Sophia Scriptura

Interpretation of the Psalms 114.1–116.2

Theodoret of Cyrus · Interpretation of the Psalms · ca. 436-448 · Cyrrhus · 14 passages

Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 114

114.1PG 80 80:1795

Ἀλληλούϊα. Πολλαῖς καὶ παντοδαπαῖς ὁ τοῦ Σελεύκου ᾿Αντίοχος, ὁ ἐπίκλην Ἐπιφανὴς, Ἰουδαίους περιέβαλε συμφοραῖς· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ῥᾳστώνῃ συζῶντας παραβῆναι τὸν θεῖον παρεσκεύασε νόμον. Οἱ δὲ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐρασταὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ ταύτης ἀγῶνας προθύμως ἀναδεξάμενοι, τῶν καλλινίκων στεφάνων ἀπήλαυσαν. Ταύτην αὐτῶν τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἡ παροῦσα μελῳδία προλέγει. Διηγεῖται δὲ κατὰ ταυτὸν καὶ τὰς τῶν ἀλγεινῶν προσβολὰς, καὶ τὴν παρασχεθεῖσαν αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ῥοπήν. « Ἡγάπησα, ὅτι εἰσακούσεται Κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τῆς δεήσεώς μου. Ὅτι ἔκλινε τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ ἐμοί. » Αὐτοὺς ταῦτα λέγειν ἡ προφητεία διδάσκει, ὅτι Πάντων μοι τὰ θεῖα θυμηρέστερα, καὶ ἀξιεραστότερόν μοι τῶν ἄλλων τὸ τὸν Θεὸν θεραπεύειν• δέχεται γάρ μου τὰς δεήσεις, καὶ τῆς οἰκείας ῥοπῆς ἀξιοῖ. « Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου ἐπικαλέσομαι. » Οὗ δὴ χάριν, παρὰ πάντα μου τὸν βίον καὶ ὑμνῶν αὐτὸν διατελέσω, καὶ τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ συμμαχίαν αἰτήσω. Εἶτα διηγεῖται τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἀλγεινῶν.

Allēlouïa. Pollais kai pantodapais ho tou Seleukou ᾿Antiochos, ho epiklēn Epiphanēs, Ioudaious periebale symphorais; kai tous men rhąstōnę̄ syzōntas parabēnai ton theion pareskeuase nomon. Hoi de tēs eusebeias erastai tous hyper tautēs agōnas prothymōs anadexamenoi, tōn kallinikōn stephanōn apēlausan. Tautēn autōn tēn andreian hē parousa melǭdia prolegei. Diēgeitai de kata tauton kai tas tōn algeinōn prosbolas, kai tēn paraschetheisan autois para tou Theou tōn holōn rhopēn. « Hēgapēsa, hoti eisakousetai Kyrios tēs phōnēs tēs deēseōs mou. Hoti ekline to ous autou emoi. » Autous tauta legein hē prophēteia didaskei, hoti Pantōn moi ta theia thymērestera, kai axierastoteron moi tōn allōn to ton Theon therapeuein• dechetai gar mou tas deēseis, kai tēs oikeias rhopēs axioi. « Kai en tais hēmerais mou epikalesomai. » Hou dē charin, para panta mou ton bion kai hymnōn auton diatelesō, kai tēn par' autou symmachian aitēsō. Eita diēgeitai to plēthos tōn algeinōn.

Alleluia. Antiochus son of Seleucus, surnamed Epiphanes, surrounded the Jews with many misfortunes of every kind, and he made those who lived at ease transgress the divine law. But the lovers of piety, eagerly taking up the contests for it, enjoyed the crowns of victory. The present song foretells their courage. At the same time it narrates both the assaults of their sufferings and the help given them by the God of all. "I loved, because the Lord will hear the voice of my supplication. For he inclined his ear to me." The prophecy teaches them to say this: "Divine things are more pleasing to me than all things, and serving God is more lovable to me than all else; for he accepts my supplications and counts me worthy of his help." "And in my days I will call upon him." "For this reason I will continue throughout my life both hymning him and asking for his alliance." Then he recounts the multitude of their sufferings.

Ps 116:1 (114:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:2 (114:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:1–2: the psalm foretells the faithful Jews' courageous resistance to Antiochus Epiphanes and God's help to them.

  • Theodoret refers the psalm to the Maccabean resistance (1–2 Maccabees).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (split word (OCR); stray letter (OCR); stray mark (OCR)): Πολλαῖς · καὶ → Πολλαῖς καὶ; ῥᾳστώνῃ συ ζῶντας → ῥᾳστώνῃ συζῶντας; ἀξιερα στότερόν → ἀξιεραστότερόν; ῥοπῆς ὁ ἀξιοῖ → ῥοπῆς ἀξιοῖ; συμμα·χίαν → συμμαχίαν.

Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 114.1 (PG 80 80:1795; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

114.3PG 80 80:1797

« Περιέσχον με ὠδῖνες θανάτου, κίνδυνοι ἄδου εὕροσάν με. » Κυρίως ὠδῖνες καλοῦνται αἱ πρὸ τοῦ τόκου τῆς τικτούσης ὀδύναι. Τοιγαροῦν ἐκ τῆς μεταφορᾶς ταύτης ὠδῖνες ᾄδου προσαγορεύονται, αἱ αὐτῷ πελάζειν τῷ θανάτῳ παρασκευάζουσαι συμφοραί. Λέγει τοίνυν, ὅτι πολλοῖς καὶ παντοδαποῖς περιστοιχηθεῖσι δεινοῖς, ὡς παρ᾿ αὐτὸν γενέσθαι τὸν θάνατον, καὶ αὐτὰς καταλαβεῖν τοῦ ᾅδου τὰς πύλας. • Θλίψιν καὶ ὀδύνην εὗρον. Καὶ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου ἐπεκαλεσάμην. » ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ εἰς ἀνάπαυλαν ἐμαυτὸν ἐξέδωκα, καὶ ῥᾳστώνην, τούτοις περιπεσών, οὔτε εἰς τὰς ἄλλας τοῦ βίου ψυχαγωγίας ἐμαυτὸν προενήνοχα, ἀλλὰ θρήνοις καὶ δάκρυσι κεχρημένος, καὶ διηνεκῶς ποτνιώμενος τὴν θείαν ἐξήτουν βοήθειαν. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀκριβέστερον ἐκ τῆς τῶν Μακκαβαίων ἱστορίας μάθοι τις ἄν. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν ἔρημον ἀποδράσαντες οἱ τρόφιμοι τῆς εὐσεβείας, καὶ λιμῷ, καὶ δίψῃ πιεζόμενοι, τὸν Θεὸν ἠντιβόλησαν, καὶ τῆς παρ' αὐτοῦ βοηθείας ἀπήλαυσαν. « Ὦ Κύριε, ῥῦσαι τὴν ψυχήν μου. Ταῦτα, φησὶ, ποτνιώμενος ἔλεγον· Ἐπάμυνον, ὦ Δέσποτα, καὶ τῶν ἐπικειμένων κακῶν τὰς ἡμετέρας ψυχὰς ἐλευθέρωσον. Ἤδειν μέντοι προσευχόμενος, ὅτι τεύξομαι τῆς αἰτήσεως, τὴν πολλὴν αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν τῇ πείρᾳ μεμαθηκώς. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπήγαγεν·

« Perieschon me ōdines thanatou, kindynoi adou heurosan me. » Kyriōs ōdines kalountai hai pro tou tokou tēs tiktousēs odynai. Toigaroun ek tēs metaphoras tautēs ōdines ądou prosagoreuontai, hai autǭ pelazein tǭ thanatǭ paraskeuazousai symphorai. Legei toinyn, hoti pollois kai pantodapois peristoichētheisi deinois, hōs par᾿ auton genesthai ton thanaton, kai autas katalabein tou hądou tas pylas. • Thlipsin kai odynēn heuron. Kai to onoma Kyriou epekalesamēn. » ᾿All' ouk eis anapaulan emauton exedōka, kai rhąstōnēn, toutois peripesōn, oute eis tas allas tou biou psychagōgias emauton proenēnocha, alla thrēnois kai dakrysi kechrēmenos, kai diēnekōs potniōmenos tēn theian exētoun boētheian. Touto de akribesteron ek tēs tōn Makkabaiōn historias mathoi tis an. Eis gar tēn erēmon apodrasantes hoi trophimoi tēs eusebeias, kai limǭ, kai dipsę̄ piezomenoi, ton Theon ēntibolēsan, kai tēs par' autou boētheias apēlausan. « Ō Kyrie, rhysai tēn psychēn mou. Tauta, phēsi, potniōmenos elegon; Epamynon, ō Despota, kai tōn epikeimenōn kakōn tas hēmeteras psychas eleutherōson. Ēdein mentoi proseuchomenos, hoti teuxomai tēs aitēseōs, tēn pollēn autou philanthrōpian tę̄ peirą memathēkōs. Touto gar epēgagen;

"The pangs of death surrounded me; the dangers of Hades found me." Properly, "pangs" are the pains of a woman in labor before the birth. By this metaphor, then, the misfortunes that bring one close to death are called "pangs of Hades." He says, then, that they were surrounded by many terrors of every kind, so as to come to death itself and reach the very gates of Hades. "I found affliction and pain. And I called on the name of the Lord." "But having fallen into these things, I did not give myself up to rest and ease, nor did I betake myself to the other comforts of life; but using lamentations and tears and continually imploring, I sought the divine help." One can learn this more precisely from the history of the Maccabees. For the nurslings of piety fled to the desert, and pressed by hunger and thirst, they implored God and enjoyed his help. "O Lord, deliver my soul." "Imploring, I said this: Help us, Master, and free our souls from the evils that lie upon us. And while praying I knew that I would obtain my request, having learned his great love for humankind by experience." For he added this:

Ps 116:3 (114:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:4 (114:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:3–4: the Maccabean faithful, brought near death and fleeing to the desert, sought God's help with tears and were heard.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR breathing; OCR letter; repeated letters (OCR); stray letter (OCR); stray mark (OCR)): εὔροσάν → εὕροσάν; περιστοιχηθεῖσι ὁ δεινοῖς → περιστοιχηθεῖσι δεινοῖς; θάνατον, ον, καὶ → θάνατον, καὶ; έμαυτὸν → ἐμαυτὸν; οὔτε εἰς · τὰς → οὔτε εἰς τὰς; ὁῦσαι → ῥῦσαι.

Topics: Prayer, Persecution

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 114.3 (PG 80 80:1797; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

114.5PG 80 80:1797

« Ἐλεήμων ὁ Κύριος, καὶ δίκαιος, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐλεεῖ. › Τὰς γὰρ τοῦ ἐλέους πηγὰς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσχέει · ἔχει δὲ καὶ δικαιοσύνην, τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας κολάζει μεταμελείᾳ χρήσασθαι μὴ βουλομένους. Δὶς μέντοι τοῦ ἐλέους μνημονεύσας, ἅπαξ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐμνήσθη. Νικᾷ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπία τῆς δικαιοσύνης τὴν ψῆφον.

« Eleēmōn ho Kyrios, kai dikaios, kai ho Theos hēmōn eleei. › Tas gar tou eleous pēgas tois anthrōpois proscheei ; echei de kai dikaiosynēn, tous adikountas kolazei metameleią chrēsasthai mē boulomenous. Dis mentoi tou eleous mnēmoneusas, hapax tēs dikaiosynēs emnēsthē. Niką gar hē tou Theou philanthrōpia tēs dikaiosynēs tēn psēphon.

"The Lord is merciful and righteous, and our God has mercy." For he pours out the springs of mercy on human beings; but he also has righteousness, and punishes wrongdoers who will not repent. He mentioned mercy twice and righteousness once; for God's love for humankind overcomes the sentence of justice.

Ps 116:5 (114:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:5: mercy is named twice and justice once, because God's love outweighs his justice.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent): μή βουλομένους → μὴ βουλομένους.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 114.5 (PG 80 80:1797; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-5

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

114.6PG 80 80:1797

« Φυλάσσων τὰ νήπια ὁ Κύριος. • Τοσαύτην γὰρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ποιεῖται κηδεμονίαν, ὅτι καὶ τὰ βρέφη πάσης ἀξιοῖ προμηθείας. Καὶ οὐ μόνον τεχθέντων ἐπιμελεῖται, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐταῖς ταῖς νηδύσι τῶν μητέρων ἐπικρυπτόμενα, καὶ ὕδασι δυσωδέσιν ἐννηχόμενα, καὶ ἐν ζοφώδει, καὶ ἐν στενῷ καθειργμένα χωρίῳ διατηρεῖ, καὶ σώζει, καὶ τελεσιουργεῖ, καὶ εἰς φῶς ἐξάγει, καὶ τὰς τοῦ γάλακτος ὀρέγει πηγὰς, καὶ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων δαιμόνων ἐλευθεροῖ, καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, πατρικῆς μεταδίδωσι προμηθείας. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ τὴν τούτων ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος ἐποιήσατο μνήμην, ἀλλὰ διδάσκων, ὡς οὐκ ἀμείβεται μόνον ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τοὺς τῶν δικαίων καρποὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄρχει τῆς εὐεργεσίας, καὶ δημιουργεῖ τοὺς οὐκ ὄντας, καὶ διαπλάσας ἐπιμελεῖται, καὶ μετὰ τὴν τελείαν ἡλικίαν ἀναμένει τοὺς τῆς δικαιοσύνης καρποὺς, καὶ πάλιν τότε ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἐπικλύζει. « Ἐταπεινώθην καὶ ἔσωσέ με. » Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος οὕτως· Ἠτόνησα καὶ ἔσωσε με. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ νήπια τὰ μηδέπω τὴν αὐτοῦ γνῶσιν δεξάμενα τοσαύτης παρ' αὐτοῦ τυγχάνει κηδεμονίας, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῖς εἰλικρινῶς αὐτὸν ἐπικαλουμένοις μεταδίδωσι σωτηρίας. Αὐτίκα τοίνυν ἡμᾶς ταῖς συμφοραῖς ταπεινωθέντας ἰδὼν τῆς οἰκείας ἐπικουρίας ἠξίωσεν.

« Phylassōn ta nēpia ho Kyrios. • Tosautēn gar pantōn anthrōpōn poieitai kēdemonian, hoti kai ta brephē pasēs axioi promētheias. Kai ou monon techthentōn epimeleitai, alla kai autais tais nēdysi tōn mēterōn epikryptomena, kai hydasi dysōdesin ennēchomena, kai en zophōdei, kai en stenǭ katheirgmena chōriǭ diatērei, kai sōzei, kai telesiourgei, kai eis phōs exagei, kai tas tou galaktos oregei pēgas, kai tōn epibouleuontōn daimonōn eleutheroi, kai syllēbdēn eipein, patrikēs metadidōsi promētheias. Ouch haplōs de tēn toutōn ho prophētikos logos epoiēsato mnēmēn, alla didaskōn, hōs ouk ameibetai monon ho tōn holōn Theos tous tōn dikaiōn karpous, alla kai archei tēs euergesias, kai dēmiourgei tous ouk ontas, kai diaplasas epimeleitai, kai meta tēn teleian hēlikian anamenei tous tēs dikaiosynēs karpous, kai palin tote tais euergesiais tous agathous epiklyzei. « Etapeinōthēn kai esōse me. » Ho de Symmachos houtōs; Ētonēsa kai esōse me. Ei gar ta nēpia ta mēdepō tēn autou gnōsin dexamena tosautēs par' autou tynchanei kēdemonias, pollǭ mallon tois eilikrinōs auton epikaloumenois metadidōsi sōtērias. Autika toinyn hēmas tais symphorais tapeinōthentas idōn tēs oikeias epikourias ēxiōsen.

"The Lord guards the infants." For he takes such care of all human beings that he counts even babies worthy of all providence. And he not only takes care of them when born, but while they are still hidden in their mothers' wombs, swimming in foul-smelling waters, shut up in a dark and narrow place, he preserves, saves, and completes them, brings them into the light, holds out to them the springs of milk, frees them from the demons who plot against them, and, in a word, gives them a share in a father's providence. The prophetic word did not mention them without reason, but to teach that the God of all does not only reward the fruits of the righteous, but also begins the benefaction: he creates those who did not exist, cares for them once formed, waits after they come of age for the fruits of righteousness, and then again floods the good with benefits. "I was humbled, and he saved me." Symmachus has: "I was exhausted, and he saved me." For if infants who have not yet received knowledge of him obtain such care from him, much more does he give salvation to those who call on him sincerely. "At once, then, seeing us humbled by misfortunes, he counted us worthy of his help."

