Interpretation of the Psalms 50.1–51.11
Greek text: PG 80.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 50
50.1PG 80 80:1237
« Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβίδ. Ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην, ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθε πρὸς Βηρσαβεέ τὴν τοῦ Οὐρίου. Σαφῶς μὲν ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν ἡ ἐπιγραφὴ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν· καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τὰ ῥήματα ἱκανὰ διδάξαι τῆς διανοίας τὸ βάθος. Εἰδέναι μέντοι προσήκει, ὡς καὶ μελλόντων ἔχει προαγόρευσιν ὁ ψαλμός. Διὸ καὶ εἰς τὸ τέλος ἐπιγέγραπται, τοῦ λόγου δηλοῦντος, ὡς ἕξει τέλος ἡ προφητεία. ᾿Αλλὰ μηδεὶς ἀμφιβαλλέτω, εἰ κατὰ τὸν τῆς μετανοίας καιρὸν προφητικῆς ἠξίωτο χάριτος ὁ μέγας Δαβίδ · τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ διὰ τῶν ἄλλων ψαλμῶν, δι' ὧν τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν ἐποιήσατο, καταμαθεῖν δυνατόν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἔκτῳ ψαλμῷ περὶ τῆς μελλούσης προηγόρευσε κρίσεως. « Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ ὁ μνημονεύων σου, ἐν δὲ - τῷ ᾅδῃ τίς ὁμολογήσεταί σοι ; » Καὶ ἐν τῷ τριακοστῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ μακαρίζει τοὺς δίχα πόνων εἰληφότας τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἄφεσιν, ὅπερ μόνη δωρεῖσθαι πέφυκεν ἡ τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάρις. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἐν τῷ προκειμένῳ ψαλμῷ διαρρήδην ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν, ὡς οὐκ ἐστέρητο τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριτος. «Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου γὰρ, φησὶν, τὸ ἀγαθὸν μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. » Οὐ γὰρ ᾔτησεν αὐτῷ παρασχεθῆναι τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἀλλὰ μὴ ληφθῆναι παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ταύτην ἱκέτευσεν. Ὑπὸ ταύτης τοίνυν φωτιζόμενος τῆς ἀκτῖνος, καὶ προφητικοῖς προορῶν ὀφθαλμοῖς, ὡς καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ βασιλευόμενος περιπεσεῖται παρανομίαις, καὶ τίνων ὑπὲρ τούτων εὐθύνας ἐξανδραποδισθήσεται, καὶ μέτοικος ἐν Βαβυλῶνι γενήσεται, συνέγραψε τὸν παρόντα ψαλμὸν, καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα τραύματα θεραπεύων, καὶ τῷ λαῷ κατασκευάζων κατάλληλον φάρμακον, καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν, ὅσοι τραυματίαι γινόμενοι θεραπείας δεόμεθα.
« Eis to telos, psalmos tǭ Dabid. En tǭ eiselthein pros auton Nathan ton prophētēn, hēnika eisēlthe pros Bērsabee tēn tou Ouriou. Saphōs men hēmas edidaxen hē epigraphē tou psalmou tēn hypothesin; kai auta de tou psalmou ta rhēmata hikana didaxai tēs dianoias to bathos. Eidenai mentoi prosēkei, hōs kai mellontōn echei proagoreusin ho psalmos. Dio kai eis to telos epigegraptai, tou logou dēlountos, hōs hexei telos hē prophēteia. ᾿Alla mēdeis amphiballetō, ei kata ton tēs metanoias kairon prophētikēs ēxiōto charitos ho megas Dabid ; touto gar kai dia tōn allōn psalmōn, di' hōn tēn exomologēsin epoiēsato, katamathein dynaton. Kai gar en tǭ ektǭ psalmǭ peri tēs mellousēs proēgoreuse kriseōs. « Ouk esti gar, phēsin, en tǭ thanatǭ ho mnēmoneuōn sou, en de - tǭ hądę̄ tis homologēsetai soi ? » Kai en tǭ triakostǭ prōtǭ psalmǭ makarizei tous dicha ponōn eilēphotas tōn hamartēmatōn tēn aphesin, hoper monē dōreisthai pephyken hē tou baptismatos charis. Kai mentoi kai en tǭ prokeimenǭ psalmǭ diarrēdēn hēmas edidaxen, hōs ouk esterēto tēs tou Pneumatos charitos. «To Pneuma sou gar, phēsin, to agathon mē antanelę̄s ap᾿ emou. » Ou gar ę̄tēsen autǭ paraschethēnai tēn charin tou Pneumatos, alla mē lēphthēnai par᾿ autou tautēn hiketeusen. Hypo tautēs toinyn phōtizomenos tēs aktinos, kai prophētikois proorōn ophthalmois, hōs kai ho laos ho hyp᾿ autou basileuomenos peripeseitai paranomiais, kai tinōn hyper toutōn euthynas exandrapodisthēsetai, kai metoikos en Babylōni genēsetai, synegrapse ton paronta psalmon, kai ta oikeia traumata therapeuōn, kai tǭ laǭ kataskeuazōn katallēlon pharmakon, kai men dē kai pasin hēmin, hosoi traumatiai ginomenoi therapeias deometha.
"To the end; a psalm of David; when Nathan the prophet came to him, when he had gone in to Bathsheba the wife of Uriah." The title of the psalm has taught us its setting clearly, and the words of the psalm themselves are enough to teach the depth of its sense. One should know, however, that the psalm also contains a prediction of future things. That is why it is titled "to the end," the word showing that the prophecy will have its fulfillment. Let no one doubt whether the great David was counted worthy of prophetic grace at the time of repentance; this can be learned from the other psalms in which he made his confession. For in the sixth psalm he foretold the judgment to come: "For in death," he says, "there is no one who remembers you, and in Hades who will confess you?" And in the thirty-first psalm he calls blessed those who received forgiveness of sins without toil, which only the grace of baptism can give. And in the present psalm he taught us expressly that he had not been deprived of the grace of the Spirit: "Do not take your good Spirit from me." For he did not ask that the grace of the Spirit be given him, but begged that it not be taken from him. Enlightened by this ray, then, and foreseeing with prophetic eyes that the people he ruled would also fall into lawlessness, would be enslaved in paying the penalty for it, and would become exiles in Babylon, he wrote the present psalm, both to heal his own wounds and to prepare a suitable medicine for the people, and indeed for all of us who, having been wounded, need healing.
Ps 51:1 (50:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:1 (50:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 6:5 (6:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 32:1 (31:1 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 51:11 (50:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51, title: written after Nathan's rebuke for the sin with Bathsheba, the psalm shows David kept the Spirit's grace, and foretells the exile, offering a medicine for all who sin.
- Lines interleaved by the OCR are restored to their places by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (interleaved line restored (OCR); line interleaved from the end of the section (OCR); restored there; repeated words (OCR); split word (OCR); split word with stray letter (OCR); stray letters (OCR)): εἰσελθεῖν οι πρὸς → εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς; ἡνίκα ρόντα ψαλμὸν, καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα τραύματα θεραπεύων, καὶ τῷ λαῷ κατασκευάζων κατάλληλον φάρμακον, καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν, ὅσοι τραυματίαι γινόμενοι εἰσῆλθε → ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθε; συνέγραψε τὸν παθεραπείας δεόμεθα. → συνέγραψε τὸν παρόντα ψαλμὸν, καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα τραύματα θεραπεύων, καὶ τῷ λαῷ κατασκευάζων κατάλληλον φάρμακον, καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν, ὅσοι τραυματίαι γινόμενοι θεραπείας δεόμεθα.; Σαφῶς μὲν ἐἱ ἡμᾶς → Σαφῶς μὲν ἡμᾶς; ψαλ μῶν → ψαλμῶν; φησὶν, ησὶν, ἐν ἐν τῷ → φησὶν, ἐν τῷ; μέτΟ οίκος → μέτοικος.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.1 (PG 80 80:1237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-1
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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.
50.3PG 80 80:1239
Ἐλέησόν με, ὁ Θεὸς, κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου, καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου. » Καὶ τῷ θειοτάτῳ Δαβίδ, καὶ τῷ δορυαλώτῳ λαῷ, καὶ τοῖς ἐν ἡμῖν διακειμένοις κακῶς, ἁρμόττει τὰ προκείμενα ῥητά. Τὰ γὰρ μεγάλα τῶν τραυμάτων ἰσομέτρων δεῖται φαρμάκων, καὶ ὁ χαλεπῇ νόσῳ περιπεσὼν πλείονος χρήζει κηδεμονίας, καὶ ὁ μεγάλα πλημμελήσας μεγάλης φιλανθρωπίας δεῖται. Οὗ δὴ χάριν, καὶ ὁ μέγας ἱκετεύει Δαβίδ ὅλον εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκχυθῆναι τὸν ἔλεον, πᾶσαν δὲ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τὴν πηγὴν κατακενῶσαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸ ἕλκος. Οὔτε γὰρ ἄλλως οἷόν τε ἦν ἐξαλειφθῆναι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὰ ἴχνη. Εἰκότως δὲ ἀνόμημα καλεῖ τὸ πλημμέλημα· διπλῆν γὰρ ἔχει τοῦ νόμου παράβασιν.
Eleēson me, ho Theos, kata to mega eleos sou, kai kata to plēthos tōn oiktirmōn sou exaleipson to anomēma mou. » Kai tǭ theiotatǭ Dabid, kai tǭ doryalōtǭ laǭ, kai tois en hēmin diakeimenois kakōs, harmottei ta prokeimena rhēta. Ta gar megala tōn traumatōn isometrōn deitai pharmakōn, kai ho chalepę̄ nosǭ peripesōn pleionos chrēzei kēdemonias, kai ho megala plēmmelēsas megalēs philanthrōpias deitai. Hou dē charin, kai ho megas hiketeuei Dabid holon eis auton ekchythēnai ton eleon, pasan de tōn oiktirmōn tēn pēgēn katakenōsai tēs hamartias to helkos. Oute gar allōs hoion te ēn exaleiphthēnai tēs hamartias ta ichnē. Eikotōs de anomēma kalei to plēmmelēma; diplēn gar echei tou nomou parabasin.
"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy, and according to the abundance of your compassions blot out my lawless deed." The present words fit the most divine David, the captive people, and those among us who are in a bad state. For great wounds need medicines of equal measure, and one who has fallen into a grave illness needs more care, and one who has offended greatly needs great love for humankind. For this reason the great David begs that the whole of mercy be poured out on him and the whole spring of compassions be emptied on the sore of sin. For otherwise the traces of sin could not be blotted out. He fittingly calls the offense a lawless deed; for it contains a double transgression of the law.
Ps 51:1 (50:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:1: a great sin needs great mercy, and David's sin was a double breach of the law.
- The double transgression is adultery and murder. Lines displaced by the OCR are restored by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced line removed (restored above) and stray letter (OCR); line displaced to the end of the section (OCR), restored; stray letters (OCR)): τῷ θειοτάτῳ δι Δαβίδ → τῷ θειοτάτῳ Δαβίδ; καὶ ὁ δὲ χαλεπῇ νόσῳ περιπεσών, πλείονος χρήζει φιλανθρωπίας δεῖται. → καὶ ὁ χαλεπῇ νόσῳ περιπεσὼν πλείονος χρήζει κηδεμονίας, καὶ ὁ μεγάλα πλημμελήσας μεγάλης φιλανθρωπίας δεῖται.; ἐκχυθῆναι σε τὸν → ἐκχυθῆναι τὸν; κατακενῷσαι δε τῆς → κατακενῶσαι τῆς; ἔχει δ' τοῦ νόμου παράβασιν. κηδεμονίας, καὶ δὲ ὁ μεγάλα πλημμελήσας μεγάλης → ἔχει τοῦ νόμου παράβασιν..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.3 (PG 80 80:1239; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-3
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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.
