Psalms 77 · The Lantern

For the Leader; for Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

I will lift up my voice unto G-d, an cry; I will lift up my voice unto G-d, that He may give ear unto me.

Prayers are recited early in the morning so that the first movements of the soul and the mind may be consecrated to God and that we may take up no other consideration before we have been cheered and heartened by the thought of God, as it is written: "I remembered God and was delighted," and that the body may not busy itself with tasks before we have fulfilled the words "To you…

Just now in that reading, which most recently sounded in your ears, what did you hear Thomas saying? I do not believe unless I touch. And the Lord to Thomas himself: Come, touch, put your hands into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believing. He said, If you think it too little that I offer myself to your eyes, I offer myself also to your hands.

In the second place, a saint's life must be pure, that is, everything must be done out of love for God, and not out of love for something else, since all love is suspect if it is not addressed to God. That is why Augustine — and also Bernard in a letter to a certain monk — write that the apostles' love for the bodily Christ prevented the coming of the Spirit.

In the day of my trouble I seek the L-rd; with my hand uplifted, mine eye streameth in the night without ceasing; my soul refuseth to be comforted.

When I think thereon, O G-d, I must moan; when I muse thereon, my spirit fainteth. Selah

Thou holdest fast the lids of mine eyes; I am troubled, and cannot speak.

I have pondered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

In the night I will call to remembrance my song; I will commune with mine own heart; and my spirit maketh diligent search:

'Will the L-rd cast off for ever? and will He be favourable no more?

Is His mercy clean gone for ever? Is His promise come to an end for evermore?

Hath G-d forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up his compassions?' Selah

Sufficient defence has been offered on these points, and as for that which Eunomius says by way of calumny against our doctrine, that "Christ was emptied to become Himself" there has been sufficient discussion in what has been said above, where he has been shown to be attributing to our doctrine his own blasphemy.

"And I said." Now leaping over himself he hath said what? "Now I have begun," when I had gone out even from myself. Here henceforth there is no danger: for even to remain in myself, was danger.

I cannot express in words, most excellent son, how much I am delighted with thy work and thy life. For on hearing of the power of a new miracle in our days, to wit that the whole nation of the Goths has through thy Excellency been brought over from the error of Arian heresy to the firmness of a right faith, one is disposed to exclaim with the prophet, "This is the change wrough…

And I say: 'This is my weakness, that the right hand of the Most High could change.

I will make mention of the deeds of HaShem; yea, I will remember Thy wonders of old.

I will meditate also upon all Thy work, and muse on Thy doings.'

O G-d, Thy way is in holiness; who is a great god like unto G-d?

Thou art the G-d that doest wonders; Thou hast made known Thy strength among the peoples.

Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

"When our Lord had arrived and had entered the boat with Simon, the wind abated." The Arian, therefore, who contradicts the birth [of the Lord] is also rejected, through the word that those who were in the boat spoke, "They came and worshiped him, and they were saying to him, 'You are indeed the Son of God.' " It is he of whom it is written, "The waters saw you and trembled, an…

Your lightnings shone upon the world: the apostolic preaching. The earth was moved and trembled. Unless our earth had been moved and troubled, we would not be Christians. The earth was moved and trembled. For the Spirit of the Lord rests upon no one, save upon him who is humble and quiet and trembles at his words.

And he continues how? "The waters have seen You, O God, and they have feared and the abysses have been troubled" [Psalm 77:16]. What are the waters? The peoples. What are these waters has been asked in the Apocalypse, [Revelation 17:15] the answer was, the peoples. There we find most clearly waters put by a figure for peoples.

The waters saw Thee, O G-d; the waters saw Thee, they were in pain; the depths also trembled.

The clouds flooded forth waters; the skies sent out a sound; Thine arrows also went abroad.

The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.

Thy way was in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps were not known.

Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalms77