Commentary on the Psalms 2

"Unto the end, concerning her that inherits, a psalm of David."

First let us see what the inheritance is, and whether it also falls to our lot;

and then the time at which it is given.

And indeed it were absurd that, when a bequest of money has been announced to you, as though the estate belonged to us, you should busy and trouble yourselves, and seek out the documents, and pay down silver, and go after the deeds, and make copies of what is written therein, and display every diligence;

yet here, when the spiritual testaments are set forth in our midst, and all the books lie open, you should be slothful and slack, and that when the inheritance is not a perceptible one.

Let us therefore draw near, and open the documents, and pore over what is written, and see for what things this inheritance has been left to us, and what is the nature of the inheritance.

For not simply did he leave us the inheritance, but upon a certain condition.

And what is this condition? "He that loves me," he says, "will keep my commandments."

And again, "He that does not take up his cross, and"

and many other things besides, which are written in the Covenant.

But let us also learn the time at which we are to receive these things.

For it is not the present, but the age to come.

Or rather, both the present and the age to come.

For 'Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.'

For since the present life is perishable, and we are still in a more imperfect condition, what the lawgivers of the outside world do—namely, that when men have come to maturity they entrust to them their father's estate—this God also does.

When we have attained to a perfect man and to the measure of stature, and have passed over to the incorruptible life, then He entrusts to us that inheritance.

But meanwhile He made a testament, and left us the written documents, and told us by what deeds we shall attain the inheritance, so that we may not fall away nor become disinherited.

But if it troubles anyone that we are not yet perfect, and he is suspicious of what has been said, let them hear Paul saying:

'When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child;'

'but when I became a man, I put away the things of the child.'

speaking about the present and the coming age.

'Until we all come to a perfect man, to the measure of stature.'

For in the present life, he says, as by a kind of nurse, we are reared by this creation;

but when we are about to be led into the Master's house, stripping off the garments of corruption and taking on incorruption, we are transferred to another abode.

This testament also threatened to make many disinherited, if they should become unworthy of the conditions therein written.

But let us now see what the inheritance is.

'Things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man.'

How then were we to receive the enjoyment of these things in the present life, the very knowledge of which surpasses our understanding? For this reason they have been laid up for us there.

And behold His great tender care.

The toils He allotted to the present life, so that with the brevity of the time the burdensome labour might also be dissolved;

but the good things He stored up in the age to come, so that the recompenses might be extended together with that which knows no old age.

That abode He also calls a kingdom.

For even though it surpasses speech, yet nevertheless, so far as it is possible for us to hear, He hinted at the things to come—now, as I said before, calling it a kingdom, now a marriage-feast, now a dominion—opening to us, from the bright names among ourselves, some notion concerning those realities: the eternal glory, the incorruptible blessedness, the manner of life with Christ, than which nothing could be equal.

And what are the conditions of the Church, or rather of the inheritance? They have nothing burdensome about them.

'Whatever you wish that men should do to you, these things do you also to them,' He says.

Do you see how He introduced nothing strange, but the very things which nature had already laid down as law? Whatever, He says, you yourself wish to receive from your neighbours toward yourself, these things do you also perform.

Do you wish to be praised? Then praise.

Do you wish not to be robbed? Then do not rob.

Do you wish not to be spoken ill of? Then neither speak ill of anyone yourself.

He did not say, 'Whatever you do not wish that men should do, neither do you do,' but, 'Whatever you wish.'

For since there are two ways that lead to virtue—one being the departure from vice, the other the practice of the virtues—He sets forth this latter one, and through it makes the former also plain;

and the one He hinted at by saying, 'What you hate, do not do to another;'

but the other He plainly declared, saying, 'Whatever you wish that men should do to you, you also do to them.'

And what is this? To love your neighbour as yourself.

What could be easier than this? For to hate is grievous and productive of turmoil;

but to love is easy and simple.