50.4PG 80 80:1241
: Ἐπιπλεῖον πλῦνόν με ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας μου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου καθάρισόν με. » "Ἤδη γὰρ, φησὶ, διὰ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου τὴν ἄφεσιν ἔδωκας · καὶ συμφορὰς δὲ μοι παντοδαπὰς, οἷόν τινας καυτῆρας καὶ τομὰς, προσενήνοχας· ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι δέομαι ῥυμμάτων, πολλὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας εἰσδεξάμενος δυσοσμίαν. Καὶ αὖθίς με τοίνυν ἀπόνιψον, Δέσποτα, ἵνα πάντα τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀποξύσῃς τὸν ῥύπον. [ Κατὰ γὰρ τὸν προφήτην ἐκπλυνεῖ Κύριος τὸν ῥύπον τῶν υἱῶν καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων Σιὼν πνεύματι κρίσεως καὶ πνεύματι καύσεως.]
: Epipleion plynon me apo tēs anomias mou, kai apo tēs hamartias mou katharison me. » "Ēdē gar, phēsi, dia Nathan tou prophētou tēn aphesin edōkas ; kai symphoras de moi pantodapas, hoion tinas kautēras kai tomas, prosenēnochas; all᾽ eti deomai rhymmatōn, pollēn tēs hamartias eisdexamenos dysosmian. Kai authis me toinyn aponipson, Despota, hina panta tēs hamartias apoxysę̄s ton rhypon. [ Kata gar ton prophētēn ekplynei Kyrios ton rhypon tōn huiōn kai tōn thygaterōn Siōn pneumati kriseōs kai pneumati kauseōs.]
"Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness, and cleanse me from my sin." "You have already given forgiveness through Nathan the prophet," he says, "and you have applied to me misfortunes of every kind like cauteries and incisions; but I still need cleansing lyes, having taken in much stench of sin. Wash me once more, then, Master, so that you may scrape off all the filth of sin." [For according to the prophet, the Lord will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning.]
Ps 51:2 (50:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 12:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 4:4 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:2: though forgiven through Nathan and disciplined, David asks to be washed further from the stain of sin.
- The bracketed sentence is bracketed in Migne.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.4 (PG 80 80:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-4
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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.
50.5PG 80 80:1241
« Ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διαπαντός. » Οὐδὲ γὰρ μετὰ τὴν ἀπὸ σοῦ γενομένην ἄφεσιν, λήθην ἐδεξάμην τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς ὁρῶ τῶν ἐμῶν κακῶν τὰς εἰκόνας· καὶ τὰς τολμηθείσας παρανομίας, καὶ νύκτωρ ὀνειροπολῶ, καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν φαντάζομαι. Τοῦτο δὲ ποιεῖν τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς διὰ Ἡσαΐου κελεύει. Ἐγὼ γὰρ εἰμι, φησὶν, ὁ ἐξαλείφων τὰς ἀνομίας σου, καὶ οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ τῶν ἀδικιῶν σου. Σὺ δὲ μνήσθητι, καὶ κριθῶμεν· λέγε σὺ τὰς ἀνομίας σου πρῶτος, ἵνα δικαιωθῇς. » Τούτῳ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ μακάριος Δαβὶδ σύμφωνα γέγραφεν ἐν τῷ τριακοσῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ Εἶπον, Ἐξαγορεύσω κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ τὴν ἀνομίαν μου τῷ Κυρίῳ, καί συ ἀφεῖλες τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς καρδίας μου.
« Hoti tēn anomian mou egō ginōskō, kai hē hamartia mou enōpion mou esti diapantos. » Oude gar meta tēn apo sou genomenēn aphesin, lēthēn edexamēn tēs hamartias, alla diēnekōs horō tōn emōn kakōn tas eikonas; kai tas tolmētheisas paranomias, kai nyktōr oneiropolō, kai meth' hēmeran phantazomai. Touto de poiein tous hamartanontas kai autos ho Theos dia Hēsaïou keleuei. Egō gar eimi, phēsin, ho exaleiphōn tas anomias sou, kai ou mē mnēsthō tōn adikiōn sou. Sy de mnēsthēti, kai krithōmen; lege sy tas anomias sou prōtos, hina dikaiōthę̄s. » Toutǭ kai autos ho makarios Dabid symphōna gegraphen en tǭ triakosǭ prōtǭ psalmǭ Eipon, Exagoreusō kat᾿ emou tēn anomian mou tǭ Kyriǭ, kai sy apheiles tēn asebeian tēs kardias mou.
"For I know my lawlessness, and my sin is ever before me." "For even after the forgiveness that came from you I did not forget my sin, but I continually see the images of my evils; the lawless deeds I dared I dream of by night and picture by day." God himself through Isaiah bids sinners do this: "I am the one who blots out your lawless deeds, and I will not remember your injustices. But you remember, and let us go to judgment; first tell your lawless deeds, that you may be justified." In harmony with this the blessed David himself wrote in the thirty-first psalm: "I said, I will declare my lawlessness against myself to the Lord, and you took away the impiety of my heart."
Ps 51:3 (50:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 43:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 43:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 32:5 (31:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:3: though forgiven, David keeps his sin before his eyes, as God bids sinners do through Isaiah.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word (OCR); stray letters (OCR)): Οὐδὲ γὰρ σε μετὰ → Οὐδὲ γὰρ μετὰ; ὀνειροπολῶ στ, → ὀνειροπολῶ,; ἁμαρ τάνοντας → ἁμαρτάνοντας; αὐτὸς το ὁ μακάριος → αὐτὸς ὁ μακάριος.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.5 (PG 80 80:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-5
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-50-5) · 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.
50.6PG 80 80:1241
« Σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον, καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα. » Πολλῶν, φησὶ, καὶ μεγάλων παρὰ σοῦ δωρεῶν ἀπολαύσας, τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἡμειψάμην τὰ δῶρα· τὰ ἀπειρημένα τῷ νόμῳ δρᾶσαι τολμήσας. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Τὸν Οὐρίαν οὐκ ἠδίκησα· ἠδίκησε μὲν γὰρ κἀκεῖνον, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου γυναῖκα · ἡ δὲ μεγίστη παρανομία εἰς αὐτὸν τετόλμηται τὸν Θεὸν, τὸν ἐκλεξάμενον, τὸν ἀντὶ προβατέως βασιλέα πεποιηκότα, καὶ κρείττονα τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀποφήναντα, καὶ παντοδαποῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἐπικλύσαντα. Καλῶς δὲ προστέθεικε· « Καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα. » Τούτου γὰρ ἡ ἱστορία μέμνηται. Ωφθη γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸ γεγονὸς πονηρὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου. Ἐκ μέντοι τοῦ δορυαλώτου λαοῦ τοῦτο λεγόμενον, οὕτω νοητέον· « Σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον, » Περὶ τὰς σὰς, φησὶ, δωρεὰς ἐγενόμην ἀχάριστος, καὶ τοὺς τεθέντας μοι παραβέβηκα νόμους · καὶ παντοδαπῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύσας, ἀγνώμων περὶ ταῦτα γεγένημαι · τοὺς δὲ Βαβυλωνίους οὐδὲ ἀδικήσας, μεγάλα παρ' ἐκείνων ἠδίκημαι. « Ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου, καὶ νικήσῃς δὲ ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε.» Ἐμαυτῷ , φησὶ, πρόξενος ἐγενόμην κακῶν· τὸ δὲ σὸν δίκαιον διαλάμπει. Καὶ οὕτω κρίσεως γὰρ γινομένης, καὶ τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ παρὰ σοῦ γενομένων φερομένων εἰς μέσον, καὶ τῶν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ τετολμημένων παρεξεταζομένων ἐκείνοις, σὺ μὲν ἀποφανθήσῃ καὶ δίκαιος καὶ φιλάνθρωπος, ἐγὼ δὲ παράνομος ὀφθήσομαι καὶ ἀχάριστος. Τὸ τοίνυν ὅπως οὐκ ἔστιν ἐνταῦθα αἰτίας δηλωτικὸν (οὐ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἥμαρτον, ἢ αὐτὸς ὁ Δαβὶδ ἢ ὁ λαὸς μετὰ ταῦτα, ἵνα ὁ Θεὸς δικαιωθῇ), ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον, καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὑπὸ τούτων γινομένης, τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ δίκαιον ἀναδείκνυται · πᾶσαν γὰρ καὶ τούτου, κἀκείνων, καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων πεποίηται πρόνοιαν.
« Soi monǭ hēmarton, kai to ponēron enōpion sou epoiēsa. » Pollōn, phēsi, kai megalōn para sou dōreōn apolausas, tois enantiois hēmeipsamēn ta dōra; ta apeirēmena tǭ nomǭ drasai tolmēsas. Ou gar touto phēsin, hoti Ton Ourian ouk ēdikēsa; ēdikēse men gar kakeinon, kai tēn ekeinou gynaika ; hē de megistē paranomia eis auton tetolmētai ton Theon, ton eklexamenon, ton anti probateōs basilea pepoiēkota, kai kreittona tōn echthrōn apophēnanta, kai pantodapois agathois epiklysanta. Kalōs de prostetheike; « Kai to ponēron enōpion sou epoiēsa. » Toutou gar hē historia memnētai. Ōphthē gar, phēsi, to gegonos ponēron enōpion Kyriou. Ek mentoi tou doryalōtou laou touto legomenon, houtō noēteon; « Soi monǭ hēmarton, » Peri tas sas, phēsi, dōreas egenomēn acharistos, kai tous tethentas moi parabebēka nomous ; kai pantodapōn agathōn apolausas, agnōmōn peri tauta gegenēmai ; tous de Babylōnious oude adikēsas, megala par' ekeinōn ēdikēmai. « Hopōs an dikaiōthę̄s en tois logois sou, kai nikēsę̄s de en tǭ krinesthai se.» Emautǭ , phēsi, proxenos egenomēn kakōn; to de son dikaion dialampei. Kai houtō kriseōs gar ginomenēs, kai tōn eis eme para sou genomenōn pheromenōn eis meson, kai tōn par᾿ emou tetolmēmenōn parexetazomenōn ekeinois, sy men apophanthēsę̄ kai dikaios kai philanthrōpos, egō de paranomos ophthēsomai kai acharistos. To toinyn hopōs ouk estin entautha aitias dēlōtikon (ou gar dia touto hēmarton, ē autos ho Dabid ē ho laos meta tauta, hina ho Theos dikaiōthę̄), alla tounantion, kai tēs hamartias hypo toutōn ginomenēs, tou Theou to dikaion anadeiknytai ; pasan gar kai toutou, kakeinōn, kai pantōn anthrōpōn pepoiētai pronoian.
"Against you alone have I sinned and done what is evil before you." "Having enjoyed many great gifts from you," he says, "I repaid the gifts with their opposite, daring to do what is forbidden by the law." For he does not say that he did not wrong Uriah; he wronged him too, and his wife; but the greatest lawlessness was dared against God himself, who chose him, who made him king instead of shepherd, made him stronger than his enemies, and flooded him with good things of every kind. He rightly added, "and done what is evil before you"; for the history mentions this: "What was done appeared evil before the Lord." But when this is said by the captive people, it must be understood thus: "Against you alone have I sinned": "I was ungrateful for your gifts and transgressed the laws given me; and having enjoyed good things of every kind I proved thankless for them; but though I did no wrong to the Babylonians, I have been greatly wronged by them." "So that you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged." "I have been the cause of my own evils," he says, "while your justice shines out. For when judgment takes place, and what you did for me is brought forward and compared with what I dared, you will be shown both just and loving, and I shall appear lawless and ungrateful." "So that," then, is not here an indication of cause (for neither David himself nor the people afterwards sinned in order that God might be justified); but rather, when sin is committed by them, God's justice is shown, for he has exercised every providence over him, over them, and over all people.
Ps 51:4 (50:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Sam 11:27 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:4: David wronged Uriah and his wife, but chiefly sinned against God his benefactor; "so that you may be justified" states a result, not a purpose.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letter (OCR); stray letters (OCR)): παρὰ σοῦ τη δωρεῶν → παρὰ σοῦ δωρεῶν; Ωφθη το γὰρ → Ωφθη γὰρ; φερομένων δ εἰς → φερομένων εἰς.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.6 (PG 80 80:1241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-6
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-50-6) · 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.