Ps 116:6 (114:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:6: God cares even for unborn and newborn infants, beginning his benefits before any merit; much more does he save those who call on him.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent; OCR breathing; OCR letter; stray letters (OCR)): Τοσαύτην υἱ Λ γὰρ → Τοσαύτην γὰρ; τελεσιουργεί → τελεσιουργεῖ; χαρποὺς → καρποὺς; Έταπεινώθην → Ἐταπεινώθην; κτδεμονίας → κηδεμονίας.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 114.6 (PG 80 80:1797; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-6

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-114-6) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

114.7PG 80 80:1799

· Ἐπίστρεψον, ψυχή μου, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου, ὅτι Κύριος εὐηργέτησέ σε. » Παραθαῤῥύνουσιν ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ παραθήγουσιν εἰς ἀνδρείαν, τῶν θείων εὐεργεσιῶν ὑποδεικνύντες τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ διδάσκουσι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς, ὅτι κἂν τὸν ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας καταδέξωνται θάνατον, εἰς τὸν θυμήρη καὶ ἄλυπον μετατεθήσονται βίον. ᾿Ανάπαυσιν γὰρ ἐκεῖνον ἐκάλεσε. Δηλοῖ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ ἐπιφερόμενα.

; Epistrepson, psychē mou, eis tēn anapausin sou, hoti Kyrios euērgetēse se. » Paratharrhynousin heautous, kai parathēgousin eis andreian, tōn theiōn euergesiōn hypodeiknyntes to plēthos, kai didaskousi sphas autous, hoti kan ton hyper eusebeias katadexōntai thanaton, eis ton thymērē kai alypon metatethēsontai bion. ᾿Anapausin gar ekeinon ekalese. Dēloi de touto kai ta epipheromena.

"Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has been good to you." They encourage themselves and sharpen themselves to courage by pointing to the multitude of the divine benefits, and they teach themselves that even if they accept death for piety's sake, they will be transferred to a delightful and painless life. For he called that life "rest." What follows also shows this.

Ps 116:7 (114:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:7: the faithful encourage themselves that death for piety leads to the 'rest' of a painless life.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (stray letter (OCR)): ἄλυπον Ο μετατεθήσονται → ἄλυπον μετατεθήσονται.

Topics: Martyrdom, Eschatology

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 114.7 (PG 80 80:1799; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-7

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-114-7) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

114.8PG 80 80:1799

« Ὅτι ἐξείλετο τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐκ θανάτου, τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου ἀπὸ δακρύων, καὶ τοὺς πόδας μου ἀπὸ ὀλισθήματος. Εὐαρεστήσω ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ἐν χώρᾳ ζώντων. » Χώραν δὲ ζώντων, οὐ τὸν παρόντα βίον καλεῖ, ἐν ᾧ θρῆνοι, καὶ ὀδυρμοί, καὶ νόσοι, καὶ θάνατοι, καὶ ἁμαρτίαι, καὶ συμφοραὶ, ἀλλὰ τὸν τούτων ἁπάντων ἀπηλλαγμένον βίον, ἐν ᾧ ἀταλαίπωρος τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡ κτῆσις, καὶ δίχα πόνων ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης προσγίνεται πλοῦτος. Οἱ γὰρ μετὰ πόνων ἐνταῦθα τοῦτον θελόμενοι συναγεῖραι, πολλαπλασιάσουσιν αὐτὸν πόνων χωρίς· τὸν χαριστήριον τοίνυν ὕμνον προσφέρουσιν, ὡς τῶν μὲν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ δακρύειν ἀπαλλαγέντων, τῶν δὲ ποδῶν τὸν ὀλισθηρὸν βίον διαφευγόντων, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς διαδράναι δυνηθείσης τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν θάνατον · καὶ διδάσκουσι σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐνεγκεῖν γενναίως τὰς τῶν ἀλγεινῶν προσβολὰς, καὶ τοῦ θανάτου καταφρονῆσαι, ὡς ζωῆς ἀλύπου διαδεχομένης τὸν θάνατον.

« Hoti exeileto tēn psychēn mou ek thanatou, tous ophthalmous mou apo dakryōn, kai tous podas mou apo olisthēmatos. Euarestēsō enōpion Kyriou en chōrą zōntōn. » Chōran de zōntōn, ou ton paronta bion kalei, en hǭ thrēnoi, kai odyrmoi, kai nosoi, kai thanatoi, kai hamartiai, kai symphorai, alla ton toutōn hapantōn apēllagmenon bion, en hǭ atalaipōros tēs aretēs hē ktēsis, kai dicha ponōn ho tēs dikaiosynēs prosginetai ploutos. Hoi gar meta ponōn entautha touton thelomenoi synageirai, pollaplasiasousin auton ponōn chōris; ton charistērion toinyn hymnon prospherousin, hōs tōn men ophthalmōn tou dakryein apallagentōn, tōn de podōn ton olisthēron bion diapheugontōn, tēs de psychēs diadranai dynētheisēs tēs hamartias ton thanaton ; kai didaskousi sphas autous enenkein gennaiōs tas tōn algeinōn prosbolas, kai tou thanatou kataphronēsai, hōs zōēs alypou diadechomenēs ton thanaton.

"For he has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from slipping. I will be well pleasing before the Lord in the land of the living." He calls "the land of the living" not the present life, in which there are laments, wailings, diseases, deaths, sins, and misfortunes, but the life freed from all these, in which virtue is acquired without hardship and the wealth of righteousness comes without toil. For those who here wish to gather it with toil will multiply it there without toil. They offer the hymn of thanksgiving, then, as their eyes freed from weeping, their feet escaping the slippery life, and their soul able to escape the death of sin; and they teach themselves to bear nobly the assaults of sufferings and to despise death, since a life without pain succeeds death.

Ps 116:8 (114:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:9 (114:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:8–9: 'the land of the living' is the life to come, free of pain and sin, which encourages the faithful to despise death.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent; OCR letter; iota subscript (OCR); stray space (OCR)): χώρα ζώντων → χώρᾳ ζώντων; θελόμενοι συναγείραι → θελόμενοι συναγεῖραι; διαφευγόντων , τῆς → διαφευγόντων, τῆς; τὸν θάνατου. → τὸν θάνατον..

Topics: Eschatology, Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 114.8 (PG 80 80:1799; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/114-8

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 115

115.1PG 80 80:1801

᾿Αλληλούϊα. Ἑβραῖος καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἑρμηνευταὶ, καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὁ Σύρος, τοῦτον τοῖς προτεταγμένοις συνάπτουσι· καὶ γὰρ τῆς αὐτῆς ἔχεται διανοίας· καὶ τὸν ἔννατον διχῆ διελόντες, τῇ τῶνδε τῶν ψαλμῶν συναφῇ τὸν ἴσον τῶν ψαλμῶν φυλάττουσιν ἀριθμόν. Τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ ὅμως ὑπόθεσιν ἔχει. Οἱ γὰρ τῆς τῶν ζώντων χώρας ἐκεῖ μνημονεύσαντες, καὶ τοῦτο τεθεικότες ἀκροτελεύτιον, ἐνταῦθα ἀρχόμενοι λέγουσιν· « Ἐπίστευσα, διὸ ἐλάλησα. • Οὐ γὰρ τοῖς τοῦ σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐκείνην ἐθεασάμην τὴν χώραν, ἀλλὰ κατάδηλόν μοι ταύτην ἡ πίστις πεποίηκεν. • Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐταπεινώθην σφόδρα. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπα ἐν τῇ ἐκστάσει μου· Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ψεύστης. » Ὁ δὲ ᾿Ακύλας οὕτως ἐν τῷ θαμβεῖσθαί με. Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος διάψευσμα. Ὁ δὲ Θεοδοτίων· Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ἐκλείπει. Ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος· Καὶ εἶπον ἀδημονῶν· Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος διαψεύδεται. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ πάσας τέθεικα τὰς ἐρμηνείας, ἀλλὰ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὡς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην εὐημερίαν ψεῦδος καλεῖ, διαῤῥέουσαν ὅτι τάχιστα, καὶ διαρκὲς οὐδὲν ἔχουσαν. Τὴν γὰρ ἀθρόαν ταύτην, φησί, μεταβολὴν θεασάμενος, καὶ τῆς προτέρας ἡμῶν ἀναμνησθεὶς εὐκληρίας, καὶ τὰς ἐπαλλήλους ὁρῶν συμφορὰς, εἶπον ἀδημονῶν, Μόνιμον οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ σταθερόν· ἀλλὰ διαψεύδεται, καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος διαμαρτάνει, τοῖς παροῦσιν ὡς διαρκέσι θαῤῥῶν. Τοῦτο μὲν ἐν τῷ τριακοστῷ καὶ ὀγδόῳ ἔφη ψαλμῷ • Πλὴν τὰ σύμπαντα ματαιότης, πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ζῶν. » Ταῦτα καὶ ὁ σοφὸς παιδευθεὶς Σολομών, καίτοι διὰ πάσης εὐημερίας ὁδεύσας, τῆς τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων φυσιολογίας ἁψάμενος, τοῦτο προοίμιον τέθεικε· « Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης. Ἐγὼ εἶπα