For if indeed He had said, 'Being men, love wild beasts'—

but if He commanded men, being men, to love men, where both the sameness of nature and the kinship contribute a great inclination, and where the exhortation comes from nature itself, what difficulty could it have? This very thing happens even among lions and wolves;

for there too the kinship of nature is a guide toward friendship.

What defence, then, could we have, if we tame lions and make them share our dwelling, yet do not draw to ourselves those of our own kind? Do you not see how many men, for the sake of an inheritance, dance attendance upon old people and hunt them down, and endure all the evils of old age though they themselves are young and vigorous — gout and the other diseases that belong to old age, and rheum — all through their constant waiting upon them? And yet the wealth is there, and the hope uncertain;

but here it is heaven, and, before heaven itself, the being well-pleasing to God.

And who is she that inherits? For the superscription says that it is 'on behalf of her that inherits.'

It is the Church, and her fullness;

'I have espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.'

'He that has the bride is the bridegroom.'

But an earthly bridegroom, after the first days, lets the ardour of his love slacken;

but our Bridegroom continues to love us unceasingly, and to intensify His longing;

and it is this that John makes plain when he calls Him Bridegroom, at the very time when His longing is at its height.

And He called her bride not for this reason alone, but also because He wishes that all should be one body and one soul, according to the principle of virtue and of love;

and because, just as the bride does all things to please her husband, so also we ought throughout the whole of life to be such as she is.

Such as the bride is on that day, seated in the bridal chamber, caring for one thing only — how she may please the bridegroom —

so let us too, set as we are in this life, look to one thing: pleasing the Bridegroom, and let us preserve the good order that befits the bride.

Of this bride David too makes mention, saying:

'The queen stood at Thy right hand, clothed in a vesture wrought with gold, arrayed in embroidery with golden fringes.'

Do you wish to see her sandals also? Hear Paul, the bride's attendant, saying:

'Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.'

Do you wish to see her girdle also, and how it is composed of truth? The same man will teach you:

'Having girded your loins with truth.'

Do you wish to see her beauty also? This too you shall learn from him:

'Having no spot or wrinkle.'

Hear also what the Preacher says concerning her:

'You are altogether beautiful, my companion, and there is no blemish in you.'

Do you wish to see her feet also? 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, and who bring the glad tidings of good things!'

And this indeed is the marvellous thing, full of amazement: that, having adorned her in this manner, He did not come displaying His own glory — lest by the excess of His beauty He should overwhelm her and drive her out of her senses — but comes clothed in a garment such as the bride's;

for He partook of blood and flesh in like manner with her;

and He does not summon her up on high, but Himself comes down to her;

here too keeping the bridegroom's law, which leads him to the bride.

'For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife.'

'This mystery is great;'

'but I speak concerning Christ and concerning the Church.'

Having therefore come to her dwelling and found her filthy, squalid, naked, defiled with blood, He washed her, anointed her, nourished her, clothed her in a garment such as no other could be found;

He Himself becoming her covering, and taking her, thus He leads her up on high.

For her the inheritance has been prepared.

What, then, does the Prophet say on her behalf? Many things;

for he is her advocate, and he foretold and proclaimed beforehand most of the things that would befall her;

such as concerning the Bridegroom, concerning the leading-in of the bride, concerning the good things that would come to her in succession.

For this very reason, here too

he makes his discourse on her behalf; and at the outset, like those advocates, the orators who plead in the law-courts, he states on whose behalf he makes his plea of justification — namely, 'On behalf of her that inherits.'

And let us hear what she that inherits asks for.

'Give ear to my words, O Lord.'

She calls the Lord her Bridegroom;

for this too is the work of a well-disposed bride.

For if this happens even among those of the same nature—that the wife calls her husband lord—

how much more is it fitting in the case of the Church and of Christ, where He is Lord even by nature.

Thus, at any rate, she calls Him Lord not only as her Bridegroom but also as her Master, and she draws Him toward her supplication.