50.7PG 80 80:1243
« Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου. » "Άνωθεν, φησὶ, καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τῆς φύσεως ἡ ἁμαρτία κεκράτηκε· προὔλαβε γὰρ τῆς Εὔας τὴν σύλληψιν τῆς ἐντολῆς ἡ παράβασις. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν παράβασιν, καὶ τὴν θείαν ἀπόφασιν, καὶ τοῦ παραδείσου τὴν στέρησιν, ἔγνω ᾿Αδάμ Εὔαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκε τὸν Κάϊν. Τοῦτο τοίνυν εἰπεῖν βούλεται, ὅτι τῶν ἡμετέρων προγόνων κρατήσασα ἡ ἁμαρτίας, ὁδόν τινα καὶ τρίβον διὰ τοῦ γένους εἰργάσατο. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μακάριος λέγει Παῦλος · • Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι' ἀνθρώπου ἡ ἁμαρτία εἰς τὸν κόσμον εἰσῆλθε, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὁ θάνατος, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ' πάντες ἥμαρτον. » Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἔφη Θεὸς πρὸς τὸν θαυμασιώτατον Νῶε, ὅτι «Ἔγκειται ἡ διάνοια τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ ἐκ νεότητος πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας. » Διδασκόμεθα δὲ διὰ τούτων ἁπάντων, οὐχ ὅτι φυσικὴ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἡ ἐνέργεια (ἢ γὰρ ἂν ἦμεν ἐλεύθεροι τιμωρίας, εἴπερ τοῦθ᾽ οὕτως εἶχεν), ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι ῥέπει ἡ φύσις περὶ τὸ πταίειν, ὑπὸ τῶν παθημάτων ἐνοχλουμένη· νικᾷ δὲ ὅμως ἡ γνώμη, πόνοις συνεργοῖς κεχρημένη. Οὐ τοίνυν, ὡς τινες ὑπέλαβον, τοῦ γάμου κατηγορεῖ, καὶ τὴν γαμικὴν κοινωνίαν παρανομίαν καλεῖ, καθάπερ τινὲς ἀνοήτως ὑπέλαβον, οὕτω νενοηκότες τὸ, • Ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου·, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄνωθεν ὑπὸ τῶν προγόνων· ἀνθρώπων τολμηθεῖσαν παρανομίαν εἰς μέσον προφέρει, κἀκείνην λέγει γεγενῆσθαι τῶν ῥευμάτων τούτων πηγήν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι, φησὶ, μὴ ἥμαρτον,, οὐκ ἂν ἐδέξαντο τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν θάνατον ἐπιτίμιον· θνητοὶ δὲ μὴ ὄντες, κρείττους ἂν ἦσαν φθορᾶς· τῇ δὲ ἀφθαρσίᾳ πάντως ἂν καὶ ἡ ἀπάθεια συνῆν. Απαθείας δὲ πολιτευομένης, χώραν οὐκ ἔσχεν ἡ ἁμαρτία. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐξήμαρτον, φθορᾷ παρεδόθησαν· φθαρτοὶ δὲ γινόμενοι , τοιούτους γεγεννήκασι παῖδας· τοῖς δὲ τοιούτοις ἐπιθυμίαι καὶ φόβοι, ἡδοναὶ καὶ λύπαι, θυμὸς καὶ φθόνος παρέπεται. Πρὸς ταῦτα, καὶ τὰ ἐκ τούτων φυόμενα, ὁ λογισμὸς ἀγωνίζεται· καὶ νενικηκὼς μὲν ἀνακηρύττεται, καὶ τοῖς νικηφόροις ταινιοῦται στεφάνοις• ἡττηθεὶς δὲ, καὶ αἰσχύνην ὀφλισκάνει, καὶ δίκας εἰσπράττεται. ᾿Αντὶ μέντοι τοῦ ἐκίσσησεν, ὁ Σύμμαχος ἐκύησεν τέθεικεν.
« Idou gar en anomiais synelēphthēn, kai en hamartiais ekissēse me hē mētēr mou. » "Anōthen, phēsi, kai ex archēs tēs physeōs hē hamartia kekratēke; proulabe gar tēs Euas tēn syllēpsin tēs entolēs hē parabasis. Meta gar tēn parabasin, kai tēn theian apophasin, kai tou paradeisou tēn sterēsin, egnō ᾿Adam Euan tēn gynaika autou, kai syllabousa eteke ton Kaïn. Touto toinyn eipein bouletai, hoti tōn hēmeterōn progonōn kratēsasa hē hamartias, hodon tina kai tribon dia tou genous eirgasato. Touto kai ho makarios legei Paulos ; • Epeidē gar di' anthrōpou hē hamartia eis ton kosmon eisēlthe, kai dia tēs hamartias ho thanatos, eph᾽ hǭ' pantes hēmarton. » Touto kai ho tōn holōn ephē Theos pros ton thaumasiōtaton Nōe, hoti «Enkeitai hē dianoia tou anthrōpou epimelōs epi ta ponēra ek neotētos pasas tas hēmeras. » Didaskometha de dia toutōn hapantōn, ouch hoti physikē tēs hamartias hē energeia (ē gar an ēmen eleutheroi timōrias, eiper touth᾽ houtōs eichen), all᾿ hoti rhepei hē physis peri to ptaiein, hypo tōn pathēmatōn enochloumenē; niką de homōs hē gnōmē, ponois synergois kechrēmenē. Ou toinyn, hōs tines hypelabon, tou gamou katēgorei, kai tēn gamikēn koinōnian paranomian kalei, kathaper tines anoētōs hypelabon, houtō nenoēkotes to, • En anomiais synelēphthēn, kai en hamartiais ekissēse me hē mētēr mou;, alla tēn anōthen hypo tōn progonōn; anthrōpōn tolmētheisan paranomian eis meson propherei, kakeinēn legei gegenēsthai tōn rheumatōn toutōn pēgēn. Ei gar ekeinoi, phēsi, mē hēmarton,, ouk an edexanto tēs hamartias ton thanaton epitimion; thnētoi de mē ontes, kreittous an ēsan phthoras; tę̄ de aphtharsią pantōs an kai hē apatheia synēn. Apatheias de politeuomenēs, chōran ouk eschen hē hamartia. Epeidē de exēmarton, phthorą paredothēsan; phthartoi de ginomenoi , toioutous gegennēkasi paidas; tois de toioutois epithymiai kai phoboi, hēdonai kai lypai, thymos kai phthonos parepetai. Pros tauta, kai ta ek toutōn phyomena, ho logismos agōnizetai; kai nenikēkōs men anakēryttetai, kai tois nikēphorois tainioutai stephanois• hēttētheis de, kai aischynēn ophliskanei, kai dikas eisprattetai. ᾿Anti mentoi tou ekissēsen, ho Symmachos ekyēsen tetheiken.
"For behold, I was conceived in lawless deeds, and in sins my mother conceived me." "From of old," he says, "from the beginning of nature, sin has prevailed; for the transgression of the commandment came before Eve's conception." For after the transgression, the divine sentence, and the loss of paradise, Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain. He means, then, that sin, having prevailed over our forefathers, made a kind of road and path through the race. The blessed Paul says this too: "For since sin entered the world through a man, and death through sin, in which all sinned." The God of all said this too to the most admirable Noah: "The mind of man is diligently set on evil things from youth all his days." We are taught by all these not that the working of sin is natural (for then we would be free from punishment, if it were so), but that nature inclines to stumbling, troubled by the passions; yet the will conquers, using toil as its helper. He does not, then, as some supposed, accuse marriage, nor call marital union lawlessness, as some foolishly supposed, so understanding "I was conceived in lawless deeds, and in sins my mother conceived me"; but he brings forward the lawlessness dared of old by the forefathers of mankind and says that it became the spring of these streams. "For if they had not sinned," he says, "they would not have received death as the penalty of sin; and not being mortal, they would have been above corruption; and with incorruption, impassibility would surely have gone together; and where impassibility held sway, sin would have had no place. But since they sinned, they were handed over to corruption; and having become corruptible, they begot such children; and such are attended by desires and fears, pleasures and griefs, anger and envy. Against these and what springs from them reason struggles; and when it conquers it is proclaimed and wreathed with the victors' crowns, but when defeated it incurs shame and pays the penalty." For "conceived" in the second clause Symmachus put "carried in the womb."
Ps 51:5 (50:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 4:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 5:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 8:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:5: the verse does not condemn marriage but traces human proneness to sin to Adam's transgression, which brought mortality and the passions; sin is not natural, and the will can conquer.
- Theodoret's account of inherited mortality and the passions, and his rejection of a reading that condemns marriage, are translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; stray letter (OCR); stray mark (OCR)): (ἢ ὁ γὰρ ἂν → (ἢ γὰρ ἂν; Οὐ • τοίνυν → Οὐ τοίνυν; καθάπερ" τινὲς → καθάπερ τινὲς; ἀναχηρύττεται → ἀνακηρύττεται.
Topics: Marriage
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.7 (PG 80 80:1243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-7
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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.
50.8PG 80 80:1245
« Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν ἠγάπησας. » Οὕτω δέ φησι, Κρίνεις, καὶ τοὺς μὲν κολάζεις, τοὺς δὲ στεφανοῖς, ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν στέργεις· τὴν δὲ ἀλήθειαν στέργων, καὶ τῆς φύσεως εἰδὼς τὴν ἀσθένειαν, μετάδος συγγνώμην τοῖς αἰτοῦσι τὰ φάρμακα. « Τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας σου ἐδήλωσάς μοι. · Ἐγὼ μέντοι συγγνώμης οὐδεμιᾶς ἐμαυτὸν ἄξιον νομίζω, μετὰ τοσαύτας δωρεάς γεγενημένος ·ἀχάριστος. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον με τοῖς βασιλικοῖς ἐνίδρυσας θώκοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ προφητικῆς ἠξίωσας χάριτος, · καὶ τὰ μετὰ μακρὸν ἐσόμενα προδεδήλωκας χρόνον, καὶ τὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄδηλα, ἐμοὶ δὲ δῆλα πεποίηκας, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους διδάξαι τὴν τοῦ μονογενοῦς σου Υἱοῦ ἐνανθρώπησιν, καὶ τὸ σωτήριον πάθος, καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν φιλότιμον ἄφεσιν, τὰ μεγαλοπρεπῆ καὶ θεῖα τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος δῶρα. Ταῦτα πάντα παρὰ τοῦ παναγίου σου προδιδαχθεὶς Πνεύματος, ἱκετεύω μεταλαχεῖν ἐκείνης τῆς χάριτος, ἣν προθεσπίζων τοῖς ἄλλοις βοῶ.
« Idou gar alētheian ēgapēsas. » Houtō de phēsi, Krineis, kai tous men kolazeis, tous de stephanois, epeidē tēn alētheian stergeis; tēn de alētheian stergōn, kai tēs physeōs eidōs tēn astheneian, metados syngnōmēn tois aitousi ta pharmaka. « Ta adēla kai ta kryphia tēs sophias sou edēlōsas moi. ; Egō mentoi syngnōmēs oudemias emauton axion nomizō, meta tosautas dōreas gegenēmenos ;acharistos. Ou gar monon me tois basilikois enidrysas thōkois, alla kai prophētikēs ēxiōsas charitos, ; kai ta meta makron esomena prodedēlōkas chronon, kai ta tois allois adēla, emoi de dēla pepoiēkas, hōs kai tous allous didaxai tēn tou monogenous sou Huiou enanthrōpēsin, kai to sōtērion pathos, kai tēn anastasin, kai tēs oikoumenēs tēn sōtērian, kai tōn hamartēmatōn tēn philotimon aphesin, ta megaloprepē kai theia tou hagiou baptismatos dōra. Tauta panta para tou panagiou sou prodidachtheis Pneumatos, hiketeuō metalachein ekeinēs tēs charitos, hēn prothespizōn tois allois boō.
"For behold, you have loved truth." He says this: "You judge, punishing some and crowning others, since you love truth. But loving truth and knowing the weakness of nature, grant pardon to those who ask for the medicines." "The unclear and hidden things of your wisdom you have made plain to me." "I do not think myself worthy of any pardon, having become ungrateful after so many gifts. For you not only set me on the royal seat but also counted me worthy of prophetic grace, revealed beforehand things to happen after a long time, and made plain to me what is unclear to others, so that I might teach others the incarnation of your only-begotten Son, the saving passion, the resurrection, the salvation of the world, the generous forgiveness of sins, and the magnificent and divine gifts of holy baptism. Having been taught all these things beforehand by your all-holy Spirit, I beg to share in that grace which I proclaim beforehand to others."