᾿Allēlouïa. Hebraios kai hoi loipoi hermēneutai, kai mentoi kai ho Syros, touton tois protetagmenois synaptousi; kai gar tēs autēs echetai dianoias; kai ton ennaton dichē dielontes, tę̄ tōnde tōn psalmōn synaphę̄ ton ison tōn psalmōn phylattousin arithmon. Tēn autēn de homōs hypothesin echei. Hoi gar tēs tōn zōntōn chōras ekei mnēmoneusantes, kai touto tetheikotes akroteleution, entautha archomenoi legousin; « Episteusa, dio elalēsa. • Ou gar tois tou sōmatos ophthalmois ekeinēn etheasamēn tēn chōran, alla katadēlon moi tautēn hē pistis pepoiēken. • Egō de etapeinōthēn sphodra. Egō de eipa en tę̄ ekstasei mou; Pas anthrōpos pseustēs. » Ho de ᾿Akylas houtōs en tǭ thambeisthai me. Pas anthrōpos diapseusma. Ho de Theodotiōn; Pas anthrōpos ekleipei. Ho de Symmachos; Kai eipon adēmonōn; Pas anthrōpos diapseudetai. Ouch haplōs de pasas tetheika tas ermēneias, alla deixai boulomenos, hōs tēn anthrōpinēn euēmerian pseudos kalei, diarrheousan hoti tachista, kai diarkes ouden echousan. Tēn gar athroan tautēn, phēsi, metabolēn theasamenos, kai tēs proteras hēmōn anamnēstheis euklērias, kai tas epallēlous horōn symphoras, eipon adēmonōn, Monimon ouden, oude statheron; alla diapseudetai, kai tēs elpidos diamartanei, tois parousin hōs diarkesi tharrhōn. Touto men en tǭ triakostǭ kai ogdoǭ ephē psalmǭ • Plēn ta sympanta mataiotēs, pas anthrōpos zōn. » Tauta kai ho sophos paideutheis Solomōn, kaitoi dia pasēs euēmerias hodeusas, tēs tōn anthrōpinōn pragmatōn physiologias hapsamenos, touto prooimion tetheike; « Mataiotēs mataiotētōn, ta panta mataiotēs. Egō eipa

Alleluia. The Hebrew and the other translators, and also the Syriac, join this psalm to the preceding one, for it keeps to the same sense; and by dividing the ninth psalm in two, they keep the same number of psalms through joining these two. In any case it has the same subject. Those who mentioned there "the land of the living" and made this their conclusion say here at the beginning: "I believed, therefore I spoke." "For I did not behold that land with the eyes of the body; faith made it plain to me." "But I was greatly humbled. I said in my amazement: Every man is a liar." Aquila has: "In my astonishment: every man is a deception." Theodotion: "Every man fails." Symmachus: "And I said in distress: every man proves false." I did not set down all the renderings without reason, but wishing to show that he calls human prosperity a lie, since it flows away very quickly and has nothing lasting. "For seeing this sudden change," he says, "and remembering our former good fortune, and seeing the successive misfortunes, I said in my distress: nothing is lasting or stable; but one who trusts in present things as lasting is deceived and misses his hope." He said this in the thirty-eighth psalm: "But all things are vanity, every living man." Solomon the wise, taught these things, though he had traveled through every prosperity, touching on the natural inquiry into human affairs, set this as his preface: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. I said …"

Ps 116:10 (115:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:11 (115:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 39:5 (38:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 1:2 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 4:13 (allusion, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:10–11: the Hebrew joins this to the previous psalm; faith reveals the land of the living, and 'every man is a liar' means human prosperity is fleeting, as Psalm 39 and Ecclesiastes say.

  • Theodoret notes that the Hebrew joins Psalms 114–115 (Septuagint numbering) and divides Psalm 9 in two, so that the total is the same.
  • The section breaks off in the scan in the middle of a quotation of Ecclesiastes.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR breathing; OCR letter; split word (OCR); split word and stray mark (OCR); stray letters (OCR); stray space and mark (OCR)): τῇ τῶν δε τῶν ψαλμῶν → τῇ τῶνδε τῶν ψαλμῶν; φυλάτ τουσιν → φυλάττουσιν; διάψευσμα . ῾Ὁ δὲ → διάψευσμα. Ὁ δὲ; Μόνι μον οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ σταθερόν - → Μόνιμον οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ σταθερόν·; παιδενθεὶς → παιδευθεὶς; ὀδεύσας → ὁδεύσας; Ἐγὼ εἶπα – Α → Ἐγὼ εἶπα.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 115.1 (PG 80 80:1801; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

115.3PG 80 80:1801

« Τί ἀνταποδώσω τῷ Κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἀνταπέδωκέ μοι; » Πολλαῖς καὶ διαφόροις εὐεργεσίαις περικλυζόμενος, οὐκ οἶδα τίσι τὸν εὐεργέτην ἀμείψομαι. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ τοῦτο τῷ προτέρῳ συνῆψεν· ἀλλὰ διδάσκει, ὅτι καὶ ἐν ταῖς ποικίλαις τοῦ βίου μεταβολαῖς τὴν οἰκείαν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς ἐπικουρίαν ὀρέγει, καὶ παντοδαπὴν τοῖς ἀθυμοῦσι προσφέρει παραψυχήν. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος · « Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ Πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ παρακαλῶν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ θλίψει ἡμῶν, εἰς τὸ δύνασθαι παρακαλεῖν τοὺς ἐν πάσῃ θλίψει διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως, ἧς παρακαλούμεθα αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ· ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὕτω διὰ Χριστοῦ περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις ἡμῶν. » Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Δαβίδ· · Κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ὀδυνῶν μου αἱ παρακλήσεις σου εὔφραναν τὴν ψυχήν μου. »

« Ti antapodōsō tǭ Kyriǭ peri pantōn hōn antapedōke moi? » Pollais kai diaphorois euergesiais periklyzomenos, ouk oida tisi ton euergetēn ameipsomai. Ouch haplōs de touto tǭ proterǭ synēpsen; alla didaskei, hoti kai en tais poikilais tou biou metabolais tēn oikeian tois anthrōpois ho tōn holōn Theos epikourian oregei, kai pantodapēn tois athymousi prospherei parapsychēn. Touto kai ho makarios ephē Paulos ; « Eulogētos ho Theos, kai Patēr tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, ho parakalōn hēmas epi pasę̄ tę̄ thlipsei hēmōn, eis to dynasthai parakalein tous en pasę̄ thlipsei dia tēs paraklēseōs, hēs parakaloumetha autoi hypo tou Theou; hoti kathōs perisseuei ta pathēmata tou Christou eis hēmas, houtō dia Christou perisseuei kai hē paraklēsis hēmōn. » Touto kai ho makarios ephē Dabid; ; Kata to plēthos tōn odynōn mou hai paraklēseis sou euphranan tēn psychēn mou. »

"What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has rendered to me?" "Flooded with many and various benefits, I do not know with what I shall repay my benefactor." Not without reason did he join this to what precedes; he teaches that even in the various changes of life the God of all stretches out his help to human beings and offers every kind of consolation to the despondent. The blessed Paul said this too: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God; for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so through Christ our comfort also abounds." The blessed David also said this: "According to the multitude of my pains, your consolations gladdened my soul."

