αὐτῶν παρεδέξατο τὴν φωνὴν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτούς οὐ τοσοῦτον ἀπολύων αὐτοὺς τῶν ὀχληρῶν, ὅσον κρείτ… . Κύριος τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῷ πνεύματι σώσει, Τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαθότητι πᾶσιν ἐγγίζει" μακρύνομεν δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ἡμεῖς διὰ τῆς ἀμαρτίας. ᾿Ιδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ μακρύνοντες ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ σοῦ, ἀπολοῦνται. Διὰ τοῦτο Μωῦσῆς ἐγγίζειν λέγεται τῷ Θεῷ " καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος παραπλήσιος ἐκείνῳ, δι᾽ ἀνδραγαθήματα καὶ πράξεις ἀγαθὰς ἐγγὺς γίνεται τοῦ Θεοῦ. “Αντικρὺς δὲ προφητείαν ἔχει ὁ λόγος τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Κυρίου. … ἐλέγετο: Πρόσωπον Κυρίου ἐπὶ ποιοῦντας κακά" τουτέστιν, ἡ ἐπιφάνεια αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὴν κρῖσιν ἐπὶ ἀφανισμῷ πάσης πονηρίας γενήσεται· ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ᾿Εγγὺς ὁ Κύριος τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν, τὴν ἐπιδημίαν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ προαγγέλλει, ἐγγίζουσαν ἤδη, καὶ οὐ μακρὰν ἀφεστηκυῖαν. Καὶ τοῦτό σοι πιστὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἡσαΐου προφητείας γενέσθω" Πνεῦμα γὰρ Κυρίου ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ, οὗ ἔνεκεν ἔχρισέ με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς τὴν καρδίαν, κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν, καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἰατρὸς ἀπεστέλλετο τῶν συντετριμμένων τὴν καρδίαν, ᾿Εγγὺς, φησὶ, Κύριός ἐστιν" ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς ταπεινοῖς καὶ ὑμᾶς καὶ εἰς μακροθυμίαν ἐνάγων τῇ χαρᾷ τῶν προσδοκωμένων. Συντριμμὸς δὲ καρδίας ἐστὶν ὁ ἀφανισμὸς τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων λογισμῶν. Ὁ καταφρονήσας τῶν τῇδε, καὶ ἀποδεδωκὼς ἑαυτὸν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐμπαρέχων ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον καὶ θειοτέροις νοήμασιν, οὗτος ἂν εἴη ὁ συντετριμμένην ἔχων τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ ποιήσας αὐτὴν θυσίαν οὐκ ἐξουδενωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου. Καρδίαν γὰρ συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει. Ἐγγὺς οὖν Κύριος τοῖς συντετριμμένοις τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τῷ πνεύματι σώσει. Ὃ μηδὲν ἔχων ἔπαρμα, μηδὲ φρονῶν ἐπί τινι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, οὗτος καὶ συντετριμμένος ἐστὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ ταπεινὸς τῷ πνεύματι. Ἔστι μὲν ταπεινὸς καὶ ὁ κατὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν πορευόμενος, διότι ταπεινωτικὴ μάλιστα πάντων ἡ ἀμαρτία. Καθὸ καὶ τὴν ἐφθαρμένην καὶ ἀπολέσασαν τὸν τῆς παρθενίας ἁγιασμὸν λέγομεν ταπεινοῦσθαι. Ὡς ὁ Ἀμνὼν, φησὶν, ἐπαναστὰς τῇ θάμαρ, Ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτήν. Ὅσοι οὖν τὸ ἀνάστημα καὶ τὸ δίαρμα τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπολωλέκασιν, ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας καταβληθέντες εἰς γῆν, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐδαφισθέντες, ὁμοίως … ἀνορθωθῆναι εἰς τὸ παντελὲς, οὗτοι τεταπείνωνται μὲν, οὐ μὴν τῷ πνεύματι" οὐ γὰρ ἐπαινετὴ αὐτῶν ἡ ταπείνωσις. Ὅσοι δὲ ἔχοντες τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου χάριν, ἑκόντες ἑαυτοὺς ὑποταπεινοῦσι τοῖς ὑποδεεστέροις, κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον λέγοντες ἑαυτοὺς εἶναι δούλους τινῶν ἐν Χριστῷ, καὶ Πάντων περίψημα ἕως ἄρτι" καὶ πάλιν. Ὡς περικαθάρματα τοῦ κόσμου ἐγενήθημεν" οἱ πνευματικῶς τῇ ταπεινώσει κεχρημένοι, πάντων ἑαυτοὺς ποιοῦντες ἐσχάτους, ἵνα πάντων πρῶτοι γένωνται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. Τούτους καὶ μακαρίζει ὁ Κύριος λέγων" Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι. Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος. Ἐν παντὶ, φησὶ, … φησι καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς - Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλίψιν ἔχετε" ἀλλὰ θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον. “Ὥστε ἐὰν ἴδῃς ποτὲ ἐν νόσοις, ἐν πηρώσεσι σώματος, ἐν ἀποβολῇ τῶν οἰκείων, ἐν πληγαῖς, ἐν ἀτιμίαις, ἐν πάσῃ ἐνδείᾳ καὶ ὑστερήσει τῶν ἀναγκαίων τοὺς δικαίους ὑπάρχοντας, μνήσθητι, ὅτι Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὑτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος. Ὃ δὲ λέγων μὴ πρέπειν τῷ δικαίῳ τὴν θλίψιν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον λέγει ἣ μὴ ἁρμόζειν τῷ ἀθλητῇ τὸν ἀνταγωνιστήν. Μὴ ἀγωνιζόμενος δὲ ὁ ἀθλητὴς τίνας ἔξει τῶν στεφάνων τὰς ὑποθέσεις; Ἤδη δὲ τέταρτον λέγεται ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ τούτῳ, τίνα τρόπον ἀπὸ θλίψεως ῥύεται ὁ Κύριος, οὖς ἐὰν θέλῃ ῥύσασθαι. Πρῶτον μὲν γάρ · ᾿Εξεζήτησα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἐπήκουσέ μου, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεών μου ἐῤῥύσατό με" δεύτερὸν δὲ πάλιν" Οὗτος ὁ πτωχὸς ἐκέκραξε, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν" αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὑτοῦ ἔσωσεν αὑτόν" καὶ τρίτον’ ᾿Εκέκραξαν οἱ δίκαιοι, καὶ ὁ Κύριος εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτούς" καὶ τελευταῖον: Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων, καὶ ἐκ πασῶν αὐτῶν ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος. ### English translation (Claude) “The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their afflictions.” The cry of the righteous is intelligible, having its loudness in the hidden place of the heart, able to reach the very ears of God. For the one who asks great things and prays for heavenly things is the one who cries, and sends up to God a prayer that is heard. “The righteous cried,” then: they sought nothing petty, nothing earthly, nothing low. That is why the Lord received their voice and delivered them from all their afflictions, not so much by releasing them from the troubles as by making them [stronger than them] … . “[Near is the] Lord to the brokenhearted, and he will save the humble in spirit.” By his own goodness he draws near to all; but we remove ourselves far off by sin. “For behold,” it says, “those who remove themselves far from you will perish.” That is why Moses is said to draw near to God; and if there is anyone like him, he comes near to God through brave deeds and good actions. But the passage contains an outright prophecy of the coming of the Lord. … it was said: “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,” that is, his appearing at the judgment will be for the destruction of all wickedness; but here, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” foretells the coming of the Lord in the flesh, already drawing near and not far off. And let this be made credible to you by the prophecy of Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, [to heal] the broken in heart, to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind.” For since he was being sent as physician of the brokenhearted, “The Lord is near,” he says: I say it to you the humble, [encouraging] you also toward patience by the joy of what is expected. And brokenness of heart is the destruction of human reasonings. The one who has despised the things here, given himself over to the word of God, and offered his governing part to thoughts beyond man and more divine, he would be the one who has a broken heart and has made it a sacrifice not despised by the Lord. “For a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.” “The Lord,” then, “is near to the brokenhearted, and he will save the humble in spirit.” The one who has no elation and does not pride himself on any human thing is both broken in heart and humble in spirit. One who walks in sin is also humble, since sin is the most humbling of all things. In that sense we say that a woman who has been corrupted and lost the holiness of virginity has been humbled. “Amnon,” it says, “rose against Tamar and humbled her.” Those, then, who have lost the uprightness and elevation of soul, thrown to the ground and as it were leveled by sin, and likewise [unable] to be set upright again altogether, these have been humbled, but not in spirit; for their humiliation is not praiseworthy. But those who, having the grace of the Holy Spirit, willingly humble themselves to their inferiors, saying with the Apostle that they are servants of certain people in Christ, and “the refuse of all until now,” and again, “We have become as the offscouring of the world”: these, who use humility spiritually, making themselves last of all so as to become first of all in the kingdom of heaven, the Lord calls blessed, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all of them.” “In everything,” he says, “… ,” as the Lord too says to his own disciples, “In the world you have affliction; but take courage, I have overcome the world.” So if you ever see the righteous in diseases, in bodily maiming, in loss of their own, in blows, in dishonors, in every want and lack of necessities, remember that many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all of them. One who says that affliction does not befit the righteous man says nothing else than that an opponent does not befit an athlete. And if the athlete does not contend, what occasions will he have for crowns? This is now the fourth time it is said in this psalm how the Lord delivers from affliction those whom he wishes to deliver. First: “I sought out the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my afflictions”; second again: “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him from all his afflictions”; and third: “The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their afflictions”; and last: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of all of them.” ### Scripture references - Ps 34:17 (33:18 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:18 (33:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 73:27 (72:27 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 24:2: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 34:16 (33:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 61:1: quotation, high confidence - Luke 4:18: quotation, high confidence - Ps 51:17 (50:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 13:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:5: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 4:13: quotation, high confidence - Mark 9:35: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:3: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:19 (33:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:8: allusion, medium confidence - John 16:33: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:4 (33:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:6 (33:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:17–19 (LXX 33:18–20); Ps 73:27 (LXX 72:27); Ps 34:16 (LXX 33:17); Isa 61:1 (Luke 4:18); Ps 51:17 (LXX 50:19); 2 Sam 13:14 (LXX 2 Kgdms 13:14); 1 Cor 4:13; Matt 5:3; 2 Cor 4:8; John 16:33; Ps 34:4, 6 (LXX 33:5, 7). Allusions: Exod 20:21 and 24:2 (Moses drawing near); 2 Cor 4:5 (servants of others in Christ); Mark 9:35. Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: after “making them” (bracketed words supplied), before “it was said” (Basil's back-reference), in the clause “likewise [unable]”, and after “In everything, he says” (2 Cor 4:8, “afflicted”); “[encouraging]” is supplied by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.12 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-12). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-13 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil asks how Ps 34:20 can say the bones of the righteous are not broken, since the martyrs' bones were broken. ### Greek text Φυλάσσει Κύριος πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν" ὃν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ συντριβήσεται. Πότερον δεῖ ἐπὶ τῆς λέξεως μεῖναι, καὶ ἀρκεσθῆναι τῇ κατὰ τὸ πρόχειρον προσπιπτούσῃ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς ἡ μῶν ἐννοίᾳ, ὅτι τὰ ὀστᾶ ταῦτα, τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑποστηρίγματα, οὐ συντριβήσεται τῶν δικαίων διὰ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου δεδομένην αὑτοῖς φυλακήν; Καὶ πότερον ζῶντος μόνον καὶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τυγχάνοντος ἀσύντριπτα τοῦ δικαίου φυλαχθήσεται τὰ ὀστᾶ; ἣ καὶ ἀπολυθέντος τοῦ δεσμοῦ τοῦ σωματικοῦ, μηδὲν αἴτιον ἐπισυμβήσεσθαι συντριβῆς τῷ δικαίῳ; Καὶ μὴν πολλὰ μεμαθήκαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς πείρας ὀστᾶ δικαίων συντετριμμένα, τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν μαρτυρίας παραδόντων ἑαυτοὺς παντοίοις εἴδεσι παθημάτων. “Ηδη γάρ τινῶν καὶ σκέλη κατέαξαν οἱ διώκοντες, καὶ χεῖρας καὶ κεφαλὰς διέπειραν τοῖς ἤλοις πολλάκις. τίς ἀντερεῖ μὴ οὐχὶ πάντων εἶναι δικαιοτάτους τοὺς ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ τετελειωμένους; ᾿Αλλὰ μήποτε, ὥσπερ ἄνθρωπος λέγεται, τουτέστιν, ἡ ψυχὴ, καὶ ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἀνθρώπινος " οὕτω καὶ τὰ μέλη αὑτοῦ ὁμωνύμως ὀνομάζεται πρὸς τὰ τῆς σαρκός" ὡς πολλάκις ὀνομάζει ἣ Γραφὴ τοῦ κρυπτοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἐν τῷ λέγειν " Τοῦ σοφοῦ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐν κεφαλῇ αὐτοῦ" τουτέστι προορατικόν ἐστι καὶ περιεσκεμμένον τὸ κρυπτὸν τοῦ σοφοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ὀφθαλμοὺς ὁμοίως λέγει τούς τε τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τῆς σαρκός, οὐ μόνον ἐν ᾗ παρεθέμεθα λέξει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ φάσκειν τὴν ἐντολὴν Κυρίου τηλαυγῇ εἶναι καὶ φωτίζουσαν ὀφθαλμούς. Τί δὲ δεῖ λέγειν περὶ τοῦ, Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν, ἀκουέτω; Δῆλον γὰρ, ὅτι κέκτηνταί τινες ὦτα κρείττονα δυνάμενα ἀκούειν λόγων Θεοῦ. Πρὸς δὲ τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας ἐκεῖνα τὰ ὦτα τί φησιν; Οἱ κωφοὶ, ἀκούσατε, καὶ οἱ τυφλοὶ, ἀναβλέψατε - καὶ, Τὸ στόμα μου ἤνοιξα, καὶ εἵλκυσα πνεῦμα - καὶ, Ὁδόντας ἁμαρτωλῶν συνέτριψας. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα εἴρηται πρὸς τὰς ὑπουργούσας δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τὴν νοητὴν τροφὴν καὶ τὸν νοητὸν λόγον. Τοιοῦτον δὲ καὶ τὸ, Τὴν κοιλίαν μου ἀλγῶ· καὶ τὸ, Ὁ ποῦς τοῦ δικαίου οὐ μὴ προσκόψῃ. Πάντα γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἔσω ἀνθρώπου κατείλεκται τὰ τοιαῦτα, Κατὰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον καὶ ὀστᾶ τινα ἂν τοῦ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, ἐν οἷς ὁ σύνδεσμος καὶ ἡ ἁρμονία τῶν ψυχικῶν ἐστι δυνάμεων συγκροτουμένη. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ ὀστᾶ τῇ οἰκείᾳ εὐτονίᾳ τῶν σαρκῶν περιστέλλει τὴν ἁπαλότητα, οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ εἰσί τινες, οἵ διὰ τὴν οἰκείαν … . βαστάζειν. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ ὀστᾶ συνάπτεται ἀλ… ἐπιπεφυκόσιν, οὕτως ἂν εἴη καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης σύνδεσμος, συμφυΐαν τινὰ καὶ ἕνωσιν τῶν πνευματικῶν ὀστέων ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατεργαζόμενος, Περὶ τούτων τῶν ὀστέων τῶν λυομένων ἀπὸ τῆς ἁρμονίας, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐξάρθρων γινομένων, φησὶν ὁ Προφήτης " Διεσκορπίσθησαν τὰ ὀστᾶ ἡμῶν παρὰ τὸν ἄδην. Καὶ ἐάν ποτέ γε ταραχὴ αὐτὰ καὶ κραδασμὸς καταλάβῃ, εὐχόμενος λέγει" Ἴασαί με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐταράχθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου. Ὅταν δὲ σώζῃ τὴν οἰκείαν ἁρμονίαν, φυλαττόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, οὐδὲ ἓν αὐτῶν συντριβήσεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἄξιά ἐστι δόξαν ἀναφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ. Πάντα γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ ὀστᾶ μου λογικῶν ὀστέων φύσιν; Τάχα δ᾽ ἂν τοῦτο ἡ Ἐκκλησία λέγοι, τὸ, Πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἐροῦσι, κατὰ τὸ «ἧς ἀναστάσεως μυστήριον. Τάδε γὰρ, φησὶ, Κύριος τοῖς ὀστέοις τούτοις - Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ φέρω εἰς ὑμᾶς πνεῦμα ζωῆς, καὶ δώσω ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς νεῦρα, καὶ ἀνάξω ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς σάρκας, καὶ ζήσεσθε, καὶ γνώσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος. Ταῦτα οὖν τὰ ὀστᾶ, ἀπολαβόντα τὴν ζωὴν, εὐχαριστοῦντα τῷ ἀναστήσαντι, ἐροῦσι. Κύριε, Κύριε, τίς ὅμοιός σοι; ### English translation (Claude) “The Lord keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.” Must we stay with the wording and be content with the sense that first strikes our ears, that these bones, the supports of the flesh, will not be broken in the righteous because of the guard given them by the Lord? And are the bones of the righteous man kept unbroken only while he is alive and in this life, or will nothing cause breaking for the righteous man even when he has been released from the bodily bond? And yet we have learned by experience that many bones of the righteous have been broken, of those who gave themselves up to all kinds of sufferings in witness to Christ. For persecutors have already broken the legs of some, and hands and heads they have often pierced with nails. … who will deny that those perfected in martyrdom are the most righteous of all? But perhaps, as the soul, the human mind, is called man, so too its members are named in the same way as those of the flesh; as Scripture often names the members of the hidden man, when it says, “The eyes of the wise man are in his head,” that is, the hidden part of the wise man is foresighted and circumspect. And again it speaks of eyes alike of the soul and of the flesh, not only in the saying we cited, but also in saying that the commandment of the Lord is far-shining and enlightens the eyes. And what need is there to speak of “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”? For it is clear that some possess better ears, able to hear words of God. And to those who do not have those ears, what does he say? “Hear, you deaf, and look up, you blind”; and, “I opened my mouth and drew in the Spirit”; and, “You have broken the teeth of sinners.” For all these are said with reference to the powers that serve the intelligible food and the intelligible word. Such too is “My belly, my belly, I am in pain,” and “The foot of the righteous will not stumble.” For all such things are listed of the inner man. And by the same reasoning there would be certain bones of the hidden man, in which the bond and harmony of the soul's powers is held together. And as bones protect the softness of the flesh by their own firmness, so too in the Church there are some who, by their own [strength], can bear [the weaknesses of the weak]. And as the bones are joined to one another by the [sinews] that grow on them, so too the bond of love and peace would be what produces a natural union and unity of the spiritual bones in the Church of God. Of these bones, loosed from their harmony and, as it were, put out of joint, the prophet says, “Our bones have been scattered beside Hades.” And if turmoil and shaking ever seize them, he prays, saying, “Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.” But when they keep their own harmony, guarded by the Lord, not one of them will be broken, but they are worthy to give glory to God. “For all my bones,” he says, “[will say: O Lord, who is like you?”] … [the] nature of the rational bones? Perhaps the Church might say this, “All my bones will say,” according to the mystery of the resurrection. “For thus says the Lord to these bones: Behold, I am bringing into you the breath of life, and I will put sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” These bones, then, having received life, thanking the one who raised them up, will say, “O Lord, O Lord, who is like you?” ### Scripture references - Ps 34:20 (33:21 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eccl 2:14: quotation, high confidence - Ps 19:8 (18:9 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Matt 11:15: quotation, high confidence - Isa 42:18: quotation, high confidence - Ps 119:131 (118:131 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 3:7 (3:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Jer 4:19: quotation, high confidence - Ps 91:12 (90:12 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Rom 15:1: allusion, medium confidence - Eph 4:3: allusion, medium confidence - Col 2:19: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 141:7 (140:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 6:2 (6:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:20 (33:21 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Ps 35:10 (34:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ezek 37:5: quotation, high confidence - Ezek 37:6: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Ps 34:20 (LXX 33:21). The sentence continues in 33.11; this short section and 33.11 belong together. Migne's notes at the end of the scan are removed. - This section continues the sentence ending 33.10. Quotations: Eccl 2:14; Ps 19:8 (LXX 18:9); Matt 11:15; Isa 42:18; Ps 119:131 (LXX 118:131); Ps 3:7 (LXX 3:8); Jer 4:19; Ps 91:12 (LXX 90:12); Ps 141:7 (LXX 140:7); Ps 6:2 (LXX 6:3); Ps 35:10 (LXX 34:10); Ezek 37:5–6. Allusions: Rom 15:1 (bearing the weak); Eph 4:3, 16; Col 2:19. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: at the start of the section, in the account of the bones of the Church (bracketed words supplied by sense), and after Ps 35:10, where Basil's question ends with “the nature of the rational bones”. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.13 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-6/#p-33-13). ## Homilies on the Psalms 33.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-33-14 - Source: PG 29:358 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil ends the homily on Psalm 33 (34): the death of sinners is evil but there is a good death in Christ; the wicked hate the righteous because his life convicts them; and Christ redeems with his blood those who hope in him. ### Greek text ᾿Ακριβῶς πρόσκειται τὸ, Θάνατος πονηρός " διότι ἔστί τις ἐπὶ τῶν δικαίων θάνατος οὐ πονηρὸς τὴν φύσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀγαθός. Οἱ γὰρ συναποθανόντες τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν ἀγαθῷ θανάτῳ γεγόνασι " καὶ οἱ ἀποθανόντες τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ τὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ σωτήριον ἀποτεθνήκασι θάνατον. Ὁ μέντοι τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν πονηρός. Διαδέχεται γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡ κόλασις, ὡς καὶ τὸν πλούσιον τὸν ἐνδεδυμένον πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον, καὶ εὐφραινόμενον καθ᾽ ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς. Καὶ οἱ μισοῦντες τὸν δίκαιον πλημμελήσουσιν. Οἱ καὶ διὰ τὸ ἐν πλημμελείαις ζῇν μισοῦσι τὸν δίκαιον" ὡς ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν τῷ κανόνι εὐθύτητος, τῷ τρόπῳ τοῦ δικαίου, οὕτως αὐτοὶ τῇ παραθέσει τοῦ βελτίονος ἐλεγχόμενοι. Καὶ διότι ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ζῶσι, μισητικῶς διάγουσι πρὸς τὸν δίκαιον φόβῳ τῶν ἐλέγχων “ καὶ διότι μισοῦσι, πάλιν ἁμαρτίαις ἑαυτοὺς περιβάλλουσι. Πολλαὶ γὰρ αἱ προφάσεις δι᾽ ἃς ἄν μισηθείη ὁ δίκαιος ἧ τε παῤῥησία ἡ ἐν τοῖς ἐλέγχοις. Μισοῦσι γὰρ ἐν πύλαις ἐλέγχοντα, καὶ λόγον ὅσιον βδελύσσονται. Καὶ ἡ φιλοπρωτία δὲ καὶ ἡ φιλαρχία πολλοὺς ἐκίνησεν εἰς τὸ μισεῖν τοὺς κρείττονας ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε δὲ καὶ ἄγνοια τοῦ περὶ τοῦ δικαίου λόγου, καὶ τοῦ, τίς ὁ δίκαιος. Θάνατος ἁμαρτωλῶν πονηρός. Ἢ καὶ τὴν ζωὴν ἅπασαν θάνατον ὀνομάζει" διότι τὴν σάρκα ταύτην θάνατον προσηγόρευσεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, εἰπών" Τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου; Οἱ δὲ κακῶς κεχρημένοι τῷ σώματι τούτῳ, καὶ πάσης ἁμαρτίας αὑτὸ ὑπηρεσίαν ποιούμενοι, πονηρὸν ἑαυτοῖς τὸν θάνατον κατα… αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ μὴ πλημμελήσουσι πάντες οἱ ἐλπίζοντες ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ. Ἐπειδὴ κατείχοντο ὑπὸ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ οἱ κτισθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ δουλεύειν τῷ Κυρίῳ, τούτων τὰς ψυχὰς λυτρώσεται τῷ τιμίῳ αὐτοῦ αἵματι. Διὸ οὐδεὶς ἐν πλημμελείαις ἐξετασθήσεται τῶν ἐλπιζόντων ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν. ### English translation (Claude) Exactly is it added: “The death of sinners is evil”; because there is a death among the righteous that is not evil by nature but good. For those who have died with Christ have come to be in a good death; and those who have died to sin have died the good and saving death. But that of sinners is evil. For punishment awaits them, as it did the rich man clothed in purple and fine linen who feasted splendidly every day. “And those who hate the righteous man will go wrong.” They also hate the righteous man because they live in wrongdoing, being convicted by the comparison with the better, by the righteous man's manner of life, as by the straightness of a rule. And because they live in sins they behave hatefully toward the righteous man for fear of being convicted; and because they hate, they surround themselves again with sins. For there are many pretexts for which the righteous man may be hated: his frankness in reproof (“For they hate him who reproves in the gates, and abhor a holy word”); and love of the first place and love of rule have moved many to hate their betters; and sometimes also ignorance of what the righteous man is. “The death of sinners is evil.” Or he calls the whole of life death, since the Apostle called this flesh death, saying, “Who will deliver me from the body of this death?” And those who use this body badly and make it the servant of every sin make death evil for themselves …; “and none of those who hope in him will go wrong.” Since those created for serving the Lord were held in the captivity of the enemy, he will redeem their souls by his precious blood. That is why none of those who hope in him will be examined in wrongdoings. ### Scripture references - Ps 34:21 (33:22 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 6:8: allusion, high confidence - Rom 6:2: allusion, high confidence - Luke 16:19: allusion, high confidence - Amos 5:10: quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:24: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:22 (33:23 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 1:19: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 34:21–22 (LXX 33:22–23); Amos 5:10; Rom 7:24. Allusions: Rom 6:2, 8; Luke 16:19; 1 Pet 1:18–19. Words are lost after “make death evil for themselves” (where the verse “The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants” stood, marked “…”); the end of the section in the scan is Migne's notes and is removed. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 33.14 (PG 29:358; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-33-14). ## Homilies on the Psalms 44.0 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-44-0 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The title of Psalm 44 (45), on which the homily is preached. ### Greek text Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων., τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορὲ εἰς σύνεσιν, ᾠδὴ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ. ### English translation (Claude) “For the end, for those who will be changed, for the sons of Korah, for understanding, a song for the beloved.” ### Scripture references - Ps 45:1 (44:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotation: Ps 45, title (LXX 44:1). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 44.0 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-44-0). ## Homilies on the Psalms 44.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-44-1 - Source: PG 29:595 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains the title of Psalm 44 (45): “those who will be changed” are human beings, changing in body and soul and finally at the resurrection; the song is for the beloved, Christ, known only by perfect love; and he reads verses 1–2 as the prophet's own word, inspired by the Spirit, the swift scribe. ### Greek text Φαίνεται μὲν καὶ οὗτος ὁ ψαλμὸς τελειωτικός τις ὧν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, καὶ εἰς τὸ προκείμενον τέλος τοῖς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν βιοῦν προῃρημένοις τὴν ὠφέλειαν παρεχόμενος. Τοῖς γὰρ προκόπτουσι χρεία τῆς εἰς τὸ τελειωθῆναι διδασκαλίας, ἣν ὁ ψαλμὸς οὖτος παρέχεται, ἐπιγραφὴν ἔχων, Εἰς τὸ τέλος ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων. Κεκρυμμένως δὲ εἶπεν, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἡμεῖς γάρ ἐσμεν οἱ μάλιστα πάντων τῶν λογικῶν ἀλλοιώσεσί τε καὶ τροπαῖς ταῖς ἐφ᾽ ἐκάστης ἡμέρας καὶ ὥρας σχεδὸν ὑποκείμενοι. Οὔτε γὰρ σώματι οὔτε γνώμῃ οἱ αὐτοί ἐσμεν … σκεδαννύμενον, ἐν κινήσει ἐστὶ καὶ μεταβολῇ, ἣ ἀπὸ μικροῦ εἰς τὸ μεῖζον αὐξόμενον, ἢ ἀπὸ τοῦ τελείου πρὸς τὸ ἔλαττον συστελλόμενον. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ αὐτός ἐστι τῷ ἀρτιγενεῖ παιδίῳ ὁ εἰς διδασκαλεῖον φοιτῶν ἤδη παῖς, καὶ πρὸς τὰς τῶν τεχνῶν καὶ μαθημάτων ἀναλήψεις ἐπιτηδείως ἔχων " ἕτερος δὲ πάλιν παρὰ τοῦτον ὁμολογουμένως ἐστὶν ὁ ἔφηβος, ἤδη τῶν νεανικῶν ἅπτεσθαι δυνάμενος. Καὶ παρὰ τὸν ἔφηβον ὁ ἀνὴρ ἄλλος τίς ἔστι καὶ στεῤῥότητι καὶ μεγέθει σώματος, καὶ τῇ τοῦ λόγου συμπληρώσει. Εἰς ἀκμὴν δὲ ἐλθὼν, καὶ τὸ στάσιμον τῆς ἡλικίας ἀπολαβὼν, πάλιν ἄρχεται κατὰ μικρὸν ὑφαιρεῖν πρὸς τὸ ἔλαττον, ὑποῤῥεούσης αὑτῷ λεληθότως τῆς τοῦ σώματος ἕξεως, καὶ τῶν σωματικῶν τόνων ἐλαττουμένων, ἕως ἂν, ὑπὸ γήρως … ὑπομείνῃ. Ἡμεῖς τοίνυν ἐσμὲν οἱ ἀλλοιούμενοι, καὶ σοφῶς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους διὰ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης ὁ ψαλμὸς παρῃνίξατο, Οὐ γὰρ ἄγγελοι ἐπιδέχονται τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ παρ᾽ ἐκείνοις παῖς, οὐδὲ νεανίσκος, οὐδὲ πρεσβύτης, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἧπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐκτίσθησαν καταστάσει, ἐν ταύτῃ διαμένουσιν, ἀκεραίας αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀτρέπτου τῆς συστάσεως σωζομένης. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀλλοιούμεθα, κατὰ μὲν τὸ σῶμα, ὡς δέδεικται, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, τοῖς ἀεὶ προσπίπτουσι πράγμασι συμμετατιθέντες τὰς διανοίας. Ἄλλοι μὲν γάρ ἐσμεν εὐθυμούμενοι, καὶ πάντων ἡμῖν τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον κατὰ ῥοῦν προϊόντων " ἄλλοι δὲ ἐν τοῖς περιστατικοῖς καιροῖς, ἐπειδάν τινι τῶν ἀβουλήτων προσπταίσωμεν. ᾿Αλλοιούμεθα δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὰς ὀργὰς, θηριώδη τινὰ …, κατὰ δὲ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας, κτηνώδεις γινόμενοι διὰ τοῦ καθ᾽ ἡδονὴν βίου. Ἵπποι θηλυμανεῖς ἐγενήθησαν οἱ ταῖς γυναιξὶ τῶν πλησίον ἐπιμαινόμενοι. Καὶ ὁ μὲν δολερὸς ἀλώπεκι παρεικάζεται, ὡς Ἡρώδης " ὁ δὲ ἀναιδὴς κύων προσαγορεύεται, ὡς Νάβαλ ὁ Καρμήλιος. Ὁρᾷς τὸ ποικίλον καὶ πολυειδὲς τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως ἡμῶν; θαύμασον οὖν τὸν προσφόρως τὴν προσηγορίαν ταύτην ἡμῖν ἐφαρμόσαντα. τοῦ Διόπερ δοκεῖ μοί τις τῶν ἑρμηνευτων καλῶς καὶ εὐθυβόλως τὴν αὐτὴν διάνοιαν δι᾽ ἑτέρας προσηγορίας ἐκδεδωκέναι, ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων, εἰπὼν αὑτὸς, ᾿Ὑπὲρ τῶν κρίνων. Τὸ ὠκύμορον τῶν ἀνθέων ἄξιον ἐνόμισε συγκρίνεσθαι τῷ ἐπικήρῳ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς τὸν μέλλοντα χρόνον ἐγκέκλιται ἡ φωνὴ (εἴρηται γὰρ Ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων, ὡς ὕστερόν ποτε τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως ταύτης ἀναφαινομένης ἡμῖν), ἐπισκεψώμεθα μήποτε τὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμῖν παραινίσσεται λόγον, ἐν ἧ ἡ ἀλλοίωσις ἡ μῖν δοθήσεται" ἀλλοίωσις δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον καὶ πνευματικόν. Σπείρεται γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν φθορᾷ, ἐγείρεται ἐν ἀφθαρσίᾳ. Ὁρᾷς τὴν ἀλλοίωσιν; Σπείρεται ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ, ἐγείρεται ἐν δυνάμει. Σπείρεται σῶμα ψυχικὸν, ἐγείρεται σῶμα πνευματικόν" ὅτε καὶ πᾶσα ἡμῖν ἡ σωματικὴ κτίσις συναλλοιοῦται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ Οἱ οὐρανοὶ ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ ἀλλαγήσονται. Τότε καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἔσται ἑπταπλασίων ἑαυτοῦ, κατὰ τὸν Ἡσαΐαν, καὶ ἡ σελήνη κατὰ τὸ νῦν ὑπάρχον μέγεθος τοῦ ἡλίου. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ πᾶσι γέγραπται τὰ λόγια τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἔχουσιν ὦτα κατὰ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, Τοῖς ἐπέγραψεν" ὡς οἶμαι, τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμελομένοις, καὶ ἀεὶ διὰ τῶν γυμνασίων τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖζον προκόπτουσιν. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ καλλίστη ἀλλοίωσις, ἣν ἢ δεξιὰ χαρίζεται τοῦ Ὑψίστου· ἧς καὶ ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ ἐπήσθετο, ὅτε, γευσάμενος τῶν καλῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς, τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεξέτεινε, Τί γάρ φησι; Καὶ εἶπα: Νῦν ἠρξάμην" αὕτη ἡ ἀλλοίωσις τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ Ὑψίστου. Ὥστε ὁ προκόπτων εἰς ἀρετὴν οὐχ ἔστιν ὅτε οὐχ ἀλλοιοῦται. Ὅτε γὰρ ἤμην, φησὶ, νήπιος, ἐλάλουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν ὡς νήπιος, ἐλογιζόμην ὡς νήπιος. Ὅτε δὲ γέγονα ἀνὴρ, κατήργηκα τὰ τοῦ νηπίου. Καὶ πάλιν γενόμενος ἀνὴρ, οὐχ ἴστατο τῆς ἐνεργείας, ἀλλὰ Τῶν ὄπισθεν ἐπιλανθανόμενος, καὶ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος, κατὰ σκοπὸν ἐδίωκεν ἐπὶ τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως. ᾿Αλλοίωσις οὖν ἐστι τοῦ ἔσω ἀνθρώπου ἀνακαινουμένου ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀπαγγέλλειν ἡμῖν μέλλει τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ, ὃς τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς σαρκώσεως ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀνεδέξατο, ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀξίων τῆς χάριτος ταύτης τὴν ᾠδὴν ταύτην ἐκδεδωκέναι τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορέ φησιν ὁ Προφήτης. ᾨδὴ γάρ ἐστι, καὶ οὐχὶ ψαλμός· διότι γυμνῇ φωνῇ, μὴ συνηχοῦντος αὐτῇ τοῦ ὀργάνου, μόνης ἐμμελοῦς τῆς ἐκφωνήσεως παρεδίδοτο, ᾠδὴ δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ. ᾿Αρά σοι διηγήσομαι τὸν ἀγαπητὸν͵ ὅντινα ὁ λόγος εἶναί φησιν; ἣ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμῶν λόγων ἐπίστασαι, μεμνημένος τῆς ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ φωνῆς; Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε. ᾿Αγαπητὸς γὰρ τῷ Πατρὶ μὲν ὡς Μονογενὴς, τῇ κτίσει δὲ πάσῃ ὡς πατὴρ φιλάνθρωπος καὶ ἀγαθὸς προστάτης. Τὸ αὐτὸ δέ ἐστι τῇ φύσει καὶ ἀγαπητὸν καὶ ἀγαθόν. Διότι καλῶς ὡρίσαντο ἤδη τινὲς, ἀγαθὸν εἶναι οὗ πάντα ἐφίεται. Οὐ τοῦ τυχόντος δέ ἐστιν εἰς τὸ τέλειον χωρῆσαι τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ τὸν ὄντως ἀγαπητὸν ἐπιγνῶναι " ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐκδυσαμένου ἤδη τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης, καὶ ἐνδυσαμένου τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνακαινούμενὸν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος. Ἐπὶ ὅ γε χρήματα ἀγαπῶν, καὶ περὶ τὸ φθαρτὸν τῶν σωμάτων κάλλος ἑπτοημένος, καὶ τὸ δοξάριον τοῦτο ὑπερτιμῶν, τὴν τοῦ ἀγαπᾷν δύναμιν ἐφ᾽ ἃ μὴ προσῆγεν ἀναλώσας, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀληθινῶς ἀγα… Ἀγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου. Τὸ δὲ, Ἐξ ὅλης, μερισμὸν εἰς ἕτερα οὐχ ἐπιδέχεται. Ὅσον γὰρ ἂν τῆς ἀγάπης παραναλώσῃς ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω, τοσοῦτόν σοι λείψει ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀπὸ τοῦ ὅλου. Διὰ τοῦτο ὀλίγοι ἐκ πάντων φίλοι Θεοῦ προσηγορεύθησαν" ὡς Μωῦσῆς ἀναγέγραπται εἶναι φίλος ὡς Ἰωάννης “ Ὃ γὰρ φίλος, φησὶ, τοῦ νυμφίου, ἑστὼς, χαρᾷ χαίρει" τουτέστιν, ὁ τὸ στάσιμον ἔχων καὶ ἀμετακίνητον τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν φιλίας, οὗτος ἄξιος τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλίας. Διὸ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἤδη τελειουμένοις ὁ Κύριος, Οὐκέτι, φησὶν, ὑμᾶς λέγω δούλους, ἀλλὰ φίλους· ὅτι ὁ δοῦλος οὐκ οἷδε τί ποιεῖ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ. Τελείου τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὸ τὸν ὄντως ἀγαπητὸν ἐπιγνῶναι, Καὶ τῷ ὄντι μόνοι φίλοι Θεοῦ καὶ ἀλλήλοις οἱ ἅγιοι" οὐδεὶς δὲ τῶν πονηρῶν καὶ ἀμαθῶν φίλος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πίπτει τὸ τῆς φιλίας καλὸν εἰς μοχθηρὰν διάθεσιν διότι οὐδὲν αἰσχρὸν καὶ ἀνάρμοστον εἰς συμφωνίαν δύναται χωρῆσαι φιλίας. Τὸ γὰρ κακὸν οὐ τῷ ἀγαθῷ ἐναντίον ἐστὶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξέτασιν τῶν ῥημάτων προΐωμεν. ᾿Εξηρεύξατο ἡ καρδία μου Λόγον ἀγαθόν. Ἤδη μέν τινες ᾠήθησαν ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Πατρὸς λέγεσθαι ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὄντος πρὸς αὐτὸν Α Λόγον, ὃν ἐκ τῆς οἱονεὶ καρδίας καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν σπλάγχνων, φασὶ, προήγαγε " καὶ ἀπὸ ἀγαθῆς καρδίας ἀγαθὸς λόγος προῆλθεν ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκεῖ ταῦτα ἐπὶ τὸ προφητικὸν ἀναφέρεσθαι πρόσωπον. Τὰ γὰρ ἐφεξῆς τοῦ ῥητοῦ οὐκέτι ὁμοίως ἐξομαλίζει ἡ μῖν τὴν περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐξήγησιν. Οὔτε γὰρ ἂν περὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γλώσσης ὁ Πατὴρ εἶπεν, ὅτι γλῶσσά μου κάλαμος γραμματέως ὀξυγράφου. Ὡραῖος κάλλει παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους συγκρίσεως τὴν ὑπεροχὴν τοῦ κάλλους ἔχει. Καὶ προϊών φησι " Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ θεὸς, ὁ Θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν " Ἔχρισά σε ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλ᾽, Ἔχρισέ σε" ὥστε ἐκ τούτου παρίστασθαι ἕτερον εἶναι τὸ …γόμενον πρόσωπον. Ποῖον οὖν ἐστι τοῦτο ἢ ὁ Προφήτης ὁ χωρήσας τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἰς αὐτὸν γενομένην ἐνέργειαν; ᾿Εξηρεύξατο, φησὶν, ἡ καρδία μου λόγον ἀγαθόν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἣ ἐρυγή ἐστι πνεῦμᾶ κρύφιον κατὰ τὴν ζέσιν τῆς τροφῆς ἀποῤῥηγνυμένων τῶν πομφολύγων ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω διαπνεόμενον, ὁ τραφεὶς τῷ ζῶντι ἄρτῳ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάντι καὶ διδόντι ζωὴν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ὁ ἐμπλησθεὶς παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὴν τῆς Γραφῆς συνήθη τροπολογίαν, ἡ τραφεῖσα τοῖς ἱεροῖς μαθήμασι Ψυχὴ, πρόσφορον τοῖς βρώμασι προΐεται τὴν ἐρυγήν. Διὰ τοῦτο, ἐπειδὴ λογικὴ ἣν καὶ ἀγαθὴ ἡ τροφὴ, λόγου ἀγαθὸν ἐξερεύγεται ὁ Προφήτης. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ προφέρει τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ζητήσωμεν οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου τροφὴν εἰς πλήρωσιν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν (Δίκαιος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐσθίων, ἐμπίπλησι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ), ἵνα κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν ὧν τρεφόμεθα, οὐ τὸν τυχόντα λόγον, ἀλλὰ ἀγαθὸν ἀναπέμπωμεν. Ὁ γὰρ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος, ὑπὸ μοχθηρῶν δογμάτων ἀνατραφεὶς, ἐξερεύγεται τῇ καρδίᾳ λόγου πονηρόν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὁποῖα τὰ στόματα τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἀπερεύγεται; ὡς χαλεπὰ καὶ δυσώδη, πολλήν τινα τὴν ἐν τῷ βάθει νόσον τῶν ἀθλίων κατηγοροῦντα; Ὃ γὰρ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ προφέρει τὸ πονηρόν. Μὴ ᾠδὴ οὖν, κνηθόμενος τὴν ἀκοὴν, ἐπισωρεύσῃς σεαυτῷ διδασκάλους, νόσον ἐνεργάσασθαι τοῖς σπλάγχνοις σου δυναμένους, καὶ πονηρῶν σοι ῥημάτων ἐρυγὴν προξενῆσαι, δι᾽ ὧν μέλλεις ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως καταδικάζεσθαι. Ἐκ γὰρ τῶν λόγων σου, φησὶ, δικαιωθήσῃ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν σου καταδικασθήσῃ. Λέγω ἐγὼ τὰ ἔργα μου τῷ βασιλεῖ. Πάνυ προσάγει ἡμᾶς τῇ διανοίᾳ τοῦ προφητικοῦ προσώπου καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα " Λέγω ἐγὼ τὰ ἔργα μου τῷ βασιλεῖ" ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ἐξομολογήσομαι τῷ κριτῇ, καὶ προλαμβάνω τὸν κατήγορον, διὰ τῆς περὶ τῶν ἰδίων, ἔργων ἀπαγγελίας. Ἐντολὴν γὰρ εἰλήφαμεν τὴν λέγουσαν " Λέγε σὺ πρῶτος ἀνομίας σου, ἵνα δικαιωθῇς Ἡ γλῶσσά μου κάλαμος γραμματέως ὀξυγράφου. “Ὥσπερ. ὁ κάλαμος ὄργανόν ἔστι γραφικὸν, τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ ᾿ κινούσης αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν περὶ τῶν γραφομένων ἀποσημείωσιν " οὕτω καὶ ἡ τοῦ δικαίου γλῶσσα, κινοῦντος αὐτὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἐγγράφει τὰ ῥήματα τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς ταῖς καρδίαις τῶν πιστευόντων " βαπτομένη οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλὰ Πνεύματι Θεοῦ ζῶντος. Γραμματεὺς οὖν τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, διότι σοφόν ἔστι καὶ διδακτικὸν ἁπάντων" ὀξυγράφου δὲ, διότι ὀξεῖα τῆς διανοίας ἡ κίνησις. Νοήματα δὲ ἡμῖν ἐγγράφει τὸ Πνεῦμα, Οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶ λιθίναις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πλαξὶ καρδίας σαρκίναις. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τοῦ πλάτους τῆς καρδίας, πλείονα ἣ ἐλάττονα ἐγγράφει ταῖς καρδίαις τὸ Πνεῦμα, ἣ ἐκφανῆ πᾶσιν, ἢ ἀμυδρότερα, κατὰ τὴν προπαρασκευὴν τῆς καθαρότητος. Διὰ δὲ τὸ τάχος τῶν γραφομένων πλήρης πᾶσα λοιπὸν ἡ οἰκουμένη τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου γεγένηται. Τὸ δὲ ἐφεξῆς τοῦ ῥητοῦ ἀπὸ ἰδίας ἀρχῆς ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν λαμβάνειν, καὶ μὴ συνάπτειν τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ προστιθέναι τῷ ἐφεξῆς. Τὸ γὰρ, Ὡραῖος κάλλει, πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἡγούμεθα λέγεσθαι, κατὰ τὴν ἀποστροφὴν τοῦ προσώπου. ### English translation (Claude) This psalm too appears to be one that perfects human nature and gives its benefit toward the end set before those who have chosen to live according to virtue. For those who are making progress need the teaching toward being perfected, which this psalm provides, having the title “For the end, for those who will be changed.” He has said in a hidden way: for human beings. For we above all rational beings are subject to changes and alterations almost every day and hour. For we are not the same either in body or in mind: [the body is always flowing and] … dispersing; it is in motion and change, either growing from small to greater or shrinking from its full size to less. For the boy already going to school, and suited to taking up arts and learning, is not the same as the newborn infant; and again the youth, already able to engage in the pursuits of young men, is admittedly different from him. And the man is someone else than the youth, in firmness and size of body and in the completion of reason. And having come to his prime and reached the stable point of his age, he begins again little by little to decline toward less, the condition of his body ebbing away unnoticed and his bodily vigor diminishing, until, [bent] by old age, he undergoes … . We, then, are the ones who are changed, and wisely the psalm has hinted at us human beings by this word. For angels do not admit of change. There is no child among them, no youth, no old man; but they remain in the state in which they were created from the beginning, their constitution being kept whole and unchangeable. But we are changed, in body, as has been shown, and in soul and the inner man, altering our thoughts with the affairs that befall us. For we are one sort of people when we are cheerful and all our affairs in life go smoothly, and another in times of hardship, when we run into something we did not wish. We are changed also in our angers, becoming like wild beasts …, and in our desires, becoming like cattle through a life of pleasure. Those who are mad after their neighbors' wives have become wanton horses. And the crafty man is compared to a fox, as Herod; and the shameless man is called a dog, as Nabal the Carmelite. Do you see how varied and manifold our change is? Admire, then, the one who fitted this name to us so aptly. [2] That is why one of the interpreters seems to me to have rendered the same thought well and to the point by another name: instead of “for those who will be changed,” he said “for the lilies.” He thought the swift death of flowers fit to be compared with the perishable condition of human nature. But since the word is inflected toward the future (for it says “for those who will be changed,” as though this change will appear to us at some later time), let us consider whether it hints to us at the teaching about the resurrection, in which change will be given to us: change toward the better and spiritual. “For it is sown in corruption,” it says, “it is raised in incorruption.” Do you see the change? “It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body”; when all bodily creation too will be changed along with us. For “the heavens will grow old like a garment, and like a cloak they will be changed.” Then too the sun will be sevenfold, according to Isaiah, and the moon like the present size of the sun. And since the oracles of God have not been written for all, but for those who have ears in the inner man, he has addressed it to …, I think, to those who take care of themselves and always progress toward more through the exercises of godliness. For this is the fairest change, which the right hand of the Most High grants, of which the blessed David too was aware when, having tasted the good things of virtue, he stretched forward to what lay ahead. For what does he say? “And I said, Now I have begun; this is the change of the right hand of the Most High.” So the one who progresses in virtue is never not being changed. “For when I was a child,” he says, “I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; but when I became a man, I put away the things of the child.” And again, having become a man, he did not stop his activity, but, “forgetting what lies behind and stretching forward to what lies ahead, he pressed on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call.” Change, then, belongs to the inner man, who is renewed day by day. Since, then, he is going to tell us about the beloved, who took upon himself for our sake the dispensation of the incarnation, the prophet says that he has given this song for those worthy of this grace, for the sons of Korah. For it is a song and not a psalm, because it was handed on with the bare voice, the instrument not sounding with it, with only melodious utterance; and a song “for the beloved.” Shall I tell you who the beloved is, whom the word means? Or do you know even before our words, remembering the voice in the Gospel: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: [listen to him]”? For he is beloved by the Father as the Only-begotten, and by all creation as a loving father and good protector. And the beloved and the good are the same by nature. That is why some have well defined the good as that which all things desire. But it does not belong to just anyone to advance to the perfection of love and to know the truly beloved, but to one who has already put off the old man, corrupted by the desires of deceit, and put on the new, renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Since the one who loves money, who is excited about the perishable beauty of bodies, who honors excessively this petty glory, having spent his power of loving on what he should not, [is blind] to the truly beloved …: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” “With all” admits no division into other things. For however much of your love you spend on things below, so much must be lacking to you from the whole. That is why few out of all have been called friends of God, as Moses is written to have been a friend, and as John: “For the friend of the bridegroom,” it says, “who stands, rejoices greatly”: that is, the one who has stability and immovability in friendship toward Christ is worthy of his friendship. That is why the Lord says to the disciples, already being made perfect, “No longer do I call you servants, but friends; for the servant does not know what his master is doing.” It belongs to the perfect, then, to know the truly beloved. And truly only the saints are friends of God and of one another; no wicked or ignorant person is a friend. For the good of friendship does not fall into a depraved disposition, because nothing shameful or discordant can enter into the harmony of friendship. For evil is opposed not only to the good, but also to itself. But let us now go on to examine the words. [3] “My heart has poured forth a good word.” Some have thought that these words are spoken in the person of the Father about the Word who was in the beginning with him, whom, they say, he brought forth from his heart, as it were, and his very inward parts; and that from a good heart a good word came forth. But it seems to me that these words refer to the person of the prophet. For what follows in the passage no longer equally smooths the way for us to the interpretation concerning the Father. For the Father would not have said about his own tongue, “My tongue is the pen of a swift scribe”; [nor] “Fair in beauty beyond the sons of men,” for he does not have his superiority of beauty by comparison with men. And going on he says, “Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness.” For he did not say, “I God have anointed you,” but “he has anointed you,” so that from this it appears that the person [speaking] is different from the person spoken of. Who, then, is this, if not the prophet, who received in himself the working of the Holy Spirit? “My heart,” he says, “has poured forth a good word.” For since a belch is a hidden breath carried upward when the bubbles burst in the boiling of food, the soul nourished with sacred teachings, according to the usual figurative speech of Scripture, the one fed on the living bread that came down from heaven and gives life to the world, and filled with every word that comes from the mouth of God, sends forth a belch suited to its food. That is why, since the food was rational and good, the prophet pours forth a good word. “For the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good.” Let us too, then, seek the food from the word for the filling of our souls (for “the righteous man,” it says, “eats and satisfies his soul”), so that, in proportion to what we are fed with, we may send forth not just any word, but a good one. For the evil man, brought up on depraved doctrines, belches forth from his heart an evil word. Do you not see what the mouths of the heretics belch forth? How harsh and foul-smelling, betraying a great disease deep within the wretches? “For the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.” So do not, having itching ears, heap up teachers for yourself, who can work disease in your inward parts and produce in you a belching of evil words, for which you are to be condemned in the day of judgment. “For by your words,” it says, “you will be justified, and by your [words] you will be condemned.” “I speak my works to the king.” This saying too brings us very close to the sense of the prophetic person: “I speak my works to the king”; that is, “I will confess to the judge and forestall the accuser by declaring my own works.” For we have received the commandment that says, “First tell your iniquities, so that you may be justified.” “My tongue is the pen of a swift scribe.” As the pen is a writing instrument, the hand moving it to mark down what is written, so the tongue of the righteous man, the Holy Spirit moving it, writes the words of eternal life on the hearts of believers, dipped not in ink but in the Spirit of the living God. The scribe, then, is the Holy Spirit, because he is wise and teaches all things; “swift,” because the movement of thought is swift. And the Spirit writes thoughts in us “not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of fleshly hearts.” And according to the breadth of the heart, the Spirit writes more or fewer things on hearts, either clear to all or dimmer, according to the previous preparation of purity. And because of the swiftness of what is written, the whole world has now become full of the Gospel. What follows in the passage it seemed good to us to take as a new beginning, and not to join to what precedes, but to add to what follows. For we think that “Fair in beauty” is said to the Lord, by a turning of the address. ### Scripture references - Ps 45:1 (44:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Jer 5:8: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 13:32: allusion, high confidence - 1 Sam 25:3: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 15:42: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:43: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:44: quotation, high confidence - Ps 102:26 (101:27 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 30:26: allusion, high confidence - Ps 77:10 (76:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:11: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:13: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:14: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 4:16: allusion, high confidence - Matt 17:5: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:22: allusion, high confidence - Col 3:10: allusion, high confidence - Deut 6:5: quotation, high confidence - Exod 33:11: allusion, high confidence - John 3:29: quotation, high confidence - John 15:15: quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:2 (44:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:7 (44:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 6:33: allusion, high confidence - Matt 4:4: allusion, high confidence - Matt 12:35: quotation, high confidence - Prov 13:25: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:3: allusion, high confidence - Matt 12:37: quotation, high confidence - Isa 43:26: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 3:3: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Aristotle, Eth. nic. 1.1 (Aristotle (works)): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Psalm 44 in the Septuagint is Psalm 45 in the English Bible; its title reads “for those who will be changed” (Hebrew “according to Lilies”), and “one of the interpreters” renders “for the lilies”. Quotations: Ps 45:1 (LXX 44:1–2); 1 Cor 15:42–44; Ps 102:26 (LXX 101:27); Isa 30:26; Ps 77:10 (LXX 76:11); 1 Cor 13:11; Phil 3:13–14; 2 Cor 4:16; Matt 17:5; Eph 4:22–24 (Col 3:9–10); Deut 6:5 (Matt 22:37); John 3:29; John 15:15; Matt 12:35; Prov 13:25; 2 Tim 4:3; Matt 12:37; Isa 43:26 LXX; 2 Cor 3:3; Ps 45:2, 7 (LXX 44:3, 8). Allusions: Luke 13:32 (Herod a fox); 1 Sam 25 (Nabal); Jer 5:8 (wanton horses); Exod 33:11 (Moses God's friend); John 6:33; Matt 4:4. The definition of the good as “that which all things desire” is Aristotle's (Eth. nic. 1.1). Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: in the description of the body's flux (bracketed words supplied), at the end of old age (“[bent] by old age, he undergoes …”, the final dissolution), after “like wild beasts”, after “he has addressed it to” (the sons of Korah), after “[is blind] to the truly beloved” (bracketed words supplied), and in the argument that the speaker is the prophet (bracketed words supplied). The markers [2] and [3] show where Migne's sections 2 and 3 begin. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 44.1 (PG 29:595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-44-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 44.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-44-4 - Source: PG 29:595 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil expounds Ps 45:2–7: the beauty of the Word's Godhead seen by the prophet; the grace poured on Christ's lips and on the preachers of the Gospel; the sword of the Word joined to the flesh, whose incarnation is the greatest proof of power; the arrows of the word that wound souls with love; and the throne and scepter of the Son, whom the psalm calls God. ### Greek text Ὡραῖος κάλλει παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ᾿Εξεχύθη ἡ χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου. ἀγεται δὲ ἡμᾶς τῇ διανοίᾳ ταύτῃ ὅ τε ᾿Ακύλας καὶ ὁ παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων" ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος" Κάλλει καλὸς εἶ παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ὡραϊον οὖν κάλλει προσαγορεύει τὸν Κύριον ὁ ἐνατενίσας αὑτοῦ τῇ θεότητι. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀνυμνεῖ κάλλος. Εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἶδος, οὐδὲ κάλλος, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἄτιμον, ἐκλεῖπον παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Δῆλον οὖν, ὅτι ἐνιδὼν αὐτοῦ τῇ λαμπρότητι καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖθεν μαρμαρυγῶν ἀναπλησθεὶς ὁ Προφήτης, πληγεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν τούτῳ τῷ κάλλει, πρὸς τὸν ἔνθεον ἔρωτα τῆς νοητῆς ὡραιότητος ἐκινήθη " ἧς ἐπιφανείσης τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ ψυχῇ, πάντα αἰσχρὰ καὶ ἀπόβλητα τὰ τέως ἀγαπώμενα καταφαίνεται. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, ὅτε εἶδε τὸν ὡραῖον κάλλει, πάντα ἡγήσατο σκύβαλα, ἵνα Χριστὸν κερδήσῃ. Οἱ μὲν ἔξω τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας μωρίαν ὀνομάζουσι τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὸ κήρυγμα, τὴν εὐτέλειαν τῆς φράσεως τῶν … . τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οἷς ἐφανερώθη διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ χαρισθέντα ἡμῖν, οὐχ ἐν διδακτοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις, οἴδαμεν, ὅτι πλουσία χάρις ἐστὶν ἐκκεχυμένη παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοῖς περὶ Χριστοῦ λόγοις. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὀλίγῳ τῷ χρόνῳ πᾶσαν σχεδὸν τὴν οἰκουμένην διῆλθε τὸ κήρυγμα, ἐπειδὴ πλουσία καὶ ἄφθονος ἡ χάρις ἐκκέχυται ἐπὶ τοὺς κήρυκας τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, οὗς καὶ χείλη Χριστοῦ ὠνόμασεν ἡ Γραφή. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν εὐκαταφρονήτοις λεξειδίοις πολὺ τὸ ἀγωγὸν καὶ πρὸς σωτηρίαν ὀλκὸν ἔχει τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὸ κήρυγμα. Καὶ πᾶσα Ψυχὴ κεκράτηται δόγμασιν ἀκινήτοις, διὰ τῆς χάριτος πρὸς τὴν ἀσάλευτον εἰς Χριστὸν πίστιν βεβαιουμένη. Ὅθεν φησὶν ὁ ᾿Ἀπόστολος Δι’ οὗ ἐλάβομεν χάριν καὶ ἀποστολὴν εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως " καὶ πάλιν Περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα" οὐκ ἐγὼ δὲ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἡ σὺν ἐμοί. Ἐξεχύθη χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου" διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησέ σε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, ὅτι Ἐθαύμαζον ἐπὶ τοῖς λόγοις τῆς χάριτος τοῖς ἐκπορευομένοις διὰ στόματος αὐτοῦ. Διόπερ ἐμφαντικῶς ὁ ψαλμὸς τὸ πλῆθος τῆς χάριτος τῶν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ῥημάτων. παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος, ᾿Εξεχύθη χάρις ἐν τοῖς χείλεσί σου, εἶπε, διὰ τὸ ἄφθονον τῆς ἐν τῷ λόγῳ χάριτος. Εὐλόγησέ σε, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Δῆλον δὲ, ὅτι ἐπὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον χρὴ ἀναφέρεσθαι ταῦτα, καθὰ προκόπτει σοφίᾳ καὶ ἡλικίᾳ καὶ χάριτι. Κατὰ τοῦτὸ δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ ἆθλον ἀνδραγαθημάτων αὐτῷ νοοῦμεν δεδόσθαι τὴν χάριν. Ὅμοιον δὲ τούτῳ τό" Ἡγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν" διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέ σε ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου. Ὧ παραπλήσιόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ Φιλιππησίοις παρὰ Παύλου γρα… μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ, διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν. “Ὥστε δῆλον, ὅτι ταῦτα περὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν Σωτῆρα ἀνθρώπου λέγεται " ἢ ἐπειδὴ ἡ Ἐκκλησία σῶμά ἔστι τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ αὐτὸς κεφαλὴ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας " ὥσπερ ἀποδεδώκαμεν χείλη εἶναι τοῦ Χριστοῦ τοὺς ὑπηρετουμένους τῷ οὐρανίῳ λόγῳ (ὥσπερ Παῦλος ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔχων τὸν Χριστὸν λαλοῦντα, καὶ εἴ τις ἐκείνῳ τὴν ἀρετὴν παραπλήσιος) οὕτω καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οἱ καθ᾽ εἷς τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἐσμέν. Τὴν οὖν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ διδομένην εὐλογίαν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον ὁ ἀναφέρων οὐχ ἁμαρτήσει. Τὸ οὖν, Εὐλόγησέ σε ὁ Θεὸς, τουτέστι, Τὰ μέλη τὰ σὰ. καὶ τὸ σῶμα τὸ σὸν ἐπλήρωσε τῶν παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἀγαθῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τουτέστιν, εἰς τὸ ἀπέραντον. Περίζωσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου ἐπὶ τὸν μηρόν σου, δυνατέ. Τῇ ὡραιότητί σου καὶ τῷ κάλλει σου. Ἡγούμεθα τοίνυν τροπικῶς ἀναφέρεσθαι εἰς τὸν ζῶντα τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγον, ὥστε συνάπτεσθαι τῇ σαρκὶ, ὃς ἐστιν ᾿Ενεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον, καὶ διικνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς τε καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας. Διότι ὁ μηρὸς σύμβολόν ἐστι τῆς κατὰ τὴν γένεσιν ἐνεργείας. Αὗται γὰρ, φησὶν, αἱ ψυχαὶ αἱ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν ᾿Ιακώβ. Ὥς οὖν ζωὴ ἐστι, καὶ ὁδὸς, καὶ ἄρτος, καὶ ἄμπελος, καὶ ἀληθινὸν φῶς, καὶ ἄλλα μυρία ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ὀνομάζεται" οὕτω καὶ μάχαιρα διατέμνουσα τὸ παθητικὸν μέρος τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ νεκροῦσα τὰ πρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν κινήματα. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ μέλλει τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ συνάπτεσθαι τῆς σαρκὸς ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, καλῶς πρόσκειται τὸ, Δυνατέ" διότι μεγίστης ἀπόδειξιν δυνάμεως ἔχει τὸ δυνηθῆναι Θεὸν ἐν ἀνθρώπου φύσει γενέσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς σύστασις, καὶ θαλάσσης, καὶ ἀέρος, καὶ τῶν μεγίστων στοιχείων" ἣ γένεσις, καὶ εἴ τι ὑπερκόσμιον νοεῖται, καὶ εἴ τι καταχθόνιον, τὴν δύναμιν παρίστησι τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου, ὅσον ἡ περὶ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν οἰκονομία, καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸ ταπεινὸν καὶ ἀσθενὲς τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος συγκατάβασις. Τῇ ὡραιότητί σου καὶ τῷ κάλλει σου. Τὸ ὡραῖον τοῦ κάλλους διαφέρει " ὅτι τὸ μὲν ὡραῖον λέγεται τὸ συμπεπληρωμένον εἰς τὸν ἐπιτήδειον καιρὸν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀκμήν" ὡς ὡραῖος ὁ σῖτος, ὁ ὥριμος ἤδη πρὸς θερισμόν " καὶ ὡραῖος ὃ καρπὸς τῆς ἀμπέλου, ὁ τὴν οἰκείαν πέψιν εἰς τελείωσιν ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἔτους ὥρας ἀπολαβὼν, καὶ ἐπιτήδειος εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν " κάλλος δέ ἐστι τὸ ἐν τῇ συνθέσει τῶν μελῶν εὐάρμοστον ἐπανθοῦσαν αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν ἔχον. Περίζωσαι οὖν τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου ἐπὶ τὸν μηρόν σου, δυνατέ. Τῇ ὡραιότητί σου, τουτέστιν, ἐν τῷ πληρώματι τῶν καιρῶν " καὶ τῷ κάλλει σου, τῇ θεωρητῇ καὶ νοητῇ θεότητι. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ τὸ ὄντως καλὸν, τὸ κατάληψιν πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην καὶ δύναμιν ὑπερβαῖνον, καὶ διανοίᾳ μόνῃ θεωρητόν. Καὶ ἐγνώριζον αὐτοῦ τὸ κάλλος οἱ μαθηταὶ, οἷς ἐπέλυε τὰς παραβολὰς κατ᾽ ἰδίαν. Εἶδον δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ κάλλος Πέτρος καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βροντῆς ἐν καὶ τὰ προοίμια τῆς ἐνδόξου αὐτοῦ παρουσίας ὀφθαλμοῖς λαβεῖν κατηξιώθησαν. Καὶ Ἔντεινον, φησὶ, καὶ κατευοδοῦ, καὶ βασίλευε. Τουτέστιν, ᾿Αρξάμενος τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ σαρκὸς ἐπιμελείας, σύντονον καὶ διαρκῇ καὶ μηδέποτε ὑπεκλυομένην ποιοῦ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὁδὸν καὶ δρόμου παρέξει τῷ κηρύγματι, καὶ πάντας ὑποτάξει τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου. Μὴ ξενιζέτω δὲ ἡμᾶς τὸ προστακτικῶς λέγεσθαι τὸ, Κατευοδοῦ, διὰ τὴν συνήθειάν τῆς Γραφῆς οὕτως ἀεὶ σχηματιζούσης τὰ εὐκτικά. Γενηθήτω γὰρ τὸ θέλημά σου, ἀντὶ τοῦ, γενηθείη᾽" καὶ, Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἔλθοι. Ἔνεκεν ἀληθείας καὶ πραότητος καὶ δικαιοσύνης" καὶ ὁδηγήσει σε θαυμαστῶς ἡ δεξιά σου. Πάλιν ὁ λόγος ὁμοίως ἐσχημάτισται, ὡσπερεὶ μισθὸν ταῦτα λαμβάνοντος τοῦ Κυρίου, τὸ κατευοδοῦσθαι καὶ βασιλεύειν, ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας, καὶ πραότητος, καὶ δικαιοσύνης. Δεῖ δὲ οὕτω νοεῖν " ὅτι ἐπειδὴ τῷ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, βασίλευε ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τοῖς βασιλευομένοις ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας " σὺ γὰρ εἶ ἡ ἀλήθεια. Καὶ, Ἕνεκεν πραότητος, ἵνα τῷ κατὰ σὲ ὑποδείγματι πάντες εἰς ἐπιείκειαν καὶ χρηστότητα προαχθῶσι. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἔλεγε" Μάθετε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Καὶ ἀπόδειξιν παρείχετο τῆς πραότητος ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων " λοιδορούμενος, ἐσιώπα " μαστιζόμενος, ἡνείχετο. Καὶ ὁδηγήσει σε θαυμαστῶς ἡ δεξιά σου. Οὐχὶ στῦλος νεφέλης, οὐδὲ φωτισμὸς πυρὸς, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὴ ἡ δεξιά σου. Τὰ βέλη σου ἠκονημένα, δυνατέ. Βέλη τοῦ δυνατοῦ ἢκονημένα ἐστὶν οἱ εὔστοχοι λόγοι, οἱ καθικνούμενοι τῆς καρδίας τῶν ἀκροωμένων, βάλλοντες καὶ τιτρώσκοντες τὰς εὐαισθήτους ψυχάς. Λόγοι γὰρ, φησὶ, σοφῶν ὡς τὰ βούκεντρα. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς ῥυσθῆναί ποτε ἀπὸ τῶν δολερῶν τῶν κατὰ τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ εὐχόμενος, εἰς θεραπείαν γλώσσης δολίας τὰ βέλη τοῦ δυνατοῦ ἠκονημένα ζητεῖ. Ἐπιζητεῖ δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄνθρακας παρεῖναι τοὺς ἐρημικούς " ὥστε ὅσων ἂν μὴ καθάψηται διὰ τὴν πώρωσιν τῆς καρδίας τὰ λογικὰ βέλη, τούτοις ἑτοίμην εἶναι τὴν κόλασιν, ἣν καὶ ἐρημικοὺς ἄνθρακας προσηγόρευσεν. Ὅσοι γὰρ ἐρήμους τοῦ Θεοῦ κατέστησαν ἑαυτοὺς, τούτοις ἀναγκαῖος ὁ εὐτρεπισμὸς τῶν ἐρημικῶν ἀνθράκων. Νῦν οὖν Τὰ βέλη σου ἠκονημένα. Ἐκ τούτων τῶν βελῶν τιτρώσκονται αἱ παραδεξάμεναι τὴν πίστιν ψυχαὶ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἄκραν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀγάπην ἐκκαυθεῖσαι λέγουσι παραπλησίως τῇ νύμφῃ τὸ, Τετρωμένη ἀγάπης ἐγώ εἰμι. Ἀνεκδιήγητον δὲ καὶ ἄῤῥητον τὸ τοῦ λόγου κάλλος, καὶ ἡ τῆς σοφίας ὡραιότης, καὶ ἣἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ εἰκόνι αὐτοῦ μορφή. Μακάριοι οὖν, οἱ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ κάλλους φιλοθεάμονες, Οἰονεὶ γὰρ προσδεθέντες αὐτῷ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ τὸν ἐπουράνιον καὶ μακαριστὸν ἐρῶντες ἔρωτα, ἐπιλανθάνονται μὲν οἰκείων καὶ φίλων ἐπιλανθάνονται δὲ οἴκου καὶ περιουσίας ἀπάσης ἐκλαθόμενοι δὲ καὶ τῆς σωματικῆς εἰς τὸ ἐσθίειν … προστετήκασιν ἔρωτι. Νοήσεις δὲ ἢκονημένα βέλη καὶ τοὺς ἀποστελλομένους ἐπὶ τὸ ἐπισπεῖραι πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον οἵ, διὰ τὸ ἠκονῆσθαι, ἔλαμπον τοῖς τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἔργοις, καὶ λεπτῶς ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν διδασκομένων ψυχὰς παρεδύοντο" ταῦτα γὰρ τὰ βέλη, πανταχοῦ προπεμπόμενα, παρεσκεύαζε. τοὺς λαοὺς ὑποκάτω πίπτειν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Δοκεῖ δέ μοι ἀκολουθότερον ἣ λέξις ἀποκαθίστασθαι δι᾽ ὑπερβατοῦ, ὥστε τοιοῦτον εἶναι τὸν νοῦν" Ἔντεινον καὶ κατευοδοῦ καὶ βασίλευε, καὶ ὁδηγήσει σε θαυμαστῶς ἡ δεξιά σου, καὶ λαοὶ ὑποκάτω σου πεσοῦνται" τῷ τὰ βέλη σου ἠκονημένα εἶναι ἐν καρδίᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως. Οὐδεὶς θεομάχος καὶ ἀλαζὼν καὶ ὑπερήφανος ὑποκάτω πίπτει τοῦ Β Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ τὴν ἐκ πίστεως ὑποταγὴν καταδεξάμενοι, Τὰ δὲ βέλη, ταῖς καρδίαις ἐμπεσόντα τῶν ποτε ἐχθρῶν τοῦ βασιλέως, ἕλκει αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας πόθον, ἕλκει αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, ὥστε, ἐχθροὺς ὄντας τῷ Θεῷ, καταλλαγῆναι αὐτῷ διὰ τῶν διδαγμάτων. Ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεὸς, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος " ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος, ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου. Ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν" διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισε σε ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου. Ἐπειδὴ πολλὰ πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἀνατεινόμένος διελέχθη, ἐπανάγει νῦν ἐπὶ τὰ ὕψη τῆς περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς δόξης τὸν λόγον. Ὁ θρόνος σου, φησὶν, ὁ Θεός, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος " τουτέστιν, ἣ βασιλεία σου ἐπέκεινα τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ ἐννοίας πάσης ἐστὶ πρεσβυτέρα. Καὶ καλῶς μετὰ τὴν τῶν λαῶν ὑποταγὴν τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνυμνεῖ. Ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας σου. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀπέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἰδίαν προσηγορίαν, σαφῶς αὐτὸν ἀναγορεύσας Θεόν - Ὁ θρόνος σου, ὁ Θεός. Παιδευτική τις ἔστιν ἡ ῥάβδος τοῦ Θεοῦ - παιδεύουσα δὲ, εὐθείας καὶ οὐ παρατετραμμένας ἐπάγει τὰς κρίσεις. Διὰ τοῦτο ῥάβδος εὐθύτητος ἡ ῥάβδος τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ προσηγόρευται. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἐγκαταλίπωσιν οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ τὸν νόμον μου, καὶ τοῖς κρίμασί μου μὴ πορευθῶσιν, ἐπισκέψομαι ἐν ῥάβδῳ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν. Ὁρᾷς τὴν δικαίαν κρίσιν τοῦ θεοῦ; Οὐχ ἐπὶ τῶν τυχόντων χρῆται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων. Αὕτη δὲ καὶ παρακλήσεως λέγεται ῥάβδος" Ἢ ῥάβδος γὰρ σου, φησὶ, καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου, αὗταί με παρεκάλεσαν. Αὕτη καὶ συντριμμοῦ ἔστι ῥάβδος. Ποιμανεῖς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ, ὡς σκεῦος κεραμέως συντρίψεις αὐτούς. Συντρίβεται δὲ τὰ καὶ πήλινα ἐπ᾽ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῶν ποιμαινομένων᾽" καθὸ καὶ παραδίδοται Εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκὸς, ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα σωθῇ. ### English translation (Claude) “Fair in beauty beyond the sons of men; grace has been poured out on your lips.” … Aquila and the … lead us to this sense …; and Symmachus: “You are beautiful in beauty beyond the sons of men.” The one who has gazed intently on his Godhead calls the Lord “fair in beauty.” For he is not singing the beauty of his flesh. For “we saw him, and he had no form nor beauty, but his form was without honor, failing beyond the sons of men.” It is clear, then, that the prophet, having looked into his brightness and been filled with the radiance from there, struck in soul by this beauty, was moved to the divine love of the intelligible loveliness; when it appears to the human soul, all that was loved until then appears shameful and to be thrown away. That is why Paul too, when he saw the one fair in beauty, counted all things as refuse, so that he might gain Christ. Those outside the word of truth call the preaching of the Gospel folly, [mocking] the cheapness of the phrasing …. [But we, who glory in] the cross of Christ, to whom the things freely given us by God have been revealed through the Spirit, not in words taught by human wisdom, know that rich grace has been poured out by God on the words about Christ. That is why in a short time the preaching went through almost the whole world, since rich and abundant grace has been poured out on the heralds of the Gospel, whom Scripture has called the lips of Christ. That is why the preaching of the Gospel has, in contemptible little words, a great power to lead and draw toward salvation. And every soul has been held fast by immovable doctrines, strengthened by grace in unshaken faith in Christ. That is why the Apostle says, “Through whom we have received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith”; and again, “I labored more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” [5] “Grace has been poured out on your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.” It is written in the Gospel that “they marveled at the words of grace that came from his mouth.” That is why the psalm, wishing to present expressively the abundance of grace in our Lord's words, said, “Grace has been poured out on your lips,” because of the abundance of grace in his word. “Therefore God has blessed you forever,” he says. It is clear that these words must be referred to the human nature, according to which he advanced in wisdom and stature and grace. In this sense it is clear that we understand the grace to have been given him as a prize for brave deeds. Like this is “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” And close to this is what is written by Paul to the Philippians: “[Having become obedient] to death, even death on a cross; therefore God has highly exalted him.” So it is clear that these things are said about the man that the Savior assumed. Or else, since the Church is the body of the Lord and he is the head of the Church, as we have explained that those who serve the heavenly word are the lips of Christ (as Paul had Christ speaking in him, and anyone like him in virtue), so too each one of us who believe is one of the other members of the body of Christ. One who refers to the Lord the blessing given to the Church, then, will not err. “God has blessed you,” then; that is, he has filled your members and your body with good things from himself forever, that is, without end. “Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your loveliness and your beauty.” We think, then, that this is to be referred figuratively to the living Word of God, as joined to the flesh, who is “active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” For the thigh is a symbol of the activity of generation: “For these are the souls,” it says, “that came from the thighs of Jacob.” As, then, our Lord Jesus Christ is called life and way and bread and vine and true light and countless other things, so too he is called a sword, cutting through the passible part of the soul and putting to death the movements toward desire. Then, since God the Word was about to be joined to the weakness of the flesh, “O mighty one” is well added; because it is proof of the greatest power that God could come to be in the nature of man. For the formation of heaven and earth and sea and air, and the coming into being of the greatest elements, and whatever is conceived as above the world and whatever beneath the earth, do not show the power of God the Word so much as the dispensation of the incarnation and the condescension to the lowliness and weakness of humanity. “In your loveliness and your beauty.” Loveliness differs from beauty: for what is called lovely is what has been brought to completion in its proper season, toward its own prime, as grain is lovely when already ripe for harvest, and the fruit of the vine lovely when it has received its proper ripening to its perfection through the season of the year and is ready for enjoyment; but beauty is the harmony in the composition of the members, having grace blooming upon it. “Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your loveliness”: that is, in the fullness of the times; “and your beauty”: in the Godhead, contemplated and intelligible. For that is truly beautiful which surpasses all human comprehension and power and can be contemplated by the mind alone. And the disciples, to whom he explained the parables privately, came to know his beauty. And Peter and the sons of thunder saw his beauty on [the mountain] …, and were counted worthy to receive with their eyes the preludes of his glorious coming. “And bend [your bow], and prosper, and reign.” That is: having begun your care for men through the flesh, make your care intense and continuous and never slackening. For this will give a road and course to the preaching, and will subject all to your kingdom. Let it not surprise us that “prosper” is said in the imperative, because of Scripture's custom of always so forming wishes: “Your will be done,” instead of “may it be done”; and “Your kingdom come,” instead of “may it come.” [6] “Because of truth and meekness and righteousness, and your right hand will guide you wonderfully.” Again the word is formed in the same way, as though the Lord were receiving prospering and reigning as a reward for truth and meekness and righteousness. But we must understand it thus: since you [came to proclaim] the truth, reign among men who are ruled by sin; for you are the truth. And “because of meekness,” so that by your example all may be led to gentleness and kindness. That is why the Lord said, “Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.” And he gave proof of meekness in the very works: when reviled he was silent; when scourged he endured. “And your right hand will guide you wonderfully.” Not a pillar of cloud, nor the light of fire, but your very right hand. “Your arrows are sharpened, O mighty one.” The sharpened arrows of the mighty one are the words that hit the mark, reaching the hearts of the hearers, striking and wounding sensitive souls. “For the words of the wise,” it says, “are like goads.” That is why the psalmist too, praying to be delivered from the deceitful of his generation, seeks the sharpened arrows of the mighty one for the healing of a deceitful tongue. And he also asks for the desolating coals to be present, so that, for those whom the rational arrows do not reach because of the hardness of their heart, punishment may be ready, which he has called desolating coals. For those who have made themselves desolate of God must have the desolating coals prepared. Now, then, “your arrows are sharpened.” By these arrows the souls that have received the faith are wounded, and, set on fire to the utmost love of God, they say like the bride, “I am wounded with love.” Indescribable and ineffable is the beauty of the Word, and the loveliness of wisdom, and the form of God in his image. Blessed, then, are the lovers of the sight of the true beauty. For, as it were bound to it by love, and loving the heavenly and blessed love, they forget relatives and friends; they forget house and all possessions; and, forgetting even the body's need for eating …, they cling only to the divine love. You will also understand as sharpened arrows those sent to sow the Gospel in the whole world, who, because they had been sharpened, shone with the works of righteousness and slipped delicately into the souls of those being taught. For these arrows, sent out everywhere, prepared the peoples to fall beneath Christ. And it seems to me that the wording is more consistently restored by transposition, so that the sense is this: “Bend [your bow], and prosper, and reign, and your right hand will guide you wonderfully, and peoples will fall beneath you,” because your arrows are sharpened in the heart of the king's enemies. No fighter against God, boaster or proud man falls beneath God, but those who have accepted the submission that comes from faith. And the arrows, falling into the hearts of those once enemies of the king, draw them to longing for the truth, draw them to the Lord, so that, being enemies of God, they are reconciled to him through his teachings. [7] “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” Since he has spoken much with reference to the human nature, he now brings the word back up to the heights of the glory of the Only-begotten. “Your throne,” he says, “O God, is forever and ever”: that is, your kingdom is beyond the ages and older than every thought. And well, after the subjection of the peoples, he sings the majesty of the kingdom of God. “A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.” That is why he gave him his own name, clearly proclaiming him God: “Your throne, O God.” God's rod is one of discipline; and, disciplining, it brings straight, not perverted, judgments. That is why the rod of his kingdom is called a scepter of uprightness. “For if his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments, I will visit their lawlessness with the rod.” Do you see the just judgment of God? He uses it not on anyone at all, but on those who sin. This is also called the rod of comfort: “Your rod and your staff,” it says, “they have comforted me.” It is also a rod of breaking: “You will shepherd them with a rod of iron; like a potter's vessel you will break them.” And what is earthy and of clay is broken for the benefit of those shepherded, just as one is handed over “for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved.” ### Scripture references - Ps 45:2 (44:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 53:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 53:3: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:8: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:18: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Cor 2:12: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:13: quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:5: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:10: quotation, high confidence - Luke 4:22: quotation, high confidence - Luke 2:52: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:7 (44:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Phil 2:8: quotation, high confidence - Phil 2:9: quotation, high confidence - Eph 1:22: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 13:3: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 45:3 (44:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 4:12: quotation, high confidence - Gen 46:26: quotation, high confidence - John 14:6: allusion, medium confidence - John 6:35: allusion, medium confidence - John 15:1: allusion, medium confidence - John 1:9: allusion, medium confidence - Gal 4:4: allusion, medium confidence - Mark 4:34: allusion, high confidence - Matt 17:1: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:4 (44:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:10: quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:29: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 2:23: allusion, high confidence - Exod 13:21: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:5 (44:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eccl 12:11: quotation, high confidence - Ps 120:4 (119:4 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Song 2:5: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:10: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 45:6 (44:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 89:30 (88:31 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 89:32 (88:33 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 23:4 (22:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 2:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 5:5: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 45:2–7 (LXX 44:3–8); Isa 53:2–3; Phil 3:8; 1 Cor 2:12–13; Rom 1:5; 1 Cor 15:10; Luke 4:22; Luke 2:52; Phil 2:8–9; Heb 4:12; Gen 46:26; Matt 6:10; Matt 11:29; Eccl 12:11; Ps 120:2–4 (LXX 119:2–4, the deceitful tongue, arrows and desolating coals); Song 2:5; Ps 89:30, 32 (LXX 88:31, 33); Ps 23:4 (LXX 22:4); Ps 2:9; 1 Cor 5:5. Allusions: 1 Cor 1:18–23; Eph 1:22–23; 2 Cor 13:3; John 14:6; John 6:35; John 15:1; John 1:9; Mark 4:34; Matt 17:1–2 (the transfiguration); Gal 4:4; 1 Pet 2:23; Exod 13:21; Rom 5:10. Basil applies verses 2–7 first to the human nature assumed by the Word and then to his Godhead, and notes that verse 6 calls the Son “God”. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: at the start, where Basil cited Aquila and another translator (their renderings, “you were made beautiful in beauty beyond the sons of men”, survive only in Migne's notes); after “the cheapness of the phrasing” (bracketed words supplied); after “on [the mountain]”; and in “forgetting even the body's need for eating …”. This staged section begins Migne's section 4; the markers [5], [6] and [7] show where his sections 5, 6 and 7 begin. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 44.4 (PG 29:595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/33-14/#p-44-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 44.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/44-8/#p-44-8 - Source: PG 29:595 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 45:7–8 Basil explains the anointing of Christ's flesh with the Holy Spirit, the oil of gladness given to him fully and not in part, his natural love of righteousness, which we too can learn, and the myrrh, stacte and cassia as signs of his burial. ### Greek text Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισε σε ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου. Ἐπειδὴ ἔδει σχηματίσαι τὸ τυπικὸν χρίσμα, καὶ τοὺς τυπικοὺς ἀρχιερέας καὶ βασιλέας, ἐχρίσθη τῷ ἀληθινῷ χρίσματι ἡ σὰρξ τοῦ Κυρίου, τῇ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπιδημίᾳ, ὅπερ ἀγαλλιάσεως ἔλαιον προσηγόρευται. Ἐχρίσθη δὲ παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους αὐτοῦ" τουτέστιν, ὑπὲρ πάντας ἀνθρώπους τοὺς μετέχοντας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διότι ἐκείνοις μὲν μερικὴ τις ἐδίδοτο Πνεύματος κοινωνία, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ κατελθὸν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὥς φησιν Ἰωάννης, "Ἔμεινεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν. Καλῶς δὲ ἀγαλλιάσεως ἔλαιον τὸ Πνεῦμα προσαγορεύεται, ἐπειδὴ καὶ εἷς τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἀγίου γεωργουμένων καρπῶν ἐστιν ἡ χαρά. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μικτός ἔστιν ὁ περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λόγος διά τε τὴν φύσιν τῆς θεότητος, καὶ τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως, πάλιν εἰς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποβλέψας φησίν" Ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν" ἀντὶ τοῦ, Οἱ μὲν λοιποὶ ἄνθρωποι πόνῳ καὶ ἀσκήσει καὶ προσοχῇ πολλάκις κατορθοῦσι τὴν πρὸς τὸ καλὸν διάθεσιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν φαύλων ἀποστροφήν " σοὶ δὲ φυσική τίς ἔστι πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἡ οἰκείωσις, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀνομίαν ἡ ἀλλοτρίωσις. Καὶ ἡμῖν δὲ οὐ χαλεπὸν βουληθεῖσιν ἀναλαβεῖν τὴν πρὸς τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἀγάπην, καὶ τὸ πρὸς τὴν ἀνομίαν μῖσος. Πᾶσαν γὰρ δύναμιν ὁ θεὸς χρησίμως ἔδωκε τῇ λογικῇ ψυχῇ" ὥσπερ τὴν τοῦ ἀγαπᾷν, οὕτω καὶ τὴν τοῦ μισεῖν’ ἵνα λόγῳ εὐθυνόμενοι ἀγαπῶμεν μὲν τὴν ἀρετὴν, μισῶμὲν δὲ τὴν κακίαν. Ἔστι γάρ ποτε καὶ ἐπαινετῶς τῷ μίσει χρήσασθαι, Οὐχὶ τοὺς μισοῦντάς σε, Κύριε, ἐμίσησα, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ἐξετηκόμην; Τέλειον μῖσος ἐμίσουν αὐτούς. Σμύρνα καὶ στακτὴ καὶ κασσία ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων σου ἀπὸ βάρεων ἐλεφαντίνων, ἐξ ὧν εὔφρανάν σε θυγατέρες βασιλέων ἐν τῇ τιμῇ σου. Ὑποκαταβαίνων ἀκολούθως ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν προεπιβαλὼν, τῷ ἐνατενισμῷ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἀποκαλύπτοντος αὐτῷ τὰ κρυπτὰ, ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος - Σμύρνα γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ στακτὴ καὶ κασσία ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων σου. Ἡ μὲν οὖν σμύρνα ὅτι ταφῆς ἔστι σύμβολον, καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἡμᾶς Ἰωάννης ἐδίδαξεν, εἰπὼν ὑπὸ Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ Ἀριμαθαίου ἐντεταφιάσθαι μετὰ σμύρνης καὶ ἀλόης. Ἢ δὲ στακτὴ καὶ αὐτὴ σμύρνης ἐστὶν εἶδος τὸ λεπτότατον. Ἐκθλιβέντος γὰρ τοῦ ἀρώματος, ὅσον μὲν αὐτοῦ ῥυτὸν, εἰς τὴν στακτὴν ἀπομερίζεται" τὸ δὲ παχύτερον ἀπομένον σμύρνα προσα- … σμύρνης μὲν διὰ τὸ πάθος, στακτῆς δὲ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀκίνητον μεῖναι μηδὲ ἀνενέργητον ἐν ταῖς τρισὶν ἡμέραις καὶ ταῖς τρισὶ νυξὶν, ἀλλὰ κατελθεῖν εἰς ἅδου τῆς περὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν οἰκονομίας ἕνεκεν, ἵνα πληρώσῃ ἑαυτοῦ τὰ σύμπαντα. Κασσίας δὲ ἀποπνέει, διότι ἡ κασσία φλοιός τίς ἐστι λεπτότατος καὶ εὐώ… τοῦ σταυροῦ πάθος, ἐπ᾽ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῆς κτίσεως πάσης παραληφθὲν, βαθέως ἡμῖν καὶ σοφῶς ὁ λόγος διὰ τοῦ τῆς κασσίας ὀνόματος παρῃνίξατο. Ἔχεις οὖν σμύρναν μὲν διὰ τὴν ταφὴν, σταχτὴν δὲ διὰ τὴν εἰς ἄδου κάθοδον (ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα σταγὼν ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω φέρεται). κασσίαν δὲ διὰ τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς περὶ τὸ ξύλον οἰκονομίαν. Ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τῆς αἰτίας Εὔφρανάν σε, φησὶ, θυγατέρες βασιλέων ἐν τῇ τιμῇ σου. Θυγατέρας δὲ βασιλέων τίνες ἂν εἶεν ἣ εὐγενεῖς καὶ μεγάλαι καὶ βασιλικαὶ ψυχαί; αἵ, διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὰ ἀνθρώπινα συγκατάβασιν ἐπιγνοῦσαι τὸν Χριστὸν, εὔφραναν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ τιμῇ, ἐν ἀληθινῇ πίστει καὶ ἀγάπῃ τελείᾳ, δοξάζουσαι αὑτοῦ τὴν θεότητα. Τὰ δὲ ἀρώματα ταῦτα οὐ μικρολόγως φησὶ προσεῖναι τοῖς ἱματίοις τοῦ Χριστοῦ (τουτέστιν, ἡ παραβολὴ τῶν λόγων καὶ ἡ τῶν δογμάτων κατασκευὴ), ἀλλ' ἀπὸ ὅλων τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων φέρεσθαι. Βάρεις γὰρ τοὺς μεγίστους τῶν οἴκων λέγει καὶ τούτους ἐξ ἐλέφαντος εἶναι κατεσκευασμένους, τὸ πλούσιον, οἶμαι, τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ τὸν κόσμον ἀγάπης τοῦ προφήτου διδάσκοντος. Παρέστη ἡ βασίλισσα ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, ἐν … Ἐν τῷ Ἄσματι μεμαθήκαμεν, ὅτι μία ἐστὶ τελεία τοῦ Χριστοῦ περιστερὰ, ἥτις εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν χώραν τοῦ Χριστοῦ λαμβάνει τοὺς ἐπ᾽ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς γνωριζομένους, διακρίνουσα ἀπὸ τῶν φαύλων, ὥσπερ ὁ ποιμὴν διακρίνει τοὺς ἄρνας ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων. Παρίσταται οὖν ἡ βασίλισσα, ἡ τῷ νυμφικῷ Λόγῳ καθηρμοσμένη ψυχὴ, ἡ μὴ βασιλευομένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείας μετέχουσα, ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ " τουτέστιν, ἐν δόγμασι νοεροῖς καθυφασμένοις καὶ πεποικιλμένοις, σοβαρῶς ἑαυτὴν καὶ ἱεροπρεπῶς κατακοσμοῦσα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ μονοειδῇ τὰ δόγματα, ἀλλὰ ποικίλα καὶ πολύτροπα, ἠθικούς τε καὶ φυσικοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐποπτικοὺς λεγομένους περιέχοντα λόγους, διὰ τοῦτο πεποικιλμένον εἶναι τὸν ἱματισμὸν τῆς νύμφης ὁ λόγος φησίν. ### English translation (Claude) “Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” … Since it was necessary to form the typical anointing, and the typical high priests and kings, the Lord's flesh was anointed with the true anointing, by the coming of the Holy Spirit upon it, which is called the oil of gladness. And it was anointed “beyond its companions,” that is, above all men who share in Christ. For to them some partial fellowship of the Spirit was given; but on the Son of God the Holy Spirit came down and, as John says, “remained on him.” And the Spirit is well called the oil of gladness, since joy too is one of the fruits cultivated by the Holy Spirit. But since the account of the Savior is mixed, because of the nature of the Godhead and the dispensation of the incarnation, looking again to the human nature of God he says, “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness”: that is, other men often achieve, by toil and discipline and attention, the disposition toward the good and the turning away from base things; but you have a natural kinship with the good and estrangement from lawlessness. Yet it is not hard for us too, if we will, to take up love for righteousness and hatred for lawlessness. For God usefully gave every power to the rational soul: as the power of loving, so too that of hating, so that, directed by reason, we may love virtue and hate wickedness. For sometimes one may use hatred praiseworthily: “Did I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and waste away over your enemies? I hated them with a perfect hatred.” [9] “Myrrh and stacte and cassia from your garments, from ivory palaces, from which the daughters of kings have gladdened you in your honor.” The prophetic word, descending in order and having first touched on all that belongs to the dispensation, by the gaze of the Spirit who revealed hidden things to him, came to the passion: “For myrrh,” he says, “and stacte and cassia from your garments.” That myrrh is a symbol of burial the evangelist John too has taught us, saying that he was buried by Joseph of Arimathea with myrrh and aloes. And stacte too is a very fine kind of myrrh. For when the spice is pressed, the part of it that flows is separated as stacte, while the thicker part that remains is called … [He breathes out the scent] of myrrh because of the passion, and of stacte because he did not remain motionless or inactive during the three days and three nights, but went down to Hades for the dispensation of the resurrection, so that he might fill all things with himself. And he breathes out cassia because cassia is a very fine and fragrant bark …; the passion of the cross, undertaken for the benefit of all creation, the word has hinted to us deeply and wisely by the name of cassia. You have, then, myrrh because of the burial, stacte because of the descent into Hades (since every drop is carried downward), and cassia because of the dispensation of the flesh on the wood. For this reason “the daughters of kings,” he says, “have gladdened you in your honor.” And who would the daughters of kings be but noble and great and royal souls? They, recognizing Christ through his condescension to human things, gladdened him in honor, in true faith and perfect love, glorifying his Godhead. And these spices, he says, are not meagerly present on Christ's garments (that is, the setting out of his words and the construction of his doctrines), but are carried from whole buildings. For he calls the greatest of houses “palaces,” and says that these are made of ivory, the prophet teaching, I think, the richness of Christ's love toward the world. “The queen stood at your right hand, in [clothing of gold, robed in many colors].” … In the Song we have learned that there is one perfect dove of Christ, who receives into the place at Christ's right hand those known by good works, separating them from the base, as the shepherd separates the lambs from the goats. The queen, then, stands at the Savior's right hand: the soul joined to the bridegroom Word, not ruled by sin but sharing in Christ's kingdom, in clothing of gold, that is, adorning herself majestically and as befits holiness with intelligible doctrines woven in and embroidered. And since the doctrines are not of one kind but varied and manifold, containing ethical and natural and the so-called epoptic teachings, the word therefore says that the bride's clothing is embroidered. ### Scripture references - Ps 45:7 (44:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 1:32: quotation, high confidence - Gal 5:22: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 139:21 (138:21 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 139:22 (138:22 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:8 (44:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 19:39: allusion, high confidence - Matt 12:40: allusion, high confidence - Eph 4:10: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:9 (44:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Song 6:9: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:33: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 45:7–8 (LXX 44:8–9); John 1:32–33; Ps 139:21–22 (LXX 138:21–22). Allusions: Gal 5:22; John 19:39 (myrrh and aloes); Exod 29:7 and 1 Sam 10:1 (typical anointings). A few words are lost after the verse at the start (where Migne's notes stand in the scan). The marker [9] shows where Migne's section 9 begins; this staged section begins his section 8. The sentence continues in 44.5 (the staged section 44.4 holds only scan debris). - This section continues the sentence that ends 44.3; its opening words are lost in the scan, which has Migne's notes in their place (bracketed words supplied by sense). Quotations: Ps 45:8–9 (LXX 44:9–10). Allusions: Matt 12:40; Eph 4:9–10 (the descent and filling all things); 1 Pet 3:19; Song 6:9 (the one dove); Matt 25:32–33. Lines are lost and marked “…” after “very fine and fragrant bark” (the comparison of the bark with the cross) and after the verse on the queen (bracketed words supplied from the psalm). “Epoptic” is the name for the highest contemplative teaching. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 44.8 (PG 29:595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/44-8/#p-44-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 44.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/44-8/#p-44-10 - Source: PG 29:595 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 45:10–12 Basil reads the address to the daughter as Christ's call to the Church of the nations to hear and contemplate, forget her pagan customs and father the devil, and recover her beauty; the gifts of Tyre are the homage of converted Canaan, and worship goes to Christ, her head. ### Greek text Ἄκουσον, θύγατερ, καὶ ἴδε, καὶ κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἐπιλάθου τοῦ λαοῦ σου, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου" καὶ ἐπιθυμήσει ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ κάλλους σου" ὅτι αὐτός ἐστι Κύριός σου, καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὐτῷ Προσκαλεῖται τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκρόασιν καὶ τὴν τήρησιν τῶν προστασσομένων, καὶ προσοικειοῦται αὐτὴν διὰ τῆς προσηγορίας, θυγατέρα αὐτὴν προσαγορεύων " οἱονεὶ τεκνοποιούμενος αὐτὴν διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης. Ἄκουσον, θύγατερ, καὶ ἴδε. Διδάσκει αὑτὴν γεγυμνασμένον ἔχειν τὸν νοῦν πρὸς θεωρίαν διὰ τοῦ, Ἴδε. Κατανόησον, φησὶ, τὴν κτίσιν, καὶ ὠφεληθεῖσα ἀπὸ τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τάξεως, οὕτως ἀνάβαινε πρὸς τὴν τοῦ κτίσαντος θεωρίαν. Εἶτα κάμπτων αὐτῆς τὸν ὑψηλὸν τῆς ἀλαζονείας τράχηλον, Κλῖνον, φησὶ, τὸ οὖς σου. Μὴ ἀποδράμῃς πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω μύθους, ἀλλὰ κατάδεξαι τὸ ταπεινὸν τῆς ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελικῷ λόγῳ φωνῆς Κλῖνον τὸ οὖς σου πρὸς τὴν ὧδε διδασκαλίαν, ἵνα ἐπιλάθῃ τῶν μοχθηρῶν ἐθῶν ἐκείνων καὶ τῶν πατρικῶν διδαγμάτων. Διὸ ᾿Επιλάθου τοῦ λαοῦ σου, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρός σου. Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγέννηται. Ἔκβαλέ μοι, φησὶ, τὰς τῶν δαιμόνων διδασκαλίας, ἐπιλάθου θυσιῶν, χορείας νυκτερινῆς, μύθων εἰς πορνείαν καὶ πᾶσαν ἀσέλγειαν ἐκκαιόντων. Διὰ τοῦτο θυγατέρα σε ἐμαυτοῦ προσηγόρευσα, ἵνα μισήσῃς τὸν πατέρα τὸν πρότερόν σε γεννήσαντα εἰς ἀπώλειαν. Ἐὰν γὰρ διὰ τῆς λήθης ἀπαλείψῃς τοὺς σπίλους τῶν πονηρῶν μαθημάτων, ἀπολαβοῦσα τὸ ἴδιον ἑαυτῆς κάλλος, ἐπιθυμητὴ φανήσῃ τῷ νυμφίῳ καὶ βασιλεῖ. Ὅτι αὑτός ἔστι Κύριός σου, καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν αὑτῷ. Τὸ ἀναγκαῖον τῆς ὑποταγῆς παραδηλοῖ διὰ τοῦ, Αὐτός ἐστι Κύριός σου. Προσκυνήσουσι δὲ αὑτῷ, πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις. Διότι Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψει " ἐπουρανίων, καὶ ἐπιγείων, καὶ καταχθονίων. Καὶ θυγάτηρ Τύρου ἐν δώροις. Τὸ πρόσωπόν σου λιτανεύσουσιν οἱ πλούσιοι τοῦ λαοῦ. Δοκεῖ ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας ἐν τῇ Χανανίτιδι χώρᾳ ἐπιτετηδεῦσθαι. Μητρόπολις δὲ τῆς Χαναὰν ἡ Τύρος. Προτρεπόμενος οὖν εἰς ὑπακοὴν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὁ λόγος, Καὶ θυγάτηρ, φησὶ, Τύρου ἥξει ποτὲ μετὰ δώρων. Καὶ τὸ σὸν δὲ πρόσωπον οἱ πλούσιοι τοῦ λαοῦ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐν δώροις. Οὐχ εἶπε, Σὲ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐν δώροις, ἀλλὰ, Τὸ πρόσωπον τὸ σόν. Οὐ γὰρ Ἐκκλησία προσκυνεῖται, ἀλλὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἡ κεφαλὴ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὃν πρόσωπον ὠνόμασεν ἣ Γραφή. ### English translation (Claude) “Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house; and the king will desire your beauty, for he is your Lord, and they will worship him.” He calls the Church to hearing and keeping what is commanded, and makes her his own by the name, calling her daughter, as it were begetting her by love. “Hear, O daughter, and see.” He teaches her to have her mind trained for contemplation by “see.” Consider creation, he says, and, benefited by its order, so ascend to the contemplation of the Creator. Then, bending the lofty neck of her arrogance, he says, “Incline your ear.” Do not run off to the myths outside, but accept the lowliness of the voice in the Gospel word. Incline your ear to the teaching here, so that you may forget those depraved customs and your fathers' teachings. That is why: “Forget your people and your father's house.” For everyone who commits sin is of the devil. Cast out, he says, the teachings of demons; forget sacrifices, nightly dances, myths that kindle to sexual immorality and every licentiousness. That is why I have called you my own daughter, so that you may hate the father who first begot you to destruction. For if by forgetting you wipe away the stains of evil teachings, you will recover your own beauty and appear desirable to the bridegroom and king. “For he is your Lord, and they will worship him.” He shows the necessity of submission by “He is your Lord.” And all creation will worship him, for “at the name of Jesus Christ every knee will bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” “And the daughter of Tyre with gifts; the rich of the people will entreat your face.” The excess of idolatry seems to have been practiced in the land of Canaan, and Tyre is the mother city of Canaan. Urging the Church, then, to obedience, the word says, “The daughter of Tyre too will come one day with gifts.” And the rich of the people will entreat your face with gifts. He did not say, “They will entreat you with gifts,” but “your face.” For it is not the Church that is worshipped, but the head of the Church, Christ, whom Scripture has called the face. ### Scripture references - Ps 45:10 (44:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:11 (44:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:20: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Tim 4:7: allusion, medium confidence - 1 John 3:8: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 4:1: allusion, medium confidence - John 8:44: allusion, medium confidence - Phil 2:10: quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:12 (44:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eph 1:22: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 45:10–12 (LXX 44:11–13); 1 John 3:8; Phil 2:10. Allusions: Rom 1:20 (from creation to the Creator); 1 Tim 4:7 (myths); 1 Tim 4:1 (teachings of demons); John 8:44; Eph 1:22; Eph 5:27. Basil's description of pagan worship (sacrifices, nightly dances, myths) is translated as written. Migne's Latin and notes interleaved in the scan are removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 44.10 (PG 29:595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/44-8/#p-44-10). ## Homilies on the Psalms 44.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/44-8/#p-44-11 - Source: PG 29:595 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 45:13–17 Basil teaches that the bride's glory, a garment woven of word and deed, is within; that virgins who choose virginity gladly will be led into the king's temple; and that the Church's sons, the apostles and saints, rule the earth in place of the fathers, while the peoples confess Christ forever. ### Greek text Πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν, ἐν κροσσωτοῖς χρυσοῖς περιβεβλημένη, πεποικιλμένη. Ἀπενεχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ παρθένοι ὀπίσω αὐτῆς. Ἐπειδὴ ἐκαθάρθη ἀπὸ τῶν … διδάγματι, καὶ ἐπιλαθομένη τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς, διηγεῖται τὰ περὶ αὑτῆς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ εἶδε τὴν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ καθαρότητα, Πᾶσα, φησὶν, ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως, τουτέστι, τῆς Χριστοῦ νύμφης, τῆς γενομένης λοιπὸν διὰ τῆς υἱοθεσίας θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως, ἔσωθέν ἐστι. Προτρέπει ὁ λόγος ἐπὶ τὰ ἐνδοτάτω χωρεῖν τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς δόξης μυστήρια, ὡς ἔνδον ὄντος τοῦ κάλλους τῆς νύμφης. Ὁ γὰρ εὐτρεπίζων ἑαυτὸν τῷ Πατρὶ τῷ βλέποντι ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ προσευχόμενος, καὶ πάντα πράσσων οὐ πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ μόνῳ φανερωθῆναι Θεῷ " οὗτος ἔχει πᾶσαν τὴν δόξαν ἔσωθεν, ὡς καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ τοῦ βασιλέως. Καὶ τὰ κροσσωτὰ τοίνυν τὰ χρυσᾶ, οἷς περιβέβληται καὶ πεποίκιλται ὅλη, ἔσωθεν. Μηδὲν ζήτει ἐν τῷ ἔξω χρυσῷ καὶ τῇ σωματικῇ ποικιλίᾳ " ἀλλὰ περιβολὴν νόει τινὰ ἀξίαν κοσμῆσαι τὸν κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος, ὥς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος: Ἐκδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέον, τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος. Καὶ ὁ ἐνδυσάμενος δὲ σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμῶν, πραότητα, ἕνδοθεν περιβέβληται, καὶ τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον κεκόσμηται. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δὲ παραινεῖ ἐνδύσασθαι τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, οὐ κατὰ τὸν ἔξω ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν ἣ τοῦ Θεοῦ μνήμη περισκεπάζῃ. Οἶμαι δὲ τὸ πνευματικὸν ἱμάτιον ἐξυφαίνεσθαι, ὅταν τῷ διδακτικῷ λόγῳ ἡ ἀκόλουθος ἐπιπλέκηται πρᾶξις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τῷ στήμονι τῆς κρόκης ἐπιπλεκομένης τὸ σωματικὸν ἱμάτιον ἐξυφαίνεται· οὕτω τοῦ λόγου προϋφεστῶτος, εἰ ἀκολούθως αἱ πράξεις ἐπάγοιντο, σεμνοτάτη τις ἂν γένοιτο περιβολὴ τῆς ψυχῆς, λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ τὸν κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν βίον συμπεπληρωμένον ἐχούσης. Κροσσοὶ δὲ ἀπαιωροῦνται τοῦ ἱματίου, νοητοὶ καὶ οὗτοι“ διὸ καὶ χρυσοῖ εἶναι λέγονται. Ἐπειδήπερ ὁ λόγος πλείων ἐστὶ τοῦ ἔργον, οἱονεὶ κροσσός τίς ἐστιν ἀπὸ τοῦ πρὸς τὴν πρᾶξιν ὑφάσματος περισσεύων. Ἕπονται δὲ τῇ νύμφῃ τοῦ Κυρίου ψυχαί τινες, αἱ μὴ παραδεξάμεναι σπέρματα λόγων ἀλλοτρίων, αἵτινες ἀπενεχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἀχολουθοῦσαι τῇ νύμφῃ. ᾿Ακουέτωσαν δὲ καὶ αἱ τὴν παρθενίαν ἐπαγγελλόμεναι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι παρθένοι ἀπενεχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ " παρθένοι δὲ, αἱ πλησίον οὗσαι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, αἱ ὀπίσω αὐτῆς ἑπόμεναι, καὶ μὴ ἀποπλανώμεναι τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς εὐταξίας. Ἀπενεχθήσονται δὲ αἱ παρθένοι ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσει, ἀχθήσονται εἰς ναὸν βασιλέως. Οὐχ αἱ κατηναγκασμένως ὑπελθοῦσαι τὴν παρθενίαν, οὐδὲ αἱ ἐκ λύπης ἣ ἐξ ἀνάγκης χαταδεξάμεναι τὸν σεμνὸν βίον, ἀλλ᾽ αἱ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσει ἐπὶ τῷ τοιούτῳ κατορθώματι χαίρουσαι, αὗται ἀπενεχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ, καὶ ἀχθήσονται οὐχ εἰς τὸν τυχόντα τόπον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ βασιλέως. Τὰ γὰρ ἱερατικὰ σκεύη, ἃ οὐχ ἐμόλυνεν ἀνθρωπίνη χρῆσις, εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων εἰσενεχθήσεται, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἕξει τῆς εἰς τὰ ἄδυτα παρόδου, ὅπου βέβηλοι πόδες οὐ περιπατήσουσιν. Ἡλίκον δέ ἔστι τὸ ἀχθῆναι εἰς ναὸν βασιλέως, ὁ Προφήτης δείκνυσιν, ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ προσευχόμενος καὶ λέγων" Μίαν ἠτησάμην παρὰ Κυρίου, ταύτην ζητήσω" τὸ κατοικεῖν μὲ ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου, τοῦ θεωρεῖν μὲ τὴν τερπνότητα Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι τὸν ναὸν αὑτοῦ. οἱ υἱοί σου" καταστήσεις αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Ἐπειδὴ ἄνω προσετάχθη ἐπιλαθέσθαι τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ πατρὸς, εἰς ἀντίδοσιν τῆς ὑπακοῆς νῦν ἀντὶ τῶν πατέρων λαμβάνει υἱοὺς, ἐν τηλικούτοις ἀξιώμασι διαπρέποντας, ὥστε καταστῆναι αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Τίνες οὖν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας; Ἤτοι οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, οἱ πάσης τῆς γῆς ἄρξαντες. Εἰς πᾶσαν γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὑτῶν" καὶ, Καθεσθήσονται ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνους, καὶ κρινοῦσι τὰς δώδεκα φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Ἐὰν δέ τις πατέρας τῆς νύμφης λάβῃ τοὺς πατριάρχας, καὶ οὕτως ὁ λόγος τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐ διαπίπτει. ᾿Αντὶ γὰρ ἐκείνων ἐγεννήθησαν αὐτῇ υἱοὶ διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οἱ ποιοῦντες τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ᾿Αβραάμ" καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἰσότιμοι αὐτοῖς χρηματίζοντες, ἐκ τοῦ πεποιηκέναι τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνοις, ἀφ᾽ ὧν τῶν μεγάλων τιμῶν ἠξιώθησαν οἱ πατέρες. “Ἄρχοντες μέντοι εἰσὶν ἀπάσης τῆς γῆς οἱ ἅγιοι διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸ καλὸν οἰκείωσιν, αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ καλοῦ φύσεως περιτιθείσης αὐτοῖς τὸ πρωτεῖον, ὡς περιέθηκε τῷ Ἰακὼβ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ ἐξουσίαν. Γίνου γὰρ, φησὶ, κύριος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου. Οἱ τοίνυν ἰσότιμοι τοῖς πατράσι γενόμενοι, καὶ τὴν κατὰ πάντων ὑπεροχὴν διὰ τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἄσκησιν προσλαβόντες, καὶ υἱοὶ τῆς Χριστοῦ νύμφης εἰσὶ, καὶ. παρὰ τῆς ἰδίας μητρὸς καθίστανται ἄρχοντες ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Σκόπει δέ μοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῆς βασιλίδος, ὅση τις ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς ἐστι" χειροτονεῖν ἄρχοντας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν. Μνησθήσομαι τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ἐν πάσῃ γενεᾷ καὶ γενεᾷ. Διὰ τοῦτο λαοὶ ἐξομολογήσονταί σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ὡς ἐκ προσώπου τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ λόγος εἴρηται, ὅτι Μνησθήσομαι τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ἐν πάσῃ γενεᾷ καὶ γενεᾷ. Τίς δέ ἐστιν ἡ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μνήμη; Ἢ ἐξομολόγησις τῶν λαῶν. ### English translation (Claude) “All the glory of the king's daughter is within, clothed in golden fringes, embroidered. Virgins will be brought to the king after her.” Since she has been cleansed from [the evil teachings] by the [Gospel] teaching, and has forgotten her people and her father's house, the Holy Spirit tells what concerns her. And since he saw her hidden purity, he says, “All the glory of the king's daughter,” that is, of the bride of Christ, who has now become through adoption the king's daughter, “is within.” The word urges us to advance to the innermost mysteries of the Church's glory, since the bride's beauty is within. For the one who prepares himself for the Father who sees in secret, and prays, and does everything not to be seen by men but to be manifest to God alone, has all his glory within, like the king's daughter. And the golden fringes, then, with which she is clothed and wholly embroidered, are within. Seek nothing in outward gold and bodily embroidery; but understand a garment worthy to adorn the one made after the image of his creator, as the Apostle says: “Having put off the old man and put on the new, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” And the one who has put on a heart of compassion, meekness, is clothed within and adorned in the inner man. And Paul too urges us to put on the Lord Jesus, not in the outer man, but so that the remembrance of God may cover our mind. And I think the spiritual garment is woven when the practice that follows is interwoven with the teaching word. For as the bodily garment is woven when the weft is interwoven with the warp, so, when the word has been laid down beforehand, if the actions follow in order, the soul's garment will be most majestic, having its life of virtue completed in word and deed. And fringes hang from the garment, intelligible ones too; that is why they are said to be golden. Since the word is greater than the work, it is a kind of fringe hanging over from the weaving of action. And there follow the Lord's bride certain souls that have not received seeds of foreign words, which will be brought to the king, following the bride. Let those who have professed virginity to the Lord hear that “virgins will be brought to the king”; and virgins who are near the Church, who follow after her and do not stray from the Church's good order. “Virgins will be brought with gladness and exultation; they will be led into the king's temple.” Not those who have entered virginity under compulsion, nor those who have accepted the august life from grief or necessity, but those who rejoice with gladness and exultation at such an achievement: these will be brought to the king and led not into just any place, but into the king's temple. For the priestly vessels, which human use has not defiled, will be brought into the holy of holies and will have the right to enter the inner sanctuary, where profane feet will not walk. How great a thing it is to be led into the king's temple the prophet shows, praying for himself and saying: “One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the delight of the Lord and to visit his temple.” [12] “[Instead of your fathers] your sons [have been born to you]; you will make them rulers over all the earth.” Since above she was commanded to forget her people and her father's house, in return for her obedience she now receives, instead of fathers, sons distinguished by such great dignities that they are made rulers over all the earth. Who, then, are the sons of the Church? Either the sons of the Gospel, who ruled over all the earth: “For their voice has gone out into all the world,” it says; and, “They will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” And if one takes the bride's fathers to be the patriarchs, even so the word concerning the apostles does not fail. For in their place sons were born to her through Christ, who do the works of Abraham, and are therefore called of equal honor with them, from having done the same things as they, for which the fathers were counted worthy of great honors. The saints are indeed rulers over all the earth because of their kinship with the good, the very nature of the good conferring the first place on them, as it gave Jacob authority over Esau: “Be lord,” it says, “of your brother.” Those, then, who have become of equal honor with the fathers, and have gained superiority over all through the practice of virtue, are both sons of the bride of Christ and are appointed by their own mother as rulers over all the earth. Consider for me the authority of the queen, how great it is: to appoint rulers over all the earth. “I will remember your name in every generation and generation.” For this reason … “peoples will confess you forever and to the ages of ages.” In conclusion, the word is said as in the person of the Church, “I will remember your name in every generation and generation.” And what is the Church's remembrance? The confession of the peoples. ### Scripture references - Ps 45:13 (44:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:14 (44:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 6:6: allusion, high confidence - Col 3:9: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:10: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:12: allusion, high confidence - Rom 13:14: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:15 (44:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 9:3: allusion, low confidence - Ps 27:4 (26:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:16 (44:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 19:4 (18:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:28: quotation, high confidence - John 8:39: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 27:29: quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:17 (44:18 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 45:13–17 (LXX 44:14–18); Col 3:9–10; Ps 27:4 (LXX 26:4); Ps 19:4 (LXX 18:5; Rom 10:18); Matt 19:28; Gen 27:29. Allusions: Matt 6:4–6; Col 3:12; Rom 13:14; John 8:39; Heb 9:3–7 (the holy of holies). Basil's teaching on virginity chosen with gladness is translated as written. Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan, marked “…”: in the opening sentence (bracketed words supplied by sense), before the verse on the sons (bracketed words supplied from the psalm) and after “For this reason”. The scan text after the homily's last sentence is debris, removed by a logged correction. The marker [12] shows where Migne's section 12 begins. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 44.11 (PG 29:595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/44-8/#p-44-11). ## Homilies on the Psalms 45.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-1 - Source: PG 29:413 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains the title of Ps 46 (the end, the sons of Korah, the hidden things) and begins on its first verse: everyone needs a refuge, but the devil confuses the choice of a savior; Christians too seek health or wealth that may harm them, and run to enchanters, amulets, doctors and dream-interpreters instead of to God, the one refuge. ### Greek text Εἰς τὸ τέλος ὑπὲρ τῶν υἱῶν Κορέ· ὑπὲρ τῶν τ. Προφητείαν μοι δοκεῖ περιέχειν ὁ ψαλμὸς περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸ τέλος. “Ὅπερ τέλος εἰδὼς καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, φησίν" Εἶτα τὸ τέλος, ὅταν παραδῷ τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Ἢ ἐπειδὴ αἱ πράξεις ἡμῶν ἀπάγουσιν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸ τέλος, ἑκάστη τὸ οἰκεῖον ἑαυτῇ, ἡ μὲν ἀγαθὴ πρὸς τὴν μακαριότητα, ἢ δὲ φαύλη πρὸς τὴν αἰωνίαν κατάκρισιν" αἱ δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν τῷ ψαλμῷ τούτῳ παραδιδόμεναι συμβουλαὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν τέλος ἀπάγουσι τοὺς πειθομένους " τούτου ἕνεκεν ἐπιγέγραπται Εἰς τὸ τέλος ὡς τῆς ἀναφορᾶς τῶν διδαγμάτων ἐπὶ τὸ μακάριον τέλος τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς ὑπαρχούσης. ᾿Υπὲρ τῶν υἱῶν Κορέ. Τοῖς δὲ υἱοῖς Κορὲ καὶ οὗτος εἴρηται ὁ ψαλμὸς, οὖς οὐ διαιρεῖ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, διότι ὥσπερ μιᾷ ψυχῇ καὶ μιᾷ φωνῇ μετὰ πάσης τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συμφωνίας τοὺς προφητικοὺς λόγους προΐεντο· μηδὲν τοῦ ἑτέρου αὐτῶν παρὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς προφητεύσαντος, ἀλλ᾽ ἴσου αὐτοῖς τοῦ προφητικοῦ χαρίσματος δωρηθέντος διὰ τὸ ἴσον αὐτῶν τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰς τὰ καλὰ διαθέσεως. Ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν κρυφίων εἴρηται ὁ ψαλμός" τουτέστιν, ὑπὲρ ἀποῤῥήτων, καὶ τῶν ἐν μυστηρίῳ κεκρυμμένων. Γενόμενος δὲ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ μέρος ῥητοῖς τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, μαθήσῃ τὸ κεκρυμμένον τῶν λόγων" καὶ ὅτι οὐ τοῦ τυχόντος ἐστὶν ἐνιδεῖν τοῖς θείοις μυστηρίοις, ἣ μόνου τοῦ δυναμένου γενέσθαι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐναρμόνιον ὄργανον, ὥστε ἀντὶ ψαλτηρίου κινεῖσθαι αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐνεργοῦντος αὐτῇ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Ὃ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις, βοηθὸς ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα. Πολλῆς βοηθείας δέεται πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, διὰ τὴν ἐκ φύσεως προσοῦσαν αὐτῷ ἀσθένειαν, πολλῶν αὐτῷ προσπιπτόντων ἀνιαρῶν καὶ ἐπιπόνων. Τὴν οὖν ἐκ πάντων τῶν περιστατικῶν καταφυγὴν ἐπιζητῶν, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ ἄσυλον φεύγων χωρίον, ἣ ἐπί τινα κορυφὴν ὀξεῖαν καρτερῷ τείχει περιειλημμένην καταφεύγων, διὰ τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἐπιδρομήν᾽ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν καταφεύγει, μόνην εἶναι ἡγούμενος ἀνάπαυσιν τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ διαμονήν. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἡ καταφυγὴ παρὰ πᾶσιν ὡμολόγηται, πολλὴν δὲ πλάνην καὶ σύγχυσιν ὁ ἐχθρὸς ἐνεποίησε περὶ τὴν τοῦ σώζοντος ἐκλογήν. Ἐπιβουλεύων γὰρ ὡς πολέμιος, πάλιν τοὺς ἐπιβουλευθέντας αὐτῷ προσφεύγειν ὡς φύλακι, ὥστε διπλοῦν αὐτοῖς περιίστασθαι τὸ κακόν" ἣ βιαίως ληφθεῖσιν, ἢ ἐξ ἀπάτης ἀπολομένοις. Διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς δαίμονας καὶ εἴδωλα καταφεύγουσιν οἱ ἄπιστοι, τοῦ ὄντως Θεοῦ τὴν γνῶσιν ὑπὸ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ διαβόλου γενομένης αὐτοῖς συγχύσεως ἀφαιρεθέντες. Καὶ οἱ ἐπιγινώσκοντες δὲ τὸν Θεὸν περὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων διάκρισιν σφάλλονται, ἀπαιδεύτως τὰς αἰτήσεις τῶν συμφερόντων ποιούμενοι, καὶ αἰτοῦντές τινα ὡς ἀγαθὰ, οὐκ ἐπὶ συμφέροντι πολλάκις αὐτῶν, καὶ φεύγοντες ἄλλα ὡς πονηρὰ, πολλὴν αὐτοῖς ἐνίοτε τὴν ὠφέλειαν φέροντα. Οἷον, νοσεῖ τις; Φεύγων τὸ ἐκ τῆς νόσου ἐπίπονον, εὔχεται τὴν ὑγίειαν. ᾿Απέβαλε χρήματα; Περιώδυνός ἐστι τῇ ζημίᾳ. Ἔστι δὲ πολλάκις καὶ ἡ νόσος ὠφέλιμος, ὅταν παιδαγωγεῖν μέλλῃ τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα - καὶ ἡ ὑγίεια βλαβερὰ, ὅταν ἐφόδιον γίνηται πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν τῷ ἔχοντι. Οὕτω καὶ χρήματα ἤδη τισὶν ὑπηρεσία πρὸς ἀκολασίαν ἐγένετο" καὶ πενία πολλοὺς ἐσωφρόνισε τῶν ὡρμημένων κακῶς. Μήτε οὖν φύγῃς ἃ μὴ δεῖ, μὴτε προσφύγῃς ᾧ μὴ δεῖ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἕν σοι φευκτὸν ἤτω, ἡ ἁμαρτία, καὶ μία καταφυγὴ ἐκ τῶν κακῶν, ὁ Θεός. Μὴ πεποίθετε ἐπ᾽ ἄρχοντας " μὴ ἐπαίρεσθε ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι" μὴ φρονεῖτε ἐπὶ δυνάμει σώματος " μὴ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης δόξης τὸ περιφανὲς διώκετε. Οὐδὲν τούτων σώζει" πάντα πρόσκαιρα, πάντα ἀπατηλά. Μία καταφυγὴ, ὁ Θεός. Ἐπικατάρατος ἄνθρωπος ὁ τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχων ἐπ᾽ ἄνθρωπον, ἣ ἐπί τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων. Ὁ Θεὸς οὖν ἡμῶν καταφυγὴ καὶ δύναμις. Τῷ δυναμένῳ λέγειν, Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ, δύναμίς ἔστιν ὁ Θεός. Πολλῶν μὲν οὖν ἐστιν εἰπεῖν, Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καταφυγή" καὶ τὸ, Κύριε, καταφυγὴ ἐγενήθης ἡμῖν" τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς διαθέσεως εἰπεῖν τῷ Προφήτῃ πάνυ ὀλίγων. Ὀλίγοι γὰρ οἱ μὴ τεθαυμακότες τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλοι ἠρτημένοι τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸν ἀναπνέοντες, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐλπίδα καὶ πεποίθησιν ἔχοντες. Καὶ ἐλέγχει γε ἡμᾶς τὰ πράγματα, ὅταν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν ἐπὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἣ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τρέχωμεν. Νοσεῖ τὸ παιδίον; Καὶ σὺ τὸν ἐπαοιδὸν περισκοπεῖς, ἢ τὸν τοὺς περιέργους χαρακτῆρας τοῖς τραχήλοις τῶν ἀναιτίων νηπίων περιτιθέντα " ἣ τό γε τελευταῖον ἐπὶ τὸν ἰατρὸν ἔρχῃ καὶ τὰ φάρμακα, τοῦ δυναμένου σώζειν καταμελήσας. Κἂν ἐνύπνιόν σε ἐκταράξῃ, πρὸς τὸν ὀνειροσκόπον τρέχεις. Κἂν φοβηθῇς ἐχθρὸν, προστάτην ἕνα τῶν ἀνθρώπων περινοεῖς. Καὶ ὅλως ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης χρείας ἐλέγχῃ, ῥήματι ### English translation (Claude) “To the end, for the sons of Korah; for the hidden things.” The psalm seems to me to contain a prophecy about the things at the end. Paul too knew this end, when he says, “Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God and the Father.” Or else: since our actions lead us to the end, each to its own (the good to blessedness, the base to eternal condemnation), and the counsels handed down by the Spirit in this psalm lead those who obey them to the good end, for this reason it is inscribed “To the end,” since the teachings refer to the blessed end of human life. “For the sons of Korah.” This psalm too is spoken to the sons of Korah, whom the Holy Spirit does not divide, because they sent forth their prophetic words as with one soul and one voice, in full harmony with one another, none of them prophesying anything beyond the rest; the prophetic gift was given them equally because of their equal disposition toward one another in what is good. And the psalm is spoken “for the hidden things,” that is, for things unspeakable and hidden in mystery. When you come to the individual words of the psalm, you will learn what is hidden in its words, and that it does not belong to just anyone to look into the divine mysteries, but only to one who can become an instrument in tune with the promise, so that, in place of a psaltery, his soul is moved by the Holy Spirit at work in it. “God is our refuge and strength, a helper in the afflictions that have found us exceedingly.” Every human being needs much help, because of the weakness natural to him, since many painful and toilsome things fall upon him. Seeking, then, a refuge from all his circumstances, like one fleeing to an inviolable place, or taking refuge on some steep summit enclosed by a strong wall because of the enemies' raid, so he flees to God, thinking that the only rest is to remain in him. Now that the refuge is in God is agreed by all; but the enemy has caused much error and confusion about the choice of the one who saves. For, plotting as an enemy, he again [makes] those he has plotted against flee to him as to a guardian, so that a double evil surrounds them: they are either taken by force or destroyed by deceit. That is why unbelievers flee to demons and idols, robbed of the knowledge of the true God by the confusion the devil has brought on them. And even those who know God err in discerning things, making their requests for what is profitable without instruction, asking for some things as good which are often not to their profit, and fleeing other things as evil which sometimes bring them great benefit. For example, is someone sick? Fleeing the pain of the sickness, he prays for health. Has he lost money? He is grief-stricken at the loss. But often sickness is beneficial, when it is going to discipline the sinner, and health harmful, when it becomes provision for sin to the one who has it. So too money has before now served some for licentiousness, and poverty has brought to their senses many who were badly inclined. Do not, then, flee what you should not, nor flee to what you should not. Let one thing be shunned by you, sin; and let there be one refuge from evils, God. Do not trust in rulers; do not be lifted up by the uncertainty of riches; do not be proud of bodily strength; do not pursue the splendor of human glory. None of these saves; all are fleeting, all deceptive. One refuge: God. “Cursed is the man who has his hope in man,” or in anything human. [2] “God,” then, “is our refuge and strength.” To the one who can say, “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me,” God is strength. Many can say, “God is our refuge,” and, “Lord, you have become our refuge”; but very few can say it from the same disposition as the prophet. For few are those who have not admired human things, but hang wholly on God and breathe him and have all their hope and confidence in him. And events convict us, when in afflictions we run to anything rather than to God. Is your child sick? You look around for the enchanter, or for the one who hangs curious characters on the necks of innocent infants; or at last you go to the doctor and the medicines, neglecting the one who is able to save. If a dream troubles you, you run to the dream-interpreter. If you fear an enemy, you think up some human being as patron. And in general, in every need you are convicted, in word ### Scripture references - Ps 46:1 (45:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:24: quotation, high confidence - Ps 146:3 (145:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:17: quotation, high confidence - Jer 17:5: quotation, high confidence - Phil 4:13: quotation, high confidence - Ps 90:1 (89:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Basil comments on Ps 46 (LXX 45), whose LXX title is “To the end, for the sons of Korah, for the hidden things” (the scan breaks off after “for the”). Quotations: 1 Cor 15:24; Ps 46:1 (LXX 45:2); Ps 146:3 (LXX 145:3); 1 Tim 6:17; Jer 17:5; Phil 4:13; Ps 90:1 (LXX 89:1). In the clause about the devil a verb such as “makes” is missing in the Greek and is supplied in brackets. Basil's criticism of amulets and enchanters is translated as written. The marker [2] shows where Migne's section 2 begins. The sentence continues in 45.1. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 45.1 (PG 29:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 45.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-2 - Source: PG 29:413 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: God is the true helper of the righteous, like a general who brings help where the line is pressed; afflictions find the righteous who walk the narrow way, but they produce endurance and hope, and the one who trusts in God fears nothing even if the earth is overturned, while we panic at a man's anger or a dog. ### Greek text μὲν τὸν Θεὸν ὀνομάζων καταφυγὴν, ἔργῳ δὲ ἢ … τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἀνωφελῶν καὶ ματαίων βοήθειαν ἐπισπώμενος. Ἔστι δὲ τῷ δικαίῳ ἀληθινὴ βοήθεια ὁ Θεός. Ὥσπερ τις στρατηγὸς ὁπλιτικὸν γενναῖον ἐξηρτημένος ἕτοιμος ἀεὶ βοηθεῖν τῷ καταπονουμένῳ μέρει" οὕτως ὁ θεὸς βοηθὸς ἡμῶν ἐστι, καὶ … μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου, ἀποστέλλων τὰ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν δεομένων. Εὐρίσκει δὲ ἡ θλίψις πάντα τὸν δίκαιον διὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου ἐπιτήδευσιν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐκκλίνων μὲν τὴν πλατεῖαν καὶ εὐρύχωρον ὁδὸν, ὁδεύων δὲ τὴν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην, εὑρίσκεται ὑπὸ τῶν θλίψεων. Ἐμψύχως τὸν λόγον ἐσχημάτισεν ὁ Προφήτης εἰπών" Ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα. “Ὥσπερ γὰρ ζῶα ἔμψυχα καταλαμβάνουσιν ἡμᾶς, ἐργαζόμεναι ὑπομονὴν, καὶ διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς δοκιμὴν, καὶ διὰ τῆς δοκιμῆς ἐλπίδα. “Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολός φῆσι" Διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ, Πολλαὶ αἱ θλίψεις τῶν δικαίων. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ γενναίως καὶ ἀταράχως τὸν ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως πειρασμὸν ὑπομείνας ἐρεῖ, ὅτι ᾿Εν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. Καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει ἀπαυδᾶν καὶ ἀποκνεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, ὅτι καὶ καυχήματος ἀφορμὴν τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῶν κακῶν ποιεῖται λέγων, ὅτι Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμενοι ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι. Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φοβηθησόμεθα ἐν τῷ ταράσσεσθαι τὴν γῆν, καὶ μετατίθεσθαι ὄρη ἐν καρδίαις θαλασσῶν. Μέγα ἐπιδείκνυται τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πεποιθήσεως ὁ Προφήτης, ὅτι κἄν πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω γίνηται, κἂν ἡ γῆ στρέφηται ταρασσομένη, κἂν τὰ ὄρη τὴν οἰκείαν ἕδραν καταλιπόντα, πρὸς τὰ μέσα μεθίσταται τῆς θαλάσσης" Οὐ φοβηθησόμεθα, διὰ τὸ ἔχειν τὸν Θεὸν καταφυγὴν καὶ δύναμιν καὶ βοηθὸν ἐν θλίψεσι ταῖς εὑρούσαις ἡμᾶς σφόδρα. Τίνος οὕτως ἀπτόητος ἡ καρδία, τίνος οὕτως ἀτάραχοι οἱ λογισμοὶ, ὥστε ἐν τῇ τηλικαύτῃ συγχύσει τετάσθαι τῇ διανοίᾳ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλπίδα, ἐπὶ μηδενὶ τῶν γινομένων ἐκπλήττεσθαι; Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀνθρώπου ὀργὴν οὐχ ὑπομένομεν " ἣ κυνὸς ἐπιδραμόντος, ἣ ἄλλου τινὸς θηρίου, οὐ πρὸς θεὸν ἀποβλέπομεν τὸν βοηθὸν ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, ἀλλὰ διαπτοηθέντες πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρεφόμεθα. Ἤχησαν καὶ ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῶν. Εἶπε γῆς ταραχὴν, καὶ ὀρῶν μετάθεσιν" λέγει καὶ θαλάσσης σάλον καὶ ἀνατροπὴν, μέσον τῶν ὁρέων τοῖς πελάγεσιν ἐμπιπτόντων. Ἤχησαν καὶ ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῶν " τῶν θαλασσῶν … ὕδασι ταραχὴν αὐτὰ τὰ ὅρη μὴ ἐνιδρυμένα τῇ θαλάσσῃ, ἀλλὰ τῷ οἰκείῳ σάλῳ πολὺν ἐμποιοῦντα τὸν κλόνον τοῖς ὕδασιν. Ὅτε τοίνυν ἡ μὲν γῇ ταράσσεται, ὕδατα δὲ θαλασσῶν ἠχήσει καὶ ἀναβρασθήσεται ἐκ βυθῶν, ὄρη δὲ μετατίθεται καὶ πολὺν ὑπομένει τὸν τάραχον, διὰ τὸ ὑπερδάλλον τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ Κυρίου" τότε, φησὶν, ἀπτόητος ἡμῶν ἡ καρδία τοῦ … τῆς εἰς Θεὸν πεποιθήσεως. ἀσφαλεῖς καὶ βεβαίας ἔχειν ἐπὶ Θεὸν τὰς ἐλπίδας. ᾿Εταράχθησαν τὰ ὄρη ἐν τῇ κραταιότητι αὐτοῦ. Δύνασαι καὶ τροπικῶς ἐκλαβεῖν τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ ῥητοῦ, ὄρη ὀνομάζων τοὺς μεγαλοφρονοῦντας ἐπὶ τῷ ἑαυτῶν μεγέθει, ἀγνοοῦντας δὲ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ κραταιότητα, καὶ ὑπερυψουμένους κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶτα νικωμένους ὑπὸ τῶν μετὰ δυνάμεως καὶ σοφίας πρεσβευόντων τὸν τῆς σοφίας λόγον, καὶ μετὰ τὴν συναίσθησιν τῆς ἑαυτῶν πτωχείας φοβουμένους τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ὑποταπεινουμένους τῇ κραταιότητι αὐτοῦ. Ἢ τάχα καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, καὶ πατέρες τῆς ἀπολλυμένης σοφίας, ὄρη καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγονται, ταρασσόμενοι ἐν τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ κραταιότητι, ἣν ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ πρὸς τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου ἐπεδείξατο. Ἀπεκδυσάμενος γὰρ, ὥσπερ τις γενναῖος ἀγωνιστὴς, … ὁ ἐπάλαισε τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας, καὶ Ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ, θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ. ### English translation (Claude) naming God as your refuge, but in deed … drawing help from useless and vain things. But God is the true help of the righteous. As a general equipped with a noble body of heavy infantry is always ready to help the part of his line that is hard pressed, so God is our helper, and … the schemes of the devil, sending forth the ministering spirits for the salvation of those in need. And affliction finds every righteous man, because of the way of life he follows. For the one who turns aside from the broad and spacious way, and walks the narrow and afflicted one, is found by afflictions. The prophet shaped his words vividly when he said, “in the afflictions that have found us exceedingly.” For like living creatures they overtake us, producing endurance, and through endurance proven character, and through proven character hope. That is why the Apostle too says, “Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of God”; and, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” But the one who has endured the trial of affliction nobly and calmly will say, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” And so far is he from flagging and shrinking in afflictions that he makes the very excess of evils an occasion for boasting, saying, “And not only this, but we also boast in afflictions.” [3] “Therefore we will not fear when the earth is troubled and the mountains are moved into the heart of the seas.” The prophet shows the great firmness of confidence in Christ: even if everything is turned upside down, even if the earth spins in turmoil, even if the mountains leave their own seat and are moved into the middle of the sea, “we will not fear,” because we have God as refuge and strength and helper in the afflictions that have found us exceedingly. Whose heart is so undaunted, whose thoughts so untroubled, that in such great confusion his mind is stretched toward God and, because of his hope in him, is struck with alarm at nothing that happens? But we cannot bear the anger of a man; or when a dog or some other beast rushes at us, we do not look to God, our helper in afflictions, but in panic turn back to ourselves. “Their waters roared and were troubled.” He spoke of the turmoil of the earth and the moving of the mountains; he speaks too of the tossing and overturning of the sea, as the mountains fall into the middle of the deep. “Their waters roared and were troubled,” the waters of the seas … … turmoil to the waters, the mountains themselves not being set firm in the sea, but by their own tossing causing much agitation to the waters. When, then, the earth is troubled, and the waters of the seas roar and boil up from the depths, and the mountains are moved and suffer great tumult because of the surpassing power of the Lord, then, he says, our heart is undaunted, because of … our confidence in God, [so as] to have hopes in God that are secure and firm. “The mountains were troubled by his might.” You can also take the sense of the saying figuratively, calling “mountains” those who think highly of their own greatness, but do not know the might of God, and exalt themselves against the knowledge of God; then they are conquered by those who proclaim the word of wisdom with power and wisdom, and after becoming aware of their own poverty they fear the Lord and are humbled by his might. Or perhaps the rulers of this age too, and the fathers of the wisdom that is perishing, are themselves called mountains, troubled by the might of Christ, which he showed in his contest through the cross against the one who has the power of death. For having stripped off, like a noble athlete, … the principalities and powers with whom he wrestled, he made a public example of them openly, triumphing over them on the wood. ### Scripture references - Heb 1:14: allusion, high confidence - Matt 7:13: allusion, high confidence - Matt 7:14: allusion, high confidence - Ps 46:1 (45:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:3: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:4: allusion, high confidence - Acts 14:22: quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:19 (33:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:37: quotation, high confidence - Ps 46:2 (45:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 46:3 (45:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 10:5: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:6: allusion, high confidence - Heb 2:14: allusion, high confidence - Col 2:15: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This section continues the sentence that ends 45.0; the marker [3] shows where Migne's section 3 begins. Two short gaps where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan are marked “…”; in the second, “the schemes of the devil” follows a lost verb (the scan keeps only the end of μεθοδείας). The text breaks off at the end of the section and resumes in 45.2. Quotations: Ps 46:1–3 (LXX 45:2–4); Acts 14:22; Ps 34:19 (LXX 33:20); Rom 8:37; Rom 5:3. Allusions: Heb 1:14; Matt 7:13–14; Rom 5:3–4. - The opening words are lost in the scan (marked “…”), and lines are lost after “because of” (where Migne's notes stand) and in the sentence about the athlete; “so as” is supplied in brackets. The final sentence paraphrases Col 2:15, with Basil's “on the wood” for “in it”. Quotations: Ps 46:3 (LXX 45:4); Col 2:15. Allusions: 2 Cor 10:5; 1 Cor 2:6; 1 Cor 1:20; Heb 2:14. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 45.2 (PG 29:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 45.