Ps 51:6 (50:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:6: David, given prophetic knowledge of Christ and of baptism's forgiveness, asks to share the grace he foretells.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; stray mark (OCR)): τοῖς αὐτοῦσι τὰ φάρμακα → τοῖς αἰτοῦσι τὰ φάρμακα; δῶρα. ( Ταῦτα → δῶρα. Ταῦτα; παναγίου” σου → παναγίου σου.
Topics: Baptism, Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.8 (PG 80 80:1245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-8
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-50-8) · 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.
50.9PG 80 80:1245
«Ῥαντιεῖς με ὑσσώπῳ, καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι· πλυνεῖς με, καὶ ὑπὲρ χιόνα λευκανθήσομαι. » Μόνη γὰρ ἡ τοῦ βαπτίσματος δωρεὰ ταύτην ἐργάσασθαι τὴν κάθαρσιν δύναται · ταύτην δὲ τὴν κάθαρσιν καὶ διὰ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου δώσειν ὑπέσχετο τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος. Εἰρηκὼς γάρ· « Λούσασθε, καθαροί γένεσθε, ἀφέλετε τὰς πονηρίας ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν·, μετ' ὀλίγα ἔφη· « Ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ. » Ταῦτα καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ μέγας Δαβὶδ ἐν τῷ ἑξηκοστῷ ἑβδόμῳ ψαλμῷ προαγορεύει. « Ἐν τῷ γὰρ, φησὶ, διαστέλλειν τὸν ἐπουράνιον βασιλεῖς, χιονωθήσονται ἐν Σελμών. » Τοῦτο " τοίνυν κἀνταῦθά φησιν, ὅτι Τῆς δοθησομένης ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις προσδέομαι χάριτος· καὶ ἐκείνη γὰρ ἀκριβῶς ἀποῤῥύψαι με δύναται μόνη, καὶ τῆς χιόνος μοι τὴν λευκότητα δοῦναι. Ὅτι δὲ τὸ ὕσσωπον οὐδεμίαν ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτημάτων εἰργάζετο, ῥάδιον ἐκ τῶν Μωσαϊκῶν συγγραμμάτων καταμαθεῖν. Τὸν γὰρ ἀνδροφόνον, καὶ τὸν ἀλλοτριόγαμον λῃστὴν, οὐ περιῤῥαντηρίοις ὁ νόμος ἐκάθαιρεν, ἀλλὰ τιμωρίαις ἐσχάταις ὑπέβαλλεν. Ἑτέρων τοίνυν ἐστὶ πραγμάτων τὸ ὕσσωπον αἴνιγμα. Ὑσσώπῳ γὰρ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τὸ αἷμα τοῦ προβάτου ταῖς φλιαῖς ἐπιῤῥάναντες, τοῦ ὀλοθρεύοντος τὰς χεῖρας διέφυγον. Τύπος δὲ ἦν ἐκεῖνα τῶν σωτηρίων παθημάτων· αἷμα γὰρ κἀνταῦθα, ξύλον σωτήριον, καὶ σωτηρία τοῖς μετὰ πίστεως προσιοῦσι χορηγουμένη.
«Rhantieis me hyssōpǭ, kai katharisthēsomai; plyneis me, kai hyper chiona leukanthēsomai. » Monē gar hē tou baptismatos dōrea tautēn ergasasthai tēn katharsin dynatai ; tautēn de tēn katharsin kai dia Hēsaïou tou prophētou dōsein hypescheto tōn holōn ho Kyrios. Eirēkōs gar; « Lousasthe, katharoi genesthe, aphelete tas ponērias apo tōn kardiōn hymōn;, met' oliga ephē; « Ean ōsin hai hamartiai hymōn hōs phoinikoun, hōs chiona leukanō. » Tauta kai autos ho megas Dabid en tǭ hexēkostǭ hebdomǭ psalmǭ proagoreuei. « En tǭ gar, phēsi, diastellein ton epouranion basileis, chionōthēsontai en Selmōn. » Touto " toinyn kantautha phēsin, hoti Tēs dothēsomenēs hapasin anthrōpois prosdeomai charitos; kai ekeinē gar akribōs aporrhypsai me dynatai monē, kai tēs chionos moi tēn leukotēta dounai. Hoti de to hyssōpon oudemian aphesin hamartēmatōn eirgazeto, rhadion ek tōn Mōsaïkōn syngrammatōn katamathein. Ton gar androphonon, kai ton allotriogamon lę̄stēn, ou perirrhantēriois ho nomos ekathairen, alla timōriais eschatais hypeballen. Heterōn toinyn esti pragmatōn to hyssōpon ainigma. Hyssōpǭ gar en Aigyptǭ to haima tou probatou tais phliais epirrhanantes, tou olothreuontos tas cheiras diephygon. Typos de ēn ekeina tōn sōtēriōn pathēmatōn; haima gar kantautha, xylon sōtērion, kai sōtēria tois meta pisteōs prosiousi chorēgoumenē.
"You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed; you will wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow." For only the gift of baptism can work this cleansing; and the Lord of all promised through Isaiah the prophet to give this cleansing. For having said, "Wash, become clean, take away the wickedness from your hearts," a little later he said, "Though your sins be like scarlet, I will make them white as snow." The great David himself foretells this too in the sixty-seventh psalm: "When the heavenly one distinguishes kings, they will be made snow-white in Salmon." Here too, then, he says: "I need the grace that will be given to all people; for that alone can wash me thoroughly and give me the whiteness of snow." That hyssop worked no forgiveness of sins is easy to learn from the writings of Moses. For the law did not cleanse the murderer and the adulterous robber of another's wife with sprinklings, but subjected them to the utmost punishments. The hyssop, then, is a riddle of other things. For with hyssop in Egypt they sprinkled the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and escaped the hands of the destroyer. Those things were a type of the saving sufferings; for here too there is blood, the saving wood, and salvation supplied to those who come with faith.
Ps 51:7 (50:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 68:14 (67:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:22 (allusion, high confidence) · Lev 20:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:7: only baptism cleanses as the psalm asks; the hyssop of the Passover was a type of Christ's blood and cross, since the law gave murderers and adulterers no cleansing but punishment.
- Lines scrambled by the OCR are restored to their places by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (displaced line restored (OCR); line displaced by the OCR; restored below): χάριτος· τῶν σωτηρίων παθημάτων· αἷμα γὰρ κἀνταῦθα, προσιοῦσι χορηγουμένη. καὶ ἐκείνη → χάριτος· καὶ ἐκείνη; Τύπος δὲ ἦν ἐκεῖνα ξύλον σωτήριον, καὶ σωτηρία τοῖς μετὰ πίστεως → Τύπος δὲ ἦν ἐκεῖνα τῶν σωτηρίων παθημάτων· αἷμα γὰρ κἀνταῦθα, ξύλον σωτήριον, καὶ σωτηρία τοῖς μετὰ πίστεως προσιοῦσι χορηγουμένη..
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.9 (PG 80 80:1245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-9
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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.
50.10PG 80 80:1247
«Ακουτιεῖς μοι ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην ἀγαλλιάσονται ὀστέα τεταπεινωμένα. » Ταύτης μοι, φησὶ, τῆς εὐφροσύνης τὰ ὦτα ἔμπλησον, τὴν τελείαν κάθαρσιν ὑπισχνούμενος, ἵνα εἰς ἅπαντα ἡ θυμηδία διαδράμῃ τὰ τοῦ σώματος μόρια· καὶ τὰ νῦν τῇ κακουχίᾳ τεταπεινωμένα ὀστᾶ, ἀνθήσῃ πάλιν, καὶ ἀπολάβῃ τὴν οἰκείαν ἰσχύν.
«Akoutieis moi agalliasin kai euphrosynēn agalliasontai ostea tetapeinōmena. » Tautēs moi, phēsi, tēs euphrosynēs ta ōta emplēson, tēn teleian katharsin hypischnoumenos, hina eis hapanta hē thymēdia diadramę̄ ta tou sōmatos moria; kai ta nyn tę̄ kakouchią tetapeinōmena osta, anthēsę̄ palin, kai apolabę̄ tēn oikeian ischyn.
"You will make me hear exultation and gladness; the humbled bones will exult." "Fill my ears with this gladness," he says, "promising perfect cleansing, so that the cheer may run through all the members of the body, and the bones now humbled by affliction may flourish again and recover their strength."
Ps 51:8 (50:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:8: David asks to hear the promise of full cleansing so that his afflicted body may rejoice.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.10 (PG 80 80:1247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-10
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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.
50.11PG 80 80:1247
« ᾿Απόστρεψον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας μου ἐξάλειψον. » Μὴ ἴδῃς, φησὶ, τὰς ὑπ᾿ ἐμοῦ τετολμημένας ἀνομίας, ἀλλ᾿ ἐμὲ τὸν ταύτας ὀλοφυρόμενον.
« ᾿Apostrepson to prosōpon sou apo tōn hamartiōn mou, kai pasas tas anomias mou exaleipson. » Mē idę̄s, phēsi, tas hyp᾿ emou tetolmēmenas anomias, all᾿ eme ton tautas olophyromenon.
"Turn your face away from my sins, and blot out all my lawless deeds." "Do not look," he says, "at the lawless deeds I dared, but at me who lament them."
Ps 51:9 (50:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:9: David asks God to look at his repentance rather than his sins.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.11 (PG 80 80:1247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-11
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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.
50.12PG 80 80:1247
« Καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοὶ, ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου. » Ἐπειδὴ τὸ γῆρας ἐδεξάμην τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τῇ σῇ με φιλανθρωπίᾳ νεούργησον. Ταῦτα καὶ δι' Ἰεζεκιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου τοῖς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι δορυαλώτοις ὁ Δεσπότης ὑπέσχετο. « Δώσω γὰρ αὐτοῖς, φησὶ, καρδίαν καινὴν, καὶ πνεῦμα καινόν.» Πνεῦμα δὲ οὐ τὸ πανάγιον λέγει, ἀλλὰ τοῦ λογικοῦ τὴν ὁρμήν · τουτέστι, τῇ μακρᾷ ταύτῃ παιδεύσας παιδείᾳ καὶ διδάξας ὑμᾶς, οἴους ἡ ἁμαρτία φύει καρποὺς, τὴν ἀρετὴν αἱρεῖσθαι παρασκευάσω. Τοῦτο κἀνταῦθα ὁ μακάριος ἤτησε Δαβίδ, τήν τε βλαβεῖσαν αὐτοῦ νεουργηθῆναι καρδίαν, καὶ τὸ λογικὸν ῥωσθῆναι, ὥστε τὴν θείαν τρέχειν ὁδόν.
« Kardian katharan ktison en emoi, ho Theos, kai pneuma euthes enkainison en tois enkatois mou. » Epeidē to gēras edexamēn tēs hamartias, tę̄ sę̄ me philanthrōpią neourgēson. Tauta kai di' Iezekiēl tou prophētou tois en Babylōni doryalōtois ho Despotēs hypescheto. « Dōsō gar autois, phēsi, kardian kainēn, kai pneuma kainon.» Pneuma de ou to panagion legei, alla tou logikou tēn hormēn ; toutesti, tę̄ makrą tautę̄ paideusas paideią kai didaxas hymas, oious hē hamartia phyei karpous, tēn aretēn haireisthai paraskeuasō. Touto kantautha ho makarios ētēse Dabid, tēn te blabeisan autou neourgēthēnai kardian, kai to logikon rhōsthēnai, hōste tēn theian trechein hodon.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." "Since I have taken on the old age of sin, renew me by your love for humankind." The Master promised this too through the prophet Ezekiel to the captives in Babylon: "For I will give them," he says, "a new heart and a new spirit." He means by spirit not the all-holy Spirit but the impulse of the rational faculty; that is: "Having disciplined you with this long discipline and taught you what fruits sin produces, I will make you choose virtue." This is what the blessed David asked here too: that his damaged heart be renewed and his rational faculty strengthened, so as to run the divine road.