For since an inheritance lies before her—and this inheritance, if she should rightly perform the things enjoined upon her, comes into actual effect—

she entreats and begs Him to become her ally, so that she may accomplish what is set before her and not fall away from the inheritance.

'Give ear to my words, O Lord.'

And she says this with boldness, since she asks for such things as He Himself also wills to give;

whereas if anyone asks for such things as are unworthy of the Giver, he cannot ask for this grace.

When one prays against enemies, when one prays against those who have caused grief, these are not the words of a man but of the devil.

For if swearing oaths is from the devil—since indeed 'whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one'—it is plain that praying against enemies is likewise.

If, then, you say, 'Give ear to my words,' utter those words which are the words of a gentle and kindly man, having nothing of the devil in them.

By 'crying out' here he does not mean the pitch of the voice, but the disposition of the mind.

Since indeed to Moses too, while he was keeping silence, He said:

'Why do you cry out to Me?' He did not say, 'Why do you pray to Me?' but, 'Why do you cry out to Me?'—because Moses was approaching Him with an intense disposition.

At any rate, so that you may learn that here too he does not mean the outcry but the disposition of the mind and the strained earnestness, he did not say, 'Hear my cry,' but what? 'Attend'—that is, 'Understand thoroughly.'

For even if he has used human words, yet even in these human words he makes plain the good that is presented.

'Attend to the voice of my supplication.'

Again he means the inward voice.

And he did not simply say, 'Attend to the voice of my prayer,' but, 'of my supplication.'

For he who prays must be clothed with the bearing and mind of a suppliant.

For the suppliant does not take up the words of an accuser;

but he who prays against an enemy is an accuser rather than a suppliant.

Do you see how he set forth his prayer, since he made it worthy of being heard? So let us also, whenever we pray and wish to be heard, first order our prayer aright, that it may be a prayer and not become an accusation, and let us bring it in according to His laws.

'My King and my God.'

This is what the Prophet continually says—or rather, this is what was the special distinction of Abraham, as Paul says:

'For which cause God is not ashamed to be called their God.'

This she grasped, and by her longing she brought it to accomplishment.

For she did not simply say, 'The King,' but, 'My King and my God,' thereby displaying her own love.

Then she also sets down the reasons for which she deems herself worthy to be heard.

And what are these? 'Because unto You will I pray, O Lord.'

'Who,' he says, 'does not pray to God?' Many seem indeed to pray to God;

but they do this for display before men.

But she lifted herself up toward God Himself, having let go of all human things.

'In the morning You will hear my voice.'

Do you see the earnestness and the deeply contrite soul? 'From the very outset of the day,' he says, 'I make this my task.'

Let those hear this who come to prayer only then, after ten thousand tasks.

but he gave the firstfruits of the day to God from its very outset.

For it is right, he says, to be beforehand with the sun in giving You thanks, and before the dawning of the light to meet You in prayer.

Yet in the case of an earthly king you would not tolerate that one of lower rank should get ahead of you and do him homage before you did.

But while the sun is doing homage you yourself are asleep, and you yield to creation the place of precedence, and you do not outrun the whole creation that was made for your sake, nor render to Him your thank-offerings; but rising up, you drench your face and your hands with water, while you overlook your soul that is unclean. Do you not know that just as the body is cleansed by water, so the soul is cleansed by prayer? Wash, then, your soul before your body.

Many are the discharges of wickedness that settle upon it;

let us wipe these away through supplication.

For if we thus fortify the mouth, we shall lay a good foundation for the day's activity.

In the morning I will stand before You, and will look up.

I will stand before You, he says, not in place, but in works.

For such a one is able to draw near to God.

For nearness and distance here result from this;

I will stand before You, and will look up, because You are not a God who wills iniquity.

And I will consider that You are not a God who wills iniquity.

Neither shall the evildoer sojourn beside You.

Here he alludes to the idols;

because they rejoiced in these things, and in every kind of lawlessness, and in the other deeds done in wickedness.

Neither shall the evildoer sojourn beside You.