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-4 - Source: PG 29:413 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 46:4–5 Basil makes the quiet river that gladdens God's city the Holy Spirit, whom the righteous drink now in part and later in fullness; the city is the Church or the heavenly Jerusalem, the tabernacle is Christ's flesh, and the morning help is the rising of Christ, the Sun of righteousness, in the soul. ### Greek text Τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὰ ὁρμήματα εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν" τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὰ μὲν ἁλμυρὰ ὕδατα σφόδρα ἐταράχθησαν " τὰ δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ὁρμήματα ἀψοφητὶ προϊόντα, καὶ ἡσυχῇ τοῖς ἀξίοις τῆς ὑποδοχῆς ἐπιῤῥέοντα, εὐφραίνουσι τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ νῦν ὁ δίκαιος πίνει τὸ ζῶν ὕδωρ, καὶ ὕστερον δὲ πίεται ἀφθονώτερον, ἡνίκα ἂν πολιτογραφηθῇ ἐν τῇ πόλει τοῦ Θεοῦ. ᾿Αλλὰ νῦν μὲν δι’ ἐσόπτρου καὶ ἐν αἰνίγματι πίνει, διὰ τὴν κατὰ βραχὺ κατάληψιν τῶν θείων θεωρημάτων " τότε δὲ ὁμοῦ πλημμυροῦντα τὸν ποταμὸν ὑποδέξεται, πᾶσαν δι᾽ εὐφροσύνης ἐπικλύζειν δυνάμενον τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τίς δ᾽ ἂν εἴη ὁ ποταμὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἣ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἐκ τῆς πίστεως τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκότων ἐγγινόμενον τοῖς ἀξίοις; Ὁ γὰρ πιστεύων, φησὶν, εἰς ἐμὲ, ποταμοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσι" καὶ πάλιν" Ἐάν τις πίῃ ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος οὗ ἐγὼ δίδωμι, γενήσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πηγὴ ὕδατος ἀλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ ποταμὸς εὐφραίνει πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν πόλιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἤτοι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τῶν τὸ πολίτευμα ἐχόντων ἐν οὐρανοῖς " ἣ πᾶσαν τὴν νοητὴν κτίσιν ἀπὸ τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων δυνάμεων μέχρι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ψυχῶν πόλιν χρὴ νοεῖν εὐφραινομένην ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιῤῥοῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Ὁρίζονται γάρ τινες πόλιν εἶναι σύστημα ἱδρυμένον, κατὰ νόμον διοικούμενον. Ἐφαρμόζει δὲ καὶ τῇ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῇ ἐπουρανίῳ πόλει ὁ ἀποδοθεὶς ὅρος τῆς πόλεως. Σύστημα γὰρ κἀκεῖ τῶν πρωτοτόκων, τῶν ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς: καὶ ἱδρυμένον τοῦτο διὰ τὸ ἀμετακίνητον τῆς διαγωγῆς τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ κατὰ νόμον τὸν οὐράνιον διοικούμενον. Τὴν τοίνυν διάταξιν ἐκείνης τῆς πολιτείας, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν διακόσμησιν καταμαθεῖν, οὐδεμιᾶς ἐστιν ἀνθρωπίνης … οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν" πλὴν ὅτι μυριάδες ἀγγέλων ἐκεῖ, καὶ πανήγυρις ἁγίων, καὶ Ἐκκλησία πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς. Περὶ ἐκείνης φησὶν ὁ Δαβίδ᾽" Δεδοξασμένα ἐλαλήθη περὶ σοῦ, ἡ πόλις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐκείνῃ τῇ πόλει διὰ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου ἐπαγγέλλεται ὁ Θεὸς, ὅτι Θήσω σε ἀγαλλίαμα αἰώνιον, εὐφροσύνην … οὐδὲ ταλαιπωρία ἐν τοῖς ὁρίοις σου" ἀλλὰ κληθήσεται σωτήριον τὰ τείχη σου. Ἐπάρας οὖν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀξίως τῶν ἄνω ζήτει τὰ περὶ τῆς πόλεως τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τί δ᾽ ἂν τῆς ἐκεῖ μακαριότητος ἐπάξιόν τις ἐννοηθείη, ἣν εὐφραίνει μὲν ὁ ποταμὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, τεχνίτης δὲ καὶ δημιουργός ἔστιν ὁ Θεός; Ἡγίασε τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος. Τάχα τὴν σάρκα λέγει τὴν θεοφόρον, ἁγιασθεῖσαν διὰ τῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν συναφείας. “Ὥστε νοήσεις σκήνωμα τοῦ Ὑψίστου τὴν διὰ σαρκὸς ἐπιφάνειαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ σαλευθήσεται. Βοηθήσει αὐτῇ ὁ Θεὸς, τὸ πρὸς πρωὶ πρωί. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ὁ θεὸς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πόλεώς ἐστι, τὸ ἀσάλευτον χαριεῖται αὐτῇ, τὴν βοήθειαν αὐτῇ παρεχόμενος ἐν ταῖς πρώταις ἀνατολαῖς τοῦ φωτός. Εἴτε οὖν τῇ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἴτε τῇ κάτω Ἐκκλησίᾳ τὸ τῆς πόλεως ἐφαρμόσει ὄνομα, Ἡγίασεν ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ σκηνώματος τούτου, ᾧ κατεσκήνωσεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἐγένετο, χαριζόμενος αὐτῇ τὸ μὴ σαλεύεσθαι. Ἐν μέσῳ δέ ἐστι τῆς πόλεως ὁ Θεὸς, ἴσας πανταχόθεν ἐπὶ τὰ πέρατα τοῦ κύκλου τῆς ἑαυτοῦ προνοίας τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐκπέμπων. Οὕτω γὰρ τὸ δίκαιον τοῦ Θεοῦ διασώζεται, τὸ αὐτὸ μέτρον τῆς ἀγαθότητος διανέμοντος ἅπασι. Βοηθήσει αὐτῇ ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πρὸς πρωὶ πρωί. Τὴν μὲν οὖν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν πρωίαν ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος ποιεῖ, ἐπειδὰν τὸν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ὁρίζοντα ὑπερκύψῃ " τὴν δὲ ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ πρωίαν ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης Ἥλιος ἀποτελεῖ τῇ ἀνατολῇ τοῦ φωτὸς τοῦ νοητοῦ ποιῶν ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ παραδεξαμένῳ αὐτόν. Ἐν νυκτὶ γάρ ἔσμεν παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἀγνωσίας οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν, ἀναπετάσαντες ἑαυτῶν τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν, ὑποδεξώμεθα τὸ ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης, καὶ περιλαμφθῶμεν τῷ φωτὶ τῷ ἀϊδίῳ, Βοηθήσει αὐτῇ ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πρὸς πρωὶ πρωΐ. Ἐπειδὰν γενώμεθα τέκνα φωτὸς, καὶ ἡ νὺξ μὲν ἡμῖν προκόψῃ, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἐγγίσῃ, τότε ἄξιοι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείας γινόμεθα. Βοηθεῖ οὖν τῇ πόλει ὁ Θεὸς, διὰ τῆς ἰδίας ἀνατολῆς καὶ ἐπιφανείας πρωίαν αὐτῇ ἐμποιῶν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος, φησὶν, Ἀνατολὴ ὄνομα αὐτῷ. Οἷς ἂν οὖν ἐπανατείλῃ τὸ νοητὸν φῶς, λυομένου ### English translation (Claude) “The rushing streams of the river gladden the city of God.” The salt waters were greatly troubled; but the rushing streams of the river, going forward without a sound and flowing quietly upon those worthy to receive them, gladden the city of God. Even now the righteous man drinks the living water, and later he will drink more abundantly, when he is enrolled as a citizen in the city of God. But now he drinks through a mirror and in a riddle, because of the gradual grasp of the divine truths; then he will receive the river overflowing all at once, able to flood the whole city of God with gladness. And what would the river of God be but the Holy Spirit, who comes to be in the worthy from the faith of those who have believed in Christ? “For whoever believes in me,” he says, “rivers will flow from his belly”; and again, “If anyone drinks of the water that I give, it will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” This river, then, gladdens the whole city of God together: either the Church of those whose citizenship is in heaven, or we must understand as a city the whole intelligible creation, from the powers above the world to human souls, gladdened by the inflowing of the Holy Spirit. For some define a city as an established community governed by law. And the definition of a city given fits the Jerusalem above, the heavenly city. For there too is a community of the firstborn enrolled in heaven; and it is established because of the unchangeable way of life of the saints, and governed by the heavenly law. To learn, then, the ordering of that commonwealth and all its arrangement belongs to no human [power] …, “nor has ear heard, nor has it entered the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love him”; except that there are myriads of angels there, and a festal gathering of saints, and a Church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven. Of that city David says, “Glorious things have been spoken of you, O city of God.” To that city God promises through Isaiah, “I will make you an eternal exultation, a gladness … nor wretchedness within your borders; but your walls will be called salvation.” Lift up, then, the eyes of your soul, and seek the things of the city of God in a manner worthy of the things above. What could one conceive worthy of the blessedness there, which the river of God gladdens, and whose craftsman and maker is God? “The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle.” Perhaps he means the God-bearing flesh, sanctified by its union with God. So you will understand as the tabernacle of the Most High the manifestation of God through flesh. [5] “God is in the midst of her, and she will not be shaken; God will help her at the break of morning.” And since God is in the midst of the city, he will grant her to be unshaken, giving her help at the first risings of the light. Whether, then, one applies the name of city to the Jerusalem above or to the Church below, “the Most High has sanctified his tabernacle” in her. And through this tabernacle, in which God dwelt, he came to be in her midst, granting her not to be shaken. And God is in the midst of the city, sending forth the rays of his providence equally on every side to the ends of the circle. For so the justice of God is preserved, as he distributes the same measure of goodness to all. “God will help her at the break of morning.” Now the morning with us the visible sun makes, when it peeps above our horizon; but the morning in the soul the Sun of righteousness brings about by the rising of the intelligible light, making day in the one who has received him. For we human beings are in night during the time of ignorance. When, then, opening up our ruling faculty, we receive the radiance of glory and are shone around by the eternal light, “God will help her at the break of morning.” When we become children of light, and the night is far gone for us and the day has drawn near, then we become worthy of God's help. God helps the city, then, by his own rising and appearing, making morning for her. “For behold a man,” it says, “whose name is Rising.” In those, then, on whom the intelligible light rises, as ### Scripture references - Ps 46:4 (45:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:12: allusion, high confidence - John 7:38: quotation, high confidence - John 4:14: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:20: allusion, high confidence - Gal 4:26: allusion, medium confidence - Heb 12:22: allusion, high confidence - Heb 12:23: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:9: quotation, high confidence - Ps 87:3 (86:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 60:15: quotation, high confidence - Isa 60:18: quotation, high confidence - Heb 11:10: allusion, high confidence - Ps 46:5 (45:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Heb 1:3: allusion, high confidence - 1 Thess 5:5: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 13:12: allusion, high confidence - Zech 6:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 46:4–5 (LXX 45:5–6); John 7:38; John 4:14; 1 Cor 2:9; Ps 87:3 (LXX 86:3); Isa 60:15, 18; Zech 6:12 (LXX “Rising”, Hebrew “Branch”). Allusions: 1 Cor 13:12; Phil 3:20; Heb 12:22–23; Gal 4:26; Heb 11:10; Mal 4:2 (LXX 3:20); Heb 1:3; 1 Thess 5:5; Rom 13:12. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin stands in the scan: after “no human” (the word “power” is supplied in brackets; the quotation of 1 Cor 2:9 begins in the gap) and in the quotation of Isaiah. The definition of a city is a philosophical commonplace. The marker [5] shows where Migne's section 5 begins. The sentence continues in 45.5. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 45.4 (PG 29:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 45.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-5 - Source: PG 29:425 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The morning help of Ps 46:5 is also Christ's resurrection at dawn; Ps 46:6 pictures a besieged city relieved by a general whose shout routs the nations; and in Ps 46:7 the prophet sees Emmanuel, God with us, the same God who appeared to the patriarchs, not another god. ### Greek text τοῦ ἐκ τῆς ἀγνοίας καὶ πονηρίας σκότους, πρωία τούτοις ἐγγίνεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθεν, ἵνα ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν αὐτῷ μὴ προσκόπτῃ, ἡ βοήθεια αὐτοῦ πρωίας ἐστὶ παρεκτική. Ἢ τάχα ἐπειδὴ ὄρθρου βαθέος ἡ ἀνάστασις ἣν, βοηθήσει ὁ Θεὸς τῇ πόλει τὸ πρὸς πρωὶ πρωὶ, ὁ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου νίκην πρωίᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐργασάμενος. ᾿Εταράχθησαν ἔθνη, ἔκλιναν βασιλεῖαι, ἔδωκε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος, ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ. Νόησόν μοι τινὰ πόλιν ἐπιβουλευομένην παρὰ τῶν ἐπιστρατευόντων αὐτῇ πολεμίων, τέως μὲν περικαθεζομένων αὐτὴν ἐθνῶν πολλῶν καὶ βασιλέων τῶν καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἔθνος τὰ σκῆπτρα διαλαχόντων " εἶτά τινα στρατηγὸν, ἄμαχον τὴν ῥώμην, ἀθρόως ἐπιφανέντα εἰς βοήθειαν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, λύοντα μὲν τὴν πολιορκίαν, σχεδαννύντα δὲ τὴν συστροφὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς φυγὴν δὲ τοὺς βασιλεῖς συνελαύνοντα ἐκ μόνου τοῦ ἐμβοῆσαι αὐτοῖς μετὰ δυνάμεως, καταπλῆξαί τε αὐτῶν τὰς καρδίας τῇ στεῤῥότητι τῆς φωνῆς. Πόσην οὖν εἰκὸς ταραχὴν συστῆναι, τῶν ἐθνῶν διωκομένων, καὶ τῶν βασιλέων εἰς φυγὴν ἐκκλινάντων " θροῦν δέ τινα ἄσημον καὶ ἦχον ἀκατάπαυστον ἐκ τῆς τεθορυβημένης αὐτῶν φυγῆς ἀναπέμπεσθαι, πάντα δὲ τόπον πλήρη εἶναι τῶν ὑπὸ δειλίας φυγαδευθέντων, ὥστε σάλον ἐγγίνεσθαι πανταχοῦ ταῖς ὑποδεχομέναις αὐτοὺς πόλεσιν ἢ κώμαις; Τὴν τοιαύτην οὖν παρίστησι τῇ πόλει τοῦ Θεοῦ παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀντίληψιν ἐν τῷ λέγειν· Ἐταράχθησαν ἔθνη, ἔκλιναν βασιλεῖαι, ἔδωκε φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος, ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ. Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ' ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Εἶδε τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα Θεὸν, εἶδε τὸν ἐκ Παρθένου ἁγίας γεννηθέντα Ἐμμανουήλ· ὅ ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον Μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεός" καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προφητικῶς ἐκβοᾷ " Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν" δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῖς ἁγίοις προφήταις καὶ πατριάρχαις ἐμφανισθείς. ᾿Αντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν, φησὶν, οὐχὶ ἄλλος θεὸς παρὰ τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν παραδιδόμενον " ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακὼβ, ὁ ἐν τῷ χρηματισμῷ πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θεράποντα διαλεχθείς - ᾿Εγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Αβραὰμ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. ### English translation (Claude) the darkness of ignorance and wickedness is dissolved, and morning comes to be in them. Since, then, the light has come into the world, so that whoever walks in it may not stumble, his help is a giver of morning. Or perhaps, since the resurrection was at early dawn, God will help the city at the break of morning, he who achieved the victory over death in the morning, on the third day, the day of the resurrection. [6] “Nations were troubled, kingdoms bowed; the Most High uttered his voice, the earth was shaken.” Picture for me a city plotted against by enemies making war on it, for a time surrounded by many nations and by the kings who hold the scepters of each nation; then some general of invincible strength suddenly appearing to help this city, raising the siege, scattering the mass of the nations, driving the kings to flight merely by shouting at them with power, and striking their hearts with terror by the firmness of his voice. How great a confusion, then, is likely to arise as the nations are pursued and the kings turn to flight; a confused murmur and unceasing din sent up from their disordered flight; every place full of those put to flight by fear, so that tumult arises everywhere in the cities or villages that receive them? Such, then, is the help he presents as given to the city of God by the Savior, in saying, “Nations were troubled, kingdoms bowed; the Most High uttered his voice, the earth was shaken.” “The Lord of hosts is with us; our helper is the God of Jacob.” He saw God made man, he saw the one born of the holy Virgin, Emmanuel, which is translated “God with us”; and therefore he cries out prophetically, “The Lord of hosts is with us,” showing that this is the one who appeared to the holy prophets and patriarchs. “Our helper,” he says: not another god besides the one handed down by the prophets, but “the God of Jacob,” who in the oracle spoke to his own servant: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” ### Scripture references - John 12:46: allusion, high confidence - John 11:9: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 24:1: allusion, high confidence - Ps 46:5 (45:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 46:6 (45:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 46:7 (45:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 7:14: allusion, high confidence - Matt 1:23: quotation, high confidence - Exod 3:6: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This section continues the sentence that ends 45.4; the marker [6] shows where Migne's section 6 begins. Quotations: Ps 46:5–7 (LXX 45:6–8); Matt 1:23; Exod 3:6. Allusions: John 12:46; John 11:9–10; Luke 24:1; Isa 7:14. Basil's insistence that the God of Jacob is not “another god” besides the God of the prophets is aimed at those who separated the God of the Old Testament from the Father of Christ. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 45.5 (PG 29:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-5). ## Homilies on the Psalms 45.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-7 - Source: PG 29:435 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 46:8–9 Basil teaches that God's works can be seen only by those who first come near to him, as the Father calls with open arms; Christ made peace through the cross, and as commander of the angelic hosts he wounds no enemy but breaks their weapons and strips their defenses for their own good. ### Greek text Δεῦτε καὶ ἴδετε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἃ ἔθετο τέρατα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἀνταναιρῶν πολέμους μέχρι τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς. Τοὺς μακρὰν ὄντας τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας εἰς τὴν διὰ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως … Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν σωματικῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αἱ μὲν ἐπὶ πολὺ ἀποστάσεις ἀμυδρὰν ποιοῦσι τὴν τῶν ὁρωμένων κατάληψιν, οἱ δὲ προσεγγισμοὶ τῶν θεωρούντων ἐναργῆ παρέχονται τῶν βλεπομένων τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν " οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κατὰ νοῦν θεωρημάτων, ὁ μὴ διὰ τῶν ἔργων οἰκειωθεὶς καὶ πλησιάσας Θεῷ ἰδεῖν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ καθαροῖς τοῖς διανοίας ὀφθαλμοῖς οὐ δύναται. Διὰ τοῦτο, Δεῦτε, προσεγγίσατε πρότερον, εἶτα ἴδετε τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου τεράστια ὄντα καὶ παράδοξα " ὑφ᾽ ὧν καταπλαγέντα τὰ πρότερον πολέμια καὶ στασιώδη ἔθνη πρὸς ἡσυχίαν μετέβαλε. Δεῦτε, τέκνα, ἀκούσατέ μου" καὶ, Δεῦτε πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες, καὶ πεφορτισμένοι. Πατρικὴ ἡ φωνὴ, ἡπλωμέναις ἀγκάλαις πρὸς ἑαυτὸν καλοῦντος τοὺς τέως ἀφηνιάζοντας. Ὁ οὖν ἀκούσας τῆς κλήσεως, καὶ ἐγγίσας, καὶ κολληθεὶς τῷ προστάξαντι, ὄψεται τὸν εἰρηνοποιήσαντα τὰ πάντα διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, Εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Τόξον συντρίψει, καὶ συνθλάσει ὅπλον, καὶ θυρεοὺς κατακαύσει ἐν πυρί. Ὁρᾷς τὸ εἰρηνικὸν Κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων, ὅτι ἔχων μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἀοράτους δυνάμεις ἀγγελικῶν καταλόγων; Ὁρᾷς τὸ ἀνδρεῖον ὁμοῦ καὶ φιλάνθρωπον τοῦ ἀρχιστρατήγου τῶν δυνάμεων; ὅς γε, Κύριος ὧν τῶν δυνάμεων, καὶ πάντα ἔχων τὰ συστήματα τῶν ἀγγελικῶν καταλόγων, οὐδαμοῦ τινα τιτρώσκει τῶν πολεμίων, οὐδένα καταβάλλει, οὐδενὸς ἅπτεται ἀλλὰ τόξα συντρίβει, καὶ ὅπλα, καὶ θυρεοὺς κατακαίει ἐν πυρί. Τόξον … ἐκπέμπεσθαι δι᾽ αὐτῶν " ὅπλα δὲ συνθλάσει τὰ ἀγχέμαχα, ὡς μὴ δύνασθαι τοὺς σύνεγγυς τραύματα δέχεσθαι ἐπιβουλευομένους. Καὶ θυρεοὺς κατακαύσει ἐν πυρὶ, γυμνῶν τοὺς ἀντικειμένους ἀπὸ τῶν προβλημάτων, καὶ πάντα ἐπ᾽ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐνεργῶν. ### English translation (Claude) “Come and see the works of God, the wonders he has set on the earth, taking away wars to the ends of the earth.” Those who are far from the word of truth [he calls] into the … through knowledge. For as with bodily eyes great distances make the perception of things seen faint, while coming near gives those who look a clear recognition of what they see, so too with the objects of the mind: one who has not been made familiar with God and drawn near to him through works cannot see his works with the pure eyes of the mind. That is why: “Come,” draw near first, then “see the works” of the Lord, which are marvelous and astonishing; struck by them, the nations that were formerly warlike and seditious changed to peace. “Come, children, listen to me”; and, “Come, all who labor and are heavy laden.” It is a father's voice, calling to himself with outstretched arms those who were till then unruly. The one, then, who has heard the call, and drawn near, and cleaved to the one who gave the command, will see the one who made peace for all things through the cross, “whether things on earth or things in heaven.” “He will break the bow, and shatter the weapon, and burn the shields with fire.” Do you see the peaceableness of the Lord of hosts, though he has with him invisible hosts of angelic ranks? Do you see the courage and at the same time the love for mankind of the commander of the hosts? Though he is Lord of the hosts and has all the companies of the angelic ranks, he nowhere wounds any of the enemy, strikes down no one, touches no one, but breaks bows, and weapons, and burns shields with fire. The bow … to be shot through them; and he will shatter the close-combat weapons, so that those plotted against at close quarters cannot receive wounds. “And he will burn the shields with fire,” stripping the adversaries of their defenses, and doing all things for the benefit of his enemies. ### Scripture references - Ps 46:8 (45:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 34:11 (33:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:28: quotation, high confidence - Col 1:20: quotation, high confidence - Ps 46:9 (45:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Josh 5:14: allusion, low confidence ### Translation notes - Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and a duplicated line of the previous section stand in the scan: after “through knowledge” (Basil's explanation of “come”; “he calls” is supplied in brackets) and in the sentence on the bow (marked “…”). Quotations: Ps 46:8–9 (LXX 45:9–10); Ps 34:11 (LXX 33:12); Matt 11:28; Col 1:20. The “commander” (ἀρχιστράτηγος) recalls Josh 5:14. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 45.7 (PG 29:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-7). ## Homilies on the Psalms 45.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-8 - Source: PG 29:438 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 46:10–11 Basil teaches that God can be known only by those free from worldly cares and passions, contrasting good leisure for God with the Athenians' idle curiosity and the empty house of the parable; “I will be exalted” foretells the cross, and the repeated refrain is the believer's triumph in Christ, our peace. ### Greek text Σχολάσατε καὶ γνῶτε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεός. Ἐφ᾽ ὅσον μὲν τοῖς ἔξω Θεοῦ σχολάζομεν πράγμασιν, οὐ δυνάμεθα χωρῆσαι γνῶσιν θεοῦ. Τίς γὰρ μεριμνῶν τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ ἐμβαθύνων τοῖς περισπασμοῖς τῆς σαρκὸς, δύναται τοῖς περὶ Θεοῦ λόγοις προσέχειν, καὶ τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ τῶν τηλικούτων θεωρημάτων ἀρκεῖν; Οὐχ ὁρᾷς, ὅτι ὁ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐμπεσὼν λόγος ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκανθῶν συμπνίγεται; Ἄκανθαι δέ εἰσιν ἡδοναὶ σαρκὸς, καὶ πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα, καὶ βιωτικαὶ μέριμναι. Πάντα δὲ τούτων ἔξω δεήσει γενέσθαι τὸν ἐπιδεόμενον τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ σχολάσαντα ἀπὸ τῶν παθῶν, οὕτως ἀναλαβεῖν τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πῶς γὰρ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς ψυχὴν στενοχωρουμένην ὑπὸ τῶν προκαταλαβόντων αὐτὴν διαλογισμῶν ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ ἔννοια; Οἶδε δὲ καὶ Φαραὼ, ὅτι ἴδιόν ἐστι τοῦ σχολάζοντος ἐκζητεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὀνειδίζει τὸν Ἰσραήλ" Σχολάζετε, σχολασταί ἐστε, καὶ λέγετε" Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν προσευξόμεθα. Αὕτη μὲν οὖν ἡ σχολὴ ἀγαθὴ τῷ σχολάζοντι καὶ ὠφέλιμος, ἡσυχίαν ἐμποιοῦσα πρὸς τὴν τῶν σωτηρίων διδαγμάτων ἀνάληψιν " πονηρὰ δὲ σχολὴ ἡ τῶν ᾿Αθηναίων, οἷς Εἰς οὐδὲν ἄλλο εὐκαίρουν ἣ λέγειν τι καὶ ἀκούειν καινότερον " ἣν καὶ νῦν τινες μιμοῦνται, τῇ τοῦ βίου σχολῇ πρὸς τὴν ἀεί τινος καινοτέρου δόγματος εὕρεσιν ἀποχρώμενοι. Ἡ τοιαύτη σχολὴ φίλη ἐστὶν ἀκαθάρτοις καὶ πονηροῖς πνεύμασιν. Ὅταν ἐξέλθῃ, φησὶ, τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, λέγει, Πορεύσομαι εἰς τὸν τόπον ὅθεν Καὶ ἐλθὸν εὑρίσκει τὸν οἶκον ἐκεῖνον σχολάζοντα καὶ σεσαρωμένον. Μὴ γένοιτο οὖν ἡμᾶς σχολὴν ποιῆσαι τῷ ἀντικειμένῳ πρὸς τὴν εἴσοδον, ἀλλὰ ἀσχολήσωμεν ἡμῶν τὸν ἔσω οἶκον, προενοικίσαντες ἐν ἑαυτοῖς διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὸν Χριστόν. Μετὰ γοῦν τὸ χαρίσασθαι τὴν εἰρήνην τοῖς τέως ταρασσομένοις ὑπὸ τῶν πολεμίων, τότε λέγει τὸ, Σχολάσατε ἀπὸ τῶν περισπώντων ὑμᾶς ἐχθρῶν, ἵνα ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ τοὺς περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας θεωρήσητε λόγους. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος, Πᾶς ὅστις οὐκ ἀποτάσσεται, φησὶ, πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν, οὐ δύναταί μου εἶναι μαθητής. Σχολάσαι οὖν δεῖ ἀπὸ τῶν γαμικῶν ἔργων, ἵνα σχολάσωμεν τῇ προσευχῇ " σχολάσαι ἀπὸ τῶν περὶ τὸν πλοῦτον σπουδῶν, ἀπὸ τῆς περὶ τὸ δοξάριον τοῦτο ἐπιθυμίας, ἀπὸ τῶν πρὸς ἀπόλαυσιν ἡδονῶν, ἀπὸ φθόνου καὶ πάσης τῆς εἰς τὸν πλησίον ἡμῶν πονηρίας, ἵνα, γαληνιώσης ἡμῶν τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ ὑπ' οὐδενὸς πάθους ταρασσομένης, οἷον ἐν κατόπτρῳ τινὶ καθαρὰ γένηται καὶ ἀνεπισκότητος ἡ ἔλλαμψις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τῇ γῇ. Σαφῶς ταῦτα λέγει περὶ τοῦ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν πάθους ὁ Κύριος, καθὼς ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ γέγραπται" Κἀγὼ, ὅταν ὑψωθῶ, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν. Καὶ ὅτι ὥσπερ Μωῦσῆς ὕψωσε τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτω δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἔμελλεν ὑψοῦσθαι πρὸς τὸν σταυρὸν, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάσης τῆς γῆς τὴν ὕψωσιν καταδέχεσθαι, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν " ᾿Υψωθήσομαι ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὑψωθήσομαι ἐν τῇ γῇ. Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ' ἡμῶν, ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Ἐπαγαλλόμενος τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείᾳ, δὶς τὴν αὐτὴν φωνὴν ἐξεβόησε - Κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν" οἱονεὶ ἐπεμβαίνων καὶ ἐναλλόμενος τῷ ἐχθρῷ, διὰ τὴν τελείαν ἐπὶ τὸν Σωτῆρα τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν πεποίθησιν, ὡς οὐδὲν πεισόμενος παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ' ἡμῶν; Ὁ τῷ Ἰακὼβ τὴν νίκην χαρισάμενος, καὶ μετὰ τὴν πάλην ἀποδείξας αὐτὸν Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτός ἐστιν ἀντιλήπτωρ ἡμῶν" αὐτὸς πολεμεῖ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἡσυχάσωμεν, ὅτι Αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἕν, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον. ### English translation (Claude) “Be still and know that I am God.” As long as we are busy with matters outside God, we cannot receive the knowledge of God. For who, anxious about the things of the world and sunk deep in the distractions of the flesh, can attend to words about God and be equal to the precision of such great truths? Do you not see that the word that fell among the thorns is choked by the thorns? And the thorns are the pleasures of the flesh, and wealth and glory, and the cares of life. The one who needs the knowledge of God must get outside all of these, and, having become free from the passions, so take up the knowledge of God. For how can the thought of God enter a soul cramped by reasonings that have occupied it before? Even Pharaoh knew that it is the mark of one at leisure to seek God, and that is why he reproaches Israel: “You are idle, you are idlers, and you say, ‘We will pray to the Lord our God.’” This leisure, then, is good and profitable to the one who has it, creating quiet for taking up the saving teachings; but bad was the leisure of the Athenians, who “spent their time in nothing else than telling or hearing something newer,” which some imitate even now, using the leisure of their life for the constant discovery of some newer doctrine. Such leisure is dear to unclean and evil spirits. “When the unclean spirit,” it says, “goes out of a man, it says, ‘I will go to the place from which [I came]’; and coming it finds that house unoccupied and swept.” May we, then, never give the adversary leisure to enter, but let us keep our inner house occupied, having first settled Christ in ourselves through the Spirit. After granting peace, then, to those who until then were troubled by enemies, he says, “Be still” from the enemies who distract you, so that in quiet you may contemplate the words about the truth. That is why the Lord too says, “Whoever does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” We must, then, be free from the works of marriage, so that we may be free for prayer; free from the pursuits of wealth, from desire for this paltry glory, from the pleasures of enjoyment, from envy and all wickedness toward our neighbor, so that, when our soul is calm and troubled by no passion, the shining of God may become pure and undarkened in it, as in a mirror. “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord clearly says this of his own passion, as it is written in the Gospel: “And I, when I am lifted up, will draw all to myself”; and, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” on the earth. Since, then, he was to be lifted up on the cross for the nations, and to accept being lifted up for the whole earth, therefore he says, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” “The Lord of hosts is with us; our helper is the God of Jacob.” Exulting in God's help, he has cried out the same words twice, “The Lord of hosts is with us,” as though trampling on the enemy and leaping upon him, because of his perfect confidence in the Savior of our souls, as one who will suffer nothing from the enemy. “For if God is for us, who is against us?” The one who granted Jacob the victory, and after the wrestling declared him Israel, he is our helper; he himself fights for us. Let us be still, for “he is our peace, who made the two one, that he might create the two into one new man.” ### Scripture references - Ps 46:10 (45:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:22: allusion, high confidence - Luke 8:14: allusion, high confidence - Exod 5:17: quotation, high confidence - Acts 17:21: quotation, high confidence - Matt 12:43: quotation, high confidence - Matt 12:44: quotation, high confidence - Eph 3:17: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 14:33: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:5: allusion, high confidence - John 12:32: quotation, high confidence - John 3:14: quotation, high confidence - Ps 46:11 (45:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:31: quotation, high confidence - Gen 32:28: allusion, high confidence - Eph 2:14: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:15: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The Greek verb σχολάζω means both “be at leisure” and “be free for”, which allows the play between Ps 46:10 (“Be still”, literally “Be at leisure”), Pharaoh's charge (Exod 5:17), the Athenians (Acts 17:21) and 1 Cor 7:5. Abstinence from “the works of marriage” for prayer follows 1 Cor 7:5 and is translated as written. In the quotation of Matt 12:44 Basil's text omits “I came”, supplied in brackets. Quotations: Ps 46:10–11 (LXX 45:11–12); Exod 5:17; Acts 17:21; Matt 12:43–44; Luke 14:33; John 12:32; John 3:14; Rom 8:31; Eph 2:14–15. Allusions: Matt 13:7, 22; Luke 8:14; Eph 3:17; 1 Cor 7:5; Gen 32:24–28. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 45.8 (PG 29:438; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-45-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.0 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-48-0 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The title of Ps 49 (LXX 48), on which Basil's homily comments. ### Greek text Εἰς τὸ τέλος, τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορὲ ψαλμός. ### English translation (Claude) “To the end, for the sons of Korah, a psalm.” ### Scripture references - Ps 49:1 (48:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The LXX title of Ps 49 (LXX 48:1). Basil explains it in 48.1. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.0 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-48-0). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-48-1 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil sets the Christian end of life, the blessed life under God's rule in the age to come, against the philosophers' ends (knowledge, action, pleasure), relates the psalm title “to the end” to the victory of Christ, and begins on Ps 49:1–2, a summons to all nations, earthborn and sons of men, rich and poor. ### Greek text Ἐφαντάσθησαν μέν τινες καὶ τῶν ἔξω περὶ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου τέλους, καὶ διαφόρως ἠνέχθησαν εἰς τὴν περὶ τοῦ τέλους ἔννοιαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀπεφήναντο τέλος εἶναι τὴν ἐπιστήμην, οἱ δὲ τὴν πρακτικὴν ἐνέργειαν " ἄλλοι τὸ διαφόρως χρῆσθαι τῷ βίῳ καὶ τῷ σώματι" οἱ δὲ βοσκηματώδεις ἡδονὴν ἀπεφήναντο εἶναι τὸ τέλος. Ἡμῖν δὲ τέλος, οὗ ἕνεκεν πάντα πράττομεν, καὶ πρὸς ὃ ἐπειγόμεθα, ἡ μακαρία διαγωγὴ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι. Αὕτη δὲ συμπληροῦται ἐν τῷ βασιλεύεσθαι ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τούτου γὰρ οὐδὲ μέχρις ἐπινοίας βέλτιόν τι ἐξευρεθείη τῇ λογικῇ φύσει" καὶ πρὸς ταύτην κινεῖ ἡμᾶς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, λέγων " Εἶτα τὸ τέλος, ὅταν παραδῷ τὴν βασιλείαν τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Πατρί. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Σοφονίας ἐν τῇ προφητείᾳ παρίστησι, λέγων ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ: Ὅτι τὸ κρῖμά μου εἰς συναγωγὰς ἐθνῶν, τοῦ εἰσδέξασθαι βασιλεῖς, τοῦ ἐκχέαι ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τὴν ὀργήν μου. Ἐν γὰρ πυρὶ ζήλου μου καταναλωθήσεται πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ὅτι τότε μεταστρέψω ἐπὶ λαοὺς πολλοὺς γλῶσσαν εἰς γενεὰν αὐτῆς, τοῦ ἐπικαλεῖσθαι πάντας τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, τοῦ δουλεύειν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ ζυγὸν ἕνα. Εἰς τοῦτο οὖν οἶμαι τὸ τέλος ἀναφέρεσθαι τὰς ἀπὸ τῶν Ψαλμῶν ὠφελείας, τῶν ταύτην ἐχόντων τὴν προγραφήν. οἱ δὲ τῇ ἐννοίᾳ ταύτῃ καὶ οἱ ἐπιγράψαντες, Εἰς νῖκος, ἣ Ἐπινίκιον, ἣ Τῷ νικοποιῷ" Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος, καὶ ἐξαναλώθη ὑπὸ τοῦ εἰπόντος " Ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον " καὶ ἐπειδὴ πάντα νενίκηται ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψει, ἐπουρανίων, καὶ ἐπιγείων, καὶ καταχθονίων, εἰκότως τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν ἐπινικίοις ᾧδαῖς τὰ ἀποκείμενα προαναφωνεῖ. ᾿Ακούσατε ταῦτα, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐνωτίσασθε, πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην· οἵ τε γηγενεῖς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πλούσιος καὶ πένης. Τὸ μὲν ἀκροατήριον μέγιστον, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη συγκαλοῦντος εἰς τὴν ἀκρόασιν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, καὶ πάντας τοὺς τὴν οἰκουμένην ταῖς οἰκήσεσιν ἐκπληροῦντας. Ἕλκει δὲ, οἶμαι, καὶ γηγενεῖς, καὶ υἱοὺς ἀνθρώπων, καὶ πλουσίους, καὶ πένητας, καὶ τῷ ὑψηλῷ κηρύγματι τούτῳ πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόασιν συγκαλεῖται, Ποία σκοπιὰ τῆς γῆς τοσοῦτον ἀπάσης ὑπερανέστηκεν, ὥστε ἐξ ἀπόπτου πάντα ἰδεῖν τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην ὀφθαλμῷ περιλαβεῖν; Τίς οὕτω μεγαλοφωνότατος κῆρυξ, ὥστε τοσαύταις ὁμοῦ ἀκοαῖς ἐξάκουστον ἐμβοῆσαι; Τίς ὁ δέχεσθαι δυνάμενος χῶρος τοὺς ἐκκλησιάζοντας; Πηλίκος δὲ ὁ διδάσκαλος καὶ ποταπὸς τὴν σοφίαν, ὥστε ἄξια τῆς τηλικαύτης Ἐκκλησίας ἐξευρεῖν τὰ διδάγματα; Μικρὸν ἀνάμεινον, καὶ μαθήσῃ, ὅτι ἄξια τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματός ἔστι τὰ ἐφεξῆς. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκκλησιάζων καὶ πάντα συγκαλῶν τῷ κηρύγματι ὁ Παράκλητός ἐστι, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, διὰ προφητῶν καὶ ἀποστόλων συνάγων τοὺς σωζομένους ὧν ἐπειδὴ Εἰς ἅπασαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν διὰ τοῦτό φησιν" ᾿Ακούσατε, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην. Διὸ καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἐκ παντοδαπῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων συνείλεκται, ἵνα μηδεὶς ἔξω τῆς ὠφελείας ἀπολειφθῇ. Τρεῖς γάρ εἰσι συζυγίαι τῶν κεκλημένων, ἐν αἷς ἅπαν τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων περιέχεται γένος " ἔθνη γὰρ οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην᾽ γηγενεῖς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πλούσιοι καὶ πένητες. Τίνα τοίνυν ἔξω καταλέλοιπε τῆς ἀκροάσεως; Οἱ ἀλλότριοι τῆς πίστεως διὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐκλήθησαν. Οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ εἰσὶν, οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην. Γηγενεῖς οἱ τὰ γήινα φρονοῦντες, καὶ τῶν θελημάτων τῆς σαρκὸς ἀντεχόμενοι. Υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ ἐπιμέλειάν τινα καὶ ἄσκησιν τοῦ λόγου ποιούμενοι" ἴδιον γὰρ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ λογικόν. Πλούσιοι καὶ πένητες αὐτόθεν ἔχουσι γνωριζομένην τὴν ἰδιότητα " οἱ μὲν ὑπερβαίνοντες τὴν κτῆσιν τῶν ἀναγκαίων, οἱ δὲ ἐν ἐνδείᾳ τούτων καθεστηκότες. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ ἰατρὸς τῶν ψυχῶν οὐχ ἦλθε καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν, πρῶτον ἔταξεν ἐν τῇ κλήσει ἐν ἑκάστῃ συζυγίᾳ τὸ κατεγνωσμένον. Χείρονα γὰρ τὰ ἔθνη τῶν κατοικούντων τὴν οἰκουμένην " ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως προτετίμηται εἰς τὴν κλῆσιν, ἵνα οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες πρότερον μεταλάβωσι τῆς ἐκ τοῦ ἰατροῦ ὠφελείας. Πάλιν οἱ γηγενεῖς πρὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐτάχθησαν" καὶ πλούσιοι πρὸ τῶν πενήτων. Τὸ ἀπεγνωσμένον τάγμα, καὶ δύσκολον ἔχον τὴν σωτηρίαν, πρότερον κέκληται τῶν πτωχῶν. Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ἰατροῦ φιλανθρωπία τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις " προτέροις μεταδίδωσι τῆς ὠφελείας. Ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ εἰρήνης ἐστὶ συναγωγὸν ἡ κοινωνία τῆς κλήσεως, ὥστε τοὺς ἔχοντας τέως ἐκ τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὑπεναντίως, τούτους διὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προσεθισθῆναι ἀλλήλοις εἰς τὴν ἀγάπην. Γινωσκέτω γὰρ ὁ πλούσιος, ὅτι ὁμοτίμῳ κηρύγματι κέκληται πρὸς τὸν πένητα. Ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ γὰρ, φησὶ, πλούσιος καὶ πένης. Ἔξω καταλιπὼν τὴν πρὸς τοὺς καταδεεστέρους ὑπεροχὴν, καὶ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ πλούτου φρύαγμα, … τετίμηνται. Μήτε οὖν ὁ πλούσιος τὸν πένητα ὑπερηφανείτω, μήτε ὁ πένης τὴν δυναστείαν τῶν εὐπορούντων ὑποπτησσέτω· μήτε οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοὺς γηγενεῖς ἐξουθενείτωσαν, μήτε οἱ γηγενεῖς τούτων πάλιν ἀπαλλοτριούσθωσαν. Καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἐθιζέσθω πρὸς τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ οἱ τὴν οἰκουμένην οἰκοῦντες τοὺς ξένους τῶν διαθηκῶν διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ### English translation (Claude) Some outsiders too have formed notions about the end of human life, and have been carried in different directions in their idea of the end. Some declared that the end is knowledge, others practical activity; others the varied use of life and of the body; and those of a cattle-like nature declared that pleasure is the end. But for us the end, for the sake of which we do everything and toward which we press on, is the blessed life in the age to come. And this is fulfilled in being ruled as subjects by God. For nothing better than this could be found by a rational nature even in thought; and to this the Apostle moves us, saying, “Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God and the Father.” Zephaniah too presents this in his prophecy, speaking in the person of God: “For my judgment is for the gatherings of the nations, to receive kings, to pour out my wrath upon them. For in the fire of my jealousy all the earth will be consumed; for then I will turn to the peoples a tongue for its generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke.” To this end, then, I think the benefits of the Psalms that bear this title are referred. And in this sense too are those who inscribed them “For victory,” or “Song of victory,” or “To the one who makes victorious.” For since “death has been swallowed up in victory,” and has been destroyed by the one who said, “I have conquered the world,” and since all things have been conquered by Christ, and “at his name every knee will bow, of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” the Holy Spirit fittingly proclaims beforehand, in songs of victory, the things laid up. “Hear these things, all you nations; give ear, all who inhabit the world, both earthborn and sons of men, rich and poor together.” The audience is the greatest possible, since he calls all the nations to hear the psalm, and all who fill the world with their dwellings. And he draws, I think, both earthborn and sons of men, both rich and poor, and with this lofty proclamation he calls them to hear. What watchtower on earth rises so high above the whole earth that one could see all the nations from afar and take in the whole world with one's eye? What herald has so great a voice that he can make his cry heard by so many ears at once? What place can receive those assembled? How great is the teacher, and of what wisdom, that he can find teachings worthy of so great an assembly? Wait a little, and you will learn that what follows is worthy of the announcement. For the one who assembles and calls all by the proclamation is the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth, gathering those who are being saved through prophets and apostles; and since “their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world,” he therefore says, “Hear, all you nations, and all who inhabit the world.” That is why the Church too has been gathered from all kinds of ways of life, so that no one may be left outside its benefit. For there are three pairs of those called, in which the whole human race is contained: nations and the inhabitants of the world; earthborn and sons of men; rich and poor. Whom, then, has he left outside the hearing? Those who are strangers to the faith are called by the word “nations.” Those who are in the Church are the inhabitants of the world. The earthborn are those who mind earthly things and cling to the wills of the flesh. The sons of men are those who give some care and training to reason, for rationality is the mark of man. Rich and poor have their character recognized at once: the one possess more than what is necessary, the others are in want of it. And since the physician of souls “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” in each pair he placed first in the call the one that stands condemned. For the nations are worse than the inhabitants of the world; yet they are given precedence in the calling, so that those who are badly off may share first in the physician's help. Again, the earthborn are placed before the sons of men, and the rich before the poor. The class that is despaired of, whose salvation is difficult, has been called before the poor. Such is the physician's love for mankind toward the weaker: he gives them his help first. At the same time the fellowship of the calling also brings about peace, so that those who until then were opposed to one another by their ways of life are accustomed to one another in love through the Church. Let the rich man know that he has been called with equal honor alongside the poor. “Rich and poor together,” it says. Leaving outside his superiority over those lower than he, and the arrogance that comes from wealth, … have been honored. Let the rich man, then, not despise the poor, nor the poor cower before the power of the wealthy; let the sons of men not scorn the earthborn, nor the earthborn in turn hold aloof from them. And let the nations become accustomed to the inhabitants of the world, and those who inhabit the world [embrace] the strangers to the covenants through love … ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 15:24: quotation, high confidence - Zeph 3:8: quotation, high confidence - Zeph 3:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:54: quotation, high confidence - John 16:33: quotation, high confidence - Phil 2:10: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:1 (48:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:2 (48:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 19:4 (18:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 14:17: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 9:13: quotation, high confidence - Luke 5:32: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:12: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: 1 Cor 15:24; Zeph 3:8–9 (LXX); 1 Cor 15:54; John 16:33; Phil 2:10; Ps 49:1–2 (LXX 48:2–3). “Outsiders” are the pagan philosophers; the views listed (knowledge, activity, pleasure) are commonplaces of Greek ethics. The alternative titles “For victory”, “Song of victory”, “To the one who makes victorious” are the renderings of the Hebrew heading in other Greek versions. The sentence continues in 48.2. - This section continues the sentence that ends 48.1. Quotations: Ps 19:4 (LXX 18:5; Rom 10:18); Ps 49:1–2 (LXX 48:2–3); Matt 9:13; Luke 5:32. Allusions: John 14:16–17; Eph 2:12 (strangers to the covenants). Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan, marked “…” (after “arrogance that comes from wealth”). The opening of 48.2 also had Migne's Latin and notes interleaved; they are removed by logged corrections. The verb of the last sentence is lost at the end of the section (supplied in brackets); the next staged section begins with the next verse. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.1 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/45-1/#p-48-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-2 - Source: PG 29:456 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 49:3–7 Basil joins heart and mouth (belief and confession), reads the psaltery as a life in harmony with words, and the evil day as the judgment when each sin will stand as its own accuser; to the strong and the rich he declares that no brother can ransom a soul from the devil, for every man is himself a captive of sin, and only the redemption in Christ sets free. ### Greek text Τὸ στόμα μου λαλήσει σοφίαν, καὶ ἡ μελέτη τῆς καρδίας μου σύνεσιν. Ἐπειδὴ, κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον, Καρδίᾳ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν, καὶ ἣ ἀμφοτέρων ἐν τούτοις ἐνέργεια ὑποβάλλει τὴν τελειότητα - διὰ τοῦτο ἀμφότερα ὁ λόγος ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ συνείληφε, τὴν τε τοῦ στόματος ἐνέργειαν, καὶ τὴν τῆς καρδίας μελέτην. Ἐάν τε γὰρ μὴ ᾖ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἀποκείμενον, πῶς προενέγκῃ τὸν θησαυρὸν διὰ τοῦ στόματος ὁ μὴ κεκτημένος ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ; ἐάν τε ἔχων τὰ τῆς καρδίας ἀγαθὰ μὴ δημοσιεύῃ τῷ λόγῳ, λεχθήσεται αὐτῷ " Σοφία κεκρυμμένη, καὶ θησαυρὸς ἀφανής, τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν ἀμφοτέροις; Διόπερ εἰς μὲν τῶν ἑτέρων ὠφέλιμον τὸ στόμα μου λαλείτω σοφίαν, εἰς δὲ τὴν ἡμετέραν αὐτῶν προκοπὴν ἡ καρδία μελετάτω σύνεσιν. Κλινῶ εἰς παραβολὴν τὸ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ πρόσωπον συνίστησιν ὁ Προφήτης, ἵνα μὴ εὐκαταφρόνητοι ὧσιν οἱ λόγοι ὡς ἀπὸ ἀνθρωπίνης εὑρέσεως προφερόμενοι. “Ἃ διδάσκομαι, φησὶ, παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος, ταῦτα ὑμῖν ἀναγγέλλω, οὐδὲν ἐμὸν, οὐδὲν ἀνθρώπινον λέγων " ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ κατήκοος ἐγενόμην τῶν προβλημάτων τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἐν μυστηρίῳ παραδιδόντος ἡμῖν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν, ἀνοίγω ἡμῖν καὶ φανερὸν καθίστημι τὸ πρόβλημα, ἀνοίγω δὲ οὐχ ἑτέρως ἣ διὰ ψαλτηρίου. Ἔστι δὲ τὸ ψαλτήριον ὄργανον μουσικὸν, ἐναρμονίως τοὺς φθόγγους ἀποδιδοῦν πρὸς τὴν ἐκ φωνῆς μελῳδίαν. Τὸ τοίνυν λογικὸν ψαλτήριον τότε ἀνοίγεται μάλιστα, ὅταν αἱ πράξεις ὧσι συμφώνως τοῖς λόγοις ἀποδιδόμεναι. Κἀκεῖνός ἔστι πνευματικὸν ψαλτήριον, ὁ ποιήσας καὶ διδάξας. Οὗτος ἐν ψαλμοῖς ἀνοίγει τὸ πρόβλημα, τὸ δυνατὸν τῶν διδαγμάτων ἐκ τοῦ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ὑποδείγματος προτιθείς. Ὡς οὖν μηδὲν ἀνάρμοστον, μηδὲ ἐκμελὲς ἑαυτῷ συνειδὼς κατὰ τὸν βίον, οὕτως ἐν πεποιθήσει ποιεῖται τοὺς λόγους τοὺς ἐφεξῆς" Ἵνα τί φοβοῦμαι ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πονηρᾷ; Ἢ ἀνομία τῆς πτέρνης μου οὐ κυκλώσει με. Πονηρὰν ἡμέραν τὴν τῆς κρίσεως λέγει, περὶ ἧς εἴρηται: Ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἀνίατος ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἐν ᾗ, φησὶν ὁ προφήτης, ὅτι κυκλώσει ἕκαστον τὰ διαβούλια αὐτοῦ. Τότε οὖν, διὰ τὸ μηδέν μοι πεπράχθαι ἄνομον ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ τῇ κατὰ τὸν βίον, οὐ φοβοῦμαι τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν πονηράν. Οὐ γὰρ περιστήσεταί μοι τὰ ἴχνη τῶν ἡμαρτημένων, οὐ δὲ κυκλώσει με, ἐν τῇ σιωπώσῃ κατηγορίᾳ τὸν ἔλεγχόν μοι ἐπάγοντα. Οὐδεὶς γάρ σου ἕτερος κατήγορος στήσεται ἣ αὐταὶ αἱ πράξεις μετὰ τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς ἑκάστη παρισταμένη " ἡ μοιχεία, ἣ κλοπὴ, ἡ πορνεία, μετὰ τῆς νυκτὸς, μετὰ τοῦ τρόπου, μετὰ τῶν χαρακτηριζόντων αὐτὴν ἰδιωμάτων, καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς, ἑκάστη ἁμαρτία μετὰ τοῦ ἰδίου χαρακτῆρος ἐναργῆ φέρουσα τὴν ὑπόμνησιν παραστήσεται. Ἐμὲ οὐ κυκλώσει τὰ ἴχνη τῶν ἡμαρτημένων διότι ἔκλινον εἰς παραβολὴν τὸ οὗς μου, ἤνοιξα ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ. Οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει τοῦ πλούτου αὐτῶν καυχώμενοι. Πρὸς δύο πρόσωπα τῷ Προφήτῃ ὁ λόγος ἐστί" πρός τε γηγενεῖς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πλουσίους, Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ διαλέγεται, καθαιρῶν τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν οἴησιν, τοῖς δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῶν κτημάτων ἔπαρσιν. Ὑμεῖς, φησὶν, οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν. Οὗτοι γὰρ οἱ γηγενεῖς, οἱ ἰσχύϊ σώματος ἐπελπίζοντες, καὶ οἰόμενοι αὐτάρκη εἶναι τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν πρὸς τὸ δυνατῶς ἐπιτελεῖν ἃ βούλεται. Καὶ ὑμεῖς, φησὶν, οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπὶ πλούτου ἀδηλότητι, ἀκούσατε. Λύτρων ὑμῖν χρεία πρὸς τὸ εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἐξαιρεθῆναι, ἣν ἀφῃρέθητε νικηθέντες τῇ βίᾳ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὃς, ὑποχειρίους ὑμᾶς λαβὼν, οὐ πρότερον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ τυραννίδος ἀφίησι, πρὶν ἄν τινι λύτρῳ ἀξιολόγῳ πεισθεὶς ἀνταλλάξασθαι ὑμᾶς ἕληται. Δεῖ οὖν τὸ λύτρον μὴ ὁμογενὲς εἶναι τοῖς κατεχομένοις, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ διαφέρειν τῷ μέτρῳ, εἰ μέλλοι ἑκὼν ἀφήσειν τῆς δουλείας τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους. Διόπερ ἀδελφὸς ὑμᾶς λυτρώσασθαι οὐ δύναται. Ἄνθρωπος γὰρ οὐδεὶς δυνατός ἔστι πεῖσαι τὸν διάβολον πρὸς τὸ τὸν ἅπαξ αὐτῷ ὑποπεσόντα ἐξελέσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας " ὅς γε οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτημάτων οἷός τέ ἐστι ἐξίλασμα δοῦναι τῷ Θεῷ. Πῶς οὖν ἰσχύσει τοῦτο ὑπὲρ ἑτέρου πρᾶξαι; Τί δ᾽ ἂν καὶ τοσοῦτον κτήσαιτο ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ὡς αὔταρκες ἔχειν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς φύσει τιμίας, διότι κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτὴν ἐγένετο; Ποῖος δὲ κάματος τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος αἰῶνος αὔταρκες ἐφόδιον τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ ψυχῇ; Τοσοῦτον μὲν οὖν ἁπλούστερον ταῦτα νενοήκαμεν. Κἂν τῶν μέγα τις δυναμένων ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ εἶναι δοκῇ, κἂν πλῆθος κτήσεως περιβεβλημένος ᾗ, διδάσκει καθεῖναι τῆς οἰήσεως ὁ λόγος, καὶ ταπεινωθῆναι ὑπὸ τὴν κραταιὰν χεῖρα τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μήτε ἐπὶ νομιζομένῃ δυνάμει πεποιθέναι, μήτε ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει τοῦ πλούτου καυχᾶσθαι. Δυνατὸν μέντοι καὶ μικρόν τι προσαναβῆναι τῇ διανοίᾳ, καὶ τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐπὶ τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν … νοῆσαι ἐπὶ τῶν δυνάμεων τῆς ψυχῆς, ὡς οὐκ αὐτοτελοῦς οὔσης οὐδ᾽ αὐτῆς πρὸς σωτηρίαν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν τέλειός τις ἢ ἐν υἱοῖς ἀνθρώπων, τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίας ἀπούσης, εἰς οὐδὲν λογισθήσεται. Κἂν πλῆθος ᾖ περιπεποιημένος ἑαυτῷ θεωρημάτων ἐκ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου σοφίας, καὶ πλοῦτόν τινα γνώσεως συνειληχὼς, ἀκουέτω πᾶσαν τοῦ πράγματος τὴν ἀλήθειαν᾽ ὅτι πᾶσα ἀνθρωπίνη ψυχὴ ὑπέκυψε τῷ πονηρῷ τῆς δουλείας ζυγῷ τοῦ κοινοῦ πάντων ἐχθροῦ" καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀφαιρεθεῖσα, αἰχμάλωτος ἤχθη διὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Παντὶ δὲ αἰχμαλώτῳ λύτρων χρεία πρὸς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν. Οὔτε οὖν ἀδελφὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφὸν δύναται λυτρώσασθαι, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἕκαστος ἑαυτόν " διότι πολλῷ βελτίονα δεῖ εἶναι τὸν λυτρούμενον τοῦ κεκρατημένου καὶ δουλεύοντος ἤδη. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ οὐδὲ ὅλως ἄνθρωπος ἐξουσίαν ἔχει πρὸς Θεὸν, ὡς καὶ ἐξιλᾶσθαι περὶ ἡμαρτηκότος, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ἁμαρτίας ὑπόδικος. Πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. ### English translation (Claude) “My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart understanding.” Since, according to the Apostle, “with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation,” and the working of both together in these things brings about perfection, the word has therefore combined both in the same place, the activity of the mouth and the meditation of the heart. For if the good is not stored up in the heart, how will one who does not possess the treasure in secret bring it out through the mouth? And if one has the goods of the heart but does not publish them by word, it will be said to him, “Hidden wisdom and an unseen treasure, what profit is there in either?” Therefore let my mouth speak wisdom for the benefit of others, and let my heart meditate understanding for our own progress. “I will incline my ear to a parable.” … The prophet commends his own person, so that his words may not be despised as though brought forward from human invention. “What I am taught by the Spirit,” he says, “I announce to you, saying nothing of my own, nothing human; but since I have become a hearer of the riddles of the Spirit, who hands down to us in a mystery the wisdom of God, I open it to you and make the riddle plain; and I open it in no other way than by the psaltery.” Now the psaltery is a musical instrument that renders its notes in harmony with the melody of the voice. The rational psaltery, then, is opened most of all when actions are rendered in harmony with words. And the spiritual psaltery is the one who has done and taught. He opens the riddle in psalms, setting forth the possibility of the teachings from his own example. As one, then, who is conscious of nothing out of tune or discordant in his life, he speaks the following words with confidence: “Why should I fear in the evil day? The lawlessness of my heel will not surround me.” He calls the evil day the day of judgment, of which it is said, “The day of the Lord is incurable upon all the nations,” in which, the prophet says, each one's counsels will surround him. Then, he says, because nothing lawless has been done by me on the road of life, I do not fear the evil day. For the footprints of my sins will not stand around me, nor surround me, bringing conviction upon me in a silent accusation. For no other accuser of yours will stand up but the deeds themselves, each standing by in its own form: adultery, theft, sexual immorality, with the night, with the manner, with the features that mark it; and, in a word, each sin will stand by with its own character, bringing a vivid reminder. But me the footprints of my sins will not surround, because “I inclined my ear to a parable, I opened [my riddle] on the psaltery.” [3] “Those who trust in their strength and boast in the abundance of their wealth.” The prophet's word is addressed to two persons, the earthborn and the rich. To the one he speaks to pull down their conceit about their strength; to the other, their pride in the abundance of their possessions. “You,” he says, “who trust in your strength”: these are the earthborn, who hope in bodily might and think human nature sufficient to accomplish by its own power whatever it wishes. “And you,” he says, “who trust in the uncertainty of riches, listen. You need a ransom to be set free into the liberty you were robbed of when you were conquered by the violence of the devil, who, having taken you into his power, will not release you from his tyranny until, persuaded by some worthy ransom, he chooses to exchange you.” The ransom, then, must not be of the same kind as those held captive, but must far exceed them in measure, if he is willingly to release the captives from their slavery. That is why a brother cannot ransom you. For no man is able to persuade the devil to release from his power someone who has once fallen under it, since he cannot even give God a propitiation for his own sins. How then will he have strength to do this for another? And what could he acquire in this age so great as to have a sufficient exchange for the soul, which is precious by nature, because it was made in the image of its Creator? And what toil in the present age is sufficient provision for the age to come for a human soul? So much, then, we have understood more simply. Even if someone seems to be among the very powerful in this life, even if he is surrounded by a multitude of possessions, the word teaches him to put down his conceit and be humbled under the mighty hand of God, and neither to trust in supposed strength nor to boast in the abundance of wealth. But it is also possible to rise a little higher in thought, and to understand “those who trust in their strength” … of the powers of the soul, since even the soul is not self-sufficient for salvation. For “even if one is perfect among the sons of men, if the wisdom from God is absent, he will be counted as nothing.” Even if he has gathered for himself a multitude of theories from the wisdom of the world, and amassed a kind of wealth of knowledge, let him hear the whole truth of the matter: that every human soul has bowed under the evil yoke of slavery of the common enemy of all, and, robbed of the freedom it had from its Creator, has been led captive through sin. And every captive needs a ransom for his freedom. So neither can a brother ransom his own brother, nor each one himself, because the one who ransoms must be much better than the one already held in slavery. Indeed, no man at all has authority before God to make propitiation for one who has sinned, since he too is liable for sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” our Lord. ### Scripture references - Ps 49:3 (48:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 10:10: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:4 (48:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:7: allusion, high confidence - Ps 49:5 (48:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 13:9: quotation, high confidence - Hos 7:2: allusion, high confidence - Ps 49:6 (48:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:17: allusion, high confidence - Ps 49:7 (48:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:27: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Pet 5:6: allusion, high confidence - Rom 3:23: quotation, high confidence - Rom 3:24: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Sir 20:30 (Sirach): quotation, high confidence - Wis 9:6 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 49:3–7 (LXX 48:4–8); Rom 10:10; Sir 20:30 and 41:14 (“hidden wisdom and an unseen treasure”, tagged as extrabiblical); Isa 13:9 (LXX “the day of the Lord is incurable”); Hos 7:2 (their counsels surround them); Wis 9:6; Rom 3:23–24. Allusions: 1 Cor 2:7; 1 Tim 6:17; 1 Pet 5:6; Gen 1:27. In 48.4 the scan has lost the second half of the verse “I will incline my ear to a parable” and its first comment (marked “…”), and the words between “those who trust in their strength” and “of the powers of the soul” (marked “…”). “My riddle” is supplied in brackets in the repeated verse. Basil's teaching that the ransom is paid to the devil is translated as written. The marker [3] shows where Migne's section 3 begins. Sexual immorality (πορνεία) and adultery (μοιχεία) are rendered by the project's standard terms. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.2 (PG 29:456; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-4 - Source: PG 29:457 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: No brother, not even Moses, could ransom Israel, for Moses too sinned at the rock; only Christ, God made man, could pay the price of our souls with his precious blood, needing no propitiation for himself. The Lord who never wearies toiled in this age, and so do the righteous like Paul, Lazarus and Job, who will live to the end, while the luxurious rich man and the worldly wise will die. ### Greek text Οὐ δώσει οὖν τῷ Θεῷ ἐξίλασμα ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῆς λυτρώσεως τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ. Μήτε οὖν τὸν ἀδελφὸν ζήτει εἰς ἀπολύτρωσιν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὑπερβαίνοντά σου τὴν φύσιν " μήτε ἄνθρωπον ψιλὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἄνθρωπον Θεὸν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ὃς καὶ μόνος δύναται δοῦναι ἐξίλασμα τῷ Θεῷ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἡμῶν, ὅτι αὐτὸν Προέθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι. ᾿Αδελφὸς ἣν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ Μωῦσῆς " καὶ ὅμως λυτρώσασθαι αὐτὸν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη. Πῶς οὖν ὁ τυχὼν λυτρώσεται ἄνθρωπος; Διὸ τὸ μὲν ἀποφαίνεται " Ἀδελφὸς οὐ λυτροῦται" τὸ δὲ ἐρωτηματικῶς μετὰ βαρύτητος ἐπιφέρει" Λυτρώσεται ἄνθρωπος; Οὐ γὰρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἠλευθέρωσε τὸν λαὸν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ παρῃτήσατο κίνησιν. Οὗτος δὲ οὐδὲ δοῦναι ἠδυνήθη ἐξίλασμα ἑαυτοῦ, γενόμενος ἐν παραπτώματι " ὅτι μετὰ τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα τέρατα καὶ σημεῖα ἃ εἶδε, τὴν διστακτικὴν ἐκείνην ἀφῆκε φωνήν ᾿Ακούσατέ μου, οἱ ἀπειθεῖς. Μὴ ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ταύτης ἐξάξομεν ὑμῖν ὕδωρ; Διόπερ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματι τούτῳ εἶπε πρὸς Μωϋσῆν καὶ Ἀαρών· Ὅτι οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε ἐν ἐμοὶ, τοῦ ἁγιάσαι με ἐναντίον υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰσάξετε ὑμεῖς τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην εἰς τὴν γῆν ἦν ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς. Οὐ δώσει οὖν τῷ Θεῷ ἐξίλασμα ἑαυτοῦ. Τί γὰρ δύναται ἄνθρωπος εὑρεῖν τηλικοῦτον, ἵνα δῷ ὑπὲρ λυτρώσεως τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ; ᾿Αλλ᾽ εὑρέθη ἕν ὁμοῦ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀντάξιον, ὃ ἐδόθη εἰς τιμὴν λυτρώσεως τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν, τὸ ἅγιον καὶ πολυτίμητον αἷμα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐξέχεε πάντων διόπερ καὶ τιμῆς ἠγοράσθημεν. Εἰ οὖν ἀδελφὸς οὐ λυτροῦται, λυτρώσεται ἄνθρωπος; Εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωπος λυτρώσασθαι ἡμᾶς οὐ δύναται, ὁ λυτρωσάμενος ἡμᾶς οὐχ ἄνθρωπος. Μὴ οὖν, διὰ τὸ ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας ἐπιδεδημηκέναι ἡμῖν, ἄνθρωπον μόνον ὑπολάβῃς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν, τὴν τῆς θεότητος δύναμιν ἀγνοήσας " ὃς οὐ χρείαν ἔσχε δοῦναι τῷ Θεῷ ἐξίλασμα ἑαυτοῦ, οὐδὲ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπολυτρώσασθαι ψυχὴν, διότι ᾿Αμαρτίαν οὐχ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ. Ἐξωνήσασθαι μὲν οὖν ἑαυτὸν οὐδεὶς ἱκανὸς, ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ ὁ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπιστρέφων, οὐ μετὰ λύτρων, οὐδὲ μετὰ δώρων, ὡς ἐν Ἡσαΐᾳ γέγραπται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ αἵματι. Οὗτος δὲ οὐχὶ ἀδελφοὺς ἡμᾶς ὄντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχθροὺς ἡμᾶς γενομένους τοῖς παραπτώμασιν, οὔτε ἄνθρωπος ψιλὸς ὧν, ἀλλὰ Θεὸς, μετὰ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἣν χαρίζεται ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀδελφοὺς ἡμᾶς ἑαυτοῦ προσαγορεύει. Ἀπαγγελῶ γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ ὄνομά σου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου. Ὁ οὖν λυτρωσάμενος ἡμᾶς, ἐὰν μὲν τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ σκοπῇς, οὔτε ἀδελφὸς, οὔτε ἄνθρωπος " ἐὰν δὲ τὴν ἐκ χάριτος αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς συγκατάβασιν, καὶ ἀδελφοὺς ἡμᾶς ὀνομάζει, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀνθρώπινον καταβαίνει, ὃς Οὐ δώσει τῷ Θεῷ ἐξίλασμα ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τοῦ κόσμου παντός. Οὐ γὰρ ἱλασμοῦ δεῖται, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτός ἐστιν ἱλαστήριον. Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεὺς ὅσιος, ἄκακος, ἀμίαντος, κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν … οὐκ ἔχει καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνάγκην, ὥσπερ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, πρότερον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν προσφέρειν θυσίας, ἔπειτα τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ ἀγνοημάτων. Εἴτά φησι" Καὶ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τέλος. Ἡ αὐτοζωὴ, ἡ δύναμις, ἡ ἀκάματος φύσις, ἐκοπίασεν ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἡνίκα Κεκοπιακὼς ἐκ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ἐκαθέζετο ἐπὶ τῆς πηγῆς. Ὃς οὐχ ὄψεται καταφθορὰν, ὅταν ἴδῃ σοφοὺς ἀποθνήσκοντας (οὐ δώσει γὰρ τὸν ὅσιον αὐτοῦ ὁ Πατὴρ ἰδεῖν διαφθορὰν), ὅταν οἱ τὴν καταργουμένην σοφίαν αὐχοῦντες ἀποθνήσκωσιν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει καὶ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπων δικαίων λαβεῖν τὰ εἰρημένα, μνήσθητι τοῦ Ἰὼβ λέγοντος" Ἄνθρωπος γεννᾶται κόπῳ" καὶ πάλιν τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου, ὅτι Περισσότερον αὐτῶν πάντων ἐκοπίασα " καὶ τὸ, Ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως. Ὁ οὖν κοπιάσας ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, οὗτος ζήσεται εἰς τέλος " ὁ δὲ ἐν τρυφῇ καὶ πάσῃ ἐκλύσει διάγων, διὰ τὸ ἁβροδίαιτον πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον ἐνδυόμενος, καὶ εὐφραινόμενος καθ' ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς, καὶ φεύγων τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς καμάτους, οὔτε ἐκοπίασεν ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, οὔτε ζήσεται ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι, ἀλλὰ μακρὰν ὄψεται τὴν ζωὴν, βασανιζόμενος ἐν τῇ φλογὶ τῆς καμίνου. Ὁ δὲ μυρίοις τοῖς … ἀναλαβεῖν αὐτὴν ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως ἐξετασθεὶς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ζήσειν μέλλων εἰς τέλος, ὡς ὁ πολλὰ κοπιάσας ἐν θλίψεσι Λάζαρος " ὡς ὁ κατάκοπος γενόμενος ἐν τοῖς πρὸς τὸν ἐναντίον ἀγῶσιν Ἰώβ. Ἐκεῖ γὰρ, φησὶ, κατάκοποι ἀνεπαύσαντο. Διὸ καὶ ὃ Κύριος καλεῖ πρὸς τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν τοὺς κοπιῶντας καὶ πεφορτισμένους, Πῶς οὖν οἱ κοπιῶντες ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς πεφορτισμένοι λέγονται; Ὅτι Πορευόμενοι ἐπορεύοντο καὶ ἔκλαιον, βάλλοντες τὰ σπέρματα αὐτῶν" ἐρχόμενοι δὲ ἥξουσιν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, αἴροντες τὰ δράγματα αὐτῶν πεπληρωμένα καρπῶν, τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν ἑσπαρμένων ἀποδοθέντων αὐτοῖς. Πεφορτισμένοι οὖν λέγονται οἱ, διὰ τὸ σπεῖραι ἐπ᾽ εὐλογίαις, ἐπ᾽ εὐλογίαις καὶ θερίζοντες, καὶ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης αἰωνίου τὰ τῶν πνευματικῶν καρπῶν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπαναθέμενοι δράγματα. Ὁ οὖν λυτρωθεὶς διὰ τοῦ δεδωκότος Θεοῦ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἐξίλασμα, οὗτος ἐκοπίασε μὲν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ζήσεται εἰς τέλος. Οὗτος καὶ Οὐκ ὄψεται καταφθορὰν, ὅταν ἴδῃ σοφοὺς ἀποθνήσκοντας. Ὁ τὴν στενὴν καὶ ἔγκοπον ὁδὸν πρὸ τῆς λείας καὶ ἀνειμένης ἐκλεξάμενος, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀπαγομένων εἰς τὴν αἰωνίαν κόλασιν τῶν ἀπιστησάντων μὲν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ Θεοῦ, πορευθέντων δὲ ὀπίσω τῶν θελημάτων τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν τῆς ματαίας, οὗτος τὴν αἰώνιον καταφθορὰν, τὴν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς κακοπάθειαν οὐχ ὄψεται. Σοφοὺς δὲ λέγει ἥτοι τοὺς δεινοὺς ἐν πανουργίᾳ, περὶ ὧν φησι … καλὸν ποιῆσαι οὐ γινώσκουσιν" ἣ σοφοὺς λέγει καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου τῶν ἐμωράνθησαν. Διότι Ἡ σοφία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου μωρία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ διὰ τὸ εἶναι μωροποιὸν τὴν σοφίαν ταύτην, ἀπολέσειν φησὶν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν, καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν ἀθετήσειν. Αἱ οὖν πιθανότητες τῆς ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως, θανάτου αἰτίαν τοῖς παραδεξαμένοις παρέχονται· ὄντινα θάνατον οὐχ ὄψεται ὁ λυτρωθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ εὐδοκήσαντος ἐν τῇ μωρίᾳ τοῦ κηρύγματος σῶσαι τοὺς πιστεύοντας. ### English translation (Claude) “He will not give God a propitiation for himself, nor the price of the redemption of his soul.” Do not, then, seek a brother for your redemption, but one who surpasses your nature; not a mere man, but the man who is God, Jesus Christ, who alone can give God a propitiation for all of us, because “God put him forward as a propitiation through faith in his blood.” Moses was a brother of Israel, and yet he could not redeem them. How then will any ordinary man redeem? That is why the psalm on the one hand declares, “A brother does not redeem,” and on the other adds as a question, with gravity, “Will a man redeem?” For he did not free the people from sin, but begged off God's anger at their sin. And he could not even give a propitiation for himself, having himself fallen into a transgression, because after so many and such great wonders and signs which he had seen, he uttered that doubting word: “Hear me, you disobedient: shall we bring water out of this rock for you?” That is why the Lord too, at this word, said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me before the sons of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” “He will not give God a propitiation for himself.” For what can a man find so great that he may give it for the redemption of his soul? But one thing was found worth as much as all men together, which was given as the price of the redemption of our souls: the holy and most precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he poured out for us all; that is why “we were bought with a price.” If then a brother does not redeem, will a man redeem? But if a man cannot redeem us, the one who redeemed us is not a man. Do not, then, because he came among us “in the likeness of sinful flesh,” suppose our Lord to be only a man, ignoring the power of his Godhead. He had no need to give God a propitiation for himself, nor to redeem his own soul, because “he committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.” No one is able to buy himself back unless the one comes who turns back the captivity of the people, “not with ransoms nor with gifts,” as it is written in Isaiah, but with his own blood. And he, not because we were brothers but when we had become enemies by our transgressions, being not a mere man but God, after the freedom he graciously gives us, also calls us his brothers. “For I will declare your name,” he says, “to my brothers.” The one who redeemed us, then, if you look at his nature, is neither brother nor man; but if you look at his gracious condescension toward us, he both calls us brothers and comes down to the human level, he who “will not give God a propitiation for himself,” but for the whole world. For he does not need propitiation, but is himself the propitiation. “For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners …, who has no need daily, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the sins of ignorance of the people.” Then he says, “And he toiled forever, and he will live to the end.” Life itself, power itself, the nature that knows no toil, toiled in this age, when, “wearied from the journey, he sat beside the spring.” [5] “For he will not see corruption, when he sees the wise dying” (for the Father “will not give his holy one to see corruption”), when those who boast of the wisdom that is being brought to nothing die. But if you wish to take what is said of righteous men as well, remember Job saying, “Man is born for toil”; and again the Apostle, “I toiled more abundantly than all of them”; and, “in toils more abundantly.” The one, then, who has toiled in this age will live to the end; but the one who passes his life in luxury and every slackness, wearing purple and fine linen because of his soft living, and making merry splendidly every day, and fleeing the labors on behalf of virtue, neither toiled in this age nor will live in the age to come, but will see life from afar, tormented in the flame of the furnace. But the one who … to gain it, proved in toils more abundantly, is the one who will live to the end, like Lazarus, who toiled much in afflictions; like Job, who was worn out in the contests against the adversary. “For there,” it says, “the weary were at rest.” That is why the Lord too calls to rest those who labor and are heavy laden. How then are those who labor in good works said to be heavy laden? Because “going, they went and wept, casting their seeds; but coming they will come with exultation, carrying their sheaves,” full of fruits, those sown being rendered to them in proportion. So they are called heavy laden who, because they sowed bountifully, also reap bountifully, and with eternal gladness have loaded on themselves the sheaves of spiritual fruits. The one, then, who has been redeemed through God, who gave a propitiation for him, toiled in this age, but afterward will live to the end. He also “will not see corruption, when he sees the wise dying.” The one who chose the narrow and toilsome way before the smooth and easy one, at the time of God's visitation, when those who disbelieved the words of God and walked after the wills of their vain heart are led away into eternal punishment, will not see eternal corruption, unending misery. By the wise he means either those clever in villainy, of whom it is said, … “but to do good they do not know”; or he also calls wise the disciples of the rulers of this age, who were made foolish. For “the wisdom of this world is folly with God.” And because this wisdom makes foolish, God says that he will destroy the wisdom of the wise and set aside the understanding of the understanding. The persuasions of the knowledge falsely so called, then, provide a cause of death for those who accept them; which death the one will not see who has been redeemed by the one who was pleased through the folly of the preaching to save those who believe. ### Scripture references - Ps 49:7 (48:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 3:25: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:8 (48:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Num 20:10: quotation, high confidence - Num 20:12: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:20: quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:3: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 2:22: quotation, high confidence - Isa 45:13: quotation, high confidence - Ps 22:22 (21:23 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 John 2:2: allusion, high confidence - Heb 7:26: quotation, high confidence - Heb 7:27: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:9 (48:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 4:6: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:10 (48:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 16:10 (15:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Job 5:7: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:10: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:23: quotation, high confidence - Luke 16:19: allusion, high confidence - Luke 16:24: allusion, high confidence - Job 3:17: quotation, high confidence - Matt 11:28: allusion, high confidence - Ps 126:6 (125:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 9:6: allusion, high confidence - Matt 7:14: allusion, high confidence - Jer 7:24: allusion, medium confidence - Jer 4:22: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:6: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:19: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:19: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:20: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:21: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 49:7–10 (LXX 48:8–11); Rom 3:25; Num 20:10, 12; 1 Cor 6:20; Rom 8:3; 1 Pet 2:22; Isa 45:13; Ps 22:22 (LXX 21:23; Heb 2:12); Heb 7:26–27; John 4:6; Ps 16:10 (LXX 15:10); Job 5:7; 1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 11:23; Job 3:17; Matt 11:28; Ps 126:6 (LXX 125:6); 2 Cor 9:6; Jer 4:22; 1 Cor 3:19; 1 Cor 1:19 (Isa 29:14); 1 Cor 1:21; 1 Tim 6:20. Allusions: 1 John 2:2; Luke 16:19–25 (the rich man and Lazarus); Matt 7:13–14; Jer 7:24; 1 Cor 2:6. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan (marked “…”): in the quotation of Heb 7:26–27, after “the one who” (Basil's description of the toiling righteous), and before the quotation of Jer 4:22. The marker [5] shows where Migne's section 5 begins. Basil's reading of “He toiled forever” (LXX 48:10) of Christ follows his LXX text. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.4 (PG 29:457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-6 - Source: PG 29:457 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The verse Ps 49:10b (LXX 48:11), on which Basil comments in 48.8. ### Greek text ᾿Επὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἄφρων καὶ ἄνους ἀπολοῦνται, καὶ καταλείψουσιν ἀλλοτρίοις τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτῶν. … αἰῶνα. Σκηνώματα αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν. Ἐπεκαλέσαντο τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν γαιῶν. Ἄνω ἑνὶ ὀνόματι τῷ γενικῷ προσηγόρευσε σοφοὺς, οὓς νῦν ὑποδιαιρῶν, ἄφρονας καὶ ἄνους λέγει. Δῆλον ὅτι σοφοὺς μὲν αὐτοὺς εἶπεν. ἀπὸ τῆς οἰήσεως τῆς ἐκείνων συγχρησάμενος τῷ ὀνόματι. Ὡς καὶ τῶν ἠπατημένων ἑπόμενος, οὕτω καὶ σοφοὺς εἶπε τοὺς ἄφρονας καὶ ἀνοήτους. Δυνατὸν οὖν τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ διελεῖν τὸν ἄφρονα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνοήτου. Ἄφρων μὲν γάρ ἔστιν ὁ ἐστερημένος φρονήσεως, καὶ ὁ πρὸς τὰ κοινὰ καὶ ἀνθρώπινα διορατικῶς μὴ ἔχων. Οὕτω καὶ ἣ συνήθεια φρονίμους καλεῖ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν βίον πράγμασι τὸ ὠφέλιμον καὶ βλαβερὸν διακρίνοντας· καθὸ εἴρηται καὶ ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ" “Ὅτι οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου φρονιμώτεροι ὑπὲρ τοὺς υἱοὺς τοῦ φωτὸς εἰς τὴν γενεὰν τὴν ἑαυτῶν εἰσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς φρονιμώτεροι, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν διεξαγωγὴν τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης τῆς ἐν τῇ σαρκί. Οὗτοι δὲ καὶ οἰκονόμοι ἀδικίας λέγονται, διὰ τὸ φρόνιμον τῆς περὶ τὸν ἑαυτῶν βίον οἰκονομίας. Κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ σημαινόμενον, φρόνιμοί εἰσιν καὶ οἱ ὄφεις, καταδύσεις ἑαυτοῖς εὐτρεπίζοντες, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις παντὶ τρόπῳ τὰς ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν πληγὰς ἀποφεύγοντες. Ἄνους δὲ λέγεται ὁ οὐκ ἔχων τὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐξαίρετα. Ταῦτα δέ ἔστι Θεοῦ Πατρὸς κατανόησις, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ ὄντος πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν Λόγου παραδοχὴ καὶ ὁ παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐγγινόμενος φωτισμός " ὅντινα νοῦν ἔχουσιν οἱ δυνάμενοι μετὰ Παύλου λέγειν" Ἡμεῖς δὲ νοῦν Χριστοῦ ἔχομεν. Κέχρηται μέντοι καὶ ἐνηλλαγμένως τοῖς ῥήμασι τούτοις ἡ συνήθεια τῆς Γραφῆς, τὸν μὲν ἄθεον ἄφρονα λέγουσα ἐν τῷ, Εἶπεν ἄφρων ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ" Οὐκ ἔστι Θεός " καὶ πάλιν τὸ περὶ τὴν ζωὴν βλαβερὸν ἀνόητον ὀνομάζουσα " ὡς ὁ ᾿Απόστολος περὶ τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων εἰς ἐπιθυμίας ἀνοήτους καὶ βλαβεράς. Οὕτω μέντοι ὁ ἄφρων καὶ ὁ ἄνους πρὸς ἓν κοινὸν τέλος τὴν ἀπώλειαν καταφέρονται. Δύναται δέ τις εἰπεῖν ἄφρονα μὲν ὠνομάσθαι τὸν ἐθνικῶς ζῶντα, ἄνουν δὲ τὸν Ἰουδαϊκῶς κατὰ τὴν ψιλὴν τοῦ νόμου τήρησιν πολιτευόμενον. Τούτῳ γὰρ τῷ ἄφρονι εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς διὰ τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν αὐτῷ ἀθεότητα· Ἄφρον, ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀφαιροῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ. Ἄνους δὲ ὁ κατὰ σάρκα Ἰσραὴλ ὠνόμασται κατὰ τὸν προφήτην, ὅς φησι" Καὶ ἦν Ἐφραῖμ ὡς περιστερὰ ἄγους " Αἴγυπτον ἐπεκαλεῖτο, καὶ εἰς Ἀσσυρίους ἐπορεύετο. Τούτων οὖν κοινῇ ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἀγνοίας συντριβομένων, ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀλλότριοι αὐτῶν κληρονόμοι τοῦ πλούτου γινόμεθα. Ἡμῶν γὰρ αἱ ἐντολαὶ, ἡμέτεροι οἱ προφῆται, … Ἡμῖν κατέλιπον τὸν πλοῦτον ἑαυτῶν οἱ ἐν τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ ἑαυτῶν ἀπολλύμενοι. Τούτων δὲ αἱ οἰκίαι, τοῦ ἄφρονος καὶ τοῦ ἀνοήτου, τάφοι εἰσὶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὧν γὰρ ὁ βίος νεκρῶν ἔργων τῶν ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας πεπλήρωται, τούτων τάφοι εἰσὶν αἱ οἰκίαι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ὁ γὰρ νεκρὸς γενόμενος τοῖς παραπτώμασιν οὐχ οἰκίαν οἰκεῖ, ἀλλὰ τάφον, τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς νενεκρωμένης. Οἰκίαν μὲν γὰρ οἰκεῖ ὁ ἄδολος τὸ ἦθος καὶ ἁπλοῦς Ἰακὼβ, περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, ὅτι ἦν ἄνθρωπος ἄπλαστος καὶ ἀγαθὸς, οἰκῶν οἰκίαν" τάφον δὲ οἰκεῖ ὁ παμπόνηρος, μηδὲ θεμέλιον μετανοίας καταβαλλόμενος ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων, ἀλλὰ παροιμοιάζων τάφῳ κεκονιαμένῳ " ὃς ἔξωθεν μὲν ἐμφανὴς ὧν, ἔσωθεν … Διόπερ ὁ τοιοῦτος φθεγγόμενος οὐχὶ στόμα ἀνοίγει λόγῳ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ τάφον ἔχει ἀνεῳγμένον τὸν λάρυγγα αὐτοῦ. Εἴ τις οὖν εἰς Χριστὸν πιστεύων, μὴ ἀκολούθως τῇ πίστει τὰς πράξεις ἀποδίδωσιν, οὗτος διὰ τὸ μοχθηροῖς δόγμασι προσεσχηκέναι, καὶ διὰ τὸ παρεκδέχεσθαι τὸ βούλημα τῆς Γραφῆς, λατομεῖ ἑαυτῷ ἐν τῇ πέτρᾳ μνημεῖον. Σκηνώματα αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν " τουτέστιν, οἱ τάφοι οἰκίαι αὐτῶν εἰσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Εἶτα ἑρμηνεύων τίνας βούλεται εἶναι τάφους, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι περὶ τῶν σωμάτων λέγει, οἷς … Σκηνώματα αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν, κατὰ τὴν συνήθειαν, σκηνωμάτων τῶν … ἐπικαλοῦνται τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν γαιῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐγγράφεται ἀσεβοῦς ὄνομα ἐν βίβλῳ ζώντων, οὐδὲ ἀριθμεῖται μετὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν ἀριθμουμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς " ἀλλὰ τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν ἐναπομένει τὰ ὀνόματα, διότι τὴν παροδικὴν ταύτην ζωὴν καὶ ὀλιγοχρόνιον τῶν αἰωνίων σκηνῶν προετίμησαν. Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς οἰκοδομοῦντας ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν ἀγορὰς καὶ γυμνάσια, τείχη ἀνιστῶντας, ὑδραγωγοὺς ἐπισκευάζοντας, πῶς τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν τούτοις ἐπικέκληται τοῖς γηίνοις κατασκευάσμασιν; Ἤδη δέ τινες, καὶ ἀγέλαις ἵππων τὰς ἑαυτῶν προσηγορίας … τῷ βίῳ τὴν μνήμην ἑαυτῶν ἐπενόησαν" καὶ ἐν τάφοις δὲ μεγαλουργίαν ἐπιδειξάμενοι, τοῖς μνήμασιν ἑαυτῶν ἐναφῆκαν τὰ ὀνόματα. Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὰ γήϊνα φρονοῦντες, καὶ τὴν ἐνταῦθα δόξαν, καὶ τὸ παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις μνημονεύεσθαι αὔταρκες ἑαυτοῖς εἰς μακαριότητα λογιζόμενοι. Κἂν ἴδῃς δέ τινα τῶν ἐπὶ ψευδωνύμῳ γνώσει μέγα φρονούντων, καὶ προσνεμόντων ἑαυτοὺς μοχθηρῶν τινων δογμάτων συγκαταθέσεσι, καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ἀφ᾽ ἑνός τινος τῶν αἱρεσιαρχησάντων ἑαυτοὺς ὀνομάζοντας, Μαρκίωνος, ἣ Οὐαλεντίνου, ἣ τῶν νῦν ἐπιπολαζόντων τινὸς, γίνωσκε, ὅτι καὶ οὗτοι ἐπεκαλέσαντο τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῶν γαιῶν, φθαρτοῖς ἀνθρώποις καὶ τὸ ὅλον γηΐνοις ἑαυτοὺς ### English translation (Claude) “The senseless and the mindless will perish together, and they will leave their wealth to strangers.” … forever. Their dwellings for generation and generation. They called their names upon their lands.” Above he called them by one general name, wise; now, dividing them, he calls them senseless and mindless. Clearly he called them wise using the name from their own conceit. As [he calls gods those who are not gods by nature,] following the usage of those who are deceived, so he called the senseless and the foolish wise. One can, then, distinguish in thought the senseless from the mindless. The senseless man is one who is deprived of prudence and has no discernment in common and human affairs. So too ordinary usage calls prudent those who discern what is profitable and harmful in the affairs of life; as it is said in the Gospel too, “The sons of this age are more prudent than the sons of light in their own generation.” Not prudent absolutely, but for conducting this life in the flesh. These are also called stewards of unrighteousness, because of the prudence of their management of their own life. In this sense serpents too are prudent, preparing hiding places for themselves and in dangers avoiding by every means blows to the head. The mindless man is the one who does not have the special gifts of man. These are the knowledge of God the Father, the reception of the Word who was in the beginning with God, and the illumination that comes from the Holy Spirit. This mind they have who can say with Paul, “But we have the mind of Christ.” Yet the usage of Scripture also employs these words interchangeably, calling the godless senseless in, “The senseless one said in his heart, ‘There is no God,’” and again calling what is harmful in life mindless, as the Apostle does about those who fall into “mindless and harmful desires.” In this way the senseless and the mindless are carried to one common end, destruction. One might say that the one living as a pagan is called senseless, and the one who lives as a Jew according to the bare observance of the law mindless. For to the senseless God said, because of the godlessness that was in him, “Senseless one, this night they are taking your soul from you.” And Israel according to the flesh is called mindless, according to the prophet who says, “And Ephraim was like a mindless dove; he called on Egypt and went to the Assyrians.” As these, then, are broken together by their own ignorance, we who were strangers to them become heirs of their wealth. For ours are the commandments, ours are the prophets, … They have left their wealth to us, those who perish in their senselessness. And the houses of these, the senseless and the mindless, are tombs forever. For those whose life is full of dead works coming from every sin, their houses are tombs forever. For the one who has become dead in transgressions dwells not in a house but in a tomb, since his own soul is dead. For Jacob, simple and guileless in character, dwells in a house, of whom it is written that he was “a plain man and good, dwelling in a house”; but the utterly wicked dwells in a tomb, not laying a foundation of repentance from dead works, but resembling a whitewashed tomb, which on the outside is outwardly conspicuous, but within … That is why such a man, when he speaks, does not open his mouth to the word of God, but has his throat an open tomb. If anyone, then, who believes in Christ does not render actions in accord with his faith, he, because he has given heed to depraved doctrines and has twisted the meaning of Scripture, hews himself a tomb in the rock. [7] “Their dwellings for generation and generation”: that is, their tombs are their houses forever. Then, explaining what he means by tombs, to show that he is speaking of bodies, in which … “Their dwellings for generation and generation,” in the usual way of dwellings … they call their names upon their lands. For the name of the ungodly is not written in the book of the living, nor numbered with the Church of the firstborn who are numbered in heaven; but their names remain on their land, because they preferred this passing and short-lived life to the eternal tents. Do you not see those who build marketplaces and gymnasia in the cities, raise walls, repair aqueducts, how their names are called upon these earthly constructions? Some already have even [given] their own names to herds of horses … devised the remembrance of themselves in life; and showing magnificence in tombs too, they have left their names on their monuments. These are those who mind earthly things, who reckon glory here and being remembered among men enough for their blessedness. And if you see any of those who are proud of the knowledge falsely so called, who give themselves to assent to depraved doctrines, and instead of the name of Christians call themselves after one of the founders of heresies, Marcion or Valentinus or one of those now in vogue, know that these too have called their names upon their lands, [giving] themselves to corruptible men, wholly earthly, ### Scripture references - Ps 49:10 (48:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:11 (48:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Luke 16:8: quotation, high confidence - Matt 10:16: allusion, medium confidence - John 1:1: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 2:16: quotation, high confidence - Ps 14:1 (13:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:9: quotation, high confidence - Luke 12:20: quotation, high confidence - Hos 7:11: quotation, high confidence - Rom 9:4: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 25:27: quotation, high confidence - Heb 6:1: allusion, high confidence - Matt 23:27: allusion, high confidence - Ps 5:9 (5:10 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Matt 27:60: allusion, medium confidence - Phil 4:3: allusion, medium confidence - Heb 12:23: allusion, high confidence - Luke 16:9: allusion, medium confidence - Phil 3:19: allusion, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:20: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The verse alone survives in this staged section; the rest of the scan text here is Migne's Latin and a stray duplicated line, removed by logged corrections. Basil's comment on the verse is in 48.8, whose opening is lost. - Quotations: Ps 49:11 (LXX 48:12); Luke 16:8; 1 Cor 2:16; Ps 14:1 (LXX 13:1); 1 Tim 6:9; Luke 12:20; Hos 7:11; Gen 25:27 (LXX: “a plain man, dwelling in a house”, with “and good” in Basil's text); Ps 5:9 (LXX 5:10; Rom 3:13). Allusions: Luke 16:8 (steward of unrighteousness); Matt 10:16 (prudent serpents); John 1:1; Rom 9:4; Heb 6:1; Matt 23:27; Matt 27:60; Phil 3:19; Heb 12:23; Phil 4:3; Luke 16:9; 1 Tim 6:20. The opening of the verse is lost in the scan, as are words at several places marked “…”: after “ours are the prophets”, in the image of the whitewashed tomb, in the explanation of “dwellings”, and in the sentence about naming herds of horses (bracketed words supplied by sense). A line displaced in the scan (between “who fall into” and “mindless and harmful desires”) belongs to the sentence “As he calls gods those who are not gods by nature, following the usage of those who are deceived”; it is translated there in brackets. Basil's contrast between the Church and Israel “according to the flesh”, which lives by “the bare observance of the law”, is his own view and is translated as written. The marker [7] shows where Migne's section 7 begins. The sentence continues past the end of the section; the next staged section begins with the next verse. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.6 (PG 29:457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-6). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-8 - Source: PG 29:457 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 49:12–13 Basil sets out man's dignity: made in God's image, ruling the creatures, above sun and stars, which are soulless and bound by necessity; yet man, enslaved to the flesh, has become like the beasts (lustful horse, wolf, fox), forgetting both his creation and the price of his redemption, the blood of Christ; God sets stumbling blocks in the way of sinners, as with Paul, so that they may turn and confess. ### Greek text Καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐν τιμῇ ὧν, οὐ συνῆκε" παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς. Αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν σκάνδαλον αὐτοῖς" καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐδοκήσουσι. Μέγα ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τίμιον ἀνὴρ ἐλεήμων, τὸ τίμιον ἐν τῇ φυσικῇ κατασκευῇ ἔχων. Τί γὰρ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ἄλλο κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος γέγονε; Τίνι ἡ κατὰ πάντων ἀρχὴ καὶ ἐξουσία τῶν τε χερσαίων καὶ ἐνύδρων καὶ ἐναερίων ζώων κεχάρισται; Βραχὺ μὲν ὑποβέβηκε τὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων ἀξίαν διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸ γεῶδες σῶμα συνάφειαν" τὸν μὲν οὖν ἄνθρωπον ἐποίησεν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα· ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἡ γε τοῦ νοεῖν καὶ συνιέναι τὸν ἑαυτῶν Κτίστην καὶ Δημιουργὸν δύναμις καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑπάρχει. Ἐνεφύσησε γὰρ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον" τουτέστι, μοῖράν τινα τῆς ἰδίας χάριτος ἐναπέθετο τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ἵνα τῷ ὁμοίῳ ἐπιγινώσκῃ τὸ ὅμοιον. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐν τιμῇ ὧν τηλικαύτῃ, ἐκ τοῦ δεδημιουργῆσθαι κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος, ὑπὲρ οὐρανὸν, ὑπὲρ ἥλιον, ὑπὲρ τὰς τῶν ἀστέρων χορείας τετιμημένος (τίς γὰρ τῶν οὐρανῶν εἰκὼν εἴρηται τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου; ποίαν δὲ ἥλιος εἰκόνα σώζει τοῦ κτίσαντος; τί ἡ σελήνη; τί οἱ λοιποὶ ἀστέρες; ἄψυχα μὲν καὶ ὑλικὰ, διαφανῆ δὲ μόνον τὰ σώματα κεκτημένοι, ἐν οἷς οὐδαμοῦ διάνοια, οὐ προαιρετικαὶ κινήσεις, οὐχ αὐτεξουσιότητος ἐλευθερία " ἀλλὰ δοῦλά ἔστι τῆς ἐπικειμένης ἀνάγκης, καθ᾽ ἣν ἀπαραλλάκτως ἀεὶ περὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ἀναστρέφεται)" ὑπὲρ οὖν ταῦτα ταῖς τιμαῖς προηγμένος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, οὐ συνῆκεν, ἀλλὰ καταλιπὼν τὸ ἕπεσθαι Θεῷ, καὶ ὁμοιοῦσθαι τῷ κτίσαντι, δοῦλος γενόμενος τῶν παθῶν τῆς σαρκὸς, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις. … θηλυμανὴς χρεμετίζων ἐπὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ αὐτοῦ· νῦν δὲ ὡς λύκος ἅρπαξ ἐφεδρεύων τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις" ἄλλοτε δὲ διὰ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν δόλου τῇ πανουργίᾳ τῆς ἀλώπεκος εἰκαζόμενος. Ὑπερβολὴ δὲ τῆς ἀνοίας καὶ τῆς κτηνώδους ἀλογίας τῷ ὄντι μήτε τῆς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἑαυτοῦ κατασκευῆς ἐπαισθάνεσθαι, δημιουργηθέντα κατ᾽ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος, μήτε τὰς τηλικαύτας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ γενομένας οἰκονομίας νοεῖν βούλεσθαι, καὶ ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνων γοῦν ἑαυτοῦ γνωρίζειν τὸ τίμιον " ἀλλ᾽ … ὅτι ἀποβαλὼν τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου. ἀνέλαβε τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χοϊκοῦ. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ ἐναπομείνῃ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, δι᾽ αὐτὸν Ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἑαυτὸν ἐταπείνωσεν … θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. Εἰ μὴ τῆς πρώτης σεαυτοῦ γενέσεως μέμνησαι, ἐκ τῆς καταβληθείσης ὑπὲρ σοῦ τιμῆς λάβε τοῦ ἀξιώματος ἔννοιαν " ἀπόβλεψόν σου πρὸς τὸ ἀντάλλαγμα, καὶ γνῶθι σεαυτοῦ τὴν ἀξίαν. Τῷ πολυτιμήτῳ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἠγοράσθης " μὴ γίνου δοῦλος τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Σύνες σεαυτοῦ τῆς τιμῆς, ἵνα μὴ παρεικασθῇς τοῖς ἀνοήτοις κτήνεσιν. Αὕτη ἡ ὁδὸς αὐτῶν σκάνδαλον αὐτοῖς. Ὁ οἰκονομῶν τὰ ἡμέτερα Θεὸς ἐμποδίζει ἡμῖν διὰ τῆς κακίας βαδίζουσιν, προσκόμματα ἡμῖν καὶ κωλύματα τιθεὶς, ἵνα, ἀποστάντες τῆς κατὰ ἀλογίαν ζωῆς, μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῷ στόματι ἡμῶν εὐδοκήσωμεν, καρδίᾳ μὲν πιστευσάντων εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογησάντων εἰς σωτηρίαν. Ἐδίωκε Παῦλος, ἐπόρθει τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐνῆκεν αὐτοῦ τὸν δρόμον τὸν ἐπὶ τὴν πονηρίαν· μετὰ ταῦτα ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ εὐδόκησε, καταγγέλλων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς, Ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός. ### English translation (Claude) “And man, being in honor, did not understand; he has been compared to the senseless cattle and has become like them. This way of theirs is a stumbling block to them; and afterward they will be pleased with their mouth.” A great thing is man, and a merciful man precious, having what is precious in his natural constitution. For what else on earth has come to be in the image of its Creator? To whom has rule and authority over all, land creatures, water creatures and creatures of the air, been granted? He is a little lower than the dignity of the angels because of his union with an earthly body: for he made man from the earth, “and his ministers a flame of fire”; but nevertheless the power to know and understand their own Maker and Creator exists in human beings too. For “he breathed into his face”: that is, he placed in man a share of his own grace, so that by the like he might recognize the like. Yet, being in such great honor, from having been made in the image of his Creator, honored above heaven, above the sun, above the choirs of the stars (for which of the heavens is said to be the image of God Most High? What image of its Creator does the sun preserve? What of the moon? What of the other stars? They are soulless and material, having only bright bodies, in which there is no thought anywhere, no movements of choice, no freedom of self-determination; but they are slaves of the necessity laid upon them, by which they revolve unvaryingly about the same things), man, though advanced in honors above these, did not understand, but, abandoning following God and becoming like his Creator, and becoming a slave of the passions of the flesh, “has been compared to the senseless cattle.” … lusting like a horse, neighing after his [neighbor's] wife; now like a ravening wolf lying in wait for what belongs to others; at another time likened, by his deceit toward his brother, to the cunning of the fox. It is truly the height of folly and of brutish irrationality neither to perceive one's own original constitution, made in the image of the Creator, nor to be willing to understand such great dispensations made for one's sake, and from them at least to recognize one's own worth; but … that, having thrown away the image of the heavenly, he took up the image of the earthly. And so that he might not remain in sin, for his sake “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” and humbled himself so far as … “death, even death on a cross.” If you do not remember your first origin, take an idea of your dignity from the price paid for you; look to what was given in exchange for you, and know your worth. You were bought with the precious blood of Christ; do not become a slave of sin. Understand your honor, so that you may not be likened to the senseless cattle. “This way of theirs is a stumbling block to them.” God, who manages our affairs, hinders us as we walk through wickedness, setting stumbling blocks and obstacles for us, so that, turning away from an irrational life, we may afterward be pleased with our mouth, having believed with the heart unto righteousness and confessed with the mouth unto salvation. Paul was persecuting, was ravaging the Church of Christ; he threw himself into his course toward wickedness; afterward he was pleased with his mouth, proclaiming in the synagogues that this is the Christ. ### Scripture references - Ps 49:12 (48:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:13 (48:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Prov 20:6: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:26: allusion, high confidence - Ps 8:5 (8:6 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Ps 104:4 (103:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:7: quotation, high confidence - Jer 5:8: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:49: allusion, high confidence - John 1:14: quotation, high confidence - Phil 2:8: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 1:19: allusion, high confidence - Rom 6:16: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 10:10: allusion, high confidence - Gal 1:13: allusion, high confidence - Acts 9:20: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 49:12–13 (LXX 48:13–14); Prov 20:6 (LXX); Ps 104:4 (LXX 103:4; Heb 1:7); Gen 2:7; John 1:14; Phil 2:8; Rom 10:10. Allusions: Gen 1:26–28; Ps 8:5–8 (LXX 8:6–9); Jer 5:8; 1 Cor 15:49; 1 Pet 1:18–19; 1 Cor 6:20; Rom 6:16; Gal 1:13; Acts 9:20–22. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan (marked “…”): the beginning of the comparison with animals (the word “lusting”, θηλυμανής, is completed from Jer 5:8; Basil's text has “his wife” where Jeremiah has “his neighbor's wife”, supplied in brackets), the verb after “but” (perhaps “to forget”), and the middle of the quotation of Phil 2:8. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.8 (PG 29:457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-8). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-9 - Source: PG 29:457 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 49:14–15 Basil reads death as the shepherd given the captives by the devil, from Adam to Moses, until the Good Shepherd laid down his life, led them out of Hades into the morning of the resurrection, and handed them to the angels; the psalmist's hope that God will redeem his soul from Hades foretells Christ's descent into Hades. ### Greek text Ὡς πρόβατα ἐν ἄδῃ ἔθετο, θάνατος ποιμανεῖ αὐτούς. Τοὺς δὲ κτηνώδεις καὶ παρασυμβληθέντας τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, ὡς πρόβατα οὔτε σύνεσιν ἔχοντα, οὔτε τὴν πρὸς τὸ ἀμύνασθαι δύναμιν, ὁ διαρπάζων εἰς τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἐχθρὸς ὧν, ἤδη κατέβαλεν εἰς τὸ ἴδιον αὐτοῦ ὀχύρωμα, καὶ παρέδωκε τῷ θανάτῳ ποιμαίνειν. Ἐποίμαινε γὰρ ὁ θάνατος ἀπὸ ᾿Αδὰμ μέχρι τῆς κατὰ Μωῦσέα πολιτείας, ἕως οὗ ἦλθεν ὁ ἀληθινὸς ποιμὴν, ὁ θεὶς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων, καὶ οὕτως ἑαυτῷ συναναστήσας καὶ ἐξαγαγὼν ἐκ τῆς φυλακῆς τοῦ ἄδου εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως πρωΐαν, παρέδωκε τοῖς εὐθέσι, τουτέστι, τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ ἀγγέλοις, εἰς τὸ ποιμαίνειν αὐτούς. Καὶ κατακυριεύσουσιν αὐτῶν οἱ εὐθεῖς τὸ πρωΐ. Ἑκάστῳ γὰρ τῶν πιστῶν ἐστιν ἄγγελος παρεζευγμένος, ἄξιος τοῦ βλέπειν τὸν Πατέρα τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Οὗτοι οὖν οἱ εὐθεῖς κατακυριεύσουσιν αὐτῶν ἐκ τῆς πικρο… δουλείας τῶν γενομένων ἐν τῇ πρωΐᾳ, τουτέστι, τῶν ὑπελθόντων τὴν ἀνατολὴν τοῦ φωτός. Θέασαι πάντα τὸν εἱρμὸν τῶν γραφικῶν ῥημάτων. Ἄνθρωπος, ἐν τιμῇ ὧν, οὐ συνῆκε· παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις. Ὁ διὰ μὲν τὴν κατασκευὴν ἔχων τὸ τίμιον, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐνοικοῦσαν ἐν αὐτῷ ἁμαρτίαν οὐχ αἰσθανόμενος ἑαυτοῦ, οὗτος παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσιν. Εἶτα διὰ τὸ ἀλλοτριῶσαι ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγου, γενόμενον ἄλογον, ὡς πρόβατον ἀποίμαντον ὁ ἐχθρὸς διαρπάσας ἐν τῷ ἅδῃ ἔθετο, καὶ παρέδωκε τῷ θανάτῳ ποιμαίνειν. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ ἐκεῖθεν ῥυσθεὶς, καὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ ποιμένος ἀπαλλαγεὶς, λέγει τὸ, Κύριος ποιμαίνει με. Καὶ οὐκέτι θάνατος, ἀλλὰ ζωή " οὐκέτι πτῶσις, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνάστασις " οὐκέτι τὸ ψεῦδος, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἀλήθεια. Καὶ ἡ βοήθεια αὐτῶν παλαιωθήσεται ἐν τῷ ἄδῃ. Ἤτοι περὶ τοῦ θανάτου λέγει, τοῦ μὴ δυνηθέντος μετὰ πάσης αὐτοῦ τῆς βοηθείας ἀντισχέσθαι τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ποιμαινομένων διὰ τὸν καταλύοντα τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου· ὧν πᾶσα ἡ βοήθεια παλαιὰ καὶ ἀσθενής. Καὶ πότε ἐξελεγχθήσεται ἡ βοήθεια τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἡπατημένων τῇ διανοίᾳ, τῷ πλούτῳ, καὶ δόξῃ, καὶ δυναστείᾳ μέγα φρονούντων. Ἐν τῷ ἄδῃ παλαιωθήσεται ἐλεγχομένης αὐτῶν τῆς ἀσθενείας. Ἢ μήποτε ἡ βοήθεια τῶν δικαίων τῶν λυτρωθέντων παρὰ Κυρίου παραταθήσεται ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ. Οὔπω γὰρ ἐκομίσαντο τὰς ἐπαγγελίας, τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσιν οἱ προειληφότες. Πλὴν ὁ Θεὸς λυτρώσεται τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ἄδου, ὅταν λαμβάνῃ με. Σαφῶς προφητεύει τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου κάθοδον εἰς ᾅδου, ὃς μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ αὐτοῦ λυτρώσεται τοῦ Προφήτου τὴν ψυχὴν, ὡς μὴ ἐναπομεῖναι ἐκεῖ. ### English translation (Claude) “Like sheep he has put them in Hades; death will shepherd them.” Those who are brutish and have been compared to the senseless cattle, like sheep that have neither understanding nor strength to defend themselves, the one who carries them off into captivity, being an enemy, has already cast down into his own stronghold and handed over to death to shepherd. For death shepherded from Adam until the dispensation of Moses, until the true shepherd came, who laid down his own life for the sheep, and so, raising them up with himself and leading them out from the prison of Hades into the morning of the resurrection, handed them over to the upright, that is, to his holy angels, to shepherd them. “And the upright will rule over them in the morning.” For each of the faithful has an angel joined to him, worthy to behold the Father who is in heaven. These upright ones, then, will rule over them from the bitter … slavery of those who have come to be in the morning, that is, of those who have entered into the rising of the light. Consider the whole sequence of the words of Scripture. “Man, being in honor, did not understand; he has been compared to the senseless cattle.” The one who has what is precious through his constitution, but because of the sin that dwells in him does not perceive himself, has been compared to the cattle. Then, because he estranged himself from God the Word and became irrational, the enemy carried him off like an unshepherded sheep and put him in Hades, and handed him over to death to shepherd. That is why the one rescued from there and freed from the evil shepherd says, “The Lord shepherds me.” And no longer death, but life; no longer a fall, but a resurrection; no longer falsehood, but the truth. “And their help will grow old in Hades.” Either he is speaking of death, which with all its help could not hold on to those it shepherded, because of the one who destroys him who has the power of death; and all their help is old and weak. And when will the help of men deceived in mind, proud of wealth and glory and power, be refuted? In Hades it will grow old, as their weakness is refuted. Or perhaps the help of the righteous, redeemed by the Lord, will be extended in Hades. For they have not yet received the promises, God having foreseen something better for us, that those who went before should not be made perfect apart from us. “But God will redeem my soul from the hand of Hades, when he receives me.” He clearly prophesies the Lord's descent into Hades, who with the others will redeem the prophet's soul too, so that it may not remain there. ### Scripture references - Ps 49:14 (48:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:14: allusion, high confidence - John 10:11: allusion, high confidence - Matt 18:10: allusion, high confidence - Ps 49:12 (48:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:17: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 23:1 (22:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 2:14: allusion, high confidence - Heb 11:39: quotation, high confidence - Heb 11:40: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:15 (48:16 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 3:19: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 49:12, 14–15 (LXX 48:13, 15–16); Ps 23:1 (LXX 22:1); Heb 2:14; Heb 11:39–40. Allusions: Rom 5:14; John 10:11; Matt 18:10 (each believer's angel); Rom 7:17; 1 Pet 3:19. A word is partly lost where Migne's Latin stands in the scan (“bitter … slavery”). In the LXX, Ps 48:15 reads “their help will grow old”; Basil also gives a second reading, “will be extended”. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.9 (PG 29:457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-2/#p-48-9). ## Homilies on the Psalms 48.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-10/#p-48-10 - Source: PG 29:457 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 49:16–20 Basil answers those who doubt providence because the unjust prosper: the rich man takes nothing with him but a shroud and a little earth; the poor are comforted hereafter, as with the rich man and Lazarus. The worldly man praises God only in prosperity, as the devil charged against Job; the sinner knows God only by ancestral custom, and both he and the authors of false teaching will not see the light; the homily closes by lamenting man, honored but become like the beasts. ### Greek text Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος, ἣ ὅταν πληθυνθῇ ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ. Μὴ φοβοῦ, φησὶν, ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος. ᾿Αναγκαῖον καὶ τοῦτο τὸ κήρυγμα τοῖς τὴν οἰκουμένην κατοικοῦσι, τοῖς τε γηγενέσι καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, πλουσίοις τε ὁμοῦ καὶ πένησι. Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος. Ὅταν ἴδῃς, φησὶν, ἄδικον μὲν πλουτοῦντα, δίκαιον δὲ πενόμενον, μὴ φοβηθῇς κατὰ σεαυτόν" μὴ πτοηθῇς τῇ διανοίᾳ, ὡς ἄρα … ἢ ἔστι μέν που τάχα ἡ θεία ἐπισκοπὴ, οὐ μὴν καὶ πρὸς τὸν περίγειον τόπον φθάνει, ὥστε καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερα ἐφορᾶν. Εἰ γὰρ πρόνοια ἦν, ἑκάστῳ μερίζουσα τὰ οἰκεῖα, ὥστε πλουτεῖν μὲν τοὺς δικαίους, τοὺς ἐπισταμένους τῷ πλούτῳ χρήσασθαι, … δὲ τοὺς πονηροὺς τοὺς ἔχοντας ὄργανον τῆς οἱκείας πονηρίας τὸν πλοῦτον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολλοί εἰσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ τοῖς γηγενέσιν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα φρονοῦντες, καὶ διὰ τὴν φαινομένην ἀνωμαλίαν τοῦ ἐπιμερισμοῦ τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων ἀπρονόητον εἶναι τὸν κόσμον ὑπολαμβάνοντες " τούτοις διαλέγεται ὁ λόγος, καταστέλλων αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπαίδευτον κίνησιν· οὗς καὶ ἐν προοιμίοις ἐπὶ τὴν ἀκρόασιν τῶν διδαγμάτων ἐκάλει. Ἤ που καὶ πρὸς μόνον ἰδίως τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πένητος ἀποτείνεται λέγων" Μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅταν πλουτήσῃ ἄνθρωπος. Οὗτοι γὰρ καὶ μάλιστα παραμυθίας δέονται πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑποπτήσσειν τοὺς ὑπερέχοντας. Οὐδὲν γὰρ, φησὶν, ὄφελος τῷ πλουσίῳ ἀποθνήσκοντι, μὴ δυναμένῳ λαβεῖν τὸν πλοῦτον σὺν ἑαυτῷ " ὅς γε τοσοῦτον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως ἐκέρδαινε μόνον, ὅσον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ παρὰ τῶν κολάκων μακαρισθῆναι. Ἐν δὲ τῷ ἀποθνήσκειν, οὐ λήψεται, φησὶ, πᾶσαν ταύτην τὴν περιβολὴν" μόλις ἔνδυμα λήψεται καλύπτον αὐτοῦ τὰ ἀσχήμονα · καὶ τοῦτο, ἐὰν δόξῃ τῶν οἰκετῶν τοῖς περιστέλλουσιν. ᾿Αγαπητὸν αὐτῷ γῆς ὀλίγης λαχεῖν" καὶ ταύτης δι᾿ οἶκτον διδομένης αὐτῷ παρὰ τῶν κηδευόντων, οἵτινες αὐτῷ παρέχονται ταῦτα αἰδοῖ τῆς κοινῆς καὶ ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, οὐχ αὐτῷ χαριζόμενοι, ἀλλὰ τιμῶντες τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Μὴ μικροψύχει οὖν περὶ τὰ παρόντα, ἀλλὰ ἀνάμενε τὴν μακαρίαν ἐκείνην ζωὴν καὶ ἀπέραντον. Ὄψει γὰρ τότε, ὅτι πρὸς καλοῦ γίνεται τῷ δικαίῳ ἡ πενία, καὶ ἡ ἀδοξία, καὶ ἡ στέρησις τῆς τρυφῆς. Καὶ μὴ ταραχθῇς νῦν ἐπὶ τοῖς νομιζομένοις ἀγαθοῖς, ὡς ἀδίκως μεριζομένοις. ᾿Ακούσῃ γὰρ πῶς τῷ μὲν πλουσίῳ λεχθήσεται" Ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου" τῷ δὲ πένητι, ὅτι ἀπέχει τὰ κακὰ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ. Διόπερ ἀκολούθως ὁ μὲν παρακαλεῖται, ὁ δὲ ὀδυνᾶται. Ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι, ὅταν ἀγαθύνῃς αὐτῷ. Περὶ τοῦ χοϊκοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀγαθὰ νομίζοντος εἶναι μόνα τὰ τοῦ βίου τούτου προτερέματα, πλοῦτον, καὶ ὑγίειαν, καὶ δυναστείαν, περὶ τούτου φησὶν, ὅτι ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ Θεῷ, ὅταν ἀγαθύνηται" ἐν δὲ τοῖς περιστατικοῖς πᾶσαν ἀφίησι δυσφημίαν. Καταλιπὼν γὰρ τὸν πένητα, πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἤδη ποιεῖται τὸν λόγον" ἐν κατηγορίᾳ τῇ τοῦ πλούτου παραλαμβάνων καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ εὐθηνίᾳ μόνῃ εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Θεῷ, σκυθρωποτέρων δέ τινων περιστάντων, μηκέτι τὸν αὐτὸν διαμένειν. Τοιοῦτον γάρ ἔστι καὶ τὸ τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς κατηγορίαν προσφερόμενον τῷ Ἰὼβ, ὅτι οὐ δωρεὰν σέβεται Ἰὼβ τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλὰ μισθὸν ἔχει τῆς εὐσεβείας τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Διὸ καὶ εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετῆς ἐγύμνωσεν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς ὧν εἶχεν, ἵνα διὰ πάντων διαφανῇ τὸ πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχάριστον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Οἶμαι λέγειν περὶ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὅτι τοσοῦτον ἐπιγινώσκει Θεὸν, ὅσον ἣ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ συνήθεια παραδέδωκε᾽ τῇ δὲ οἰκείᾳ τοῦ φρονεῖν δυνάμει οὐδὲν πλέον προσκτᾶται, οὐδὲ προστίθησιν ἑαυτῷ εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπίγνωσιν. Τοσοῦτον οὖν, φησὶ, παραγίνῃ σὺ, ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τοσαύτη ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῷ ἡ περὶ σοῦ ἔννοια, ὅση ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ ὑπῆρχε. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἀργὸν πολὺ τῆς διανοίας καὶ ὅλον γήϊνον καὶ φιλόσαρκον τοῦ ἐν πλούτῳ καὶ τρυφῇ κυλιομένου παρίστησι, καὶ τοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν βιωτικῶν μεριμνῶν καταπεπνιγμένον τὸν νοῦν ἔχοντος. Διὰ τοῦτο ἕως αἰῶνος οὐκ ὄψεται φῶς. Οἱ γὰρ τυφλοῖς διδασκάλοις τὴν ὁδηγίαν ἑαυτῶν ἐπιτρέψαντες ἐστέρησαν ἑαυτοὺς τῆς τοῦ φωτὸς ἀπολαύσεως. Ἔχει δὲ καί τινα τοιοῦτον νοῦν τὸ, Εἰσελεύσῃ ἕως γενεᾶς πατέρων αὐτοῦ. Τουτέστι, τοὺς ἐν πονηρῷ βίῳ καὶ δόγμασι πατρίοις μὲν, ἀλλοτρίως δὲ ἔχουσι πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καταληφθέντας, οὐχ αὐτοὺς ἐκδικεῖς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς τῶν μοχθηρῶν διδαγμάτων ἐπιζητεῖς. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ αὐτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὁ πονηρὰς ἔχων περὶ Θεοῦ ἐννοίας ὑπαίτιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τούτων πρὸς τὴν ἀπώλειαν ταύτην καθηγησάμενος. Τοιοῦτοι δὲ οἱ καὶ τὴν προγόνων κακίαν διαδεξάμενοι, καὶ δυσέκνιπτον ἔχοντες, διὰ τὸ χρονίῳ ἔθει βεβαιωθῆναι. Ἕως αἰῶνος οὐκ ὄψεται φῶς. Πέμπονται γὰρ Εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον" ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων· καὶ τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν δικαίαν κρίσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑπομένουσιν, ἐπειδὴ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, διὰ τοῦ τὰ φαῦλα πράσσειν, ἐμίσουν τὸ φῶς. Ἄνθρωπος, ἐν τιμῇ ὧν, οὐ συνῆκε· παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς. Σχετλιαστικὴ ἡ φωνή. Ἄνθρωπος, ὁ βραχύ τι παρ᾽ ἀγγέλους … Μέγα ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τίμιον ἀνὴρ ἐλεήμων - οὗτος διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰσθανθῆναι τοῦ οἰκείου ἀξιώματος, ἀλλ᾽ ὑποκύψαι τοῖς πάθεσι τῆς σαρκὸς, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς. ### English translation (Claude) “Do not fear when a man becomes rich, or when the glory of his house is increased.” “Do not fear,” he says, “when a man becomes rich.” This proclamation too is necessary for those who inhabit the world, the earthborn and the sons of men, rich and poor together. “Do not fear when a man becomes rich.” When you see, he says, an unjust man rich and a just man poor, do not be afraid within yourself; do not be alarmed in your mind as though … or there is perhaps a divine oversight somewhere, but it does not reach the earthly region so as to watch over our affairs too. “For if there were a providence, giving each his due, the just, who know how to use wealth, would be rich, and the wicked …, who have wealth as an instrument of their own wickedness.” Since, then, there are many among the nations and the earthborn who think such things, and who, because of the apparent unevenness in the distribution of the affairs of life, suppose the world to be without providence, the word speaks to them, checking their uninstructed movement of mind; these he called at the beginning to hear the teachings. Or perhaps he addresses specially the person of the poor man alone, saying, “Do not fear when a man becomes rich.” For these especially need encouragement, so as not to cower before those who are above them. For there is no profit, he says, to the rich man when he dies, since he cannot take his wealth with him; he gained from its enjoyment only so much as to have his soul called blessed by flatterers in this life. “For when he dies he will take nothing,” he says, of all this finery; he will barely take a garment to cover his unseemliness, and that only if the servants who lay him out see fit. He will be glad to get a little earth, and that given him out of pity by those who bury him, who provide him these things out of respect for our common human nature, not to do him a favor, but to honor humanity. Do not, then, be faint-hearted about present things, but wait for that blessed and endless life. For then you will see that poverty, obscurity and the lack of luxury turn out for the good of the righteous. And do not be troubled now about the things thought good, as though they were unjustly distributed. For you will hear how it will be said to the rich man, “You received your good things in your life,” and of the poor man, that he received evil things in his life. That is why, fittingly, the one is comforted and the other is in anguish. “He will confess to you when you do him good.” Of the earthly man, who thinks the only goods are the advantages of this life (wealth, health and power), of him he says that he will confess God when he is done good to, but in adversities he lets loose every blasphemy. For leaving the poor man, he now addresses his word to God, including in the accusation of wealth this too, that it gives thanks to God only in prosperity, and when gloomier things come round no longer remains the same. Such too was the devil's charge brought against Job, that Job does not worship the Lord for nothing, but has wealth as the wage of his piety, and the rest. That is why, to show the man's virtue, God stripped him of what he had, so that his gratitude toward God might shine out through everything. [11] [“You will go in as far as the generation of his fathers.”] I think he says of the sinner that he knows God only so far as the custom of his fathers has handed down, but by his own power of thought he gains nothing more and adds nothing to himself toward the knowledge of the truth. “So far, then,” he says, “do you, O God, come to him, and so much is the thought of you in him, as there was in the generation of his fathers.” And here he presents the great sluggishness of mind, wholly earthly and fleshly, of the one who wallows in wealth and luxury and has his mind choked by the cares of life. That is why “he will not see light forever.” For those who have entrusted their guidance to blind teachers have deprived themselves of the enjoyment of the light. The words “You will go in as far as the generation of his fathers” also have some such sense as this: you punish not only those caught in an evil life and in doctrines that are ancestral but alien to piety, but you seek out also the authors of the depraved teachings. And this is the meaning of “his.” For not only is the one who has evil ideas about God guilty, but also the one who led him into this destruction. Such are those who have inherited the wickedness of their forebears and have it hard to wash out, because it has been made firm by long habit. “He will not see light forever.” For they are sent “into the outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”; and this they suffer by the just judgment of God, since in this life, by doing evil, they hated the light. “Man, being in honor, did not understand; he has been compared to the senseless cattle and has become like them.” It is an indignant cry. Man, made a little lower than the angels … “A great thing is man, and a merciful man precious”: he, because he did not perceive his own dignity, but bowed down to the passions of the flesh, “has been compared to the senseless cattle and has become like them.” ### Scripture references - Ps 49:16 (48:17 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:17 (48:18 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Luke 16:25: quotation, high confidence - Ps 49:18 (48:19 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Job 1:9: allusion, high confidence - Ps 49:19 (48:20 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 15:14: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 8:12: quotation, high confidence - John 3:20: allusion, high confidence - Ps 49:20 (48:21 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 8:5 (8:6 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Prov 20:6: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 49:16–20 (LXX 48:17–21); Luke 16:25; Matt 8:12; Prov 20:6 (LXX). Allusions: Job 1:9–11; Matt 15:14; John 3:20; Ps 8:5 (LXX 8:6; Heb 2:7). The words of Ps 49:19 (LXX 48:20) heading Basil's comment on “the generation of his fathers” are lost in the scan and supplied in brackets; Basil quotes them in both the second and third person. The marker [11] shows where Migne's section 11 begins. The objection about providence is presented by Basil as the thought of the doubters (marked as a quotation); a few words are lost in it and at its start (marked “…”), as are the words after “a little lower than the angels”, where the scan has Migne's Latin and notes. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 48.10 (PG 29:457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-10/#p-48-10). ## Homilies on the Psalms 59.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-10/#p-59-1 - Source: PG 29:461 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil, weak from long illness, likens his sermon to a mother's dry breast given to a crying child. He finds the history behind the title of Ps 60 in 2 Samuel 8 and 10, and asks why David laments after his greatest victories: the title points to the end, to “those who will be changed,” the Gentiles who turn from idols to the Gospel; he then reads the verses as God's rejection of sin, his pity in sending his Son, the sign of Christ's blood, and the sharing of Israel's covenant with all nations. ### Greek text Πρὸς τὸ πρόθυμον ἀφορῶντα τῆς ὑμετέρας καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ δυνάμεως ἀσθενὲς, ὑπῆλθέ μέ τις εἰκὼν παιδίου νεανικωτέρου λοιπὸν, οὕπω μέντοι ἀπὸ θηλῆς ὑπ᾽ ἀῤῥωστίας κατεψυγμένην " ᾧ κἂν αἰσθάνηται ἡ μήτηρ ξηρὰς ἔχουσα τὰς πηγὰς τοῦ γάλακτος, τὸν μαζὸν ἐπιδίδωσιν" οὐχ ἵνα θρέψῃ τὸ νήπιον. ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα παύσῃ κλαυθμυριζόμενον. Καὶ τοίνυν εἰ καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα κατεξηραμμένα τῇ μακρᾷ ταύτῃ καὶ ποικίλῃ τοῦ σώματος ἀῤῥωστίᾳ, ὅμως πρόκειται ὑμῖν, οὐχ ἀπόλαυσιν ἀξιόλογον, ἀλλὰ πληροφορίαν τινὰ παρεχόμενα, διότι τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν τὸ ὑπερβάλλον ἀρκεῖται καὶ μόνῃ τῇ φωνῇ τὸν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν πόθον καταπραῦναι. Προσειρήσθω τοίνυν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησία, καὶ διδασκέσθω λέγειν ὅπερ ἀρτίως ἐλέγομεν" Δὸς ἡμῖν βοήθειαν ἐκ θλίψεως, καὶ ματαία σωτηρία ἀνθρώπου. Ὥστε τάχα οὐδὲ τὸ προφασίζεσθαι ἀῤῥωστίαν ἡμῖν ἡ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ διάνοια συγχωρεῖ, εἴπερ ἡ θλίψις βοηθείας πρόξενος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ἀσθενείας ἐστὶν ἀφορμή. Τοῖς οὖν ἀπωσμένοις διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας, εἶτα διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν Θεοῦ πάλιν προσδεχθεῖσιν εὔκαιρον λέγειν: Ὁ Θεὸς, ἀπώσω ἡμᾶς, καὶ καθεῖλες ἡμᾶς" ὠργίσθης, καὶ ᾠκτείρησας ἡμᾶς. Μᾶλλον δὲ, ἐπειδὴ εἰς ἀκολουθίαν ὁ λόγος τῆς τοῦ ψαλμοῦ διανοίας ἐνέπεσε, δεῦρο μετρίως ἁψώμεθα αὐτοῦ τῆς ἐξηγήσεως. Ἡ ἱστορία τοῦ προκειμένου ψαλμοῦ αὐτολεξεὶ μὲν, κατὰ τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν, οὐδέπω καὶ νῦν εὕρηταί που κειμένη τῶν θεοπνεύστων ἱστοριῶν " τὰ μέντοι ἰσοδυναμοῦντα αὐτῇ τοῖς φιλοπόνως ἐρευνῶσιν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ βίβλῳ τῶν Βασιλειῶν εὑρεθήσεται, ἐν ᾗ γέγραπται Καὶ ἐπάταξε Δαβὶδ τὸν Ἀδραζὰρ υἱὸν ἐπιστῆσαι τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ποταμὸν Εὐφράτην … ἅρματα, καὶ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἱππέων, καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν πεζῶν. Καὶ παρέλυσε Δαβὶδ πάντα τὰ ἅρματα, καὶ ὑπελείπετο ἐξ αὐτῶν ἑκατὸν ἅρματα. Καὶ μετὰ βραχέα λέγει" Καὶ ἐβασίλευσε Δαβὶδ ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἦν Δαβὶδ ποιῶν κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ Ἰωὰβ υἱὸς Σαρουΐας ἐπὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς, Καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα - Καὶ ἀπέστειλαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἀμμὼν, καὶ ἐμισθώσαντο τὴν Συρίαν Ῥοὼβ, καὶ τὴν Συρίαν Σωβᾶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν " καὶ εἶδεν Ἰωὰβ, ὅτι ἐγενήθη πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀντιπρόσωπον τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ ἐπέλεξεν ἐκ πάντων τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ παρετάξαντο ἐξεναντίας Συρίας. Καὶ εἶδον οἱ δοῦλοι Ἀδραζὰρ … ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐδούλευσαν αὐτοῖς. Ταύτῃ τῇ περικοπῇ τῆς ἱστορίας εὑρίσκομεν τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ συμβαίνουσαν πλὴν γε ὅτι ὁ χρόνος ἐστὶ τῆς στηλογραφίας ταύτης, καθ᾽ ὅν λαμπρότατος ἑαυτοῦ καὶ περιφανέστατος ἦν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ πόλεμον ἀνδραγαθήμασιν ὁ Δαβίδ. “Ὥστε ζητήσεως ἄξιον, πῶς ἀπὸ ὀδυρμῶν καὶ θρήνων ἄρχεται, δέον περιχαρῇ εἶναι καὶ εὔθυμον ἐπὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασιν. Ἄλλαι γὰρ ἑορταζόντων φωναὶ, καὶ ἄλλαι σκυθρωπαζόντων. Ἐπινίκια δὲ ἑορτῆς ὑπόθεσις πανδήμου, οὐ στρατιώταις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γεωργοῖς, καὶ ἐμπόροις, καὶ χειροτέχναις, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς μετέχουσι τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῆς εἰρήνης. Πῶς οὖν, Ὁ Θεὸς, ἀπώσω ἡμᾶς, καὶ καθεῖλες ἡμᾶς; Καὶ μὴν προσελάβετο τοὺς νενικηκότας. Πῶς δὲ καθεῖλεν οὗς τοσοῦτον ηὔξησε, προσθεὶς αὐτοῖς ὅπλα, καὶ ἅρματα, καὶ ἵππους, καὶ ὑπηκόους καὶ χώραν ὑπόφορον, τὴν ᾿Αραβίαν πᾶσαν, τὴν Φοινικὴν, τὴν Μέσην τῶν ποταμῶν; Ἄξιον ἐπιστῆσαι, μή τινα ἀχαριστίαν ἔχει τὰ ῥήματα. Ὁ γὰρ ἀνελὼν μὲν πρότερον τὸν Ἀδραζὰρ βασιλέα Σωβᾶ, λαβὼν δὲ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ χίλια ἅρματα, καὶ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἱππέων, καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδας πεζῶν, πάλιν δὲ τὸν Συρίας βασιλέα ἐπιβοηθοῦντα τῷ ἐπταικότι δουλωσάμενος, καὶ ὑπόφορον καταστήσας, καὶ ἐν μιᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ εἴκοσι καὶ δύο χιλιάδας αὐτοῦ καταφονεύσας, καὶ τρίτην νίκην τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Αμμὼν νικήσας παραταξαμένους παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς πόλεως διὰ Ἰωὰβ τοῦ ἀρχιστρατήγου, ὃς διελὼν δίχα τὴν δύναμιν, τοῖς μὲν ἀπήντα κατὰ πρόσωπον, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ νότου περιελθὼν ἐχειρώσατο" πῶς ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀνδραγαθήμασι στυγνὰ οὕτω καὶ κατηφῇ φθέγγεται, λέγων Ὁ Θεὸς, ἀπώσω ἡμᾶς, καὶ καθεῖλες ἡμᾶς - ὠργίσθης, καὶ ᾠκτείρησας ἡμᾶς; Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν καιρὸς τῆς στηλογραφίας οὗτος ἦν ὁ τῶν κατορθωμάτων· ἡ δὲ δύναμις τῶν γεγραμμένων εἰς τὸ τέλος ἔχει τὴν ἀναφοράν" … μέλλον. Διὸ καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοιωθησομένοις γεγράφθαι φησὶ τὸν ψαλμόν. Ἔστι δὲ ἁπαξαπλῶς περὶ παντὸς τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων νοῆσαι, ὡς εἰς πάντας … γὰρ καὶ ἀλλοιωθησόμενοι οἱ μήτε τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἕξιν τὴν αὐτὴν διασώζοντες, μήτε ἐπὶ τῆς γνώμης ἀεὶ τῆς αὐτῆς βεβηκότες, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν σῶμα κατὰ τὰς τῶν ἡλικιῶν μεταβολὰς ἀλλοιούμενοι, τὴν δὲ διάνοιαν πρὸς τὰς ποικιλίας τῶν συμπτωμάτων μετατιθέμενοι. Ἄλλοι μὲν γάρ ἐσμεν παῖδες, καὶ ἄλλοι πάλιν παντελῶς ἀλλοιούμεθα. Καὶ ἄλλοι μὲν ἐν ταῖς φαιδροτέραις ἐσμὲν καταστάσεσι τῶν πραγμάτων ἄλλοι δὲ ἐξ ἄλλων γινόμεθα τραχυτέρᾳ συντυχίᾳ καιρῶν κεχρημένοι " ἄλλοι νοσοῦντες, καὶ ἄλλοι εὐπαθοῦντες· ἄλλοι ἐν γάμοις, καὶ ἄλλοι ἐν πένθεσιν. Ἢ διὰ τὸ μὴ εἰρῆσθαι, Τοῖς ἀλλοιουμένοις, ἀλλὰ, Τοῖς ἀλλοιωθησομένοις, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν ἔνδειξιν ἔχειν προφητείας, τῷ εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐκκεκλίσθαι τὸν χρόνον, ἀκολουθότερον ἐννοεῖν τοὺς ἀλλοιωθησομένους τοὺς μέλλοντας, τὴν πρὸς τὰ μάταια τῶν πατέρων συνήθειαν ἀφέντας, τῇ κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἀκριβείᾳ κανονίζειν τὴν πολιτείαν. Οὐ τοίνυν τοῖς τότε Ἰουδαίοις ὁ ψαλμὸς γέγραπται, ἀλλ᾽ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀλλοιωθησομένοις, τοῖς τὴν πολυθεΐαν εἰς εὐσέβειαν διαμείβουσι, τὴν περὶ τὰ εἴδωλα πλάνην εἰς τὴν τοῦ ποιήσαντος ἡμᾶς ἐπίγνωσιν" τοῖς ἀντὶ ἡδονῆς παρανόμου σωφροσύνην ἔννομον αἱρουμένοις " ἀντὶ αὐλῶν, καὶ χορῶν, καὶ μέθης, ψαλμὸν, καὶ νηστείαν, καὶ προσευχὴν μεταλαμβάνουσιν. Ἡμῖν οὖν γεγράφθαι τὸν ψαλμὸν εἰπών τις, οὐχ ἂν ἁμάρτοι τῆς ἀληθείας. Διὸ καὶ ἡμέτερά ἔστι τὰ θεῖα λόγια, καὶ τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ὡς θεόπεμπτα δῶρα, καθ᾽ ἕκαστον σύλλογον ὑπαναγινώσκεται, οἷόν τις τροφὴ ψυχῶν χορηγουμένη διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ εἰς στηλογραφίαν γέγραπται ὁ ψαλμός " τουτέστι, μὴ πάρεργος ἔστω αὐτοῦ ἢ ἀκρόασις " μηδὲ, ὥσπερ τὰ ἐν τῇ εὐφθάρτῳ ὕλῃ γραφόμενα ταχὺν λαμβάνει τὸν ἀφανισμὸν, οὕτως ἐν τῇ σεαυτοῦ διανοίᾳ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐγχαράξας τῇ μνήμῃ, εἶτα συγχωρήσῃς αὐτὰ συγχυθῆναι καὶ ἀφανισθῆναι" ἀλλ᾽ ἔχε ἐνεστηλιτευμένα σου τῇ ψυχῇ" τουτέστιν ἀκίνητα καὶ πάγια εἰς πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἐνιδρυμένα τῇ μνήμῃ. Ἐὰν δὲ παρωθῆται ἡμᾶς ὁ Ἰουδαῖος ὡς ἀλλοτρίους τῶν γεγραμμένων, ἐκ τῶν γεγραμμένων αὐτὸν δυσωπήσωμεν δηλοῦντες τὸ σύμμικτον τῆς κλήσεως ὅπως τὰ διεστῶτα συνάγει, τὰ μακρὰν συγκαλεῖ, ἕνα ποιεῖ τοὺς πολλοὺς διὰ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως. Ἐμός ἐστι, φησὶ, Γαλαάδ· καὶ ἐμός ἐστι Μανασσῆς. καὶ τὸν Ἐφραῖμ … " εἶπε, καὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν προσελάβετο· καὶ συνηρίθμησε τὸν Μωάβ. Καὶ τῆς Ἰδουμαίας ἐπιβήσεσθαι ἀπειλεῖ" καὶ πάντων ὁμοῦ τὴν ὑποταγὴν εὐαγγελίζεται: Ἐμοὶ ἀλλόφυλοι ὑπετάγησαν. Ὁ Θεὸς οὖν ἀπώσω ἡμᾶς. Τοὺς μακρύνοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ σου κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπώσω. Τὰ συστήματα τῆς πονηρίας ἡμῶν καθεῖλες, [εὐεργετῶν ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας.) Ὠργίσθης, ὅτε ἦμεν φύσει τέκνα ὀργῆς, ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες, καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ᾨκτείρησας ἡμᾶς, ὅτε τὸν Μονογενῆ σου προέθου ἱλαστήριον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, ἵνα ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν εὕρωμεν. Ἃ οὐχ ἂν ἐγνωρίσαμεν εὐεργετούμενοι, εἰ μὴ ἐπότισας ἡμᾶς Οἶνον κατανύξεως. Οἶνον λέγει τὸν λόγον τὸν τὴν πεπωρωμένην καρδίαν εἰς συναίσθησιν ἄγοντα. Ἔδωκας τοῖς φοβουμένοις σε σημείωσιν, τοῦ φυγεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τόξου. Μωϋσῆς μὲν τὰς φλιὰς τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ προβάτου σὺ δὲ ἔδωκας ἡμῖν σημείωσιν, αὐτὸ τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἁμώμου ἀμνοῦ τοῦ σφαγιασθέντος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ κόσμου. Καὶ Ἱεζεκιὴλ ἐπὶ τὰ μέτωπα τῶν προσώπων δίδοσθαι λέγει τὸ σημεῖον. Πορεύεσθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ, καὶ κόπτετε" μὴ φείσησθε μηδὲ ἐλεήσητε. Πρεσβύτερον, καὶ νεανίσκον, καὶ νήπιον, καὶ παρθένον, καὶ γυναῖκας ἀποκτείνατε εἰς ἐξάλειψιν" ἐπὶ δὲ πάντας, ἐφ᾽ οὓς ἐστι τὸ σημεῖον, μὴ ἐγγίσητε. Ὁ Θεὸς ἐλάλησεν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ, ᾿Αγαλλιάσομαι, καὶ διαμεριῶ Σίκιμα. Σίκιμα τὸ ἐξαίρετον χωρίον, τῷ Ἰωσὴφ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ δεδομένον, τύπος τῆς διαθήκης τῆς μόνῳ δοκούσης τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ δεδωρῆσθαι. Τὴν τοίνυν ἐξαίρετον διαθήκην καὶ κληρονομίαν τοῦ … λαοῦ ταύτην εἰς μερισμὸν ἄξω, καὶ κοινὴν ποιήσω πρὸς τοὺς λοιπούς. Διαμερισθείσης οὖν τῆς διαθήκης εἰς πάντας, καὶ τοῦ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς ὠφελίμου κοινοῦ πᾶσι τοῖς εὐεργετουμένοις παρὰ Θεοῦ γινομένου, τότε καὶ ἡ κοιλὰς τῶν σκηνῶν διαμετρηθήσεται " τουτέστιν, ἢ οἰκουμένη πᾶσα, οἱονεὶ κλήροις τισὶ, ταῖς καθ᾽ ἕκαστον τόπον παροικίαις διαιρεθήσεται. Τότε καὶ τὰ διεστῶτα συνάψει, Ὁ εἰρηνοποιῶν εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς " Καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τὰ ἀμφότερα ποιήσει ἕν. Ἐμός ἐστι Γαλαὰδ, καὶ ἐμός ἐστι Μανασσῆς. Ἔγγονος τοῦ Μανασσῆ ὁ Γαλαάδ ἵνα δείξῃ τὴν τῶν πατριαρχῶν ἀκολουθίαν παρὰ θεοῦ καθήκουσαν, ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα. Καὶ ᾿Εφραῖμ … ἀντίληψις τῆς κεφαλῆς μου" ᾿Ιούδας βασιλεύς μου. Τὰ ἀποῤῥαγέντα μέρη συνάπτει διὰ τῆς … τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν κλήσεως, ### English translation (Claude) [“To the end, for those who will be changed; further, for an inscription on a pillar, of David, for teaching, when he burned Mesopotamia of Syria and Syria Sobal, and Joab returned and struck Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand.”] As I look at your eagerness and at the weakness of my own strength, there came to my mind the picture of a child, already rather grown, yet not weaned from the breast, … [a breast] chilled by sickness; to whom the mother, though she feels that the springs of her milk are dry, gives the breast, not to feed the infant but to stop its whimpering. So, even though my resources are dried up by this long and varied sickness of the body, still they are set before you, offering not any notable enjoyment, but a kind of assurance, since the excess of your love is content to soothe its longing for me with my voice alone. Let the Church of God, then, be addressed, and let it be taught to say what we said just now: “Give us help from affliction, and vain is the salvation of man.” So perhaps the sense of the psalm does not allow us even to plead sickness as an excuse, if affliction is the provider of help and not an occasion for weakness. To those, then, who were rejected because of their sins and then received again through the love of God for mankind, it is fitting to say: “O God, you rejected us and destroyed us; you were angry, and had pity on us.” But rather, since our word has fallen into the sequence of the psalm's meaning, come, let us touch moderately on its explanation. [2] The history of the present psalm, word for word as the title gives it, is not found even now anywhere among the inspired histories; but its equivalent will be found by those who search diligently in the second book of Kingdoms, where it is written: “And David struck Hadadezer [son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went] to set his hand on the river Euphrates …; [and David took from him a thousand] chariots and seven thousand horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariots, and there were left of them a hundred chariots.” And a little later it says: “And David reigned over Israel, and David was doing judgment and righteousness, and Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army.” And after a little: “And the sons of Ammon sent and hired Syria of Rehob and Syria of Zobah, twenty thousand men; and Joab saw that the battle was set against him face to face, and he chose out of all the sons of Israel and drew up in battle opposite Syria.” “And the servants of Hadadezer saw … before Israel, and they served them.” In this passage of the history we find the title of the psalm agreeing, except that the time of this inscription is the time when David was most brilliant and most renowned in his feats of war. So it is worth asking how he begins with laments and dirges, when he ought to be joyful and cheerful over his successes. For the voices of those who keep festival are one thing, and those of the gloomy another. A victory is the occasion for a public festival, not for soldiers alone, but also for farmers and merchants and craftsmen and all who share the goods of peace. How then: “O God, you rejected us and destroyed us”? Yet he received the victors. How did he destroy those whom he so greatly increased, adding to them arms and chariots and horses, and subjects, and a tributary country, all Arabia, Phoenicia, Mesopotamia? It is worth considering whether the words do not contain some ingratitude. For he who first killed Hadadezer, king of Zobah, and took from him a thousand chariots and seven thousand horsemen and twenty thousand foot, and then enslaved the king of Syria who came to the help of the defeated and made him tributary, and in one turn of time slew twenty-two thousand of his men, and won a third victory over the sons of Ammon drawn up by the gate of the city, through Joab the commander-in-chief, who divided his force in two, met some face to face and overpowered others by going round behind them: how, after such feats, does he speak so gloomily and dejectedly, saying, “O God, you rejected us and destroyed us; you were angry, and had pity on us”? But while the time of the inscription was that of his successes, the force of what is written has its reference to the end, … the future. That is why he says that the psalm was written “for those who will be changed.” One may take it simply of the whole human race, as for all … for those who will be changed are those who neither preserve the same state of body nor stand always in the same mind, but are changed in body with the changes of age, and are altered in mind with the variety of