Ps 51:10 (50:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 36:26 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:10: the right spirit is not the Holy Spirit but the renewed impulse of reason, as in Ezekiel's promise to the exiles.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letter (OCR); stray letters (OCR); stray word (OCR)): δι' Ἰεζεκιὴλες τοῦ → δι' Ἰεζεκιὴλ τοῦ; ὁ μακάριος δ᾽ ἤτησε → ὁ μακάριος ἤτησε; αὐτοῦ δὲ νεουργηθῆναι → αὐτοῦ νεουργηθῆναι; τὴν θείαν δε τρέχειν → τὴν θείαν τρέχειν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.12 (PG 80 80:1247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-12
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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.
50.13PG 80 80:1247
« Μὴ ἀποῤῥίψῃς με ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἅγιον μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. » Σαφῶς διὰ τούτων μεμαθήκαμεν τῶν λόγων, ὡς οὐκ ἐγυμνώθη τῆς τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος χάριτος. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς γυμνωθεὶς ἀπολαβεῖν ἱκετεύει, ἀλλὰ μὴ στερηθῆναι ταύτης ἀντιβολεί, μηδὲ πόῤῥω γενέσθαι τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας. Πρόσωπον γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τὴν κηδεμονίαν ἐκάλεσεν.
« Mē aporrhipsę̄s me apo tou prosōpou sou, kai to Pneuma sou to hagion mē antanelę̄s ap᾿ emou. » Saphōs dia toutōn memathēkamen tōn logōn, hōs ouk egymnōthē tēs tou panagiou Pneumatos charitos. Ou gar hōs gymnōtheis apolabein hiketeuei, alla mē sterēthēnai tautēs antibolei, mēde porrhō genesthai tēs theias kēdemonias. Prosōpon gar entautha tēn kēdemonian ekalesen.
"Do not cast me away from your face, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me." By these words we have learned clearly that he was not stripped of the grace of the all-holy Spirit. For he does not beg to receive it back as one stripped of it, but implores not to be deprived of it, nor to come to be far from divine care. For here he called care the face.
Ps 51:11 (50:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:11: David asks not to lose the Holy Spirit, showing he had not lost it.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letter (OCR); stray letters (OCR)): Σαφῶς διὰ δε τούτων → Σαφῶς διὰ τούτων; Πρόσωπον γὰρ σ ἐνταῦθα → Πρόσωπον γὰρ ἐνταῦθα.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.13 (PG 80 80:1247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-13
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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.
50.14PG 80 80:1249
« ᾿Απόδος μοι τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν τοῦ σωτηρίου σου, καὶ Πνεύματι ἡγεμονικῷ στήριξόν με. » "Ο" μὴ ἀπώλεσεν, ἔχειν ἠντιβόλησε, τουτέστι, τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος. Ὁ δὲ ἀποβέβληκεν, ἀπολαβεῖν ἱκετεύει · τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἡ ἐν Θεῷ εὐφροσύνη. Πάσης, φησί, θυμηδίας ἀπήλαυον, ἡνίκα πολλὴν εἶχον πρὸς σὲ, Δέσποτα, παῤῥησίαν· νῦν δὲ ταύτης γεγυμνωμένος, καὶ τῆς εὐθυμίας ἐστέρημαι. Ἐγύμνωσε δέ με τῆς παῤῥησίας ἡ δουλεία τῆς ἡδονῆς. Διὸ ἱκετεύω τὴν προτέραν ἡγεμονίαν ἀπολαβεῖν μου τὸν νοῦν, καὶ τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν δουλωθέντα, τὴν κατὰ τούτων αὖθις ἀπολαβεῖν ἐξουσίαν. Πάλιν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα πνεῦμα ἡγεμονικὸν τὸν αὐτοκράτορα λογισμὸν ἐκάλεσε.
« ᾿Apodos moi tēn agalliasin tou sōtēriou sou, kai Pneumati hēgemonikǭ stērixon me. » "O" mē apōlesen, echein ēntibolēse, toutesti, tēn charin tou Pneumatos. Ho de apobeblēken, apolabein hiketeuei ; touto de ēn hē en Theǭ euphrosynē. Pasēs, phēsi, thymēdias apēlauon, hēnika pollēn eichon pros se, Despota, parrhēsian; nyn de tautēs gegymnōmenos, kai tēs euthymias esterēmai. Egymnōse de me tēs parrhēsias hē douleia tēs hēdonēs. Dio hiketeuō tēn proteran hēgemonian apolabein mou ton noun, kai ton hypo tōn pathōn doulōthenta, tēn kata toutōn authis apolabein exousian. Palin gar entautha pneuma hēgemonikon ton autokratora logismon ekalese.
"Give back to me the exultation of your salvation, and establish me with a governing spirit." What he had not lost, he begged to keep, that is, the grace of the Spirit; what he had thrown away, he begs to receive back, and this was gladness in God. "I enjoyed every cheer," he says, "when I had great boldness toward you, Master; but now, stripped of it, I am deprived of good cheer too. Slavery to pleasure stripped me of boldness. Therefore I beg that my mind receive back its former governance, and that what was enslaved by the passions receive back authority over them." Here again he called the self-ruling reason a governing spirit.
Ps 51:12 (50:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:12: David asks back the joy and boldness he lost through pleasure, and that his reason, the governing spirit, rule his passions again.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.14 (PG 80 80:1249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-14
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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.
50.15PG 80 80:1249
« Διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδοὺς σου, καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσιν. » Τῆς σῆς πάλιν ἀπολαύων φιλανθρωπίας ἀρχέτυπον ἔσομαι μετανοίας τοῖς τὸν παράνομον βίον ἀσπαζομένοις· ἔσομαι δὲ καὶ κήρυξ τῆς σῆς ἀγαθότητος, καὶ προτρέψω δυσσεβεῖς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ παρανόμους, τῇ σῇ προσδραμεῖν ἱκετείᾳ.
« Didaxō anomous tas hodous sou, kai asebeis epi se epistrepsousin. » Tēs sēs palin apolauōn philanthrōpias archetypon esomai metanoias tois ton paranomon bion aspazomenois; esomai de kai kēryx tēs sēs agathotētos, kai protrepsō dyssebeis anthrōpous, kai paranomous, tę̄ sę̄ prosdramein hiketeią.
"I will teach the lawless your ways, and the impious will turn back to you." "Enjoying your love for humankind again, I will be a pattern of repentance for those who embrace a lawless life; and I will be a herald of your goodness and urge impious and lawless people to run to supplication of you."
Ps 51:13 (50:15 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:13: forgiven, David will be a pattern of repentance for sinners.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.15 (PG 80 80:1249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-15
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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.
50.16PG 80 80:1249
« Ῥῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων, ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου. » Συνεχῶς ἐν τῇ μνήμη περιστρέφει τὸν τοῦ Οὐρίου φόνον. Τοῦτο κὰν τῷ προοιμίῳ δεδήλωκεν, « ὅτι ἡ ἁμαρτία μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διὰ παντός. - ᾿Αγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου. » Τοῦτο ὁ Σύμμαχος οὕτως ἡρμήνευσε· Διαλαλήσει ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην σου. Οὐ γὰρ σιγήσω τῆς ἀφέσεως ἀπολαύσας, ἀλλ᾿ ὑμνῶν σε διατελέσω, καὶ τὰς σὰς διηγούμενος χάριτας.
« Rhysai me ex haimatōn, ho Theos tēs sōtērias mou. » Synechōs en tę̄ mnēmē peristrephei ton tou Ouriou phonon. Touto kan tǭ prooimiǭ dedēlōken, « hoti hē hamartia mou enōpion mou esti dia pantos. - ᾿Agalliasetai hē glōssa mou tēn dikaiosynēn sou. » Touto ho Symmachos houtōs hērmēneuse; Dialalēsei hē glōssa mou tēn eleēmosynēn sou. Ou gar sigēsō tēs apheseōs apolausas, all᾿ hymnōn se diatelesō, kai tas sas diēgoumenos charitas.
"Rescue me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation." He continually turns over in memory the murder of Uriah. He showed this in the opening too: "For my sin is ever before me." "My tongue will exult in your righteousness." Symmachus rendered this thus: "My tongue will proclaim your mercy." "For having enjoyed forgiveness I will not keep silent, but will continue hymning you and recounting your favors."
Ps 51:14 (50:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:3 (50:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:14: David still remembers the murder of Uriah and promises to proclaim God's mercy.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter; split word with stray character (OCR)): τῆς σωτημίας μου → τῆς σωτηρίας μου; χά- & ριτας → χάριτας.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.16 (PG 80 80:1249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-16
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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.
50.17PG 80 80:1249
« Τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις, Κύριε, καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου. » Ἡ γὰρ ἁμαρτία πέφυκε τὴν γλῶσσαν δεσμεῖν, ἐμφράττειν τὸ στόμα ", ἄγχειν, σιωπᾶν ἀναγκάζειν. Αντιβολεῖ τοίνυν ὁ προφήτης, διὰ τῆς ἀφέσεως τῆς προτέρας παῤῥησίας μεταλαχεῖν, καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν κινῆσαι.
« Ta cheilē mou anoixeis, Kyrie, kai to stoma mou anangelei tēn ainesin sou. » Hē gar hamartia pephyke tēn glōssan desmein, emphrattein to stoma ", anchein, siōpan anankazein. Antibolei toinyn ho prophētēs, dia tēs apheseōs tēs proteras parrhēsias metalachein, kai tēn glōttan eis hymnǭdian kinēsai.
"O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise." For sin binds the tongue, stops the mouth, chokes, and forces silence. The prophet implores, then, to receive his former boldness through forgiveness and to move his tongue to hymn singing.
Ps 51:15 (50:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:15: sin silences the mouth, and forgiveness restores the boldness to praise.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letters (OCR)): ἀναγγελεῖ το τὴν → ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.17 (PG 80 80:1249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-17
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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.
50.18PG 80 80:1249
« Ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν, ἔδωκα ἄν· ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις. » Συνάδει καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς ἐν τῷ προτεταγμένῳ εἰρημένοις ψαλμῷ. ᾿Ακηκόαμεν γὰρ ἐκεῖ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων λέγοντος · · Οὐ δέξομαι ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου μόσχους, οὐδὲ ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων σου τράγους. » Τοιγάρτοι τοῦτο παρὰ τῆς θείας ἀκούσας φωνῆς ὁ θειότατος Δαβίδ, εἰκότως ἔφη· « Ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν, ἔδωκα ἄν· ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις. » Σὺ γὰρ, φησὶν, εἴρηκας μὴ θυμήρεις εἶναί σοι τὰς τῶν ἀλόγων θυσίας· οὗ δὴ χάριν τὴν ἀρέσκουσάν σοι ἱερουργίαν προσοίσω.
« Hoti ei ēthelēsas thysian, edōka an; holokautōmata ouk eudokēseis. » Synadei kai tauta tois en tǭ protetagmenǭ eirēmenois psalmǭ. ᾿Akēkoamen gar ekei tou Theou tōn holōn legontos ; ; Ou dexomai ek tou oikou sou moschous, oude ek tōn poimniōn sou tragous. » Toigartoi touto para tēs theias akousas phōnēs ho theiotatos Dabid, eikotōs ephē; « Hoti ei ēthelēsas thysian, edōka an; holokautōmata ouk eudokēseis. » Sy gar, phēsin, eirēkas mē thymēreis einai soi tas tōn alogōn thysias; hou dē charin tēn areskousan soi hierourgian prosoisō.
"For if you had wished sacrifice, I would have given it; you will not be pleased with burnt offerings." These words too agree with what was said in the psalm placed before. For there we heard the God of all saying, "I will not accept calves from your house, nor goats from your flocks." Hearing this from the divine voice, the most divine David fittingly said, "For if you had wished sacrifice, I would have given it; you will not be pleased with burnt offerings." "For you have said," he says, "that sacrifices of irrational animals are not pleasing to you; for this reason I will offer the service that pleases you."
Ps 51:16 (50:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 50:9 (49:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:16: as the previous psalm said, God does not want animal sacrifices, so David will offer what pleases him.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letters (OCR)): ὁ θειότατος δε Δαβίδ → ὁ θειότατος Δαβίδ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.18 (PG 80 80:1249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-18
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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.