Ps 116:12 (115:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 1:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 94:19 (93:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:12: amid life's changes God gives his help and comfort, as Paul and Psalm 94 say, so that the psalmist does not know how to repay him.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent; stray space (OCR)): ἀνταπέδωκέ μοι ; » → ἀνταπέδωκέ μοι; »; συνἥψεν → συνῆψεν; Πατήρ τοῦ → Πατὴρ τοῦ.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 115.3 (PG 80 80:1801; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-3

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

115.4PG 80 80:1803

« Ποτήριον σωτηρίου λήψομαι, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου ἐπικαλέσομαι. » Προσήκει τοίνυν θαῤῥαλέως τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καταδέξασθαι θάνατον, καὶ ταύτην δοῦναι τῆς παντοδαπῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀντίδοσιν. Ποτήριον γὰρ σωτηρίου τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας προσηγόρευσε θάνατον. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτὸν Κύριος ὀνομάζει. Πάτερ γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰ δυνατὸν παρελθέτω τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. • Καὶ τῇ ξυνωρίδι τῶν ἀποστόλων τὴν κοινωνίαν αἰτησάσῃ τῆς βασιλείας, οὕτως ἔφη · « Δύνασθε πιεῖν τὸ ποτήριον, ὁ ἐγὼ μέλλω πιεῖν; › Τοῦτο τοίνυν καὶ ἐνταῦθα οἱ γενναῖοι καὶ ἄριστοι τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνισταὶ, φησὶν, αὐτοῖς δρᾶσαι παρακελεύονται· ταύτην δὲ πληροῦσι τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν τῶν ὁμοφύλων δρώντων, ὅπως ἂν καὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν ὅμοιον παραθήξωσι ζῆλον. Εἶτα δεικνύουσι τὸν τούτου θανάτου καρπόν.

« Potērion sōtēriou lēpsomai, kai to onoma Kyriou epikalesomai. » Prosēkei toinyn tharrhaleōs ton hyper autou katadexasthai thanaton, kai tautēn dounai tēs pantodapēs euergesias antidosin. Potērion gar sōtēriou ton hyper tēs eusebeias prosēgoreuse thanaton. Houtō gar auton Kyrios onomazei. Pater gar, phēsin, ei dynaton parelthetō to potērion touto ap᾿ emou. • Kai tę̄ xynōridi tōn apostolōn tēn koinōnian aitēsasę̄ tēs basileias, houtōs ephē ; « Dynasthe piein to potērion, ho egō mellō piein? › Touto toinyn kai entautha hoi gennaioi kai aristoi tēs eusebeias agōnistai, phēsin, autois drasai parakeleuontai; tautēn de plērousi tēn hyposchesin tōn homophylōn drōntōn, hopōs an kai autous eis ton homoion parathēxōsi zēlon. Eita deiknyousi ton toutou thanatou karpon.

"I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord." "It is fitting, then, to accept death for him boldly, and to give this as a return for his benefits of every kind." He called death for piety's sake "the cup of salvation." For so the Lord names it: "Father," he says, "if it is possible, let this cup pass from me." And to the pair of apostles who asked for a share in the kingdom he said: "Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?" This, then, here too, these noble and excellent contestants of piety urge themselves to do; and they fulfill this promise while their kinsmen look on, so as to sharpen them too to the same zeal. Then they show the fruit of this death.

Ps 116:13 (115:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 26:39 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 20:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:13: the 'cup of salvation' is death for piety, as Christ calls his passion a cup; the Maccabean martyrs offer it as their return to God.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (split word (OCR); stray mark (OCR)): τῆς - βασιλείας → τῆς βασιλείας; ἐνταῦ θα → ἐνταῦθα.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 115.4 (PG 80 80:1803; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-4

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

115.5PG 80 80:1803

«Τὰς εὐχάς μου τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀποδώσω ἐναντίον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ. Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ. ›• Εἰ δὲ Θεῷ τίμιος, τίνι τῶν ὁσίων οὐ σεβάσμιος ;

«Tas euchas mou tǭ Kyriǭ apodōsō enantion pantos tou laou autou. Timios enantion Kyriou ho thanatos tōn hosiōn autou. ›• Ei de Theǭ timios, tini tōn hosiōn ou sebasmios ?

"I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." If it is precious to God, to which of the saints is it not venerable?

Ps 116:14 (115:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:15 (115:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:14–15: the death of God's saints is precious to God and should be venerated by all.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR breathing): έναντίον → ἐναντίον.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 115.5 (PG 80 80:1803; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-5

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

115.7PG 80 80:1803

« Ὦ Κύριε, ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός· ἐγὼ δοῦλος σὸς, καὶ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης σου. » Ἐὰν μὲν οὖν ἀξιάγαστον ἐκεῖνον ὑπομείνωμεν θάνατον, τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τιμῆς καὶ δόξης ἀπολαυσόμεθα, καὶ ἀείμνηστον καταλείψομεν κλέος. Εἰ δὲ κρείττους τῶν πολεμίων γινόμενοι, τὴν ἐκείνων σκεδάσωμεν φάλαγγα, τὸν χαριστήριον ὕμνον τῷ Δεσπότῃ προσοίσομεν, τὴν δουλείαν ὁμολογοῦντες, καὶ ταύτην ἔχειν ἐκ προγόνων αὐχοῦντες. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώποις δουλεύειν ἠναγκασμένοι ἐλευθέρους ἐσχηκέναι προγόνους ἔστιν ὅτε σεμνύνονται · οἱ δὲ εὖνοι θεραπεύσαντες τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐκ προγόνων ἔχειν ὁμολογοῦσι δουλείαν, μεγίστην τὴν τοιαύτην δουλείαν εὔκλειαν εἰκότως εἶναι πιστεύοντες. « Διέρῤῥηξας τοὺς δεσμούς μου. Τῶν πολλῶν μου καὶ διαφόρων συμφορῶν ἠλευθέρωσας.

« Ō Kyrie, egō doulos sos; egō doulos sos, kai huios tēs paidiskēs sou. » Ean men oun axiagaston ekeinon hypomeinōmen thanaton, tēs para tou Theou timēs kai doxēs apolausometha, kai aeimnēston kataleipsomen kleos. Ei de kreittous tōn polemiōn ginomenoi, tēn ekeinōn skedasōmen phalanga, ton charistērion hymnon tǭ Despotę̄ prosoisomen, tēn douleian homologountes, kai tautēn echein ek progonōn auchountes. Hoi men gar anthrōpois douleuein ēnankasmenoi eleutherous eschēkenai progonous estin hote semnynontai ; hoi de eunoi therapeusantes tou Theou tēn ek progonōn echein homologousi douleian, megistēn tēn toiautēn douleian eukleian eikotōs einai pisteuontes. « Dierrrhēxas tous desmous mou. Tōn pollōn mou kai diaphorōn symphorōn ēleutherōsas.

"O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant and the son of your handmaid." "If we endure that admirable death, we will enjoy honor and glory from God and leave an ever-remembered fame. But if we prove stronger than the enemy and scatter their battle line, we will offer the hymn of thanksgiving to the Master, confessing our servitude and boasting that we have it from our forefathers." For those forced to serve human beings sometimes pride themselves on having had free forefathers; but those who have served God loyally confess that they have servitude to God from their forefathers, rightly believing such servitude to be the greatest glory. "You have broken my bonds." "You have freed me from my many and various misfortunes."