He shall not be a friend to You, he says, he shall not be a neighbor to You.

Neither shall the lawless remain before Your eyes.

Here he shows God's hatred of evil, teaching those who come near Him to make themselves such as He, since it is not possible otherwise to become near.

For if one could not become a neighbor even to a good man, being at variance with him in his ways, much more is this so with Him.

For that the wicked can come near to virtuous men, hear what they say concerning the righteous man:

He is grievous to us even to look upon.

So too John, though dwelling in the prison and unseen, grieved Herodias;

and yet that woman was at so great a distance from him;

but after his death he shook even the conscience of that tyrant.

Let no one, then, of those who live in virtue think that he suffers anything dreadful, even though he be plotted against by the wicked.

For those who suffer harm are in fact those who do it.

You have hated all those who work iniquity; You will destroy all those who speak falsehood.

The Lord abhors the man of blood and the deceitful man.

These things are said, not that we should merely hear them, but that by hearing them continually we may also be instructed, and be fitted to the character of the Bridegroom, and become near to Him.

For if these things be not so, we are left destitute of the help from above, than which nothing could be worse.

You have hated all those who work iniquity;

whether he be a slave, he says, or a free man, or a king, or whosoever he be.

For God is wont to reckon His friends not from their dignities, but from their virtue.

But since many of the grosser sort account hatred to be nothing, hear how he added also the fear of punishment, saying:

You will destroy all those who speak falsehood;

transferring his discourse to the grosser kind of sins committed.

For the matter of punishment will not stop at hatred, though even this is an unspeakable chastisement;

but He will also destroy all those who speak falsehood.

And yet the former is grievous too, and worse than hell, namely to be hated by God;

But to those who were able to understand, he set down that saying;

while to the duller sort he added this also.

Therefore be not troubled, O man, neither be disturbed, whenever you see certain men lying, plundering, taking more than their share, and yet suffering nothing dreadful;

for such is the nature of God:

he turns away from wickedness, and hates it forever, and holds it in abhorrence.

And by those who speak falsehood he here means those who live in wickedness, those who pursue false things, those who are frenzied over pleasures, over gluttony, over covetousness.

For he knows how to call all these things falsehood.

'The Lord abhors the man of blood and the deceitful man.'

By this he means the murderous man, the man who lays plots, the man who is

insidious, the man who bears one thing upon his lips and another in his mind, the man who wears about him the mask of gentleness while displaying the ways of wolves — than whom nothing worse could ever exist.

For the enemy who is out in the open could easily be guarded against;

but he who covers over his wickedness and employs his malice, being hard to detect, works many dreadful things.

For this reason Christ also, whenever such men might appear, commanded us to be watchful,

saying, 'For they come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.'

'But I, in the multitude of your mercy, will enter into your house.'

For since the Church had been gathered together out of such men — out of Greeks, magicians, murderers, sorcerers, liars, and the insidious — and since he had said that You hate and turn away, showing that this Church was brought into the innermost sanctuary not according to righteousness and good deeds, but according to lovingkindness, having been delivered from those former ways, he went on to add:

'But I, in the multitude of your mercy, will enter into your house.'

'How then were you, who had wrought this and that, saved?' She told the manner of her salvation: that 'It was through the great lovingkindness, through the unspeakable goodness, that I was saved.'

But there are some who do not even admit mercy, being sick with an incurable disease, such as were the Jews;

for grace and mercy, even though it be grace and mercy, nevertheless saves those who are willing and who receive it thankfully, not those who kick against it and are unwilling to accept the gift — such as the Jews became, concerning whom Paul also said, that 'Being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God.'

Then, since she had spoken of the things that belong to God, she speaks also of the things on her own part;

'I will worship toward your holy temple in your fear.'

'For when I have enjoyed grace, and bring in also the things on my own part, this is the sacrifice I will offer to you,' she says;

'I will worship toward your holy temple in your fear.'

Not as do the many of those who pray — scratching themselves, yawning, growing numb — but with fear and trembling, she says.