circumstances. For we are different when we are children, and again we are wholly changed into others. And we are different in brighter states of affairs, and become others from others when we meet with a harsher turn of the times; different when sick and when in good health; different at weddings and in mourning. Or, since it does not say “for those who are being changed,” but “for those who will be changed,” and the word carries an indication of prophecy, the time being turned to the future, it is more consistent to understand as “those who will be changed” those who are going to give up the custom of their fathers toward vain things and rule their way of life by the exactness of the Gospel. The psalm, then, was not written for the Jews of that time, but for us who will be changed, who exchange polytheism for piety, the error about idols for the knowledge of the one who made us; who choose lawful self-control instead of lawless pleasure; who take up psalm and fasting and prayer instead of flutes and dances and drunkenness. Anyone who says, then, that the psalm was written for us would not miss the truth. That is why the divine oracles too are ours, and are read in the Church of God at every assembly as gifts sent by God, like food for souls supplied through the Spirit. But the psalm was also written “for an inscription on a pillar”: that is, let your hearing of it not be careless; and do not, as things written on perishable material quickly vanish, engrave it in your mind for a little while in your memory and then let it be blurred and vanish; but keep it inscribed as on a pillar in your soul, that is, immovable and fixed in your memory for all time. And if the Jew pushes us away as strangers to what is written, let us put him to shame from what is written, showing the mixed character of the calling, how it brings together what was separated, calls together those far off, makes the many one through faith in Christ. “Gilead is mine,” he says, “and Manasseh is mine”; and of Ephraim he said … and he received Judah and counted Moab with them. And he threatens to set foot on Idumea, and announces the good news of the subjection of all together: “The foreigners have been subjected to me.” [3] “O God, you rejected us,” then. Those who removed themselves far from you you rejected, in proportion to their sins. You destroyed the structures of our wickedness, [doing us good through weakness]. You were angry, when we were by nature children of wrath, having no hope, and without God in the world. You had pity on us, when you put forward your Only-begotten as a propitiation for our sins, so that we might find redemption in his blood. We would not have recognized these benefits if you had not given us to drink “the wine of compunction.” He calls wine the word that brings the hardened heart to awareness. “You have given to those who fear you a sign, to flee from the face of the bow.” Moses [marked] the doorposts of the Israelites with the blood of the sheep; but you have given us a sign, the very blood of the spotless Lamb slain for the sin of the world. And Ezekiel says that the sign is given on the foreheads of their faces: “Go,” he says, “after him and strike; do not spare and do not have pity. Kill old man and young man and infant and virgin and women, to destruction; but do not come near any on whom is the sign.” “God has spoken in his holy place: I will exult, and divide Shechem.” Shechem, the choice place given to Joseph by Jacob, is a type of the covenant which seemed to have been given to Israel alone. The choice covenant, then, and inheritance of the … people I will bring to division, and make it common to the rest. When the covenant has been divided among all, and its benefit has become common to all who receive benefits from God, then also “the valley of tents will be measured out”: that is, the whole world will be divided, as by lots, into the communities of each place. Then too he “who makes peace, whether things on earth or things in heaven,” will join what was separated, and, “having broken down the dividing wall of the fence, he will make both one.” [4] “Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine.” Gilead is a descendant of Manasseh: to show the succession of the patriarchs coming down from God, from whom is Christ according to the flesh. “And Ephraim … the help of my head; Judah is my king.” He joins together the parts that had broken off through the … of the calling into Christ, ### Scripture references - Ps 60:11 (59:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 60:1 (59:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 8:3: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 8:4: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 8:15: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 8:16: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 10:6: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 10:9: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 10:19: quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 8:5: allusion, high confidence - 2 Sam 10:13: allusion, high confidence - Ps 60:7 (59:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 60:8 (59:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:3: allusion, high confidence - Eph 2:12: allusion, high confidence - Rom 3:25: allusion, high confidence - Ps 60:3 (59:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 60:4 (59:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 12:7: allusion, high confidence - John 1:29: allusion, high confidence - Ezek 9:4: allusion, high confidence - Ezek 9:5: quotation, high confidence - Ezek 9:6: quotation, high confidence - Ps 60:6 (59:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 48:22: allusion, high confidence - Col 1:20: quotation, high confidence - Eph 2:14: quotation, high confidence - Rom 9:5: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Basil comments on Ps 60 (LXX 59). The LXX title, here given in brackets, is printed by the scan in the middle of this section, among Migne's notes; it is removed there with the debris and translated at the head of the homily. According to the Benedictine editor Maran, the title is missing in the manuscripts and was probably added by a later edition. Quotations: Ps 60:1–8, 11 (LXX 59:1–10, 13); 2 Sam 8:3–4, 15–16 (LXX 2 Kgdms); 2 Sam 10:6, 9, 19; Ezek 9:5–6; Ps 60:3 (LXX 59:5: “wine of compunction”). Allusions: Eph 2:3, 12; 1 John 2:2; Rom 3:25; Exod 12:7, 13, 22; John 1:29; Gen 48:22 (Shechem given to Joseph); Col 1:20; Eph 2:14; Rom 9:5; Eph 2:13, 17. Lines are lost where Migne's notes stand in the scan (marked “…”): in the opening image, in the quotation of 2 Sam 8:3–4 (bracketed words supplied from the passage), in 2 Sam 10:19, after “reference to the end”, after “as for all”, in the verse on Ephraim (twice), and before “of the calling”. The markers [2], [3] and [4] show where Migne's sections 2–4 begin. The words in square brackets after “You destroyed the structures of our wickedness” stand in brackets in Migne's text. Basil's reading that the psalm was “not written for the Jews of that time” is his own view and is translated as written; the verb “marked” is supplied in brackets. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 59.1 (PG 29:461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-10/#p-59-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 59.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-10/#p-59-4 - Source: PG 29:466 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 60:8–12 Basil reads Moab, “the pot of washing,” as baptism, which admits even the excluded Moabite to the Church; the shoe cast over Edom is Christ's flesh, the fortified city the Church; and help from affliction is the Christian's true help, as with Paul, since affliction produces endurance and hope, and the sick, the poor and the dishonored are to rejoice and pray rather than trust human help. ### Greek text … φησὶ, λουτροῦ, ἄλλος τις τῶν ἑρμηνευσάντων" … ἄνθρωπος, ὁ ἀπειλὴν ἔχων μὴ εἰσελεύσεσθαι εἰς Ἐκκλησίαν Κυρίου. Οὐχ εἰσελεύσεται γὰρ Μωαβίτης καὶ Ἀμμανίτης ἕως τρίτης καὶ ἕως δεκάτης γενεᾶς, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον. Ὅμως ἐπειδὴ τὸ βάπτισμα ἄφεσιν ἔχει ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ ἀμεριμνίας πρόξενον γίνεται τοῖς καταχρέοις, τὴν διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἀπολύτρωσιν καὶ πρὸς θεὸν οἰκείωσιν ἐνδεικνύμενος, … Πάντες οὖν ἀλλόφυλοι ὑπετάγησαν τῷ ζυγῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑποκύψαντες " διὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰδουμαίαν ἐπιβαλεῖ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ὑπόδημα. Ὑπόδημα δὲ τῆς θεότητος ἡ σὰρξ ἡ θεοφόρος, δι᾽ ἧς ἐπέβη τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐλπίδι μακαρίζων τὸν καιρὸν τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιδημίας ὁ Προφήτης φησί· Τίς ἀπάξει με εἰς πόλιν περιοχῆς; Τάχα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν λέγει" πόλιν μὲν, διὰ τὸ σύστημα εἶναι νομίμως οἰκούμενον " περιοχῆς δὲ διὰ τὴν τῆς πίστεως περιβολήν. Ὅθεν εὐσημότατά τις τῶν ἑρμηνευτῶν … Τίς οὖν δώσει μοι τὸ μέγα τοῦτο θέαμα ἰδεῖν, Θεὸν ἀνθρώποις ἐπιδημοῦντα; Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ὅτι Πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε, καὶ οὐκ εἶδον. Δὸς ἡμῖν βοήθειαν ἐκ θλίψεως. Μὴ ἀπὸ ἰσχύος ζητήσωμεν τὴν βοήθειαν: μὴ ἀπὸ εὐπαθείας σαρκός " ἀπὸ μηδενὸς τῶν παρὰ ἀνθρώποις νενομισμένων περιφανῶν ἀξιώσωμεν τυχεῖν τῆς ἀντιλήψεως. Οὐχ ἐν περιβολῇ χρημάτων, οὐχ ἐν δυνάμεως ὄγκῳ, οὐχ ἐν ὑψώματι δόξης τὸ κρατεῖν περιγίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν θλίψεως χαρίζεται Κύριος τοῖς ἐκζητοῦσιν αὐτὸν τὴν βοήθειαν Τοιοῦτος ἦν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, καυχήματα ἑαυτοῦ τὰς θλίψεις ποιούμενος. Διὰ τοῦτο ἠδύνατο λέγειν Ὅταν ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι. Δὸς οὖν ἡμῖν, Κύριε, βοήθειαν ἐκ θλίψεως " ἐπειδὴ ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. Ὁρᾷς ποῦ ἀνάγει σε ἡ θλίψις; Εἰς τὴν ἀκαταίσχυντον ἐλπίδα. Νοσεῖς; εὐθύμει, ὅτι Ὃν ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος, παιδεύει. Πτωχεύεις; εὐφραίνου, ὅτι Λαζάρου σε τὰ ἀγαθὰ διαδέξεται. Ἀτιμάζῃ διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Μακάριος εἶ, ὅτι σου ἡ αἰσχύνη εἰς ἀγγέλου δόξαν μεταβληθήσεται. Πείσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, ἀδελφοὶ, ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμοῦ, μὴ πρὸς ἀνθρωπίνας ἐλπίδας ἀποτρέχειν, μηδὲ ἐκεῖθεν ἑαυτοῖς τὰς βοηθείας θηρᾶσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν δάκρυσι καὶ στεναγμοῖς, καὶ φιλοπόνῳ προσευχῇ, καὶ ἀγρυπνίᾳ εὐτόνῳ τὰς δεήσεις ποιεῖσθαι. Οὗτος γὰρ λαμβάνει βοήθειαν ἐκ θλίψεως, ὁ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης βοηθείας ὡς ματαίας καταφρονῶν, καὶ τῇ ἐπὶ τὸν σώζειν δυνάμενον ἡμᾶς ἐλπίδι στηριζόμενος, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. ### English translation (Claude) … “of washing,” says another of the translators. [The Moabite] man, who was under threat of not entering the Church of the Lord. For “a Moabite and an Ammonite shall not enter until the third and until the tenth generation, and forever.” Yet since baptism has forgiveness of sins and becomes the source of freedom from care for those deep in debt, showing the redemption through baptism and the bringing near to God, … All the foreigners, then, have been subjected, bowing beneath the yoke of Christ; that is why “over Idumea he will cast his shoe.” And the shoe of the Godhead is the God-bearing flesh, through which he came among men. In this hope, calling blessed the time of the Lord's coming, the prophet says: “Who will lead me into the fortified city?” Perhaps he means the Church: a city, because it is a community lawfully inhabited; fortified, because of the enclosure of faith. That is why one of the translators most clearly … “Who then will grant me to see this great sight, God coming among men?” This is what was said by the Lord, that “many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it.” [5] “Give us help from affliction.” Let us not seek help from strength, not from the comfort of the flesh; let us not expect to obtain support from any of the things men reckon splendid. Victory does not come in a mass of wealth, nor in the weight of power, nor in the height of glory; but out of affliction beyond measure the Lord grants help to those who seek him. Such was Paul too, making his afflictions his boasts. That is why he could say, “When I am weak, then I am strong.” “Give us, then, Lord, help from affliction,” since “affliction produces endurance, and endurance proven character, and proven character hope, and hope does not put to shame.” Do you see where affliction leads you up? To the hope that does not put to shame. Are you sick? Be of good cheer, because “the Lord disciplines the one he loves.” Are you poor? Rejoice, because the good things of Lazarus will succeed you. Are you dishonored for the name of Christ? You are blessed, because your shame will be changed into the glory of an angel. Let us persuade ourselves, brothers, in the time of trial, not to run to human hopes nor hunt for help for ourselves from there, but to make our petitions with tears and groans, and diligent prayer, and earnest vigil. For he receives help from affliction who despises human help as vain and is supported by hope in the one who is able to save us, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Ps 60:8 (59:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Deut 23:3: quotation, high confidence - Acts 2:38: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 11:29: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 60:9 (59:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:17: quotation, high confidence - Ps 60:11 (59:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 12:10: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:3: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:4: quotation, high confidence - Rom 5:5: quotation, high confidence - Heb 12:6: quotation, high confidence - Luke 16:25: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 5:11: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Deut 23:3 (LXX); Ps 60:8–9, 11 (LXX 59:10–11, 13); Matt 13:17; 2 Cor 12:10; Rom 5:3–5; Heb 12:6 (Prov 3:12); Matt 5:11. Allusions: Acts 2:38; Luke 16:25; Matt 11:29–30. The opening of this section is lost in the scan: the LXX of Ps 60:8 reads “Moab is the pot of my hope”, and Basil reports that another translator rendered it “pot of washing”; the bracketed words are supplied by sense. The marker [5] shows where Migne's section 5 begins. Two further gaps are marked “…”: the end of the sentence about baptism, and the translator's rendering of “the fortified city”. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 59.4 (PG 29:466; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/48-10/#p-59-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 61.0 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-0 - Source: PG 29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The title of Ps 62 (LXX 61), on which Basil's homily comments. ### Greek text Εἰς τὸ τέλος ὑπὲρ Ἰδιθοὺμ, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβίδ. ### English translation (Claude) “To the end, for Idithun, a psalm of David.” ### Scripture references - Ps 62:1 (61:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The LXX title of Ps 62 (LXX 61:1). Basil explains it in 61.1. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 61.0 (PG 29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-0). ## Homilies on the Psalms 61.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-1 - Source: PG 29:411 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil explains that the two psalms “for Idithun” (Pss 39 and 62) were composed by David for the temple singer Idithun, and that both teach endurance and humility, by which the humble man is not moved by insults; in Ps 62 the soul refuses to be the slave of the passions and declares that it serves only God, its true King. ### Greek text Δύο ψαλμοὺς ἔγνωμεν Ὑπὲρ ᾿Ιδιθοὺμ ἔχοντας τὴν ἐπιγραφήν " τόν τε τριακοστὸν ὄγδοον καὶ τὸν ἐν χερσί. Καὶ λογιζόμεθα μὲν Δαβὶδ εἶναι τὴν σύνταξιν τῆς πραγματείας" τῷ μέντοι Ἰδιθοὺμ δεδόσθαι εἰς ὠφέλειαν αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ διορθώσει τῶν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ παθημάτων, καὶ εἰς μελῳδίαν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ λαοῦ δι᾽ ἧς καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐδοξάζετο, καὶ οἱ ἀκούοντες τῆς ἁρμονίας ἐπανωρθοῦντο τὰ ἤθη. Ἦν γὰρ καὶ ὁ Ἰδιθοὺμ ἱεροψάλτης, ὡς μαρτυρεῖ ἡμῖν ἢ ἱστορία τῶν Παραλειπομένων, λέγουσα " Καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν Αἰμὰν καὶ ᾿Ιδιθοὺμ, σάλπιγγές τε καὶ κύμβαλα τοῦ ἀναφωνεῖν, καὶ ὄργανα τῶν ᾠδῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγα φησί" Καὶ ἔστησε Δαβὶδ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες τῆς δυνάμεως εἰς τὰ ἔργα τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἀσὰφ, καὶ Αἰμὰν, καὶ ᾿Ιδιθοὺμ, τοὺς ἀποφθεγγομένους ἐν κινύραις, καὶ ἐν νάβλαις, καὶ ἐν τυμπάνοις. Περὶ ὑπομονῆς τοίνυν ἑκάτερος ψαλμὸς τὴν πλείστην ποιεῖται πραγματείαν, δι᾽ ἧς καταστέλλεται μὲν τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ θυμούμενον, ὑπερηφανίας δὲ πάσης ἐξορισθείσης, κατορθοῦται ταπείνωσις. ᾿Αμήχανον γὰρ τὸν μὴ καταδεξάμενον τὸ πρὸς πάντας ὑποδεὲς καὶ ἔσχατον δυνηθῆναί ποτε ἣ λοιδορούμενον θυμοῦ κρατῆσαι, ἣ θλιβόμενον διὰ μακροθυμίας περιγενέσθαι τῶν πειρασμῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν ἄκραν ταπείνωσιν κατορθώσας, ἐν μὲν ταῖς λοιδορίαις πλείονα ἑαυτοῦ προκαταγνοὺς τὴν εὐτέλειαν, οὐ κινηθήσεται τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὸ τῶν ῥημάτων τῆς ἀτιμίας ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν μὲν ἀκούσῃ ὅτι εἰ πένης, οἶδεν ἑαυτὸν πτωχὸν ὄντα, καὶ πάντων ἐνδεῇ, - καὶ τῆς καθ᾽ ἡμέραν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου χορηγίας ἐπιδεόμενον· ἐὰν δὲ ἀκούσῃ δυσγενὴς καὶ ἐξ ἀφανῶν, … γεγενῆσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖ μέν φησιν, Εἶπα, Φυλάξω. τὰς ὁδούς μου. καὶ διηγεῖται τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ τὴν ἐπισύστασιν, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν μακροθυμίαν" Ἐν τῷ συστῆναι γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐναντίον μου. ἐκωφώθην καὶ ἐταπεινώθην, καὶ ἐσίγησα ἐξ ἀγαθῶν " εἶτα προϊὼν λέγει" Πλὴν τὰ σύμπαντα ματαιότης, πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ζῶν" εἶτα, Θησαυρίζει, καὶ οὐ γινώσκει τίνι συνάξει αὐτά. Ἐν δὲ τῷ προκειμένῳ ψαλμῷ ἄρχεται διαπορητικῶς, οἱονεὶ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῇ διαλεγόμενος, ὡς ἐξ ἀκολουθίας τῶν προειρημένων. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τῷ φρονήματι τῆς σαρκὸς ἡ ψυχὴ ὑποταγεῖσα, πρὸς ὀργὰς καὶ λύπας διερεθίζηται, ἵνα τί, φησὶ, δούλην ποιοῦμαι πονηρῶν παθῶν τὴν ψυχὴν, παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτὴν Θεοῦ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τοῦ σώματος καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ παθημάτων πεπιστευμένην; Δεῖ τοίνυν ἄρχειν μὲν τῶν παθῶν, δουλεύειν δὲ τῷ Θεῷ. ᾿Αμήχανον γὰρ αὐτὴν καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας βασιλεύεσθαι, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ" ἀλλὰ δεῖ κακίας μὲν ἐπικρατεῖν, τῷ Δεσπότῃ δὲ τῶν ὅλων ὑποτετάχθαι. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀποτεινόμενος ὁ Προφήτης τῷ ἐπάγοντι τοὺς πειρασμοὺς, καὶ τὸν πολὺν ὄχλον αὐτῷ τῶν κακῶν ἐπεγείροντι, καὶ σπουδὴν ἔχοντι δουλαγωγῆσαι τὸ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος, καὶ ὑποῤῥῖψαι αὐτὸ τῇ σαρκὶ, οἷον ἐλέγχων αὐτοῦ ματαίαν οὖσαν τὴν κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπίνοιαν, ταῦτά φησι· Τί με βιάζῃ δουλεύειν οἷς μὴ θέμις; Ἔχω Δεσπότην, γνωρίζω τὸν ἀληθῶς Βασιλέα. ### English translation (Claude) We know two psalms that have the title “For Idithun”: the thirty-eighth and the one in hand. And we reckon that the composition of the work is David's, but that it was given to Idithun for his benefit, for the correction of the passions in his soul, and for singing before the people, through which God was glorified and those who heard the harmony had their characters set right. For Idithun too was a sacred singer, as the history of Chronicles testifies to us, saying, “And with them Heman and Idithun, trumpets and cymbals for sounding aloud, and instruments for the songs of God.” And a little later it says, “And David the king and the commanders of the army set apart for the service the sons of Asaph and Heman and Idithun, who prophesied with lyres and with harps and with drums.” Both psalms, then, make endurance their main subject, through which the angry part of the soul is calmed, and, all pride being banished, humility is achieved. For it is impossible for one who has not accepted being lower and last of all ever to master anger when he is reviled, or to overcome trials by long-suffering when he is afflicted. For the one who has achieved the height of humility, having condemned himself beforehand as more worthless than they say, will not be moved in his soul by the words of dishonor; but if he hears, “You are poor,” he knows that he is poor and in need of everything, and in want of the daily provision from the Lord; and if he hears that he is low-born and of obscure origin, … to have been born. That is why there he says, “I said, I will guard my ways,” and he tells of the sinner's attack upon him and of his own long-suffering: “When the sinner stood against me,” he says, “I was dumb and humbled, and kept silent from good things”; then, going on, he says, “But all things are vanity, every man living”; then, “He stores up treasure, and does not know for whom he will gather it.” But in the present psalm he begins by raising a question, as though speaking with his own soul, as following from what was said before. For so that the soul, subjected to the mind of the flesh, may not be provoked to anger and grief, “Why,” he says, “do I make my soul a slave of evil passions, when it has been entrusted by God who created it with the rule of the body and of its passions?” It must, then, rule the passions and serve God. For it is impossible for it to be ruled both by sin and by God; but it must master wickedness and be subject to the Master of all. That is why the prophet, addressing the one who brings on the trials, who stirs up against him the great crowd of evils and is eager to enslave the mind of the spirit and throw it beneath the flesh, as though convicting him that his design against him is vain, says this: “Why do you force me to serve what is not lawful? I have a Master; I know the true King.” ### Scripture references - Ps 39:1 (38:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Chr 16:42: quotation, high confidence - 1 Chr 25:1: quotation, high confidence - Ps 39:2 (38:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 39:5 (38:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 39:6 (38:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:7: allusion, medium confidence - Rom 6:12: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 6:24: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: 1 Chr 16:42; 1 Chr 25:1; Ps 39:1, 2, 5, 6 (LXX 38:2, 3, 6, 7). Allusions: Rom 8:7; Rom 6:12–14; Matt 6:24. “The thirty-eighth” is Ps 39 in the LXX numbering. The reply to the slanders (“you are poor”, “you are low-born”) breaks off where the scan has Migne's Latin and notes (marked “…”). ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 61.1 (PG 29:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 61.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-2 - Source: PG 29:411 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 62:1–5 Basil teaches that the soul must be subject to God, its Maker, from whom comes salvation, Christ himself; the righteous are shaken only humanly by trials, while the devil's servants assault man until, like a leaning wall, he falls, yet God rebuilds him for the resurrection. He discusses the variant “in thirst” and “in a lie,” and condemns those who flatter vice by giving it the names of virtues. ### Greek text Οὐχὶ τῷ Θεῷ ὑποταγήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου; παρ' αὐτοῦ γὰρ τὸ σωτήριόν μου. Τὴν αἰτίαν εἶπε … παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἴδιον γὰρ Δημιουργοῦ τὸ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ποιημάτων τῆς ἀσφαλείας φροντίζειν. Ἢ, Παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ σωτήριον " ἐπειδὴ προφητικῶς προορώμενος τὴν μέλλουσαν ἔσεσθαι χάριν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Κυρίου, ταῦτά φησιν᾿ ὅτι δουλεύειν δεῖ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἀγαπᾶν αὐτὸν, ὃς τηλικαύτην εὐεργεσίαν εἰς τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων προκατεβάλετο, ὡς μηδὲ τοῦ ἰδίου Υἱοῦ φείσασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ πάντων ἡμῶν παραδοῦναι. Σωτήριον γὰρ ἔθος ὀνομάζειν τῇ Γραφῇ τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ" ὥς που καὶ Συμεών φησι" Νῦν ἀπολύεις τὸν δοῦλόν σου, Δέσποτα ὅτι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου τὸ σωτήριόν σου. Ὑποταγησώμεθα οὖν τῷ Θεῷ, διότι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ σωτήριον. Τί δέ ἐστι τὸ σωτήριον, ἑρμηνεύει. Οὐχ ἐνέργειά … ἀπαλλαγὴν ἀσθενείας, καὶ σώματος εὐεξίαν. ᾿Αλλὰ τί ἔστι τὸ σωτήριον; Καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς Θεός μου καὶ Σωτήρ μου, ἀντιλήπτωρ μου" οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον. Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱός. Ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ Σωτὴρ τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁ τὸ ἀσθενὲς ἡμῶν ὑπερείδων, ὁ τὸν ἐκ τῶν πειρασμῶν ἐγγινόμενον ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν σάλον ἐπανορθούμενος. Οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον" ἀνθρωπίνως ὁμολογεῖ τὸν σάλον. Ἐπὶ πλεῖον. ᾿Αμήχανον γὰρ ἐν ἀνθρώπου ψυχῇ μὴ γενέσθαι τινὰ σάλον ἀπὸ τῶν πειρασμῶν. Ἕως μὲν οὖν μικρὰ ἁμαρτάνομεν καὶ ὀλίγα, ὥσπερ τὰ φυτὰ ὑπὸ πραείας αὔρας περιδονούμενοι, ἠρέμα πως σαλευόμεθα " ἐπειδὰν δὲ πλείω καὶ μείζονα ἣ τὰ κακὰ, κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αὐξήσεως καὶ ὁ σάλος ἐπιτείνεσθαι πέφυκε. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ πλεῖον σαλεύονται " οἱ δὲ μέχρι τοῦ καὶ αὐτόῤῥιζοι βιαιότερον τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας τὰς οἱονεὶ ῥίζας τῆς ψυχῆς, αἷς ἐπεστήρικτο τῇ πίστει τῇ … μὲν ὡς ἄνθρωπος " ἐπὶ πλεῖον δὲ οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ, διὰ τὸ ἀντιστηρίζεσθαι τῇ δεξιᾷ χειρὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος. Ἕως πότε ἐπιτίθεσθε ἐπ' ἄνθρωπον; φονεύετε πάντες ὑμεῖς, ὡς τοίχῳ κεκλιμένῳ καὶ φραγμῷ ὠσμένῳ; Πάλιν τοῖς πονηροῖς ὑπηρέταις τοῦ διαβόλου μάχεται, τὴν ἀμετρίαν αἰτιώμενος ὁ λόγος τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐπαγομένης ἐπιβουλῆς. Ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἄνθρωποί εἰσι ζῶον ἀσθενές " ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐπιτίθεσθε, οὐχ ἀρκούμενοι τῇ πρώτῃ προσβολῇ ἀλλὰ καὶ δευτέραν καὶ τρίτην ἐπάγετε, ἕως ἂν οὕτω τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ … παραπλησίαν τοίχῳ κλιθέντι καὶ φραγμῷ ἀνατραπέντι. Τοῖχος δὲ, ἕως μὲν ὅτε τὴν ὀρθὴν διαφυλάσσει στάσιν, πάγιος μένει" ἐπειδὰν δὲ κλιθῇ, ἀνάγκη πᾶσα αὐτὸν διαλυθέντα πεσεῖν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἡνωμένα βάρη μετὰ τὴν κλίσιν ὀρθοῦται, τὰ δὲ ἐκ πλειόνων συγκείμενα, ἐπειδὰν ἐφ᾽ ἓν τὴν ῥοπὴν πάθῃ, οὐκέτι δέχεται τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν. Ἐνδείκνυται τοίνυν ὁ λόγος, ὅτι ἡ φύσις ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, σύνθετος οὖσα, ἐκλίθη μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, λυθῆναι δὲ πάντως αὐτὴν χρή" ὥστε, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς οἰκοδομήσαντος αὐτὴν τεχνίτου πάλιν ἀνασκευασθεῖσαν, τὸ ἀσφαλὲς καὶ ἀκατάλυτον καὶ πρὸς δευτέραν πτῶσιν ἀνεπιβούλευτον … Θεοῦ γεώργιον, φησὶ, Θεοῦ οἰκοδομὴ ἐστε. Τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ταύτην κατέσεισεν ὁ ἐχθρός " τὰ γενόμενα ἐν αὐτῇ ῥήγματα ἀνεσκεύασεν ὁ Δημιουργός. Οὕτως ἀναγκαία μὲν ἡ πτῶσις διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, μεγάλη δὲ ἡ ἀνάστασις διὰ τὴν ἀθανασίαν. Πλὴν τὴν τιμήν μου ἐβουλεύσαντο ἀπώσασθαι" ἔδραμον … τὴν ἐμὴν ἀπώλειαν θεάσασθαι διψῶντες. Ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ, ἐν δίψει, ἐν διαψεύσματι ὁ ᾿Ακύλας᾽ ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος ἐν ψεύσματι· ἡ δὲ ε' ἔκδοσις, ἐν ψεύδει· καὶ πάλιν ἑτέρα ἔκδοσις, ἐν δόλῳ, ἡρμήνευσαν. Εἰκὸς οὖν καὶ ἐν τῇ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἀναγνώσει κεῖσθαι μὲν πρότερον τὸ, ἐν ψεύδει " ἵνα ᾖ τὸ λεγόμενον " Ἔδραμον ἐν ψεύδει, τουτέστιν, οἱ ἐχθροί μου, καὶ οἱ ἐπιβουλεύοντες οὐ σὺν ἀληθείᾳ, τὸν κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ δρόμον καὶ τὴν κατ' ἐμοῦ σπουδὴν ἐποιοῦντο, ὅλους δὲ αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει παραδόντες· σφάλμα δὲ γραφικὸν γεγονέναι ἐν τοῖς μετὰ … ἐν δίψει, τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐλόγουν, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ … αὐτῶν κατηρῶντο. Τιμὴ ἀνθρώπου τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ Τιμῆς γὰρ, φησὶν, ἠγοράσθητε· μὴ γίνεσθε δοῦλοι ἀνθρώπων. Ταύτην οὖν τὴν τιμὴν ἐβουλεύσαντο ἄχρηστον ἡμῖν καταστῆσαι, τοὺς ἅπαξ ἐλευθερωθέντας πάλιν εἰς δουλείαν ἐνάγοντες, οἱ στρατιῶται τοῦ πονηροῦ. Ἔδραμον ἐν δίψει, Τὸ σύντονον λέγει τῆς τῶν δαιμόνων ἐπιβουλῆς, ὅτι τρέχουσι καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, διψῶντες ἡμῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν. Τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐλόγουν, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν κατηρῶντο. Πολλοί εἰσι τὰς πονηρὰς πράξεις ἀποδεχόμενοι, καὶ χαρίεντα μὲν τὸν εὐτράπελον λέγοντες, τὸν δὲ αἰσχρολόγον πολιτικόν " τὸν πικρὸν καὶ ὀργίλον ἀκαταφρόνητον ὀνομάζουσι" τὸν φειδωλὸν καὶ ἀκοινώνητον ὡς οἰκονομικὸν ἐπαινοῦσι, τὸν ἄσωτον ὡς ἐλευθέριον, τὸν πόρνον καὶ ἀσελγῆ ἀπολαυστικόν τινα καὶ ἀνειμένον" καὶ ἀπαξαπλῶς πᾶσαν κακίαν ἐκ τῆς παρακειμένης ἀρετῆς ὑποχορίζονται. Οἱ τοιοῦτοι τῷ στόματι μὲν εὐλογοῦσι, τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ καταρῶνται. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ τῶν ῥημάτων εὐφημίᾳ πᾶσαν κατάραν ἐπάγουσιν αὐτῶν τῇ ζωῇ, ὑποδίκους αὐτοὺς τῇ αἰωνίᾳ κατακρίσει δι᾽ ὧν ἀποδέχονται καθιστῶντες. Πάλιν τῇ ψυχῇ διαλέγεται, τὴν ὑποταγὴν αὐτῆς τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιτείνων. Πλὴν τῷ Θεῷ, φησὶν, ὑποτάγηθι, ἡ ψυχή μου, ὅτι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἡ ὑπομονή μου. Ἐνδείκνυται τὸ μέγεθος τῶν πειρασμῶν, καὶ τὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγει " ὅτι οὐχ ἐάσει ἡμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δυνάμεθα ὑπενεγκεῖν. Παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γὰρ ἡ ὑπομονή μου ### English translation (Claude) “Shall not my soul be subject to God? For from him is my salvation.” He gave the reason … from God. For it belongs to a Maker to care for the safety of his own works. Or, “From him is the salvation,” since, foreseeing prophetically the grace of the Lord's incarnation that was to come, he says this: that we must serve God and love him who laid down such a great benefit for the human race that he did not even spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. For Scripture is accustomed to call the Christ of God “salvation,” as Simeon too says somewhere: “Now you let your servant go, Master, for my eyes have seen your salvation.” Let us, then, be subject to God, because from him is the salvation. And what the salvation is, he explains. Not some activity … release from sickness and bodily health. But what is the salvation? “For he is my God and my Savior, my helper; I shall not be shaken any more.” Our God is the Son who is from God. He himself is also the Savior of the human race, who supports our weakness, who sets right the shaking that comes about in our souls from trials. “I shall not be shaken any more”: humanly he admits the shaking. “Any more”: for it is impossible in a human soul for there not to be some shaking from trials. As long, then, as we sin in small things and few, we are shaken gently, like plants swayed by a mild breeze; but when the evils are more and greater, the shaking naturally increases in proportion to the growth of the sins. And some are shaken more; others are overturned even to the roots, when the spiritual hosts of wickedness more violently [tear away], as it were, the roots of the soul, by which it was made firm in faith … [I was shaken], then, as a man; but more I shall not be shaken, because of being supported by the right hand of the Savior. [3] “How long will you set upon a man? You all commit murder, as against a leaning wall and a tottering fence.” Again the word fights against the wicked servants of the devil, blaming the excess of the plotting brought on by them: that men are a weak creature, but you set upon them, not content with the first assault, but bringing on a second and a third, until you thus [make] the soul of the … like a wall that has leaned and a fence that has been overturned. A wall, as long as it keeps its upright stance, stays firm; but once it leans, it must altogether come apart and fall. For weights that are one piece are set upright after leaning, but things put together from many parts, once they have tipped to one side, no longer admit of being set right. The word shows, then, that the nature of man, being composite, was made to lean by sin, and must altogether be dissolved, so that, rebuilt again by the craftsman who built it at the beginning, [it may recover] its security and indestructibility and be proof against plotting for a second fall …: “You are God's field,” he says, “God's building.” This building the enemy shook; the cracks that came about in it the Maker repaired. Thus the fall is necessary because of sin, but the resurrection is great because of immortality. “But they planned to reject my honor; they ran …,” thirsting to see my destruction. Instead of “in thirst,” Aquila rendered “in deception,” Symmachus “in falsehood,” the fifth edition “in a lie,” and another edition again “in guile.” It is likely, then, that in our reading too “in a lie” originally stood, so that the saying would be: “They ran in a lie,” that is, my enemies and those who plot against me, not with truth, made their race and their effort against me, having given themselves wholly to falsehood; and that a scribal error came about in the times after these, so that “in thirst” was written instead of “in a lie.” … “in thirst; they blessed with their mouth, and in their heart … they cursed.” The honor of man is the blood of Christ: “For you were bought,” he says, “with a price; do not become slaves of men.” This honor, then, the soldiers of the evil one planned to make useless to us, leading back into slavery those who had once been set free. “They ran in thirst”: he means the intensity of the demons' plotting, that they run against us, thirsting for our destruction. “They blessed with their mouth, and cursed in their heart.” Many approve of evil deeds, calling the buffoon charming and the foul-mouthed urbane; they call the bitter and wrathful man not to be trifled with; they praise the stingy and unsharing man as thrifty, the prodigal as generous, the fornicator and the licentious man as a man of pleasure and easy-going; and in a word they give every vice a pet name from the virtue that lies next to it. Such men bless with their mouth but curse in their heart. For by the flattery of their words they bring every curse on these people's life, making them liable to eternal condemnation through the things they approve. Again he speaks with his soul, increasing its subjection toward God: “But be subject to God, my soul,” he says, “for from him is my endurance.” He shows the greatness of the trials, and says what the Apostle says, that he will not let us be tried beyond what we can bear. “For from him is my endurance.” ### Scripture references - Ps 62:1 (61:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:32: allusion, high confidence - Luke 2:29: quotation, high confidence - Luke 2:30: quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:2 (61:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Eph 6:12: allusion, high confidence - Ps 18:35 (17:36 LXX): allusion, low confidence - Ps 62:3 (61:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 3:9: quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:4 (61:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:23: quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:5 (61:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:13: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 62:1–5 (LXX 61:2–6); Luke 2:29–30; 1 Cor 3:9; 1 Cor 7:23; 1 Cor 10:13. Allusions: Rom 8:32; Eph 6:12; Ps 18:35 (LXX 17:36). Basil compares the LXX “in thirst” (ἐν δίψει) with Aquila, Symmachus, the “fifth edition” (the Quinta of Origen's Hexapla) and another edition, and suggests a scribal error; the end of his sentence (“in the times after these, so that ‘in thirst’ was written instead of ‘in a lie’”) is displaced in the scan into the next staged section and is translated here. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan (marked “…”), and a few words are supplied in brackets by sense. “Fornicator” translates πόρνος. The marker [3] shows where Migne's section 3 begins. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 61.2 (PG 29:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-2). ## Homilies on the Psalms 61.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-4 - Source: PG 29:417 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 62:7 Basil calls blessed the one who glories only in God and in the cross of Christ, unlike those who glory in bodily strength or in the killing of war. ### Greek text Ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὸ σωτήριόν μου καὶ ἡ δόξα μου" ὁ Θεὸς τῆς βοηθείας μου, καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ. Μακάριος ὁ μηδενὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ὑψηλῶν ἐπαγαλλόμενος, ἀλλὰ Θεὸν ἔχων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δόξαν" ὁ καύχημα ἔχων ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Χριστόν " ὁ δυνάμενος λέγειν κατὰ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον᾽ Ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Νῦν δὲ πολλοὶ μὲν ἐνδοξάζονται σώματι, οἱ περὶ τοὺς γυμνικοὺς ἐσχολακότες ἀγῶνας, ἣ ὅλως οἱ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκμῇ τῆς ἡλικίας σφριγῶντες" πολλοὶ δὲ τῇ κατὰ τοὺς πολέμους ἀνδρίᾳ, οἱ καὶ τὸ φονεύειν τοὺς ὁμοφύλους ἀρετὴν τιθέμενοι. Ἡ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἀριστεία καὶ τὰ τρόπαια ὑπὸ στρατηγοῦ καὶ πόλεων ἐγειρόμενα κατὰ τὴν τοῦ φονεύειν περιουσίαν γίνεται. … ἄλλοι ἐν ὑδραγωγῶν κατασκευαῖς, καὶ γυμνασίων μεγάλων οἰκοδομήμασιν. Ὁ δεῖνα δὲ τὸν πλοῦτον ἑαυτοῦ θηριομάχοις προσαναλίσκων, καὶ ταῖς ματαίαις τῶν δήμων φωναῖς ἐπαγαλλόμενος, φυσᾶται τοῖς ἐπαίνοις, καὶ μέγα φρονεῖ, τὴν δόξαν ἔχων ἐν τῇ αἰσχύνῃ αὐτοῦ " ὅς γε καὶ ἔγγραφον ἐν τοῖς περιφανέσι τῆς πόλεως τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίαν ἐπὶ τῶν πινάκων δείκνυσιν. Ἄλλος ἐπὶ πλούτῳ δοξάζεται " καὶ ἄλλος, ὅτι ῥήτωρ ἐστὶ δεινός τις καὶ ἄμαχος, ἣ τῆς κατὰ τὸν κόσμον σοφίας ἔμπειρος. Ὧν πάντων ἐλεεῖν τὴν δόξαν προσῆκε· μακαρίζειν δὲ τοὺς τὸν Θεὸν ἑαυτῶν δόξαν ποιουμένους. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δεῖνα μέγα φρονεῖ, ὅτι δοῦλός ἐστι βασιλέως, τιμώμενος παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὰ μεγάλα " πόσον σοι προσῆκεν ἐπὶ σαυτῷ μεγαλύνεσθαι, ὅτι δοῦλος εἶ τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλέως, προσκληθεὶς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἄκραν οἰκείωσιν, λαβὼν τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥστε σφραγισθεὶς ἐν αὐτῷ υἱὸς ἀποδειχθῆναι Θεοῦ; Ἐν ἑαυτῷ δὲ γνοὺς τὸ ὄφελος τῆς γνησίας ἐπὶ Θεὸν ἐλπίδος, ἐπὶ τὸν ἴσον ἑαυτοῦ ζῆλον παρακαλεῖ τὸν λαὸν, λέγων Ἐλπίσατε ἐπ' αὐτὸν, πᾶσα συναγωγὴ λαῶν, ἐκχέατε ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. Ἀμήχανόν ἐστι χωρητικοὺς ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι τῆς θείας χάριτος μὴ τὰ ἀπὸ κακίας πάθη προκατασχόντα τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἐξελάσαντας. Εἶδον ἰατροὺς ἐγὼ μὴ πρότερον διδόντας τὰ σωτήρια φάρμακα, πρὶν ἐμετοῖς ἀποκενῶσαι τὴν νοσοποιὸν ὕλην, ἣν ἐκ πονηρᾶς διαίτης ἑαυτοῖς οἱ ἀκόλαστοι ἐναπέθεντο. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἀγγεῖον προκατειλημμένον ὑπό τινος δυσώδους ὑγροῦ, μὴ ἐκπλυνθὲν, οὐ μὴ δέξηται τοῦ μύρου τὴν ἐπιῤῥοήν. Δεῖ τοίνυν ἐκχυθῆναι τὰ προϋπάρχοντα, ἵνα δυνηθῇ χωρηθῆναι τὰ ἐπαγόμενα. Πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Εἶδε μὴ πάντας ἀκολουθοῦντας αὐτοῦ τῷ παραγγέλματι, μηδὲ καταδεχομένους ἐλπίζειν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχοντας τὴν ἐλπίδα ἐπὶ τὰ μάταια τοῦ βίου. Διὰ τοῦτό φησι Πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ψευδεῖς οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Διὰ τί μάταιοι; Ἐπειδὴ ψευδεῖς. Ποῦ μάλιστα αὐτῶν τὸ ψεῦδος ἐλέγχεται; ᾿Εν ζυγοῖς, φησὶ, τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι. Ποίοις φησὶ ζυγοῖς; Μὴ γὰρ πάντες ἄνθρωποι ζυγοστατοῦσι; μὴ πάντες ἐριοπῶλαι, ἣ κρεωπῶλαι, ἣ χρυσὸν ἣ ἄργυρον διατίθενται, ἣ ὅλως περὶ ταύτας τὰς ὕλας τὴν σπουδὴν ἔχουσιν, ἃς ζυγοῖς καὶ σταθμοῖς πεφύκασιν οἱ ἔμποροι διαμείβειν; ᾿Αλλὰ πολὺ μὲν τὸ τῶν βαναύσων γένος, ζυγῶν οὐδὲν εἰς τὴν ἐργασίαν αὐτῶν προσδεόμενον" πολλοὶ δὲ οἱ ναυτιλλόμενοι" πολλοὶ δὲ οἱ περὶ τὰ δικαστήρια καὶ τὸ ἄρχειν στρεφόμενοι, παρ᾽ οἷς μὲν τὸ ψεῦδός ἐστιν, ὁ δὲ διὰ τῶν ζυγῶν δόλος οὐχ ἐπιτηδεύεται. Τί οὖν ἔστιν ὃ λέγει; Ὅτι ἑκάστου ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ζυγὸς τις ἐστὶ … τὴν φύσιν τῶν πραγμάτων δυνατόν ἔστι διακρίνεσθαι. Ἔθηκα πρὸ προσώπου σου τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὸν θάνατον, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ κακόν· δύο φύσεις ἀντικειμένας ἀλλήλαις · ἀντιστάθμησον αὐτὰς ἐπὶ τοῦ οἰκείου σεαυτοῦ κριτηρίου" ζυγοστάτησον ἀκριβῶς, τί σοι λυσιτελέστερον, τὴν πρόσκαιρον ἑλέσθαι ἡδονὴν, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς τὸν αἰώνιον λαβεῖν θάνατον, ἣ τὴν ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει τῆς ἀρετῆς ἑλόμενον κακοπάθειαν, ταύτῃ προξένῳ χρήσασθαι τῆς αἰωνίου τρυφῆς. Ψευδεῖς οὖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, διεφθαρμένα ἔχοντες τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ κριτήρια " οὓς καὶ ταλανίζει ὁ Προφήτης λέγων· Οὐαὶ οἱ λέγοντες τὸ σκότος φῶς, καὶ τὸ φῶς σκότος οἱ λέγοντες τὸ πικρὸν γλυκὺ, καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πικρόν. Ἐμοὶ, φησὶ, τὰ παρόντα · τίς δὲ οἶδε τὰ μέλλοντα; Κακῶς ζυγοστατεῖς, πονηρὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνθαιρούμενος, τὰ μάταια τῶν ἀληθινῶν προτιμῶν, τὰ πρόσκαιρα τῶν αἰωνίων προτάσσων, τὴν παρερχομένην ἡδονὴν ἀντὶ τῆς ἀπαύστου εὐφροσύνης καὶ διηνεκοῦς ἐκλεγόμενος. Ψευδεῖς οὖν οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν ζυγοῖς τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι. ᾿Αδικοῦσι δὲ προηγουμένως μὲν ἑαυτοὺς, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τοὺς πλησιάζοντας, οἱ καὶ ἑαυτοῖς πονηροὶ σύμβουλοι ἐπὶ τῶν πράξεων γινόμενοι, καὶ ἑτέροις μοχθηρὸν ὄντες ὑπόδειγμα. Οὐχ ἔστι σοι εἰπεῖν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως" Οὐχ ἥδειν τὸ ἀγαθόν. Προφέρεταί σοι τὰ ἴδιά σου ζυγὰ ἱκανὴν παρεχόμενα διάκρισιν ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ σώματος βάρη ταῖς ἐπὶ τῆς τρυτάνης ῥοπαῖς δοκιμάζομεν, τὰ δὲ τοῦ βίου ἐκλεκτὰ τῷ αὐτεξουσίῳ τῆς ψυχῆς διακρίνομεν " ὃ καὶ ζυγὸν ὠνόμασε, διὰ τὸ ἴσην δύνασθαι λαμβάνειν τὴν ῥοπὴν ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα. Μὴ ἐλπίζετε ἐπ᾽ ἀδικίαν καὶ ἐπὶ ἅρπαγμα μὴ ἐπιποθεῖτε. Ἄνω εἶπεν. Ἐλπίσατε ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, πᾶσα συναγωγὴ λαῶν. Εἶδε τὸ ὀκνηρὸν τῆς ὑπακοῆς, καὶ ἀπεφήνατο, ὅτι Πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Πάλιν ἀπαγορεύει μὴ ἐλπίζειν ἐπ᾿ ἀδικίαν. Ὁ τὸν ἐξ ἀδικίας ἠθροισμένον πλοῦτον ἱκανὴν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ἰσχύειν καὶ κρατεῖν ἀφορμὴν εἶναι κρίνων ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀῤῥώστῳ ἐν τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῆς νόσου τὴν εὐεξίαν τιθεμένῳ. Μὴ ἐλπίζετε ἐπ᾿ ἀδικίαν. Αὕτη σοι ἐμποδίζει πρὸς πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν. Καὶ ἐπὶ ἅρπαγμα μὴ ἐπιποθεῖτε. Μὴ εἶναι τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιθυμητὰς παραινεῖ. Πλοῦτος ἐὰν ῥέῃ, μὴ προστίθεσθε καρδίᾳ. ᾿Εὰν ἴδῃς τινὰ τῶν ὑπερπλουτούντων, μὴ μακαρίσῃς αὐτοῦ τὴν ζωήν. Ἐάν σοι πολλαχόθεν καὶ ἐξ ἀφθόνων πηγῶν περιῤῥέῃ τὰ χρήματα, μὴ προσδέξῃ αὐτῶν τὴν περιουσίαν. Πλοῦτος ἐὰν ῥέῃ. Θαύμασον τὴν φωνήν. Ῥευστὴ ἡ φύσις τοῦ πλούτου " χειμάῤῥου ὀξύτερον τοὺς ἔχοντας παρατρέχει" ἄλλοτε ἄλλον πέφυκε … ἐγγίζει μὲν τοῖς παρεστῶσι τῇ ὄχθῃ, ὁμοῦ δὲ ἥψατο, καὶ εὐθὺς ἀνεχώρησεν" οὕτω καὶ ἡ τοῦ πλούτου εὐκολία ὀξυτάτην ἔχει καὶ ὀλισθηρὰν τὴν παρουσίαν, ἄλλους ἐξ ἄλλων παραμείβεσθαι πεφυκυῖα. Σήμερον τοῦδε ὁ ἀγρὸς, καὶ αὔριον ἑτέρου, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον ἄλλου. Ἀπόβλεψον πρὸς τὰς ἐν τῇ πόλει οἰκίας, πόσα ἤδη, ἀφ᾽ οὗ γεγόνασιν, ὀνόματα μετειλήφασιν, ἄλλοτε ἀπ᾽ ἄλλου τῶν κεκτημένων ὀνομαζόμεναι, Καὶ χρυσὸς ἀεὶ τὰς τοῦ ἔχοντος χεῖρας διαῤῥέων, ἐφ᾽ ἕτερον μεταβαίνει, καὶ ἀπ᾽ ἐκείνου πρὸς ἄλλον. Μᾶλλον δύνασαι ὕδωρ τῇ χειρὶ περιλαβὼν κατασχεῖν, ἢ πλοῦτον σεαυτῷ διαρκῶς συντηρῆσαι. Καλῶς οὖν εἴρηται τὸ, Πλοῦτος ἐὰν ῥέῃ, μὴ προστίθεσθε καρδίᾳ. Μὴ τῇ ψυχῇ σου μὴ ὡς ἕν τι τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπεραγαπῶν καὶ θαυμάζων, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ὀργανικὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν αἱρούμενος. Εἶτα ἐπάγει πᾶσι τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἀπόφασιν, οὐκέτι ἰδίων ῥημάτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἣν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἤκουσε τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἅπαξ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλάλησεν ὁ Θεὸς, δύο ταῦτα ἤκουσα. Καὶ μηδένα ταρασσέτω ὡς παράδοξον τὸ εἰρημένον, πῶς ὁ μὲν Θεὸς ἅπαξ ἐλάλησεν, ὁ δὲ Προφήτης δύο ἤκουσε. Δυνατὸν γὰρ ἅπαξ μέν τινα λαλῆσαι, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἅπαξ πολλὰ εἶναι τὰ λαληθέντα. Ἄνθρωπος γάρ τις, συντυχών τινι ἅπαξ, περὶ πολλῶν διελέχθη " καὶ δύναται ὁ ἀκούσας αὐτοῦ τῶν ῥημάτων εἰπεῖν ὅτι, Ἅπαξ μέν μοι ἐφθέγξατο, περὶ πολλῶν δὲ ἐλάλησε. Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον νῦν " Ἡ μὲν Θεοῦ ἐπιφάνεια ἅπαξ μοι γέγονε, δύο δὲ πράγματά ἔστιν ἃ ἐλάλησεν. Οὐχ εἶπεν: Ἓν ἐλάλησεν ὁ Θεὸς, δύο δὲ ταῦτα ἤκουσα " οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἔδοξέ τινα ἔχειν ὁ λόγος πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐναντίωσιν. Τίνα οὖν ἦν τὰ δύο ἃ ἤκουσεν; Ὅτι, Τὸ κράτος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ σοῦ, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεος. Ὅτι δυνατὸς, φησὶν, ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ κρίσει, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς ἐλεήμων. Μήτε οὖν ἐλπίζετε ἐπ᾽ ἀδικίαν, μήτε πλούτῳ προστίθεσθε, μήτε αἱρεῖσθε ματαιότητα, μήτε τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς κριτήριον διεφθαρμένον περιφέρετε. Εἰδότες, ὅτι κραταιὸς ἡμῶν ὁ Δεσπότης, φοβήθητε αὐτοῦ τὸ ἰσχυρὸν, καὶ μὴ ἀπογνῶτε αὐτοῦ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας. Πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν, ἀγαθὸς ὁ φόβος " πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἅπαξ εἰς ἁμαρτίαν ὀλισθήσαντα μὴ ἑαυτὸν προέσθαι διὰ τῆς ἀνελπιστίας, ἀγαθὴ ἡ ἐλπὶς τοῦ ἐλέους. Τὸ γὰρ κράτος τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἕλεος. Ὅτι σὺ ἀποδώσεις ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. ᾯ γὰρ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε, ἀντιμετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν. Ἔθλιψας τὸν ἀδελφόν; ἐκδέχου τὸ ἴσον. Ἥρπασας τὰ τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων, κατεκονδύλισας πένητας, ὅρια πατέρων μετέθηκας, κτήμασιν ὀρφανῶν ἐπῆλθες, χήρας ἐξέθλιψας, τὴν παροῦσαν ἡδονὴν τῶν ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις ἀγαθῶν προετίμησας; ἐκδέχου τούτων … τὴν ἀντιμέτρησιν. Οἷα γὰρ σπείρει ἕκαστος, τοιαῦτα καὶ θερίσει. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ εἶ τι τῶν ἀγαθῶν πέπρακταί σοι, κἀκείνων ἐκδέχου πολλαπλασίους τὰς ἀντιδόσεις, Ὅτι σὺ ἀποδώσεις ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Ταύτης μεμνημένος παρὰ πάντα σου τὸν βίον τῆς ἀποφάσεως, δυνήσῃ τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ἀμαρτημάτων διαφυγεῖν, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. ### English translation (Claude) “In God is my salvation and my glory; the God of my help, and my hope is in God.” Blessed is the one who exults in none of the lofty things of life, but has God as his glory; who has Christ as his boast; who can say with the Apostle, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of Christ.” But now many glory in the body, those who have given their time to athletic contests, or in general those who are bursting with the vigor of their age; and many in courage in wars, who even count the killing of their own kind a virtue. For distinction in wars and the trophies raised by generals and cities are according to the abundance of killing. … others in the construction of aqueducts and the building of great gymnasia. So-and-so, spending his wealth on fighters with wild beasts and exulting in the empty shouts of the crowds, is puffed up by praise and is proud, having his glory in his shame; he even displays his own sin in writing on tablets in the conspicuous places of the city. Another glories in wealth; another because he is a clever and invincible orator, or skilled in the wisdom of the world. The glory of all these deserves pity; but blessed are those who make God their glory. For if so-and-so is proud because he is a king's servant, greatly honored by him, how much more ought you to be magnified in yourself, because you are a servant of the great King, called by him into the closest intimacy, having received the Spirit of promise, so that, sealed in him, you have been shown to be a son of God? Having learned in himself the benefit of genuine hope in God, he calls the people to the same zeal as his own, saying, “Hope in him, all the congregation of the peoples; pour out your hearts before him.” It is impossible for us to become capable of receiving divine grace unless we drive out the passions of wickedness that have occupied our souls beforehand. I have seen physicians who do not give saving medicines before they have emptied out by emetics the disease-producing matter which the licentious have stored up in themselves from bad living. And a vessel filled beforehand with some foul-smelling liquid, unless it is washed out, will not receive the inflowing of perfume. What was there before, then, must be poured out, so that what is brought in may find room. “But vain are the sons of men.” He saw that not all were following his exhortation or consenting to hope in God, but had their hope in the vain things of life. That is why he says, “But vain are the sons of men, false are the sons of men.” Why vain? Because false. Where is their falsehood most refuted? “In the scales,” he says, “to do wrong.” What scales does he mean? Do all men weigh things? Are all wool-sellers or butchers, or do they deal in gold or silver, or in general give their effort to those materials which merchants are accustomed to exchange by scales and weights? But the race of craftsmen is large, needing no scales at all for their work; many are sailors; many are busy about the law courts and government, among whom there is falsehood, but the fraud of the scales is not practiced. What, then, does he mean? That in each of us there is in secret a kind of scale … to judge the nature of things. “I have set before your face life and death, good and evil”: two natures opposed to each other. Weigh them against each other on your own judgment seat; weigh exactly which is more profitable for you: to choose the fleeting pleasure and through it receive eternal death, or, choosing the hardship in the practice of virtue, to use it as the provider of eternal delight. Men, then, are false, having the judgment seats of their souls corrupted; whom the prophet too calls wretched, saying, “Woe to those who call darkness light and light darkness, who call bitter sweet and sweet bitter.” “For me,” one says, “the present things; who knows the future?” You weigh badly, choosing evil things in exchange for good, preferring vain things to true, putting fleeting things before eternal, choosing the passing pleasure instead of unceasing and continual gladness. “False, then, are the sons of men in the scales to do wrong.” They wrong first themselves, then also their neighbors: they become bad counselors to themselves in their actions, and a depraved example to others. You cannot say on the day of judgment, “I did not know the good.” Your own scales are set before you, providing sufficient discernment of good and evil. For we test the weights of bodies by the turn of the balance, but we discern the choices of life by the self-determination of the soul; which he has called a scale because it can incline equally to either side. [5] “Do not hope in wrongdoing, and do not desire robbery.” Above he said, “Hope in him, all the congregation of the peoples.” He saw their slowness to obey, and declared, “But vain are the sons of men.” Again he forbids them to hope in wrongdoing. The one who judges that wealth collected by wrongdoing is a sufficient means for himself to be strong and to rule is like a sick man who places good health in the abundance of his disease. “Do not hope in wrongdoing.” It hinders you in every activity. “And do not desire robbery.” He exhorts us not to covet what belongs to others. “If wealth flows, do not set your heart on it.” If you see one of the very rich, do not call his life blessed. If money flows round you from many sides and from abundant springs, do not welcome its abundance. “If wealth flows.” Marvel at the expression. The nature of wealth is flowing: it runs past its owners more swiftly than a torrent; it is wont to pass from one to another … it comes near to those standing on the bank, and as soon as it has touched them, it at once draws back; so too the ease of wealth has a most swift and slippery presence, by nature passing from some to others. Today the field is this man's, tomorrow another's, and after a little someone else's. Look at the houses in the city: how many names they have already taken since they were built, named now after one owner, now after another. And gold, always flowing through the hands of its owner, passes to another, and from him to someone else. You could sooner hold water by grasping it in your hand than keep wealth secure for yourself. So it is well said, “If wealth flows, do not set your heart on it.” Do not [cling to it] in your soul, loving and admiring it too much as one of the goods, but choose its service as an instrument. Then he adds to all that has been said a declaration, no longer in his own words, but one which he heard from God himself. “For once,” he says, “God has spoken; these two things I have heard.” And let no one be troubled as at something strange in what is said, how God spoke once and the prophet heard two things. For it is possible for someone to speak once, and in that once for many things to be spoken. For a man who meets someone once has talked about many things; and the one who heard his words can say, “He spoke to me once, but he talked about many things.” This is what is said here: “God's appearing to me happened once, but there are two things that he spoke.” He did not say, “God spoke one thing, but I heard these two things”; for so the word would have seemed to contain a contradiction with itself. What, then, were the two things he heard? That “power belongs to God, and mercy is yours, O Lord.” That God, he says, is mighty in judgment, and the same is merciful. So, do not hope in wrongdoing, do not set your heart on wealth, do not choose vanity, do not carry about a corrupted judgment seat of the soul. Knowing that our Master is mighty, fear his strength, and do not despair of his love for mankind. For not doing wrong, fear is good; but for one who has once slipped into sin, so that he may not throw himself away through despair, the hope of mercy is good. “For power belongs to God, and from him is mercy.” “For you will render to each according to his works.” “For with the measure you measure, it will be measured back to you.” Have you afflicted your brother? Expect the same. Have you robbed the goods of those lower than you, beaten the poor, …, moved your fathers' boundaries, encroached on orphans' properties, crushed widows, preferred the present pleasure to the good things in the promises? Expect … the measure of these in return. “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” And yet, if you have done anything good, expect for that too manifold repayments: “For you will render to each according to his works.” Remembering this declaration throughout your whole life, you will be able to escape most sins, in Christ Jesus [our Lord, to whom be glory and power to the ages] of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Ps 62:7 (61:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gal 6:14: quotation, high confidence - Phil 3:19: allusion, high confidence - Eph 1:13: allusion, high confidence - Ps 62:8 (61:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:9 (61:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Deut 30:15: quotation, high confidence - Isa 5:20: quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:10 (61:11 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:11 (61:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 62:12 (61:13 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:2: quotation, high confidence - Prov 22:28: allusion, medium confidence - Gal 6:7: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 62:7 (LXX 61:8); Gal 6:14. The rest of the scan text in this staged section is Migne's notes and a displaced line that belongs to 61.2 (translated there); they are removed by logged corrections. - Quotations: Ps 62:8–12 (LXX 61:9–13); Deut 30:15; Isa 5:20; Matt 7:2; Gal 6:7; Matt 16:27 and Rom 2:6. Allusions: Phil 3:19; Eph 1:13; Rom 8:14–15; Prov 22:28 (moving boundaries); Prov 23:10. The opening of this section is lost in the scan; it continues the list in 61.4 of those who glory in human things. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan (marked “…”). The closing doxology is displaced by one line in the scan; its missing words are supplied in brackets. In the list of sins after “beaten the poor” a line appears to be lost in the scan (marked “…”). The marker [5] shows where Migne's section 5 begins; this staged section belongs with 61.4. Basil's condemnation of the beast shows and their sponsors is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 61.4 (PG 29:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/61-0/#p-61-4). ## Homilies on the Psalms 114.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/114-1/#p-114-1 - Source: PG 29:485 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Preaching at midday in a martyrs' shrine, where the people had sung hymns since midnight, Basil excuses his delay (he had been serving another church) and comments on Ps 116:1: only the perfect, freed from servile fear, can say “I have loved” God, the supreme good, and they love even the sufferings borne for him, as Paul did, knowing that God watches their contest. ### Greek text Πάλαι προκαταλαβόντες τὸν ἱερὸν τοῦτον τῶν Μαρτύρων σηκὸν, ἐκ μέσης νυκτὸς τὸν Θεὸν τῶν μαρτύρων διὰ τῶν ὕμνων ἐξιλεούμενοι, διεκαρτερήσατε μέχρι τῆς μεσημβρίας ταύτης, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἄφιξιν ἀναμένοντες. Ὑμῖν μὲν οὖν καὶ ὕπνου καὶ ἀναπαύσεως τὴν εἰς τοὺς μάρτυρας τιμὴν καὶ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ λατρείαν προτιμῶσιν, ἕτοιμος ὁ μισθός. Εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολογήσασθαι, τῆς διατριβῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀπολείψεως ὑμῶν, ἐροῦμεν τὴν αἰτίαν, ὅτι ἄλλην ὁμότιμον ταύτῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίαν οἰκονομοῦντες, οὐχ ὀλίγῳ πρὸς ὑμᾶς διειργομένην τῷ διαστήματι, τὸν χρόνον τοῦτον τῆς ἡμέρας καταναλώσαμεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἔδωκεν ὁ Κύριος κἀκείνοις πληρῶσαι τὴν λειτουργίαν, καὶ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης, ἀπόδοτε μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν τὴν εὐχαριστίαν τῷ εὐεργέτῃ, τῷ τὴν ὁρωμένην ταύτην τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν ἀσθένειαν τῇ ἀοράτῳ αὐτοῦ δυνάμει χειραγωγοῦντι. Ὡς ἂν δὲ μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον παρακατέχοντες ὑμᾶς ἀνιῶμεν, βραχέα ἐξ οὗ κατελάβομεν ἀδομένου ὑμῖν ψαλμοῦ διαλεχθέντες, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ τῆς παρακλήσεως κατὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν ἡμῖν δύναμιν τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν θρέψαντες, ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἐπιμέλειαν ἕκαστόν διαφήσομεν. Τί τοίνυν ἦν τὸ ἀδόμενον; Ἠγάπησα, φησὶν, ὅτι εἰσακούσεται Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεώς μου". Οὐ παντός ἐστιν εἰπεῖν τὸ, Ἠγάπησα, ἀλλὰ τοῦ τελειουμένου ἤδη καὶ ὑπερβαίνοντος τὸν τῆς δουλείας φόβον, καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι γενομένου τῆς υἱοθεσίας. Οὐ πρόσκειται μὲν οὖν τῷ, Ἠγάπησα, τὸ, τινά" προσυπακούεται δὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ὅτι, τὸν Θεὸν τῶν ὅλων. Τὸ γὰρ κυρίως ἀγαπητὸν, ὁ Θεός ἐπειδήπερ ἀγαπητὸν ὁρίζονται εἶναι, οὗ πάντα ἐφίεται. ᾿Αγαθὸν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πρῶτον καὶ τελειότατον τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Αὐτόν τε οὖν ἠγάπησα τὸν Θεὸν, τῶν ὀρεκτῶν ὄντα τὸ ἔσχατον, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ παθήματα μετὰ χαρᾶς ὑπεδεξάμην. Τίνα δέ ἔστι ταῦτα, μικρὸν ὕστερον διεξέρχεται, τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου, τοὺς κινδύνους τοῦ ᾅδου, τὴν θλίψιν, τὴν ὀδύνην, ἅπερ πάντα αὐτῷ ἀγαπητὰ διὰ τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπην, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα, τὴν ἀποκειμένην τοῖς τὰ ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας πάθη καταδεχομένοις, ἐφαίνετο. Οὐ γὰρ παρὰ προαίρεσιν, οὐδὲ βιαίως καὶ κατηναγκασμένως ὑπέμεινα, φησὶ, τοὺς ἀγῶνας, ἀλλὰ στοργῇ τινι καὶ διαθέσει ὑπεδεξάμην τὰ ἐπίπονα " ὥστε ἔχειν με λέγειν " Ὅτι ἕνεκα σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν. Καὶ ἔοικε ταῦτα ἰσοδυναμεῖν τοῖς τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς αὐτῷ διαθέσεως λέγεσθαι τὸ, Τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλίψις; ἣ στενοχωρία; ἣ διωγμός; ἣ λιμός; ἣ γυμνότης; ἣ κίνδυνος; ἣ μάχαιρα; Ἠγάπησα οὖν ταῦτα πάντα, εἰδὼς, ὅτι ὑπὸ θεατῇ καὶ ἀθλοθέτῃ τῷ Δεσπότῃ τῶν ὅλων τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας διαφέρω κινδύνους. Ὅτι εἰσακούσεται Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεώς μου. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἕκαστος ἡμῶν δύναται τὸ ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς ἐπίπονον διανύειν, ὅταν οἱονεὶ θεατῇ τῷ Θεῷ τῶν ὅλων ἐπιδεικνύμενος ἣ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πολιτείαν. ### English translation (Claude) Long ago you took possession of this sacred shrine of the martyrs, and from midnight you have been propitiating the God of the martyrs with hymns, and you have held out until this midday, awaiting our arrival. For you, who put the honor of the martyrs and the worship of God before sleep and rest, the reward is ready. But if we too must make a defense for ourselves, for our delay and our long absence from you, we will tell the reason: that we were ministering to another church of God, equal in honor to this one, separated from you by no small distance, and spent this time of the day there. Since, then, the Lord has granted us both to complete the liturgy for them and not to miss your love, give thanks with us to the benefactor, who guides by his invisible power this visible weakness of our body. So that we may not grieve you by keeping you longer, we will speak briefly on the psalm we found being sung to you, and, having fed your souls with the word of encouragement according to the power we have, we will let each of you go to the care of the body. What, then, was being sung? “I have loved,” he says, “because the Lord will hear the voice of my supplication.” It is not for everyone to say “I have loved,” but for one who is already being made perfect, who has gone beyond the fear of slavery and has come to be in the spirit of adoption. Now “whom” is not added to “I have loved”; but it is understood by us: God, the God of all. For what is properly lovable is God, since they define the lovable as that which all things desire. And God is good, the first and most perfect of goods. I have loved God himself, then, the ultimate of all things to be desired, and I have accepted with joy the sufferings for his sake. What these are, he goes through a little later: the pangs of death, the dangers of Hades, affliction, pain, all of which seemed lovable to him because of his love for God and the hope laid up for those who accept sufferings for the sake of piety. For I did not endure the contests against my will, he says, or by force and under compulsion, but I accepted the toils with a kind of affection and disposition, so that I can say, “For your sake we are put to death all the day long.” And this seems to be equivalent to the words of the Apostle, and to be said from the same disposition as his: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Affliction, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” I have loved all these, then, knowing that it is with the Master of all as spectator and judge of the games that I bear the dangers for the sake of piety. “Because the Lord will hear the voice of my supplication.” For so each of us too can carry through what is toilsome in the commandments, when he displays his way of life as if God, the God of all, were watching. ### Scripture references - Ps 116:1 (114:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 John 4:18: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 116:3 (114:3 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Ps 44:22 (43:23 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:36: quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:35: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Aristotle, Eth. nic. 1.1 (Aristotle (works)): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Basil comments on Ps 116 (LXX 114). Quotations: Ps 116:1 (LXX 114:1); Ps 44:22 (LXX 43:23; Rom 8:36); Rom 8:35. Allusions: Rom 8:15; 1 John 4:18; Ps 116:3 (LXX 114:3). The definition of the good as “what all things desire” is the opening of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (1.1, 1094a3), which Basil cites without naming him. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 114.1 (PG 29:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/114-1/#p-114-1). ## Homilies on the Psalms 114.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/114-1/#p-114-2 - Source: PG 29:485 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Ps 116:1–9 Basil teaches that God “inclines his ear” in condescension, hearing even the unspoken groans of Moses and the blood of Abel; the saint calls on God all his days, and in the pangs of death and Hades willingly adds affliction to affliction out of love, or, as a penitent, the hardship of repentance; God's mercy and justice go together; he guards infants in the womb and the humble; and the soul's rest is the land of the living, where there is no death, change, sin, tears or want, unlike this world, where human beings die many times as they pass through the ages of life. ### Greek text Ὅτι ἔκλινε τὸ οὗς αὐτοῦ ἐμοί. Ἔκλινεν, εἶπεν, οὐχ ἵνα σωματικὴν τινα ἔννοιαν λάβῃς περὶ Θεοῦ ὦτα ἔχοντος, καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ ἡρεμαῖον τῆς φωνῆς ἐπικλίνοντος, ὅπερ ἡμεῖς ποιοῦμεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀκοὴν, ἵνα ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς τῇ αἰσθήσει παραδεξώμεθα τὸ λαλούμενον, ἀλλ᾽ Ἔκλινεν, εἶπεν, ἵνα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ἀσθενὲς ἐπιδείξηται. Ὅτι χαμαὶ κειμένῳ μοι συγκατέβη διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν " οἱονεὶ, ἀῤῥώστου τινὸς ἐκ πολλῆς ἀσθενείας οὐδὲ φθέγγεσθαι τρανῶς δυναμένου … ἀκοὴν ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς μανθάνοι τὰ ἀναγκαῖα τῷ κάμνοντι. Ἔκλινεν οὖν τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ ἐμοί. Ἢ γὰρ θεία ἀκοὴ οὐ φωνῆς δεῖται πρὸς αἴσθησιν" οἶδε γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ κινήματι τῆς καρδίας γνωρίσαι τὰ ἐπιζητούμενα. Ἢ οὐχ ἀκούεις, ὅτι Μωῦσῆς μηδὲν φθεγγόμενος, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀλαλήτοις ἑαυτοῦ στεναγμοῖς ἐντυγχάνων τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἠκούετο παρὰ ποῦ Κυρίου λέγοντος. Τί βοᾷς πρὸς με; Οἶδεν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ αἵματος ἀκοῦσαι δικαίου, ᾧ γλῶσσα οὐ πρόσεστιν, οὐδὲ φωνὴ τὸν ἀέρα περῶσα. Ἔργων δὲ δικαίων παρουσία μεγαλοφωνία ἐστὶ παρὰ Θεῷ. Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου ἐπικαλέσομαι. Ἡμεῖς μὲν, ἐν μιᾷ προσευξάμενοι ἡμέρᾳ, ἣ ἐν μιᾷ ὥρᾳ βραχύ τι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἐπιστυγνάσαντες, … ὡς ἤδη τι ποιήσαντες ἐφάμιλλον τῇ κακίᾳ ἡμῶν. Ὁ μέντοι ἅγιος παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς ζωῆς ἑαυτοῦ παραμετρουμένην ἐπιδείκνυσθαι λέγει τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν. Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις γάρ μου, … ὅτι εὐημερῶν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, καὶ πάντων αὐτῷ τῶν πραγμάτων κατὰ ῥοῦν προϊόντων, ἐπεκαλεῖτο τὸν Θεὸν, διηγεῖται τὸ μέγεθος τῶν περιστάσεων, ἐν αἷς ὧν οὐχ ἐπελάθετο τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ θεοῦ. Περιέσχον γάρ με, φησὶν, ὠδῖνες θανάτου, κίνδυνοι ἄδου εὕροσάν με. Κυρίως μὲν αἱ ὠδῖνες ἐπὶ τῶν κατὰ τὰς κυήσεις ὀδυνῶν εἰσι τεταγμέναι, ὅταν, πρὸς ὄγκον ἡ γαστὴρ διεγειρομένη, ὠθῇ τὸ ἔμβρυον πρὸς τὸ ἔξω εἶτα θλιβόμενα τὰ γεννητικὰ μέρη, καὶ τῶν ἱνῶν, ὀξυτάτας ἀλγηδόνας καὶ δριμείας ὀδύνας ἐμποιεῖ ταῖς τικτούσαις. Μετήνεγκε δὲ τὰς ὠδῖνας καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θανάτου, τὰς περιισταμένας τὸ ζῶον ἐν τῷ μερισμῷ τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τοῦ σώματος, Οὐδὲν οὖν φησι μέτριον πεπονθέναι, ἀλλὰ μέχρι καὶ αὐτῶν πεπειρᾶσθαι τῶν ὠδίνων τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ εἰς κίνδυνον τῆς καταβάσεως τοῦ ἄδου ἀφῖχθαι. Ἆρ᾽ οὖν καὶ μόνα ταῦτα πέπονθεν ἐφ᾽ οἷς σεμνύνεται, ἣ ταῦτα μὲν πολλάκις καὶ ἀκούσια; Οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν ἠναγκασμένων ἐπαινετόν. ᾿Αλλὰ βλέπε τὸ μεγαλοφυὲς τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου, καὶ κίνδυνοι ἄδου εὕροσάν με, τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχον τοῖς πειρασμοῖς τούτοις ὑποπεσεῖν, ὅτι καὶ πολλῷ τούτων πλείοσι κατὰ τὸ ἐκούσιον πειρασμοῖς ἐμαυτὸν προεθέμην. Θλῖψιν καὶ ὀδύνην ὥσπερ ἑκὼν ἐμαυτῷ ἐπεξεῦρον, οὐχ ἀκουσίως ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν κατελήφθην. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς κατόπιν Κίνδυνοι ᾅδου εὕροσάν με· ἐνταῦθα δὲ Θλῖψιν καὶ ὀδύνην εὗρον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖ ἀνενδότως ἔχων εὑρέθην πρὸς τὰ παρὰ τοῦ πειράζοντος ἐπαχθέντα, ἵνα δείξω τὴν περιουσίαν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης, προσέθηκα θλίψιν ἐπὶ τῇ θλίψει, καὶ ὀδύνην ἐπὶ τῇ ὀδύνῃ" οὐ τῇ ἐμαυτοῦ δυνάμει τῶν ἀλγεινῶν κατεπανιστάμενος, ἀλλὰ διότι τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου ἐπεκαλεσάμην. Τοιοῦτόν ἔστι καὶ τὸ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου λέγοντος " ᾿Εν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς. Νικᾷ μὲν γὰρ ὁ μὴ ἐνδιδοὺς τοῖς πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἐπαγομένοις · ὑπερνικᾷ δὲ ὁ καὶ αὐθαιρέτως ὀδύνας εἰς ἐπίδειξιν τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἐπισπώμενος. Ὁ γενόμενος ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ τινὶ τῇ πρὸς θάνατον λεγέτω" Περιέσχον μι ὠδῖνες θανάτου. Πᾶς γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου γεγέννηται. Ὅτε οὖν ἤμην, φησὶν, ἐργάτης τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ … ποῦ ἄδου κινδύνων. Πῶς οὖν ἐξιασάμην ἐμαυτόν; Ἐπειδὴ θλῖψιν καὶ ὀδύνην εὗρον τὴν διὰ τῆς μετανοίας. ᾿Αναλογοῦσαν γὰρ τῷ μεγέθει τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν ἐκ τῆς μετανοίας κάκωσιν ἐμαυτῷ ἐπενόησα, καὶ οὕτως ἐτόλμησα τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου ἐπικαλέσασθαι, Τίνα δὲ ἦν ἃ εἶπον; Ὦ Κύριε, ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου. Κατέχομαι ἐν τῇ αἰχμαλωσίᾳ ταύτῃ, σὺ δὸς τὸ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ λύτρον, καὶ ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου. Ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος καὶ δίκαιος. Πανταχοῦ συνάπτει ἡ Γραφὴ τοῖς οἰκτιρμοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δικαιοσύνην, διδάσκουσα ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὔτε ὁ ἔλεος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄκριτος, οὔτε ἡ κρίσις ἀνελεήμων. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐλεῶν, κεκριμένως τοῖς ἀξίοις ἐπιμετρεῖ τοὺς οἰκτιρμούς· καὶ κρίνων, ἐστοχασμένως τῆς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἐπάγει τὴν κρίσιν, φιλανθρωπίᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ ποῦ ἴσου ἀντιμετρήσει ἀμυνόμενος ἡμᾶς. Καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐλεεῖ. Ἔλεός ἔστι πάθος ἐπὶ τοὺς παρ᾽ ἀξίαν πεταπεινωμένους, παρὰ τῶν συμπαθῶς διατιθεμένων γινόμενον. Ἐλεοῦμεν τὸν ἐκ μεγάλου πλούτου πρὸς τὴν ἐσχάτην πενίαν μεταπεσόντα, τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας εὐεξίας τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὴν ἐσχάτην ἀσθένειαν καταβληθέντα, τὸν ἐπὶ κάλλει καὶ ὥρᾳ σώματος ἀγαλλόμενον, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν αἰσχίστων παθῶν διαφθαρέντα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἦμέν ποτε ἔνδοξοι ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ παραδείσου διαγωγῆς, ἐγενόμεθα δὲ ἄδοξοι καὶ ταπεινοὶ διὰ τὴν ἔκπτωσιν, Ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐλεεῖ, ὁρῶν ἡμᾶς οἷοι ἀνθ᾽ οἵων γεγόναμεν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀνεκαλεῖτο τῇ τοῦ ἐλέου φωνῇ, λέγων" Ἀδάμ, ποῦ εἶ; Οὐ γὰρ διδαχθῆναι ἐζήτει ὁ πάντα εἰδὼς, ἀλλὰ νοῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐβούλετο οἷος ἀνθ᾽ οἵου γέγονε. Ποῦ εἶ; ἀντὶ τοῦ, Εἰς οἷον πτῶμα κατελήλυθας ἀπὸ τηλικούτου ὕψους; … ἐταπεινώθην, καὶ ἔσωσέ με. Εἴτε κατὰ τὸν φυσικὸν λόγον, οὐκ ἂν συνέστη ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις, μὴ τῶν κομιδῇ νηπίων καὶ ἔτι βρεφῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου φυλασσομένων. Πῶς γὰρ ἣ τὰ ἐν τῇ μήτρᾳ κυοφορούμενα ἐδύνατο τρέφεσθαι ἣ κινεῖσθαι ἐν οὕτω στενοῖς χωρίοις, καὶ μηδεμίαν ἔχουσιν ἀναστροφὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν σκοτεινοῖς τόποις καὶ ἐνύγροις τὴν ζωὴν ἔχοντα, καὶ οὔτε ἀναπνεῖν δυνάμενα, οὔτε ζῆν τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ζωὴν, ἀλλὰ δίκην ἰχθύων τοῖς ὑγροῖς ἐμφερόμενα, εἰ μὴ τῇ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ φυλακῇ διεκρατεῖτο; Πῶς δ᾽ ἂν εἰς τὸν ἀήθη τοῦτον ἐκπεσόντα τόπον, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν τῇ μήτρᾳ θερμότητος τῷ ἀέρι περιψυχόμενα κἂν πρὸς τὸ βραχὺ διήρκεσεν, εἰ μὴ παρὰ Θεοῦ διεσώζετο; Φυλάσσων οὖν τὰ νήπια ὁ Κύριος ἐταπεινώθην, καὶ ἔσωσέ με. Ἢ καὶ οὕτω νοήσεις τὸν λόγον" Ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ἐστράφην, καὶ ἐγενόμην ὡς τὸ νήπιον, καὶ ἐδεξάμην τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. ὡς παιδίον, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀκακίας ἐμαυτὸν εἰς τὴν τῶν παιδίων ταπείνωσιν κατήγαγον" Φυλάσσων τὰ νήπια Κύριος, … ἐπειδὴ ἐταπεινώθην, ἔσωσέ με. Ἐπίστρεψον, ψυχή μου, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου, ὅτι Κύριος εὐηργέτησέ σε. Ἑαυτῷ προσάγει τοὺς παρακλητικοὺς λόγους ὁ καλὸς ἀγωνιστὴς, παραπλησίως τῷ Παύλῳ λέγων " Τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα" λοιπὸν ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος. Ταῦτα λέγει καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ὁ Προφήτης: Ἐπειδὴ ἱκανῶς τοῦ βίου τούτου τὸν δολιχὸν ἐξεπλήρωσας, Ἐπίστρεψον λοιπὸν εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου, ὅτι Κύριος εὐηργέτησέ σε. Πρόκειται γὰρ ἀνάπαυσις αἰωνία τοῖς νομίμως τὸν ἐνταῦθα διαθλήσασι βίον, οὐ κατὰ ὀφείλημα τῶν ἔργων … Θεοῦ τοῖς εἰς αὐτὸν ἠλπικόσι παρεχομένη. Εἶτα, πρὶν τὰ ἐκεῖ ἀγαθὰ διηγήσασθαι, τὴν ἀποφυγὴν τῶν τοῦ κόσμου ὀχληρῶν διηγούμενος, ἐπὶ τούτοις εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ ἐλευθερωτῇ τῶν ψυχῶν, τῷ τῆς ποικίλης αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπαραιτήτου δουλείας τῶν παθημάτων ἐξαιρουμένῳ. Τίνα δέ ἐστι ταῦτα; Ὅτι ἐξείλετο τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ θανάτου, τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου ἀπὸ δακρύων, καὶ τοὺς πόδας μου ἀπὸ ὀλισθήματος. Συγκρίσει τῶν ὧδε τὴν μέλλουσαν ἀνάπαυσιν διαγράφει. Ἐνταῦθα γάρ με, φησὶ, περιέσχον ὠδῖνες θανάτου " ἐκεῖ δὲ ἐξείλετο τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ θανάτου. Ἐνταῦθα οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως προχέουσι δάκρυον" ἐκεῖ δὲ οὐκέτι δάκρυον ἐπισκοτοῦν ταῖς κόραις τῶν εὐφραινομένων τῇ θεωρίᾳ τοῦ κάλλους τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἀφεῖλε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου. Ἐνταῦθα πολὺς ὁ κίνδυνος τοῦ ὀλισθήματος " διὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν· Ὁ δοκῶν ἑστάναι βλεπέτω μὴ πέσῃ. Ἐκεῖ δὲ πάγιοι αἱ βάσεις" ἀπερίτρεπτος ἡ ζωή" οὐκέτι κίνδυνος πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν ὑπενεχθῆναι, Οὔτε γὰρ σαρκὸς ἐπανάστασις, οὔτε γυναικὸς συνεργία πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν. Διότι οὐχ ἕνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει, ἀλλὰ μία τίς ἐστι ζωὴ καὶ μονότροπος, τῶν εὐαρεστούντων τῷ ἑαυτῶν Δεσπότῃ τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν ζώντων. Ὁ κόσμος οὗτος αὐτός τέ ἔστι θνητὸς, καὶ χωρίον ἀποθνησκόντων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ σύνθετός ἐστι τῶν ὁρωμένων ἡ σύστασις, τὸ δὲ σύνθετον ἅπαν διαλύεσθαι πέφυκεν, οἱ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ παντὸς φύσεως ἀπολαύημεν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πρὶν … θανάτῳ τὴν ψυχὴν διαζευχθῆναι τοῦ σώματος, ἀποθνήσκουσι πολλάκις οἱ ἄνθρωποι. Καὶ μὴ παράδοξον φανῇ σοι τὸ λεγόμενον, ἀλλὰ σκόπει τοῦ πράγματος τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἐν τρισὶ γὰρ ἑβδομάσιν ἑτῶν τρεῖς ὑφίστασθαι πέφυκεν ἀλλοιώσεις καὶ μεταβολὰς ἡλικιῶν καὶ βίων ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἑβδομάδα ἴδιος ὅρος περιγράφων τὰ παρελθόντα, καὶ ἐναργῆ παρέχων τὴν μεταποίησιν. Τοῦ παιδίου ἡ ἡλικία ἐν τῇ τῶν ὀδόντων ἀποβολῇ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἑβδομάδα περιορίζεται. Τοῦ παιδὸς λοιπὸν τοῦ πρὸς τὰς μαθήσεις ἐπιτηδείου ἡ προθεσμία ἐστὶ μέχρι τῆς ἐφηβείας. Ὁ ἔφηβος, μέχρι πρώτου καὶ εἰκοστοῦ ἔτους συμπληρωθεὶς, ὅταν ἰούλοις ἄρξηται κατασκιάζειν τὰς παρειὰς, ἀφανίζεται λεληθότως, πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα ἤδη τοῦ νεανίσκου μεθισταμένου. Ὅταν τοίνυν ἴδῃς ἄνδρα ἀποθέμενον μὲν τὴν ἐπίδοσιν τῆς καθ᾽ ἡλικίαν αὐξήσεως, βεβηκότα δὲ ἤδη τοῖς λογισμοῖς, καὶ μηδὲν ἴχνος τῆς νεότητος φέροντα, οὐχὶ τεθνηκέναι ἐν αὐτῷ λογίσῃ τὰ παρελθόντα; Πάλιν ὁ πρεσβύτης, πρὸς ἕτερον σχῆμα καὶ ψυχῆς διάθεσιν μεθαρμοσθεὶς, ἕτερός ἐστι προδήλως παρὰ τοὺς προτέρους. Ὥστε καὶ ἡ ζωὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ πολλῶν θανάτων συμπληροῦσθαι πέφυκεν, οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ κατὰ τὰς μεθηλικιώσεις μεταβολῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς καθ᾽ ἁμαρτίαν πτώμασι τῶν ψυχῶν. Ὅπου δὲ οὐχ ἔστιν ἀλλοίωσις οὔτε σώματος οὔτε ψυχῆς (οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστι λογισμοῦ παρατροπὴ, οὐδὲ μετάθεσις γνώμης, οὐδεμιᾶς περιστάσεως τὸ εὐσταθὲς καὶ ἀτάραχον τῶν λογισμῶν ἀφαιρουμένης), χῴρα ἐστὶν ἐκείνη τῷ ὄντι ζώντων, ὁμοίων ὄντων ἀεὶ αὐτῶν ἑαυτοῖς. Ἐν ᾗ μάλιστα εὐαρεστήσειν τῷ Θεῷ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Προφήτης κατεπαγγέλλεται, ὡς ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς μέλλων τῶν ἔξωθεν διακόπτεσθαι πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς ἀληθινῆς καὶ ὁμοτίμου τοῖς ἀγγέλοις δουλείας. φιλοτιμούμεθα, φησὶν, εἴτε ἐνδημοῦντες ἐν τῷ σώματι, εἴτε ἐκδημοῦντες ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος, εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι. Ζώντων ἐκείνη χώρα, ἐν ᾗ οὐχ ἕνι νὺξ, οὐχ ἔνι ὕπνος τὸ τοῦ θανάτου μίμημα " ἐν ᾗ οὐχ ἔνι. βρῶσις, οὐχ ἕνι πόσις, τὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ὑπερείσματα, οὐχ ἕνι νόσος, οὐκ ἕνι ἀλγήματα οὐχ ἰατρεία, οὐ δικαστήρια, οὐχ ἐμπορίαι, οὐ τέχναι, οὐ χρήματα, τῶν κακῶν ἡ ἀρχὴ, ἡ τῶν πολέμων ὑπόθεσις, ἡ ῥίζα τῆς ἔχθρας" ἀλλὰ χώρα ζώντων, οὐχ ἀποθνησκόντων διὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλὰ ζώντων τὴν ἀληθῆ ζωὴν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν. ### English translation (Claude) “Because he inclined his ear to me.” “He inclined,” he said, not so that you should take a bodily idea about God, as having ears and bending them to a quiet voice, as we do with those … [inclining our] hearing, so as to catch what is spoken from close by; but he said “He inclined” to show his own weakness: that he came down to me lying on the ground, out of love for mankind; as, when a sick man from great weakness cannot even speak clearly, … hearing, he may learn from close by what the sufferer needs. “He inclined his ear to me,” then. For divine hearing does not need a voice to perceive; it knows how to recognize what is sought even in the movement of the heart. Or do you not hear that Moses, saying nothing, but pleading with the Lord by his unspoken groanings, was heard by the Lord, who said, “Why do you cry to me?” God knows how to hear even the blood of a righteous man, which has no tongue and no voice passing through the air. The presence of righteous works is a loud voice before God. “And in my days I will call upon him.” We, when we have prayed on one day, or for one hour have been a little downcast over our sins, … as though we had already done something to match our wickedness. But the saint says that he shows his confession measured out over the whole time of his life. “For in my days,” … not because, prospering in this life and with all his affairs going smoothly, he called upon God; he tells the greatness of the troubles in which he did not forget the name of God. “For the pangs of death surrounded me,” he says, “the dangers of Hades found me.” Properly, pangs are said of the pains in childbirth, when the belly, swelling to its bulk, pushes the infant outward; then the parts of generation are pressed, and the sinews …, cause the sharpest pains and bitter anguish to those giving birth. And he has transferred the pangs to death as well, those that beset a living creature in the separation of soul and body. He says, then, that he suffered nothing moderate, but experienced even the very pangs of death and came to the danger of going down to Hades. Did he suffer only these things in which he takes pride? Or were these often involuntary? But nothing done under compulsion is praiseworthy. But see the greatness of the athlete. For since “the pangs of death surrounded me and the dangers of Hades found me,” I was so far from succumbing to these trials that I offered myself willingly to many more trials than these. Affliction and pain I sought out for myself as one acting willingly; I was not caught by them against my will. For in the earlier words it is “the dangers of Hades found me”; but here, “I found affliction and pain.” For since there I was found unyielding toward what the tempter brought on, I added affliction to affliction and pain to pain, to show the abundance of my love toward God; not rising up against the pains by my own power, but because I called on the name of the Lord. Such is also the Apostle's word: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” For he conquers who does not give in to what is brought on by necessity; but he is more than a conqueror who of his own choice draws pains on himself to show his endurance. Let the one who has fallen into some sin unto death say, “The pangs of death surrounded me.” “For everyone who does sin,” it says, “is born of the devil.” When then I was, he says, a worker of sin, and … of the dangers of Hades. How then did I heal myself? Because I found affliction and pain, the affliction that comes through repentance. For I devised for myself the hardship of repentance in proportion to the greatness of the sin, and so I dared to call on the name of the Lord. And what were the words I said? “O Lord, deliver my soul.” I am held in this captivity; you give the ransom for me, and deliver my soul. “The Lord is merciful and righteous.” Everywhere Scripture joins righteousness to the compassions of God, teaching us that neither is God's mercy without judgment, nor his judgment without mercy. But in having mercy he measures out his compassions with judgment to the worthy; and in judging he brings judgment with an eye to our weakness, repaying us with love for mankind rather than with an equal measure. “And our God has mercy.” Mercy is a feeling toward those brought low beyond what they deserve, arising in those who are sympathetically disposed. We pity the one who has fallen from great wealth into extreme poverty, the one cast down from the height of bodily health into extreme weakness, the one who took pride in the beauty and bloom of his body and has been ruined by the most shameful passions. Since, then, we too were once glorious in the life of paradise, but became inglorious and lowly through the fall, “our God has mercy,” seeing what we have become in place of what we were. That is why he called Adam back with the voice of mercy, saying, “Adam, where are you?” For he who knows all things was not seeking to be informed, but wished him to understand what he had become in place of what he was. “Where are you?” instead of, “Into what a fall have you come down from so great a height?” “[The Lord guards the little ones;] I was humbled, and he saved me.” Either according to the natural account: human nature would not have survived if the very young and still infants were not guarded by the Lord. For how could what is carried in the womb be nourished or move in such narrow places, which have no room to turn, living in dark and wet places, neither able to breathe nor to live the life of men, but carried in the fluids like fish, unless it were held together by God's guarding? And how, falling out into this unfamiliar place, and chilled by the air after the warmth of the womb, would it have lasted even a short time, if it were not preserved by God? So the Lord guards the little ones: “I was humbled, and he saved me.” Or you may also understand the word thus: since I turned and became like the infant, and received the kingdom of heaven as a child, and brought myself down through innocence to the humility of children, “the Lord, who guards the little ones,” … “since I was humbled, saved me.” “Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has done you good.” The good athlete addresses words of encouragement to himself, like Paul saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.” The prophet too says this to himself: since you have sufficiently completed the long course of this life, “return” now “to your rest, for the Lord has done you good.” For eternal rest awaits those who have lawfully contended through the life here, not as a debt owed for their works, … of God, given to those who have hoped in him. Then, before telling of the good things there, describing the escape from the troubles of the world, he gives thanks for them to the liberator of souls, who delivers him from the varied and inexorable slavery of the passions. And what are these? “That he has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from slipping.” By comparison with things here he describes the rest to come. Here, he says, “the pangs of death surrounded me”; there “he has delivered my soul from death.” Here the eyes shed the tear that comes from affliction; there no longer any tear darkens the pupils of those who rejoice in the contemplation of the beauty of God's glory. For “God has taken away every tear from every face.” Here the danger of slipping is great; that is why Paul too said, “Let the one who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” But there the steps are firm, the life unchangeable; no longer is there danger of being carried into sin. For there is neither rebellion of the flesh nor a woman's cooperation toward sin. For there is no male and female in the resurrection, but one life of a single kind, of those who are pleasing to their Master, who dwell in the land of the living. This world is itself mortal and a place of the dying. For since the constitution of visible things is composite, and every composite thing naturally dissolves, we who are in the world share the nature of the whole. That is why, even before the soul is separated from the body by death, human beings die many times. And do not let what is said seem strange to you, but consider the truth of the matter. In three weeks of years a human being naturally undergoes three alterations and changes of age and of life, and at each week there is its own boundary marking off what is past and providing a clear transformation. The age of the infant is bounded by the loss of the teeth in the first week. The term of the boy, now fit for learning, runs until adolescence. The adolescent, completed up to the twenty-first year, when he begins to shade his cheeks with down, disappears unnoticed, as the youth changes into the man. When, then, you see a man who has put away the growth of his age and is now settled in his reasoning, and bears no trace of youth, will you not reckon that the past has died in him? Again, the old man, adapted to another shape and disposition of soul, is clearly another person than his earlier selves. So the life of human beings is naturally completed through many deaths, not only in the change of age but also in the falls of souls through sin. But where there is no alteration of body or soul (for there is no turning aside of reasoning, no change of mind, no circumstance taking away the stability and calm of the reasonings), that is truly the land of the living, of those who are always like themselves. In it above all the prophet promises that he will be pleasing to the God of all, as one who is not going to be interrupted by anything outside in his aim of the true service equal in honor to that of the angels. “We make it our ambition,” it says, “whether at home in the body or away from the body, to be pleasing to him.” That land is of the living, in which there is no night, no sleep, the image of death; in which there is no eating, no drinking, the props of our weakness; no sickness, no pains, no medicine, no law courts, no trading, no crafts, no money, the beginning of evils, the occasion of wars, the root of enmity; but a land of the living, not of those who die through sin, but of those who live the true life in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and power to the ages of ages. Amen. ### Scripture references - Ps 116:2 (114:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Exod 14:15: quotation, high confidence - Gen 4:10: allusion, high confidence - Ps 116:3 (114:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 8:37: quotation, high confidence - 1 John 5:16: allusion, medium confidence - 1 John 3:8: quotation, high confidence - Ps 116:4 (114:4 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 116:5 (114:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Gen 3:9: quotation, high confidence - Ps 116:6 (114:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:3: allusion, high confidence - Mark 10:15: allusion, high confidence - Ps 116:7 (114:7 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:7: quotation, high confidence - 2 Tim 4:8: quotation, high confidence - Ps 116:8 (114:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 25:8: quotation, high confidence - Rev 21:4: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 10:12: quotation, high confidence - Matt 22:30: allusion, high confidence - Gal 3:28: allusion, medium confidence - Ps 116:9 (114:9 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 5:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:10: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Quotations: Ps 116:2–9 (LXX 114:2–9); Exod 14:15; Rom 8:37; 1 John 3:8; 2 Tim 4:7–8; Isa 25:8; 1 Cor 10:12; 2 Cor 5:9; Gen 3:9. Allusions: Exod 14:10–15 (Moses' silent prayer); Gen 4:10 (the blood of Abel); 1 John 5:16 (sin unto death); Matt 18:3; Mark 10:15; Matt 22:30 and Gal 3:28 (no male and female in the resurrection); Rev 21:4; 1 Tim 6:10 (money the beginning of evils). The division of life into weeks of years (the loss of the teeth at seven, adolescence at fourteen, the beard at twenty-one) is a commonplace of Greek medicine and philosophy. Lines are lost where Migne's Latin and notes stand in the scan (marked “…”); the opening words of Ps 116:6 (LXX 114:6) are supplied in brackets, and “inclining our” is supplied by sense. After the final Amen the scan has a fragment of another work by Basil (a letter on those who call the Son unlike the Father in essence and the Spirit a creature), which does not belong to this homily and is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Basil, Hom. Ps. 114.2 (PG 29:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-psalmos/114-1/#p-114-2).