Ps 116:16 (115:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:16: whether by martyrdom or victory, the faithful will glory in being God's servants by inheritance, the greatest honor.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (split word (OCR)): ἀξι άγαστον → ἀξιάγαστον; ἠλευθέ ρωσας → ἠλευθέρωσας.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 115.7 (PG 80 80:1803; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-7

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-115-7) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

115.8PG 80 80:1803

« Σοὶ θύσω θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, καὶ ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου ἐπικαλέσομαι. Τὰς εὐχάς μου τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀποδώσω ἐναντίον παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ἐν αὐλαῖς οἴκου Κυρίου, ἐν μέσῳ σου, Ἱερουσαλήμ. » ᾿Απαλλαγεὶς δὲ τῶν συμφορῶν, οὐκ ἔσομαι περὶ τὰς εὐεργεσίας ἀγνώμων, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῆς αἰνέσεως ἀποδώσω σοι θυσίαν, καὶ τὸν χαριστήριον ὕμνον ἐκτίσω, πάντων ὁρώντων τῶν ὁμοφύλων, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ὄνησιν καρπουμένων. Προσοίσω δὲ τὴν λογικὴν ταύτην ἱερουργίαν ἐν τῷ καθιερωμένῳ τῷ ὀνόματί σου νεῷ. Ἔστι τοίνυν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καταμαθεῖν, ὡς καὶ τοῦ νόμου κρατοῦντος, οἱ πνευματικώτερον τῷ νόμῳ προσεσχηκότες τὰς λογικὰς θυσίας τῶν ἀλόγων προετίμων θυμάτων, τὴν καινὴν διαθήκην σκιογραφοῦντες. Εἰδέναι δὴ προσήκει, ὡς καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς καλλινίκοις μάρτυσιν ἑκάτερος ἁρμόττει ὁ ψαλμός · ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ τούτων κἀκείνων σκοπός · κἀκεῖνοι γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ νόμου, καὶ τοῦ νομοθέτου, τὸν ἀξιάγαστον ὑπέμειναν θάνατον, καὶ οὗτοι τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ σεσωκότος καὶ τὸν θάνατον καταλύσαντος προείλοντο τελευτήν. ᾿Αλληλούϊα. "Υμνος καὶ οὗτος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἁρμόττων. Παρακελεύεται γὰρ ἡ χάρις τοῦ Πνεύματος τοὺς τῆς σωτηρίας τετυχηκότας ὑμνῆσαι τὸν εὐεργέτην.

« Soi thysō thysian aineseōs, kai en onomati Kyriou epikalesomai. Tas euchas mou tǭ Kyriǭ apodōsō enantion pantos tou laou autou. En aulais oikou Kyriou, en mesǭ sou, Hierousalēm. » ᾿Apallageis de tōn symphorōn, ouk esomai peri tas euergesias agnōmōn, alla tēn tēs aineseōs apodōsō soi thysian, kai ton charistērion hymnon ektisō, pantōn horōntōn tōn homophylōn, kai tēn enteuthen onēsin karpoumenōn. Prosoisō de tēn logikēn tautēn hierourgian en tǭ kathierōmenǭ tǭ onomati sou neǭ. Esti toinyn kai enteuthen katamathein, hōs kai tou nomou kratountos, hoi pneumatikōteron tǭ nomǭ proseschēkotes tas logikas thysias tōn alogōn proetimōn thymatōn, tēn kainēn diathēkēn skiographountes. Eidenai dē prosēkei, hōs kai pasi tois kallinikois martysin hekateros harmottei ho psalmos ; ho gar autos kai toutōn kakeinōn skopos ; kakeinoi gar hyper tou nomou, kai tou nomothetou, ton axiagaston hypemeinan thanaton, kai houtoi tēs parousēs zōēs tēn hyper tou sesōkotos kai ton thanaton katalysantos proeilonto teleutēn. ᾿Allēlouïa. "Ymnos kai houtos pasin anthrōpois harmottōn. Parakeleuetai gar hē charis tou Pneumatos tous tēs sōtērias tetychēkotas hymnēsai ton euergetēn.

"To you I will sacrifice a sacrifice of praise, and I will call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem." "Released from misfortunes, I will not be ungrateful for the benefits, but will render you the sacrifice of praise and pay the hymn of thanksgiving, while all my kinsmen look on and reap the benefit. And I will offer this rational sacred service in the temple consecrated to your name." One can learn from this too that even while the law prevailed, those who heeded the law more spiritually preferred rational sacrifices to the victims of irrational animals, sketching the new covenant in shadow. One should know that both psalms fit all the victorious martyrs too; for the aim of both is the same. For those endured an admirable death for the law and the lawgiver, and these chose death over present life for the sake of the one who saved them and destroyed death. Alleluia. This too is a hymn fitting all human beings; for the grace of the Spirit urges those who have obtained salvation to hymn their benefactor.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 116:17 (115:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:18 (115:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 116:19 (115:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 116:17–19: the faithful will offer the sacrifice of praise, preferred even under the law to animal sacrifice; both psalms fit the Maccabean and the Christian martyrs. The section ends with the opening comment on the next psalm.

  • The last two sentences ('Alleluia. This too is a hymn …') are Theodoret's introduction to Psalm 117 (Septuagint 116), whose heading is lost in the scan.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent; OCR breathing; OCR letter; split word (OCR)): ἐν ονόματι → ἐν ὀνόματι; ἱερουγίαν → ἱερουργίαν; ἀξιἀγαστον → ἀξιάγαστον; και ταλύσαντος → καταλύσαντος.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 115.8 (PG 80 80:1803; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/115-8

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-115-8) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 116

116.1PG 80 80:1805

« Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. » Κατὰ ταυτὸν ἅπαντας εἰς χορείαν καλεῖ · ἅπασι γάρ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὐχ Ἕλλησι μόνοις, καὶ Ῥωμαίοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσι βαρβάροις, τὰς τῆς σωτηρίας ἐχορήγησεν ἀφορμὰς, τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀποστόλοις διακόνοις τῆς εὐεργεσίας χρησάμενος. « Πορευθέντες γὰρ, ἔφη, μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν. » Τούτῳ πειθόμενοι τῷ νόμῳ, πᾶσαν γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν ἔδραμον, καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἰνδοὺς, ὁ δὲ Αἰγυπτίους, ὁ δὲ Αἰθίοπας προσήγαγε τῷ Χριστῷ. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Παῦλος διδάσκει συντόμως, ὅσοις ἔθνεσι προσενήνοχε τὰ θεῖα κηρύγματα, « ὥστε ἀπὸ Ἱερουσαλήμ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ πεπληρωκέναι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » Οὐ γὰρ εὐθεῖαν ὁδὸν ὁδεύων, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐν μέσῳ ἔθνη διακείμενα περινοστῶν, τὰ σωτήρια προσέφερε δόγματα. « Οὕτω δὲ φιλοτιμούμενον εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, οὐχ ὅπου ὠνομάσθη Χριστὸς, ἵνα μὴ ἐπὶ ἀλλότριον θεμέλιον οἰκοδομῶ· ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται, οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται, καὶ οἱ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσιν. » Ὕστερον μέντοι καὶ τῆς Ἰταλίας ἐπέβη, καὶ εἰς τὰς Σπανίας ἀφίκετο, καὶ ταῖς ἐν τῷ πελάγει διακειμέναις νήσοις τὴν ὠφέλειαν προσήνεγκε. Ῥωμαίοις μὲν γὰρ ἐπιστέλλων ἔφη· «Ελπίζω γὰρ διαπορευόμενος εἰς τὰς Σπανίας δι᾽ ὑμῶν διελθεῖν, καὶ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι ἐκεῖ, ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ. » Τῷ θαυμασίῳ δὲ Τίτῳ γράφων φησίν · · Διὰ τοῦτο κατέλιπόν σε ἐν Κρήτῃ, ἵνα καταστήσῃς κατὰ πόλιν πρεσβυτέρους, ὡς ἐγώ σοι διεταξάμην. » Οὕτως ὁ Ἰωάννης ὁ πάνυ τὴν ᾿Ασίαν τῆς προτέρας ἠλευθέρωσεν ἀσεβείας · οὕτως ὁ θεσπέσιος ᾿Ανδρέας τὴν Ἑλλάδα ταῖς τῆς θεογνωσίας ἀκτῖσι κατηύγασεν· οὕτως ὁ θειότατος Φίλιππος Φρυγῶν ἑκατέρων τὴν πλάνην διήλεγξεν· οὕτως ὁ μέγας Πέτρος ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ μέχρι τῆς Ῥωμαίας ἔδραμε πόλεως, ἅπασι προσφέρων τὰς τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκτῖνας. Οὕτως ἅπαντες πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην περινοστήσαντες, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀγνοίας ἀπεσκέδασαν γνόφον, καὶ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ὑπέδειξαν ἥλιον. Εἰκότως τοίνυν ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῷ Θεῷ τὸν ὕμνον προσφέρειν παρεγγυᾷ, ἐπειδὴ πάντα τῆς σωτηρίας ἀπήλαυσαν. « Ἐπαινέσατε αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ λαοί. » Εἰς ἅπασαν πάλαι προδιεσπάρησαν Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν οἰκουμένην, τὸν ἕνα σέβειν δεδιδαγμένοι Θεόν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οὐκ ἔτι μόνην ᾤκουν τὴν Παλαιστίνην, οὐδὲ εἰς ἕνα λαὸν ἐτέλουν ὑφ᾽ ἑνὶ βασιλεῖ τεταγμένοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι διεσπαρμένοι, τοῖς μὲν ἐκείνων ὑπήκουον ἄρχουσι, καθ' ἑαυτοὺς δὲ ἐπολιτεύοντο, τῇ τοῦ νόμου διαγορεύσει πειθόμενοι, εἰκότως οὐ λαὸν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ λαοὺς ὀνομάζει. Πλεῖστοι γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τούτων τὸ θεῖον ἐδέξαντο κήρυγμα. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ Ἱεροσολύμοις τρισχίλιοι καὶ πεντακισχίλιοι κατὰ ταὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἁλιέων ἐσαγηνεύθησαν. Καὶ πολλαὶ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα μυριάδες ἐγένοντο, ἔφησεν δ᾽ ὁ θεῖος Ἰάκωβος. Καὶ ἐν Συρίᾳ δὲ, καὶ Κιλικίᾳ, καὶ Λυκαονίᾳ, καὶ Πισιδίᾳ, καὶ ᾿Ασίᾳ, καὶ Παμφυλίᾳ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἅπασιν ἔθνεσιν, προτέροις Ἰουδαίοις προσέφερον οἱ ἀπόστολοι τὰ θεῖα κηρύγματα. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐπίστευον, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπήλαυον, οἱ δὲ ταῖς ὀνησιφόροις διδασκαλίαις ἀντέλεγον. Εἰκότως τοίνυν ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος καὶ τούτους ὑμνεῖν τὸν εὐεργέτην παρακελεύεται · τούτους γὰρ ὀνομάζει λαούς.