For he who prays in this manner lays aside all wickedness, is led by the hand toward all virtue, and renders God gracious to himself.

'O Lord, guide me in your righteousness because of my enemies.'

She had told of the praises of God — his hatred of evil, his lovingkindness, his tender care; she had told of her own salvation; she had told of the manner in which she was saved; she had told whom, after being saved, she brought in;

she turned men away from vices, and led them by the hand toward virtue;

she held out good hopes even to those who live in wickedness, if only they should be willing to be changed, as being able to obtain mercy;

she then turns her discourse to petition, saying:

'O Lord, guide me in your righteousness;'

by these words teaching the hearer first to send up praises to God, and to give thanks for the good things he has received;

and then to ask for the things he desires, and again to give thanks for whatever he may receive.

But let us also see what the things are that she asks for.

Is it anything belonging to this life? Anything perishable?

Anything of the things that flow away? Does she speak about wealth? About glory? About power? About vengeance upon enemies? None of these things.

But what then? 'O Lord, guide me in your righteousness because of my enemies.'

Do you see how she asks for nothing perishable, and how she has need of the help from above? For those who travel this road have most of all need of that inclining aid.

And by 'righteousness' he here means universal virtue.

And well did he say, 'In Thy righteousness.'

For there is also a righteousness of men, which comes from the laws that are without; but it is a paltry thing, having nothing perfect and complete about it, and it is compounded of human reasonings.

But I ask for Thine own righteousness, that which is sent down from Thee, which leads by the hand into heaven, and I ask for Thine alliance, that I may draw this righteousness to myself.

And well too did he say, 'Guide me.'

For the present life is a road, standing in need of guidance from above.

For if, when we are about to enter a city, we have need of one who knows it,

much more, when we are about to journey to heaven, do we have need of the impulse from above, that it may point out the way, and establish us, and lead us by the hand;

for many are the by-paths that turn us aside.

Therefore let us take hold of the right hand of God.

'Many enemies,' he says, 'have risen up, seeking to make my steps swerve aside, and to lead me astray, and to bring me onto another road.'

Since, then, such are the plots, and such the assaults, do Thou Thyself guide me.

For I have need of the alliance that comes from Thee.

But to be guided belongs to Him;

but to be worthy of being held fast by that hand—let this be the object of our own zeal.

For if thou art unclean, that hand does not hold thee fast;

if thou art covetous, if thou hast some other stain.

'Make straight my way before Thee;'

that is, make it plain to me, clear, and familiar;

rightly divide it out for me.

But another translator said:

'Make level Thy way before me;'

that is, make it easy, and effortless.

'For there is no truth in their mouth; their heart is vain.'

It seems to me that he is saying these things also concerning those who pass their lives in error, censuring both their mouth, and their mind as being destitute of every good thing;

and concerning those who live in wickedness.

'Their throat is an open sepulchre.'

Either he here means what is murderous, or the bringing forth of dead and foul-smelling doctrines.

Nor would one err in calling the mouths of those who utter shameful words in this way, 'an open sepulchre.'

For that stench is far more grievous than the stench perceived by the senses, being born from a putrefying soul;

and the mouths of the covetous are such, when they bring forth nothing wholesome, but murders and rapines.

Let not, therefore, thy mouth be a sepulchre, but a treasure-house.

For treasure-houses differ greatly from sepulchres, in that the latter destroy whatever they receive, while the former keep it safe.

Do thou therefore possess a wealth of wisdom that ever abides, and not some stench and rottenness.

And he did not say simply 'a sepulchre,' but 'an open' one, so as to signify that the loathsomeness becomes still greater.

For while such words ought to be hidden, these men even bring them forth, so as the more to display their disease.

And in the case of dead bodies we do the opposite, delivering them over to the earth;

but these men, in the case of such words, work the opposite: that which ought to be hidden below in the depth of the heart and stifled, they bring forth, and injure many, and set it before all to behold.