50.19PG 80 80:1251
Θυσία τῷ Θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον· καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει. • Ἱερεῖον, φησὶν, ἀρεστὸν καὶ θυμῆρές σοι τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν μετριότης φρονήματος. Διὰ σφόδρα μου τὴν καρδίαν ταπεινώσας, καὶ οἱονεὶ συντρίψας, καὶ λίαν αὐτὴν λεπτύνας, τὴν ἀρεστὴν σοι θυσίαν προσκομιῶ. Τούτοις καὶ οἱ μακάριοι παῖδες ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ τοῖς λόγοις ἐχρήσαντο · · Ἐν καρδίᾳ γὰρ, ἔλεγον, συντετριμμένῃ, καὶ πνεύματι ταπεινώσεως προσδεχθείημεν ἐνώπιόν σου, ὡς ἐν ὁλοκαυτώμασι κριῶν καὶ ταύρων πιόνων., Ὡς εἶναι δῆλον κἀντεῦθεν, ὅτι καὶ πρόῤῥησιν ὁ ψαλμὸς ἔχει τῶν ἐν Βαβυλῶνι συμβεβηκότων, καὶ διδασκαλίαν τὴν ἐκείνοις ἁρμόττουσαν. Ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ καὶ οἱ γενναῖοι παῖδες ἐκεῖνοι τὴν ἀρεστὴν τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν μεμαθηκότες, τὴν ταπεινότητα τοῦ φρονήματος, καὶ τῆς καρδίας τὴν συντριβὴν τῷ Δεσπότη προσήνεγκαν.
Thysia tǭ Theǭ pneuma syntetrimmenon; kardian syntetrimmenēn kai tetapeinōmenēn ho Theos ouk exoudenōsei. • Hiereion, phēsin, areston kai thymēres soi tǭ Theǭ hēmōn metriotēs phronēmatos. Dia sphodra mou tēn kardian tapeinōsas, kai hoionei syntripsas, kai lian autēn leptynas, tēn arestēn soi thysian proskomiō. Toutois kai hoi makarioi paides en tę̄ kaminǭ tois logois echrēsanto ; ; En kardią gar, elegon, syntetrimmenę̄, kai pneumati tapeinōseōs prosdechtheiēmen enōpion sou, hōs en holokautōmasi kriōn kai taurōn pionōn., Hōs einai dēlon kanteuthen, hoti kai prorrhēsin ho psalmos echei tōn en Babylōni symbebēkotōn, kai didaskalian tēn ekeinois harmottousan. Enteuthen gar kai hoi gennaioi paides ekeinoi tēn arestēn tǭ Theǭ thysian memathēkotes, tēn tapeinotēta tou phronēmatos, kai tēs kardias tēn syntribēn tǭ Despotē prosēnenkan.
"A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humbled heart God will not despise." "A sacrificial victim acceptable and pleasing to you, our God," he says, "is a modest mind. Therefore, having greatly humbled my heart, and as it were broken it and ground it very fine, I will bring you the sacrifice that pleases you." The blessed young men in the furnace too used these words: "With a broken heart," they said, "and a spirit of humility may we be accepted before you, as with burnt offerings of rams and fat bulls." So it is clear from this too that the psalm contains a prediction of what happened in Babylon and teaching suited to them. For from here those noble young men learned the sacrifice pleasing to God, humility of mind and contrition of heart, and offered it to the Master.
Ps 51:17 (50:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:17: a humble, contrite heart is the sacrifice God wants, as the three young men in Babylon learned and offered.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR accent; split word (OCR)): Ἱερεῖον, φησὶν, ἀρέστὸν → Ἱερεῖον, φησὶν, ἀρεστὸν; συν τρίψας → συντρίψας; παῖ-δες → παῖδες.
Extrabiblical texts: Pr Azar 16-17 (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.19 (PG 80 80:1251; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-19
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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.
50.20PG 80 80:1251
« ᾿Αγάθυνον, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιὼν, καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη Ἱερουσαλήμ. Τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης, ἀναφορὰν, καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα· τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θύσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους. » Σαφέστερον ἐκ τούτων ἐδιδάχθημεν τῶν ῥημάτων, ὅτι πλήρης ὁ ψαλμὸς προφητείας. Τοῖς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι γὰρ ἡναγκασμένοις οἰκεῖν, καὶ ποθοῦσι τὴν τῆς δουλείας ἀπαλλαγήν, καὶ ὀλοφυρομένοις τὴν τῆς πόλεως ἐρημίαν, ἁρμόττει τὰ ῥήματα. Ικετεύουσι γὰρ οἴκτου τινὸς ἀξιωθῆναι τὴν πόλιν, καὶ τὴν προτέραν εὐκληρίαν ἀπολαβεῖν, τῶν περιβόλων ἀνορθουμένων, καὶ τῆς κατὰ νόμον τελουμένης λατρείας. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, τὴν ἀλλοτρίαν οἰκοῦντας τὰς ὡρισμένας σοι θυσίας προσφέρειν οὐκ ἔνεστιν, ἐν ἐκείνῃ μόνῃ τῇ πόλει θύειν τοῦ νόμου διαγορεύοντος. Εἰ δὲ τῆς ἐπανόδου τύχοιμεν, καὶ τὸν νεὼν ἀνορθώσαιμεν, τηνικαῦτά σοι· τὰς ἐννόμους θυσίας προσοίσομεν. Αρμόττει δὲ λίαν αὐτοῖς, « Καὶ τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις, Κύριε, καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου. » Αὐτῶν γάρ ἐστι φωνή • • Πῶς ἄσομεν τὴν ᾠδὴν Κυρίου ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας; » Ἔχει δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν προφητείαν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ τοῦδε τὸ τέλος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἄνω τὰ δῶρα προτέθεικεν ', εἶτα κατιὼν ἔδειξε τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν ταῖς κατὰ νόμον θυσίαις οὐκ ἀρεσκόμενον, ἱκετεύει τὴν νέαν ἀναφανῆναι Σιὼν, καὶ τὴν ἐπουράνιον Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐπὶ γῆς πολισθῆναι, καὶ ὅτι τάχιστα παρασχεθῆναι τὴν καινὴν πολιτείαν, τὴν οὐκ ἄλογα προσφέρουσαν θύματα, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀναφορὰν καὶ θυσίαν, καὶ τὰ λογικά καὶ ζῶντα ὁλοκαυτώματα, περὶ ὧν μακάριος λέγει Παῦλος, « Παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, διὰ τῶν οἱκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ παραστῆσαι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, ἁγίαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν. • Εἰδὼς γὰρ ὁ θειότατος ' Δαβίδ, ἄτε τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίας μεμαθηκώς, ὡς ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη τελειαν ἔχει τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἄφεσιν, ταχίστης καὶ τελείας τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπαλλαγῆς ἐφιέμενος, καὶ τῆς συντόμου καὶ φιλοτίμου καθάρσεως τυχεῖν καὶ αὐτὸς ὀρεγόμενος, ταῦτά φησι.
« ᾿Agathynon, Kyrie, en tę̄ eudokią sou tēn Siōn, kai oikodomēthētō ta teichē Hierousalēm. Tote eudokēseis thysian dikaiosynēs, anaphoran, kai holokautōmata; tote anoisousin epi to thysiastērion sou moschous. » Saphesteron ek toutōn edidachthēmen tōn rhēmatōn, hoti plērēs ho psalmos prophēteias. Tois en Babylōni gar hēnankasmenois oikein, kai pothousi tēn tēs douleias apallagēn, kai olophyromenois tēn tēs poleōs erēmian, harmottei ta rhēmata. Iketeuousi gar oiktou tinos axiōthēnai tēn polin, kai tēn proteran euklērian apolabein, tōn peribolōn anorthoumenōn, kai tēs kata nomon teloumenēs latreias. Nyn men gar, phēsi, tēn allotrian oikountas tas hōrismenas soi thysias prospherein ouk enestin, en ekeinę̄ monę̄ tę̄ polei thyein tou nomou diagoreuontos. Ei de tēs epanodou tychoimen, kai ton neōn anorthōsaimen, tēnikauta soi; tas ennomous thysias prosoisomen. Armottei de lian autois, « Kai ta cheilē mou anoixeis, Kyrie, kai to stoma mou anangelei tēn ainesin sou. » Autōn gar esti phōnē • • Pōs asomen tēn ǭdēn Kyriou epi gēs allotrias? » Echei de kai heteran prophēteian tou psalmou toude to telos. Epeidē gar tou panagiou Pneumatos anō ta dōra protetheiken ', eita katiōn edeixe ton tōn holōn Theon tais kata nomon thysiais ouk areskomenon, hiketeuei tēn nean anaphanēnai Siōn, kai tēn epouranion Hierousalēm epi gēs polisthēnai, kai hoti tachista paraschethēnai tēn kainēn politeian, tēn ouk aloga prospherousan thymata, alla tēn tēs dikaiosynēs anaphoran kai thysian, kai ta logika kai zōnta holokautōmata, peri hōn makarios legei Paulos, « Parakalō hymas, adelphoi, dia tōn hoiktirmōn tou Theou parastēsai ta sōmata hymōn thysian zōsan, hagian, euareston tǭ Theǭ tēn logikēn latreian hymōn. • Eidōs gar ho theiotatos ' Dabid, ate ta adēla kai ta kryphia tēs tou Theou sophias memathēkōs, hōs hē kainē diathēkē teleian echei tōn hamartēmatōn tēn aphesin, tachistēs kai teleias tōn hamartēmatōn apallagēs ephiemenos, kai tēs syntomou kai philotimou katharseōs tychein kai autos oregomenos, tauta phēsi.
"Do good, O Lord, in your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you will be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, an offering and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer calves on your altar." From these words we were taught more clearly that the psalm is full of prophecy. For the words fit those forced to live in Babylon, longing for release from slavery and lamenting the desolation of the city. For they entreat that the city be counted worthy of some pity and receive its former good fortune, the walls being restored and the worship performed according to the law. "Now," he says, "living in a foreign land, we cannot offer the sacrifices appointed for you, since the law prescribes sacrificing in that city alone. But if we obtain the return and restore the temple, then we will offer you the lawful sacrifices." "And you will open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise" fits them very well; for theirs is the cry, "How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land?" The end of this psalm also contains another prophecy. For since above he set forth the gifts of the all-holy Spirit, and then, coming down, showed the God of all not pleased with the sacrifices of the law, he begs that the new Zion appear, that the heavenly Jerusalem be built as a city on earth, and that the new way of life be granted as quickly as possible, which offers not irrational victims but the offering and sacrifice of righteousness and the rational and living burnt offerings, of which the blessed Paul says: "I urge you, brothers, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice living, holy, well pleasing to God, your rational worship." For the most divine David, having learned the unclear and hidden things of God's wisdom, knew that the new covenant has perfect forgiveness of sins; and longing for very swift and perfect release from sins, and reaching out himself to obtain the brief and generous cleansing, he says these things.