« Aineite ton Kyrion, panta ta ethnē. » Kata tauton hapantas eis choreian kalei ; hapasi gar tois ethnesin, ouch Hellēsi monois, kai Rhōmaiois, alla kai pasi barbarois, tas tēs sōtērias echorēgēsen aphormas, tois hierois apostolois diakonois tēs euergesias chrēsamenos. « Poreuthentes gar, ephē, mathēteusate panta ta ethnē, baptizontes autous eis to onoma tou Patros, kai tou Huiou, kai tou hagiou Pneumatos, didaskontes autous tērein panta hosa eneteilamēn hymin. » Toutǭ peithomenoi tǭ nomǭ, pasan gēn kai thalassan edramon, kai ho men Indous, ho de Aigyptious, ho de Aithiopas prosēgage tǭ Christǭ. Ho de makarios Paulos didaskei syntomōs, hosois ethnesi prosenēnoche ta theia kērygmata, « hōste apo Hierousalēm kyklǭ mechri tou Illyrikou peplērōkenai to Euangelion tou Christou. » Ou gar eutheian hodon hodeuōn, alla ta en mesǭ ethnē diakeimena perinostōn, ta sōtēria prosephere dogmata. « Houtō de philotimoumenon euangelizesthai, ouch hopou ōnomasthē Christos, hina mē epi allotrion themelion oikodomō; alla kathōs gegraptai, hois ouk anēngelē peri autou, opsontai, kai hoi ouk akēkoasi, synēsousin. » Hysteron mentoi kai tēs Italias epebē, kai eis tas Spanias aphiketo, kai tais en tǭ pelagei diakeimenais nēsois tēn ōpheleian prosēnenke. Rhōmaiois men gar epistellōn ephē; «Elpizō gar diaporeuomenos eis tas Spanias di᾽ hymōn dielthein, kai hyph᾽ hymōn propemphthēnai ekei, ean hymōn prōton apo merous emplēsthō. » Tǭ thaumasiǭ de Titǭ graphōn phēsin ; ; Dia touto katelipon se en Krētę̄, hina katastēsę̄s kata polin presbyterous, hōs egō soi dietaxamēn. » Houtōs ho Iōannēs ho pany tēn ᾿Asian tēs proteras ēleutherōsen asebeias ; houtōs ho thespesios ᾿Andreas tēn Hellada tais tēs theognōsias aktisi katēugasen; houtōs ho theiotatos Philippos Phrygōn hekaterōn tēn planēn diēlenxen; houtōs ho megas Petros apo tēs Hierousalēm mechri tēs Rhōmaias edrame poleōs, hapasi prospherōn tas tēs alētheias aktinas. Houtōs hapantes pasan tēn oikoumenēn perinostēsantes, kai ton tēs agnoias apeskedasan gnophon, kai ton tēs dikaiosynēs hypedeixan hēlion. Eikotōs toinyn ho prophētikos logos panta ta ethnē tǭ Theǭ ton hymnon prospherein parengyą, epeidē panta tēs sōtērias apēlausan. « Epainesate auton pantes hoi laoi. » Eis hapasan palai prodiesparēsan Ioudaioi tēn oikoumenēn, ton hena sebein dedidagmenoi Theon. Epeidē toinyn ouk eti monēn ǭkoun tēn Palaistinēn, oude eis hena laon eteloun hyph᾽ heni basilei tetagmenoi, all᾽ en tois ethnesi diesparmenoi, tois men ekeinōn hypēkouon archousi, kath' heautous de epoliteuonto, tę̄ tou nomou diagoreusei peithomenoi, eikotōs ou laon autous, alla laous onomazei. Pleistoi gar kai ek toutōn to theion edexanto kērygma. En men gar Hierosolymois trischilioi kai pentakischilioi kata tauton hypo tōn halieōn esagēneuthēsan. Kai pollai de meta tauta myriades egenonto, ephēsen d᾽ ho theios Iakōbos. Kai en Syrią de, kai Kilikią, kai Lykaonią, kai Pisidią, kai ᾿Asią, kai Pamphylią, kai en tois loipois hapasin ethnesin, proterois Ioudaiois prosepheron hoi apostoloi ta theia kērygmata. Kai hoi men episteuon, kai tēs alētheias apēlauon, hoi de tais onēsiphorois didaskaliais antelegon. Eikotōs toinyn ho prophētikos logos kai toutous hymnein ton euergetēn parakeleuetai ; toutous gar onomazei laous.

"Praise the Lord, all you nations." He calls all to the dance at once; for to all the nations, not only Greeks and Romans but all barbarians too, he supplied the means of salvation, using the holy apostles as ministers of the benefit. "Go," he said, "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you." Obeying this law, they ran over every land and sea: one brought Indians to Christ, another Egyptians, another Ethiopians. The blessed Paul teaches briefly to how many nations he brought the divine proclamations, "so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ." For he did not travel a straight road, but went around the nations lying in between, bringing them the saving doctrines. "Thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel not where Christ was named, lest I build on another's foundation, but as it is written: Those who were not told of him will see, and those who have not heard will understand." Later he set foot in Italy too, reached Spain, and brought the benefit to the islands lying in the sea. For writing to the Romans he said: "For I hope, traveling to Spain, to pass through you and be sent on there by you, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while." And writing to the admirable Titus he says: "For this reason I left you in Crete, so that you might appoint presbyters in every city, as I directed you." So the great John freed Asia from its former impiety; so the inspired Andrew lit up Greece with the rays of the knowledge of God; so the most divine Philip exposed the error of both Phrygias; so the great Peter ran from Jerusalem to the city of Rome, bringing the rays of truth to all. So all of them, going about the whole world, scattered the gloom of ignorance and showed the sun of righteousness. Rightly, then, the prophetic word bids all the nations offer the hymn to God, since all have enjoyed salvation. "Praise him, all you peoples." The Jews had long before been scattered over the whole world, taught to worship the one God. Since, then, they no longer lived in Palestine alone, nor formed one people under one king, but, scattered among the nations, obeyed the rulers of those nations while governing themselves among themselves in obedience to the injunction of the law, he fittingly calls them not "people" but "peoples." For very many of them too received the divine proclamation. In Jerusalem three thousand and five thousand at a time were caught in the fishermen's net. And afterwards there were many tens of thousands, as the divine James said. And in Syria, Cilicia, Lycaonia, Pisidia, Asia, Pamphylia, and all the other nations, the apostles brought the divine proclamations to the Jews first. Some believed and enjoyed the truth, while others spoke against the beneficial teachings. Rightly, then, the prophetic word bids these too to hymn their benefactor; for these he names "peoples."