But let us drive out such men, I beseech you.

For if we bury dead bodies outside the city, much more ought we to settle far away those who bring forth dead words, and such things, and who are not even willing to keep them concealed;

since such mouths are a common pollution of the city.

'With their tongues they have dealt deceitfully.'

You see yet another kind of wickedness.

Some conceal their guile within the mind, while offering gentle words;

but others employ such cleverness that in the very words themselves they mask their malice, and stitch together deceits and schemes.

'Let them fall away from their own counsels.'

Notice here too the gentleness of the prayer.

For he did not say, 'Punish them,' but, 'Judge them, and make them cease from their wickedness;'

'Bring their contrivances to nothing;'

which is in fact to pray on their behalf as well, that the works of their malice should no longer go forward in them.

'According to the multitude of their impieties cast them out, for they have provoked You, O Lord.'

That is to say, 'I care nothing for the things done against me, but I grieve on behalf of what concerns You.'

For this above all belongs to a soul devoted to wisdom: not to defend itself in matters that touch its own interests, but in the things done against God to press the matter home with all vigour.

Many do the very opposite of this, overlooking the things of God, while avenging their own interests with great intensity; but the saints were not so. Rather, they were fierce avengers of the wrongs done against God, while overlooking their own concerns.

'And let all those who hope in You be glad.'

And others too will enjoy much delight, seeing the change wrought in those men, and their transformation for the better, and others becoming more earnest by means of this.

'They shall rejoice for ever, and You shall dwell among them.'

For this joy above all is perpetual;

whereas the other joys are in no better case than the currents of rivers, appearing and flowing past at the same moment;

but the gladness that is according to God abides and is firmly fixed, enduring and lasting, cut short by none of the unexpected circumstances, but rather made higher through the very things that would hinder it.

Since the apostles too were scourged, and yet rejoiced;

and Paul was afflicted, and yet leaped for joy;

he was about to die, and he called others to share in his joy, saying:

'But even if I am poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice together with you all.'

'And in the same way you also, rejoice and rejoice together with me.'

With those who take such delight God makes His dwelling.

'They shall rejoice for ever, and You shall dwell among them.'

This very thing Christ also declared when He spoke, revealing the indissoluble nature of that joy:

'I will see you again, and no one takes your joy from you.'

'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.'

'And those who love Your name shall glory in You.'

For to these alone above all does it belong to glory, to these to rejoice, to these to be glad;

for whoever prides himself on the things of this life is in no way different from those who revel in a dream.

For tell me, what among human things is of such a kind as to afford ground for glorying? Bodily strength? But that is no achievement of the will, and for that reason it too is deprived of any boast;

moreover, it withers and fails quickly, and often it has even harmed its possessor, when he used it not as he ought.

The same may be said also of youthful vigour and of comeliness, and of wealth, and of power, and of luxury, and of all the things of this life.

But to glory in God, and in the love toward Him, is an adornment greater than all, and a splendour surpassing ten thousand diadems, even if the one who glories be a prisoner in chains.

This adornment is severed neither by sickness, nor by old age, nor by any adversity of affairs, nor by any inconstancy of the seasons, nor even by death itself; but even then it shines out the more brightly.

'For You will bless the righteous.'

Since many of those who are so disposed are reviled and mocked by men, and especially those who pursue virtue;

so that none of the more dull-witted should be cast down by these things, notice how he upholds his mind, saying:

For Thou wilt bless the righteous.

For what harm is it if men despise us, indeed the whole inhabited world, when the Master of the angels commends and proclaims us? Just so, if He does not bless, then though all who dwell on land and sea should praise us, there is no profit in it.

Let us therefore in all things look to this: that He may proclaim us, that He may crown us.

And if this be so, we are loftier than all men, though we be in poverty, though in sickness, though we be in the uttermost of evils.