Ps 51:18 (50:20 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:19 (50:21 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 51:15 (50:17 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 137:4 (136:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:1 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 51:18–19: the prayer for Zion's walls fits the exiles longing to sacrifice again in Jerusalem, and prophetically the new Zion with its rational sacrifices, whose perfect forgiveness David longed for.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (margin letter inside a word (OCR); stray letter (OCR)): προσοίσομεν θ Αρμόττει → προσοίσομεν. Αρμόττει; ἐπουΒράνιον → ἐπουράνιον.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 50.20 (PG 80 80:1251; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/50-20
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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 51
51.1PG 80 80:1253
« Εἰς τὸ τέλος. Συνέσεως τῷ Δαβίδ. Ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν Δωὴκ τὸν Ἰδουμαῖον, καὶ ἀπαγγεῖλαι τῷ Σαούλ, καὶ εἰπεῖν αὐτῷ· Ἦλθε Δαβὶδ εἰς τὸν οἶκον ᾿Αβιμέλεχ. » Καὶ ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον, ὡς διώνυμος ὁ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ. Ὁ γὰρ Δοὴκ, ὡς ἡ πρώτη τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορία διδάσκει, τὸν Ἀχιμέλεχ εἰσήγγειλε παρὰ τῷ Σαούλ, καὶ εἰς μιαιφονίαν τῶν ἱερέων ἐξέμῃνε. Τοῦτον δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἐν τῷ τριακοστῷ τρίτῳ ψαλμῷ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ ὀνομάζει. Τὴν γεγενημένην κατὰ τῶν ἱερέων συκοφαντίαν μεμαθηκὼς ὁ θεῖος Δαβίδ, τοῦτον συνέγραψε τὸν ψαλμὸν, εἰς ὑπομονὴν καὶ καρτερίαν τοὺς ἀδικουμένους ἀλείφων, καὶ τῆς θείας ψήφου διδάσκων τὸ δίκαιον. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ « Εἰς τὸ τέλος· ἐπέγραψε τὸν ψαλμὸν, « καὶ συνέσεως, › ἵνα συνέσει χρώμενοι, τῶν πραγμάτων τὸ τέλος προσμένωμεν. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ πρόῤῥησιν κατὰ ταὐτὸν τῆς Ῥαψάκου μανίας, ὃς ἐξ Ἑβραίων ὁρμώμενος, εἶτα γενόμενος δορυάλωτος τῶν ἐξανδραποδισάντων Ασσυρίων μεμάθηκε τὴν ἀσέβειαν, καὶ βλασφήμοις ἐχρήσατο κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγοις, καὶ ἀπατηλοῖς ἐπειράθη φενακίσαι ῥήμασι τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ πλῆθος. [ Καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐπιγραφὴ τοῦ πρώτου μετὰ τὸν πεντηκοστὸν ψαλμὸν ταύτην ἡμῖν ὑπέθετο τὴν ὑφήγησιν. Αὐτὸς δὲ οὗτος ὁ Προφήτης σαφέστερον αὐτὸ ἔφησεν ἀπαρχόμενος ἐντεῦθεν οὕτως· ]
« Eis to telos. Syneseōs tǭ Dabid. En tǭ eiselthein Dōēk ton Idoumaion, kai apangeilai tǭ Saoul, kai eipein autǭ; Ēlthe Dabid eis ton oikon ᾿Abimelech. » Kai enteuthen dēlon, hōs diōnymos ho ᾿Abimelech. Ho gar Doēk, hōs hē prōtē tōn Basileiōn historia didaskei, ton Achimelech eisēngeile para tǭ Saoul, kai eis miaiphonian tōn hiereōn exemę̄ne. Touton de kai entautha, kai en tǭ triakostǭ tritǭ psalmǭ ᾿Abimelech onomazei. Tēn gegenēmenēn kata tōn hiereōn sykophantian memathēkōs ho theios Dabid, touton synegrapse ton psalmon, eis hypomonēn kai karterian tous adikoumenous aleiphōn, kai tēs theias psēphou didaskōn to dikaion. Dia toi touto kai « Eis to telos; epegrapse ton psalmon, « kai syneseōs, › hina synesei chrōmenoi, tōn pragmatōn to telos prosmenōmen. Echei de kai prorrhēsin kata tauton tēs Rhapsakou manias, hos ex Hebraiōn hormōmenos, eita genomenos doryalōtos tōn exandrapodisantōn Assyriōn memathēke tēn asebeian, kai blasphēmois echrēsato kata tou Theou logois, kai apatēlois epeirathē phenakisai rhēmasi tōn Ioudaiōn to plēthos. [ Kai hē men epigraphē tou prōtou meta ton pentēkoston psalmon tautēn hēmin hypetheto tēn hyphēgēsin. Autos de houtos ho Prophētēs saphesteron auto ephēsen aparchomenos enteuthen houtōs; ]
"To the end; of understanding; for David; when Doeg the Idumean came and told Saul and said to him, David came to the house of Abimelech." From this too it is clear that Abimelech had two names. For Doeg, as the history of the first book of Kingdoms teaches, informed against Ahimelech before Saul and drove him mad to the slaughter of the priests. Here, and in the thirty-third psalm, he names him Abimelech. The divine David, having learned of the slander against the priests, wrote this psalm, anointing the wronged for patience and endurance and teaching the justice of the divine verdict. For this reason he titled the psalm "to the end" and "of understanding," so that, using understanding, we may await the end of events. At the same time it also contains a prediction of the madness of the Rabshakeh, who was of Hebrew origin, then was taken captive and learned impiety from the Assyrians who enslaved him, and used blasphemous words against God and tried to cheat the multitude of the Jews with deceitful words. [The title of the first psalm after the fiftieth gave us this setting. The prophet himself said it more clearly, beginning from here thus:]
Ps 52:1 (51:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 22:9 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 22:18 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 18:28 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52, title: written after Doeg's slander caused the slaughter of the priests, the psalm also foretells the blasphemous Rabshakeh.
- That the Rabshakeh was a Hebrew by origin is a Jewish tradition that Theodoret repeats; Kings does not say so.
- The bracketed sentences are bracketed in Migne.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR accent; lost letters (OCR)): ᾿Αβιμέλεχ μάζει → ᾿Αβιμέλεχ ὀνομάζει; ὑφἡγησιν → ὑφήγησιν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.1 (PG 80 80:1253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-1
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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.
51.3PG 80 80:1255
« Τί ἐγκαυχᾷ ἐν κακίᾳ, ὁ δυνατὸς ἀνομίαν ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ; › Δυνατὸν μὲν καλεῖ τὸν Δωὴκ, ὡς τῷ Σαούλ προσοικειωμένον · τὸν δὲ Ῥαψάκην, ὡς τὸ στρατηγεῖν πεπιστευμένον. Εἰς ἐρώτησιν δὲ σχηματίζει τὸν λόγον, μὴ μέγα φρονεῖν ἐπὶ κακίᾳ παρεγγυῶν, μηδὲ πάντα καιρὸν ἀναλίσκειν εἰς πονηρίαν. Τὸ γὰρ ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ὁ Σύμμαχος εἴρηκεν.
« Ti enkauchą en kakią, ho dynatos anomian holēn tēn hēmeran ? › Dynaton men kalei ton Dōēk, hōs tǭ Saoul prosoikeiōmenon ; ton de Rhapsakēn, hōs to stratēgein pepisteumenon. Eis erōtēsin de schēmatizei ton logon, mē mega phronein epi kakią parengyōn, mēde panta kairon analiskein eis ponērian. To gar holēn tēn hēmeran, kath' hekastēn hēmeran ho Symmachos eirēken.
"Why do you boast in wickedness, you who are mighty in lawlessness all the day?" He calls Doeg mighty as one who had become intimate with Saul, and the Rabshakeh as one entrusted with command. He shapes the word as a question, charging him not to think highly of himself for wickedness, nor to spend every moment on evil. For "all the day" Symmachus said "every day."
Ps 52:1 (51:3 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:1: the mighty man boasting of evil is Doeg, and also the Rabshakeh.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.3 (PG 80 80:1255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-3
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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.
51.4PG 80 80:1255
• ᾿Αδικίαν ἐλογίσατο ἡ γλῶσσά σου, ὡσεὶ ξυρὸν ἠκονημένον, ἐποίησας δόλον. » Ψευδέσι, φησὶ, λόγοις μολύνεις τὴν γλῶτταν · τὸ γὰρ ἐλογίσατο, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐφθέγξατο τέθεικεν· καὶ ξυροῦ δίκην ἠκονημένου, προσφέρεις τὸν λόγον, τοῖς πειθομένοις ὅλεθρον μηχανώμενος.
• ᾿Adikian elogisato hē glōssa sou, hōsei xyron ēkonēmenon, epoiēsas dolon. » Pseudesi, phēsi, logois molyneis tēn glōttan ; to gar elogisato, anti tou ephthenxato tetheiken; kai xyrou dikēn ēkonēmenou, prosphereis ton logon, tois peithomenois holethron mēchanōmenos.
"Your tongue devised injustice; like a sharpened razor you worked deceit." "You defile your tongue with false words," he says (for he set "devised" for "uttered"), "and you deliver your word like a sharpened razor, contriving destruction for those who believe it."
Ps 52:2 (51:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:2: the slanderer's lying tongue cuts like a razor.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.4 (PG 80 80:1255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-4
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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.
51.5PG 80 80:1255
« Ἠγάπησας κακίαν ὑπὲρ ἀγαθωσύνην, ἀδικίαν ὑπὲρ τὸ λαλῆσαι δικαιοσύνην. » Προείλου, φησὶ, τῶν κρειττόνων τὰ χείρω· καὶ τῶν ἀληθῶν τὰ ψευδῆ προτετίμηκας τῶν ῥημάτων • ὑπὲρ δὲ τὸ δίκαιον ἀσπάζῃ τὸ ἄδικον.
« Ēgapēsas kakian hyper agathōsynēn, adikian hyper to lalēsai dikaiosynēn. » Proeilou, phēsi, tōn kreittonōn ta cheirō; kai tōn alēthōn ta pseudē protetimēkas tōn rhēmatōn • hyper de to dikaion aspazę̄ to adikon.
"You loved evil more than goodness, injustice more than speaking righteousness." "You chose the worse over the better," he says, "and preferred false words to true; and you embrace injustice over justice."
Ps 52:3 (51:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:3: the slanderer preferred evil and lies to good and truth.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.5 (PG 80 80:1255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-5
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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.
51.6PG 80 80:1255
« Ἠγάπησας πάντα τὰ ῥήματα καταποντισμοῦ, γλῶσσαν δολίαν. » ῾Ρήματα καταποντισμοῦ καὶ δολίαν γλῶσσαν κέκληκε τὴν ἄρδην ἀφανίσαι διὰ τοῦ ψεύδους δυναμένην, ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τῶν καταποντιζόντων, καὶ ὑποβρυχίους τοὺς ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν καταποντιζομένους τῷ βυθῷ τῶν ὑδάτων ποιούντων. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ Δωὴκ ἔδρασεν. ῎Αρδην γὰρ ἅπασαν τῶν ἱερέων τὴν πόλιν διέφθειρε τοῖς ψευδέσι κατὰ τοῦ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ χρησάμενος λόγοις. Τοῦτο ποιῆσαι καὶ ὁ Ῥαψάκης ἐπειράθη μὲν, οὐκ ἴσχυσε δέ· προσήνεγκε μὲν γὰρ τὰς ψευδεῖς ὑποσχέσεις τοῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους ἑστῶσι· διήμαρτε δὲ θήρας.
« Ēgapēsas panta ta rhēmata katapontismou, glōssan dolian. » ῾Rēmata katapontismou kai dolian glōssan keklēke tēn ardēn aphanisai dia tou pseudous dynamenēn, ek metaphoras tōn katapontizontōn, kai hypobrychious tous hyp᾿ autōn katapontizomenous tǭ bythǭ tōn hydatōn poiountōn. Touto de kai ho Dōēk edrasen. ᾿Ardēn gar hapasan tōn hiereōn tēn polin diephtheire tois pseudesi kata tou ᾿Abimelech chrēsamenos logois. Touto poiēsai kai ho Rhapsakēs epeirathē men, ouk ischyse de; prosēnenke men gar tas pseudeis hyposcheseis tois epi tou teichous hestōsi; diēmarte de thēras.
"You loved all the words of drowning, a deceitful tongue." He called words of drowning and a deceitful tongue the tongue that can destroy utterly through falsehood, as a metaphor from those who drown others and sink those they drown under the depth of the waters. Doeg did this; for he destroyed utterly the whole city of the priests by using false words against Abimelech. The Rabshakeh tried to do this, but could not; for he offered false promises to those standing on the wall, but missed his prey.
Ps 52:4 (51:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 22:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 18:31 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:4: the drowning words are lies that destroy utterly, as Doeg's destroyed the priests' city and the Rabshakeh's failed to.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letter (OCR); stray mark (OCR)): καὶ ἠδολίαν γλῶσσαν → καὶ δολίαν γλῶσσαν; ὑπ᾿ – αὐτῶν → ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.6 (PG 80 80:1255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-6
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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.