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 117:1 (116:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 52:15 (quotation, medium confidence) · Rom 15:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 1:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Acts 2:41 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 21:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Mal 4:2 (allusion, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 117:1: 'all nations' are the Gentiles evangelized by the apostles, from India to Spain; 'all peoples' are the dispersed Jews, many of whom also believed.

  • The heading of this psalm is lost in the scan; Theodoret's introduction stands at the end of the previous section.
  • A displaced phrase ('scattered among the nations, obeyed the rulers of those nations') is restored to its place; Theodoret's traditions about the apostles' missions are translated as written.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR accent; OCR breathing; OCR misreading of quotation mark; split word (OCR); words displaced by the OCR (moved below) and stray letters; words displaced by the OCR, restored): Κατα ταυτὸν → Κατὰ ταυτὸν; Ἰν· δοὺς → Ἰνδοὺς; Χριστοῦ. ὁ Οὐ γὰρ → Χριστοῦ. » Οὐ γὰρ; διελ θεῖν → διελθεῖν; ὁ θειότατος ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι διεσπαρμένοι, τοῖς μὲν ἐκείνων ὑπ Φίλιππος Φρυγῶν ἑκατέρων τὴν πλάνην διήλεγξεν δι· → ὁ θειότατος Φίλιππος Φρυγῶν ἑκατέρων τὴν πλάνην διήλεγξεν·; ἀλλὰ ήκουον ἄρχουσι → ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι διεσπαρμένοι, τοῖς μὲν ἐκείνων ὑπήκουον ἄρχουσι; ἕδραμε → ἔδραμε; ΓἘπαινέσατε → « Ἐπαινέσατε; εὐεργέ· την → εὐεργέτην.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 116.1 (PG 80 80:1805; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/116-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/116-1

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

116.2PG 80 80:1807

«Ὅτι ἐκραταιώθη τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς.» Ἐλέῳ γὰρ μόνῳ χρησάμενος, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπραγματεύσατο σωτηρίαν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος· « Ὅτε δὲ ἡ χρηστότης καὶ ἡ φιλανθρωπία τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπεφάνη Θεοῦ, οὐ διὰ τὰς δικαιοσύνας ἡμῶν ἃς ἐποιήσαμεν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ πολὺ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ, ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας, καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως Πνεύματος ἁγίου, οὗ ἐξέχεεν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς πλουσίως. » Καὶ πάλιν· « Χάριτί ἐστε σεσωσμένοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἐξ ὑμῶν, Θεοῦ τὸ δῶρον. » Καὶ ἑτέρωθι· « Πιστὸς ὁ λόγος, καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος, ὅτι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἁμαρτωλοὺς σῶσαι, ὧν πρῶτός εἰμι ἐγὼ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλεήθην. • Συνίστησι δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἡμᾶς, ὅτι ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ἡμῶν ὄντων Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀπέθανεν. Εἰκότως τοίνυν ὁ προφητικὸς ἔφη λόγος, ὅτι ἐκραταιώθη τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς. « Καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ Κυρίου μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. » "Ην γὰρ διὰ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν ὑπέσχετο, δέδωκε σωτηρίαν. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Παῦλος τῶν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους γραμμάτων ἀρξάμενος, « Παῦλος δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ κλητὸς ἀπόστολος, ἀφωρισμένος εἰς Εὐαγγέλιον Θεοῦ, ὁ προεπηγγείλατο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν Γραφαῖς ἁγίαις. » Καὶ πάλιν· « Λέγω δὲ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν διάκονον γεγενῆσθαι περιτομῆς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ βεβαιῶσαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν πατέρων, τὰ δὲ ἔθνη ὑπὲρ ἐλέους δοξάσαι τὸν Θεόν. » Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πεπλήρωκε τὰς ὑποσχέσεις ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς, καὶ ἣν ὑπέσχετο, δέδωκε σωτηρίαν, καὶ ἠνέωξεν ἅπασι τὰς τοῦ ἐλέους πηγὰς, καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ ἐξ Ἰουδαίας προσελθόντες, καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν πεπιστευκότες, σύμφωνον ὑμνῳδίαν κεράσαντες τὸν εὐεργέτην ἀμείψασθε.

«Hoti ekrataiōthē to eleos autou eph᾿ hēmas.» Eleǭ gar monǭ chrēsamenos, tēn hēmeteran epragmateusato sōtērian. Houtō kai ho makarios ephē Paulos; « Hote de hē chrēstotēs kai hē philanthrōpia tou Sōtēros hēmōn epephanē Theou, ou dia tas dikaiosynas hēmōn has epoiēsamen, alla kata to poly eleos autou, esōsen hēmas dia loutrou palingenesias, kai anakainōseōs Pneumatos hagiou, hou execheen eph᾿ hēmas plousiōs. » Kai palin; « Chariti este sesōsmenoi dia tēs pisteōs; kai touto ouk ex hymōn, Theou to dōron. » Kai heterōthi; « Pistos ho logos, kai pasēs apodochēs axios, hoti Christos Iēsous ēlthen eis ton kosmon hamartōlous sōsai, hōn prōtos eimi egō, all᾽ eleēthēn. • Synistēsi de tēn heautou agapēn ho Theos eis hēmas, hoti eti hamartōlōn hēmōn ontōn Christos hyper hēmōn apethanen. Eikotōs toinyn ho prophētikos ephē logos, hoti ekrataiōthē to eleos autou eph᾽ hēmas. « Kai hē alētheia tou Kyriou menei eis ton aiōna. » "Ēn gar dia tōn hagiōn prophētōn hypescheto, dedōke sōtērian. Touto kai ho makarios ephē Paulos tōn pros Rhōmaious grammatōn arxamenos, « Paulos doulos Iēsou Christou klētos apostolos, aphōrismenos eis Euangelion Theou, ho proepēngeilato dia tōn prophētōn autou en Graphais hagiais. » Kai palin; « Legō de Christon Iēsoun diakonon gegenēsthai peritomēs hyper alētheias Theou, eis to bebaiōsai tas epangelias tōn paterōn, ta de ethnē hyper eleous doxasai ton Theon. » Epeidē toinyn peplērōke tas hyposcheseis ho tōn holōn Theos, kai hēn hypescheto, dedōke sōtērian, kai ēneōxen hapasi tas tou eleous pēgas, kai hēmeis hoi ex Ioudaias proselthontes, kai hymeis hoi ex ethnōn pepisteukotes, symphōnon hymnǭdian kerasantes ton euergetēn ameipsasthe.

"For his mercy has been made strong toward us." For using mercy alone he brought about our salvation. So too the blessed Paul said: "But when the kindness and love for humankind of God our Savior appeared, not because of works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his great mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly." And again: "By grace you have been saved through faith; and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." And elsewhere: "The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost; but I received mercy." "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." Rightly, then, the prophetic word said that his mercy has been made strong toward us. "And the truth of the Lord remains for ever." For the salvation he promised through the holy prophets he has given. The blessed Paul said this too at the beginning of his letter to the Romans: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures." And again: "I say that Christ Jesus became a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises to the fathers, and that the nations might glorify God for his mercy." Since, then, the God of all has fulfilled the promises, has given the salvation he promised, and has opened the springs of mercy to all, "we who have come from Judea and you who have believed from the nations, mixing a harmonious hymn, repay the benefactor."

Ps 117:2 (116:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 3:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 3:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 1:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 5:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 15:9 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Psalm 117:2: salvation is by God's mercy alone, as Paul repeatedly teaches, and fulfills his promises through the prophets, so that Jewish and Gentile believers praise him together.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (opening quotation mark lost (OCR)): Καὶ πάλιν Λέγω δὲ → Καὶ πάλιν· « Λέγω δὲ.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 116.2 (PG 80 80:1807; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/116-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/116-2

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-116-2) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 80 (Bavarian State Library OCR); no public-domain or FOTC English exists, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.