Since the blessed Job also, though seated on the dunghill and ulcerated with the discharge of his wounds, though teeming with countless springs of worms, though suffering those unspeakable torments, though spat upon by his household servants, and plotted against by friends and by enemies and by his own wife, though cast down into poverty, into famine, and into that incurable infirmity, was yet more blessed than all men.

How so? Because God blessed him, saying:

A man blameless, righteous, true, godly, abstaining from every evil deed.

O Lord, as with a shield of good pleasure Thou hast crowned us.

Again he closed with thanksgiving, offering up hymns of thanks to God.

But what is a shield of good pleasure? A most excellent shield, a shield according to God's mind, a most beautiful shield.

And what he means is this:

Symmachus renders it: 'With the fairest alliance Thou hast walled us about.'

But another translator, rendering it 'Thou shalt crown him,' teaches that this is said concerning the righteous man:

namely, 'Thou shalt crown him,' that is, the righteous man; which means that Thy good pleasure serves in place of a shield to him,

and in place of a most beautiful shield;

that is, 'With the fairest alliance Thou dost wall about the righteous man,' and neither is his beauty bereft of security, nor is his security destitute of glory.

For what is mightier than a man, and what more comely, than he who is walled about by the right hand from above? This crown is woven also of mercy, even as the same David says elsewhere:

Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassions.

This crown is also of righteousness, even as Paul says:

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.

There is also a crown of grace, as another says:

And with a crown of graces He shall shield thee.

And there is also a crown of glory, even as Isaiah says: 'There shall be,' he says, 'the crown of hope, woven of glory.'

For the crown possesses all these things: lovingkindness, righteousness, grace, glory, comeliness.

For it is the gift of God, bringing forth grace in manifold form.

There is also a crown of incorruption, even as Paul says:

They indeed do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.

What then he says here is this:

With security and with glory Thou hast clothed us about.

For such are the gifts of God: strong, and full of comeliness;

For among men this is not possible;

but he who is in glory is by no means secure;

and he who is in security is by no means in glory, nor could these things readily coincide;

and even if they should coincide, it is quickly swept away.

Those who are in positions of power are indeed splendid and conspicuous, but they are not in security;

nay, for this very reason above all they are set in a most perilous place, on account of the greatness of their glory.

Those who are cast aside and held in contempt are indeed in security because they are not noticed, but they are not in honour;

nay, for this very reason above all they are in dishonour, because they are in security.

But with God this is not so;

rather, both run together in great abundance, both glory and security.

Considering, therefore, the greatness of these good things, and above all how great a good it is to please God — which is at once a weapon, and a glory, and a security, and ten thousand blessings — let us run with patience the race that is set before us, and let us never sink down, nor be found stripped of our armor.

For this kind of warfare will not endure to behold a soldier unarmed;

but the preparation is dissolved only when the theater itself is dissolved;

and the theater is dissolved when the soul is loosed from the body.

So then, as long as we are here, we must box on — whether sitting at home, or thrusting ourselves into the marketplace, or taking our meal, or being sick, or being in health.

For indeed it is in the time of sickness above all that the season of this combat comes, when pains from every side throw the soul into tumult, when anguish lays siege to it, when the devil stands over us, goading us to utter some bitter word.

Then most of all one must be on guard, must fence oneself with the breastplate, the shield, the helmet, and the rest of the armor, and continually give thanks to God.

These are grievous darts against the devil, this is a mortal blow against the demon; then above all do the crowns shine bright.

Since blessed Job too — for nothing hinders us from taking refuge in him once again — it was this above all that made him illustrious, this that proclaimed him aloud, this that crowned him: that in the time of trial and sickness and poverty he showed a purpose unshaken, a mind unmoved; that he offered up to God words of thanksgiving, and that spiritual sacrifice.

For his words were a sacrifice — the words which he spoke:

'The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away;'

'as it seemed good to the Lord, so also has it come to pass;'

'blessed be the name of the Lord for evermore.'

This let us too do always — in trials, in adversities, in plots against us, glorifying God and blessing Him continually;

for to Him belongs the glory unto the ages of ages.