51.7PG 80 80:1255
« Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς καθέλοι σε εἰς τέλος· ἐκτίλαι σε, καὶ μεταναστεύσαι σε ἀπὸ σκηνώματός σου καὶ τὸ ῥίζωμά σου ἐκ γῆς ζώντων. » Οὐ διαφεύξῃ, φησὶ, ταύτην προελόμενος τὴν πονηρίαν, τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν ψῆφον· καταλύσει γάρ σε τάχιστα, καὶ παντελεῖ παραδώσει φθορᾷ, καὶ χωρίσει τοῦ καταλόγου τῶν ζώντων, καὶ πρόῤῥιζον ἀνασπάσας παραπέμψει θανάτῳ. Μέγιστον γὰρ ἐντεῦθεν φυήσεται κέρδος τῶν ἀδημονούντων ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν πονηρῶν εὐπραξίᾳ, τὸν τούτων ὄλεθρον θεωμένων· καὶ γάρ φησιν
« Dia touto ho Theos katheloi se eis telos; ektilai se, kai metanasteusai se apo skēnōmatos sou kai to rhizōma sou ek gēs zōntōn. » Ou diapheuxę̄, phēsi, tautēn proelomenos tēn ponērian, tou Theou tōn holōn tēn psēphon; katalysei gar se tachista, kai pantelei paradōsei phthorą, kai chōrisei tou katalogou tōn zōntōn, kai prorrhizon anaspasas parapempsei thanatǭ. Megiston gar enteuthen phyēsetai kerdos tōn adēmonountōn epi tę̄ tōn ponērōn eupraxią, ton toutōn olethron theōmenōn; kai gar phēsin
"Therefore God will destroy you forever; may he pluck you out and remove you from your tent, and your root from the land of the living." "Having chosen this wickedness," he says, "you will not escape the verdict of the God of all; for he will destroy you very quickly, hand you over to utter ruin, separate you from the roll of the living, and tear you up by the roots and send you to death." For very great profit will spring from this for those who are distressed at the success of the wicked, when they see their destruction; for he says:
Ps 52:5 (51:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:5: God will uproot the slanderer, to the profit of those troubled by the success of the wicked.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word with stray letter (OCR)): πρόβ ῥιζον → πρόῤῥιζον.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.7 (PG 80 80:1255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-7
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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.
51.8PG 80 80:1257
« "Οψονται δίκαιοι, καὶ φοβηθήσονται· καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν γελάσονται, καὶ ἐροῦσιν, » [ Ἐπὶ τίνα ; Τὸν ἄδικον, τὸν οὐ μόνον κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας αὐτῆς, ὡς ἐκεῖνος, ἀγωνιζόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῆς ἱερωσύνης μεμηνότα· λέγοντες δηλονότι οἱ τῷ Θεῷ ἀνακείμενοι ·]
« "Opsontai dikaioi, kai phobēthēsontai; kai ep᾿ auton gelasontai, kai erousin, » [ Epi tina ? Ton adikon, ton ou monon kata tēs alētheias autēs, hōs ekeinos, agōnizomenon, alla kai kata tēs hierōsynēs memēnota; legontes dēlonoti hoi tǭ Theǭ anakeimenoi ;]
"The righteous will see and fear, and they will laugh at him and say:" [At whom? At the unjust man, who not only fought, as that one did, against truth itself, but also raged against the priesthood; those dedicated to God, of course, saying:]
Ps 52:6 (51:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:6: the righteous will see the slanderer's fall and fear God.
- The bracketed words are bracketed in Migne.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.8 (PG 80 80:1257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-8
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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.
51.9PG 80 80:1257
« Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἔθετο τὸν Θεὸν βοηθὸν αὐτοῦ · ἀλλ᾽ ἐπήλπισεν ἐπὶ τῷ πλήθει τοῦ πλούτοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνεδυναμώθη ἐν τῇ ματαιότητι αὐτοῦ. » Ὁ τῶν δικαίων, φησί, χορὸς μείζονος εὐλαβείας ἐμφορηθήσεται, τὴν δικαίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ θεασάμενος κρίσιν, καὶ γεγηθὼς καὶ γαννύμενος γελάσει τῆς πονηρίας τὴν ἀκαρπίαν, καὶ τῆς παρούσης εὐημερίας τὸ κέρδος.
« Idou anthrōpos hos ouk etheto ton Theon boēthon autou ; all᾽ epēlpisen epi tǭ plēthei tou ploutou autou, kai enedynamōthē en tę̄ mataiotēti autou. » Ho tōn dikaiōn, phēsi, choros meizonos eulabeias emphorēthēsetai, tēn dikaian tou Theou theasamenos krisin, kai gegēthōs kai gannymenos gelasei tēs ponērias tēn akarpian, kai tēs parousēs euēmerias to kerdos.
"Behold the man who did not make God his helper, but hoped in the abundance of his wealth and grew strong in his vanity." "The choir of the righteous," he says, "will be filled with greater reverence, seeing God's just judgment, and rejoicing and glad, it will laugh at the fruitlessness of wickedness and the gain of present prosperity."
Ps 52:7 (51:9 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:7: the righteous, seeing God judge the man who trusted in riches, will laugh at the fruitlessness of wickedness.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letters (OCR)): ἐν σο τῇ ματαιότητι → ἐν τῇ ματαιότητι; Θεοῦ δι θεασάμενος δε κρίσιν → Θεοῦ θεασάμενος κρίσιν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.9 (PG 80 80:1257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-9
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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.
51.10PG 80 80:1257
« Ἐγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ ἐλαία κατάκαρπος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἤλπισα ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. » Ταῦτα δε γὰρ καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει ὁ μέγας Δαβὶδ, καὶ τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ προσφέρει διδασκαλίαν· ἄμφω γὰρ εὐσεβείας ἐρασταί τε καὶ τρόφιμοι. Καὶ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ, δένδρῳ παρ' ὄχθην ὑδάτων πεφυτευμένῳ, καὶ τεθηλότι διηνεκῶς, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν ὥριμον φέροντι, τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀπείκασεν ἀθλητήν. Καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐλαίαν πολλῷ βρίθουσαν καρπῷ, καὶ ἐν οἴκῳ θείῳ πεφυτευμένην ", τὸν δίκαιον εἴρηΧεν · ἅτε δὴ βεβαίαν τὴν ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐλπίδα κεκτημένον, καὶ δι᾽ ἐκείνην πονεῖν ἀνεχόμενον, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιπόνους τῆς ἀρετῆς φέρειν καρπούς. [Διά δὴ ταῦτα μηδεὶς ὀκλαζέτω περὶ τοὺς ἀγῶνας φθάσας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐναθλείτω καὶ ἐγκαλλωπιζέσθω τούτοις• περιμένων οὐ μόνον τοὺς μέλλοντας αὐτῷ δίδοσθαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄθλων στεφάνους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐνταῦθα θεάσασθαι ἅλωσιν.]
« Egō de hōsei elaia katakarpos en tǭ oikǭ tou Theou, ēlpisa epi to eleos tou Theou eis ton aiōna, kai eis ton aiōna tou aiōnos. » Tauta de gar kai peri heautou legei ho megas Dabid, kai tǭ Ezekią prospherei didaskalian; amphō gar eusebeias erastai te kai trophimoi. Kai en tǭ prōtǭ psalmǭ, dendrǭ par' ochthēn hydatōn pephyteumenǭ, kai tethēloti diēnekōs, kai ton karpon hōrimon pheronti, ton tēs aretēs apeikasen athlētēn. Kai entautha elaian pollǭ brithousan karpǭ, kai en oikǭ theiǭ pephyteumenēn ", ton dikaion eirēChen ; hate dē bebaian tēn epi ton Theon elpida kektēmenon, kai di᾽ ekeinēn ponein anechomenon, kai tous epiponous tēs aretēs pherein karpous. [Dia dē tauta mēdeis oklazetō peri tous agōnas phthasas, all᾽ enathleitō kai enkallōpizesthō toutois• perimenōn ou monon tous mellontas autǭ didosthai hyper tōn athlōn stephanous, alla kai tōn echthrōn entautha theasasthai halōsin.]
"But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God; I hoped in the mercy of God forever and ever." The great David says this about himself and offers teaching to Hezekiah; for both were lovers and nurslings of piety. In the first psalm he likened the athlete of virtue to a tree planted beside streams of water, ever flourishing and bearing its fruit in season; and here he called the righteous an olive tree laden with much fruit and planted in the divine house, since he has acquired firm hope in God, and for its sake bears to toil and to produce the laborious fruits of virtue. [For this reason let no one who has entered the contests grow faint, but let him strive and pride himself in them, awaiting not only the crowns to be given him for his labors but also to see here the capture of his enemies.]
Ps 52:8 (51:10 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 1:3 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:8: the righteous man, firm in hope, is a fruitful olive tree in God's house.
- The bracketed passage closes with a bracket in Migne; the opening bracket is supplied. It is probably an addition from the catena.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (opening bracket lost in the OCR; split word (OCR)): Διά δὴ ταῦτα μηδεὶς → [Διά δὴ ταῦτα μηδεὶς; κει κτημένον → κεκτημένον.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.10 (PG 80 80:1257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-10
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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.
51.11PG 80 80:1257
« Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὅτι ἐποίησας, καὶ ὑπομενῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι χρηστὸν ἐναντίον τῶν ὁσίων σου.» [Τὸ δὲ,« Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ὁ εἰς τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα. Τὸ δὲ ἐποίησας, τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῶν εἰς σὲ πεποιθότων. Τὸ δὲ, « Ὑπομενῶ τὸ ὄνομά σου, » οὐ μόνον τοῖς ὑπὲρ σοῦ ἀγῶσι μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς προθυμίας ἐγκαρτερήσω· ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ χρηστὸν, τουτέστι φιλάνθρωπον, καὶ ἄναρχον καὶ ἀτελεύτητον ἔχεις τὴν βασιλείαν. Τὸ δὲ ‹ ἐναντίον τῶν ὁσίων σου, » ἀντὶ τοῦ, Πάρεστι βοήθειά σου καὶ φυλάξεις τοὺς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ἀθλοῦντας.] Ταύτης δὲ τῆς εὐεργεσίας τετυχηκώς, ἀεί σε ὑμνήσω, Δέσποτα, τὸ ἀξιέραστον ὄνομα τοῖς ἐπισταμένοις σε ποθῶν ἀεὶ, καὶ προσμένων, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ὠφέλειαν καρπούμενος. Χρηστὸν γὰρ καὶ τριπόθητον τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ὄνομα, οὐ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τῆς θεογνωσίας ἠξιωμένοις.
« Exomologēsomai soi eis ton aiōna, hoti epoiēsas, kai hypomenō to onoma sou, hoti chrēston enantion tōn hosiōn sou.» [To de,« Exomologēsomai soi eis ton aiōna, ho eis ton nyn aiōna. To de epoiēsas, tēn ekdikēsin tōn eis se pepoithotōn. To de, « Hypomenō to onoma sou, » ou monon tois hyper sou agōsi meta pollēs tēs prothymias enkarterēsō; all᾽ hoti kai chrēston, toutesti philanthrōpon, kai anarchon kai ateleutēton echeis tēn basileian. To de ‹ enantion tōn hosiōn sou, » anti tou, Paresti boētheia sou kai phylaxeis tous hyper tou onomatos sou athlountas.] Tautēs de tēs euergesias tetychēkōs, aei se hymnēsō, Despota, to axieraston onoma tois epistamenois se pothōn aei, kai prosmenōn, kai tēn enteuthen ōpheleian karpoumenos. Chrēston gar kai tripothēton tou Theou to onoma, ou pasin anthrōpois, alla tois tēs theognōsias ēxiōmenois.
"I will confess you forever, for you have acted; and I will wait for your name, for it is good before your holy ones." ["I will confess you forever" means in the present age. "You have acted" means the vindication of those who trust in you. "I will wait for your name" means: "Not only will I endure the contests for you with much eagerness, but also because you are good, that is, loving, and have a kingdom without beginning and without end." "Before your holy ones" means: "Your help is present, and you will guard those who contend for your name."] "Having obtained this benefit, I will always hymn you, Master, always longing for and awaiting your lovely name among those who know you, and reaping the benefit from it." For the name of God is good and much desired, not to all people, but to those counted worthy of the knowledge of God.
Ps 52:9 (51:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Psalm 52:9: David will praise God forever for his vindication; God's name is good to those who know him.
- The bracketed passage closes with a bracket in Migne; the opening bracket is supplied. It is probably an addition from the catena.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (opening bracket lost in the OCR; split word (OCR)): σου.» Τὸ δὲ,« → σου.» [Τὸ δὲ,«; καρπούμε νος → καρπούμενος.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Interp. Ps. 51.11 (PG 80 80:1257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos/51-11
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-interpretatio-psalmos-51-11) · 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.