Psalms 78 · The Lantern

The `title of the eiyte and seuentithe salm. Of Asaph. God, hethene men cam in to thin eritage; thei defouliden thin hooli temple, thei settiden Jerusalem in to the keping of applis.

Thei settiden the slayn bodies of thi seruauntis, meetis to the volatilis of heuenes; the fleischis of thi seyntis to the beestis of the erthe.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. [Psalms 78:2]

"I will open my mouth in parables": to you I will open what is closed to the Jews; to you I will open my mouth in parables. "And without a parable," it says, "he did not speak to them"; but to his own disciples he unfolded the parables in private. "I will open my mouth in parables": what I speak to those others outwardly in parables, to you I will open up inwardly.

"I will open," he says, "in parables My mouth, I will declare propositions from the beginning" [Psalm 78:2]. From what beginning he means, is very evident in the words following.

Thei schedden out the blood of hem, as watir in the cumpas of Jerusalem; and noon was that biriede.

Instructed by the holy Scriptures and especially by the gospel, Pachomius endured many temptations from the demons. The holy Scriptures did not mention in detail the saints' struggle, since they used concise language in showing us the way to eternal life.

"How great the things we have heard and known." These little verses, from "Attend, my people, to my law" up to this verse, "I will utter propositions from the beginning," are spoken from the person of Christ; the Savior himself speaks. Now the remaining verses, up to the end of the psalm, we must take as from the person of the apostles.

"How great things we have heard, and have known them, and our fathers have told them to us." The Lord was speaking higher up. For of what other person could these words be thought to be, "Hearken ye, O My people, to My law"?

We ben maad schenschipe to oure neiyboris; mowynge and scornynge to hem, that ben in oure cumpas.

Lord, hou longe schalt thou be wrooth in to the ende? schal thi veniaunce be kyndelid as fier?

Schede out thin ire in to hethene men, that knowen not thee; and in to rewmes, that clepiden not thi name.

For thei eeten Jacob; and maden desolat his place.

Haue thou not mynde on oure elde wickidnesses; thi mercies bifore take vs soone, for we ben maad pore greetli.

God, oure heelthe, helpe thou vs, and, Lord, for the glorie of thi name delyuer thou vs; and be thou merciful to oure synnes for thi name.

Lest perauenture thei seie among hethene men, Where is the God of hem? and be he knowun among naciouns bifore oure iyen. The veniaunce of the blood of thi seruauntis, which is sched out; the weilyng of feterid men entre in thi siyt.

Vpe the greetnesse of thin arm; welde thou the sones of slayn men.

And yelde thou to oure neiyboris seuenfoold in the bosum of hem; the schenschip of hem, which thei diden schenschipfuli to thee, thou Lord.

But we that ben thi puple, and the scheep of thi leesewe; schulen knouleche to thee in to the world. In generacioun and in to generacioun; we schulen telle thin heriyng.

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