{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/108/1080152.htm","path":"chr/ecf/108/1080152.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/108/1080152.htm","text":"166. Let us now hear the words of one praying: since we know who is praying, and we recognise ourselves, if we be not reprobate, among the members of this one praying. \u201cLet my prayer come near in Thy sight, O Lord\u201d (Psa. 119.169): for, \u201cThe Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart.\u201d 5381 \u201cGive me understanding, according to Thy word.\u201d He claimeth a promise. For he saith, \u201caccording to Thy word,\u201d which is to say, according to Thy promise. For the Lord promised this when He said, \u201cI will inform thee.\u201d 5382\n167. \u201cLet my request come before Thy presence, O Lord: deliver me, according to Thy word\u201d (Psa. 119.170). He repeateth what he hath asked. For his former words, \u201cLet my prayer come near in Thy presence, O Lord:\u201d are like unto what he saith, \u201cLet my request come before Thy presence, O Lord:\u201d and the words, \u201cGive me understanding according to Thy word,\u201d agree with these, \u201cDeliver me according to Thy word.\u201d For by receiving understanding he is delivered, who of himself through want of understanding is deceived.\n168. \u201cMy lips shall burst forth praise: when Thou hast taught me Thy righteousnesses\u201d (Psa. 119.171). We know how God teacheth those who are docile unto God. For every one who hath heard from the Father and hath learned, comes unto Him \u201cwho justifieth the ungodly:\u201d 5383 so that he may keep the righteousnesses of God not only by retaining them in his memory, but also by doing them. Thus doth he who glorieth, glory not in himself, but in the Lord, 5384 and burst forth praise.\n169. But as he hath now learned, and praised God his Teacher, he next wisheth to teach. \u201cYea, my tongue shall declare Thy word: for all Thy commandments are righteousness\u201d (Psa. 119.172). When he saith that he will declare these things, he becometh a minister of the word. For though God teach within, nevertheless \u201cfaith cometh from hearing: and how do they hear without a preacher?\u201d 5385 For, because \u201cGod giveth the increase,\u201d 5386 is no reason why we need not plant and water.\n170. \u201cLet Thy hand be stretched forth (fiat, be made) to save me, for I have chosen Thy commandments\u201d (Psa. 119.173). That I might not fear, and that not only might my heart hold fast, but my tongue also utter Thy words: \u201cI have chosen Thy commandments,\u201d and have stifled fear with love. Let Thy hand therefore be stretched forth, to save me from another\u2019s hand. Thus God saved the Martyrs, when He permitted them not to be slain in their souls: for \u201cvain is the safety of man\u201d 5387 in the flesh. The words, \u201cLet Thy hand be made,\u201d may also be taken to mean Christ the Hand of God\u2026Certainly where we read the following words, \u201cI have longed for Thy salvation, O Lord\u201d (Psa. 119.174): even if all our foes be reluctant, let Christ the Salvation of God occur to us: the righteous men of old confess that they longed for Him, the Church longed for His destined coming from His mother\u2019s womb, the Church longeth for His coming at His Father\u2019s right hand. Subjoined to this sentence are the words, \u201cAnd Thy law is my meditation:\u201d for the Law giveth testimony unto Christ.\n171. But in this faith, though the heathen rage furiously, and the people imagine a vain thing: 5388 though the flesh be slain while it preacheth Thee: \u201cMy soul shall live, and shall praise Thee: and Thy judgments shall help me\u201d (Psa. 119.175). These are those judgments, which it was time should begin at the house of the Lord. 5389 But \u201cthey will help me,\u201d he saith. And who cannot see how much the blood of the Church hath aided the Church? how great a harvest hath risen in the whole world from that sowing?\n172. At last he openeth himself completely, and showeth what person was speaking throughout the whole Psalm. \u201cI have gone astray,\u201d he saith, \u201clike a sheep that is lost: O seek 5390 Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy commandments\u201d (Psa. 119.176). Let the lost sheep be sought, let the lost sheep be quickened, for whose sake its Shepherd left the ninety and nine in the wilderness, 5391 and while seeking it, was torn by Jewish thorns. But it is still being sought, let it still be sought, partly found let it still be sought. For as to that company, among whom the Psalmist saith, \u201cI do not forget Thy commandments,\u201d it hath been found; but through those who choose the commandments of God, p. 589 gather them together, love them, it is still sought, and by means of the blood of its Shepherd shed and sprinkled abroad, it is found in all nations. 5392\nRom. 10:17, 14.\n588:5386 588:5387 588:5388 588:5389 588:5390\n[He says: \u201cSome copies have not \u201cseek,\u201d but \u201cquicken.\u201d For there is a difference only of one syllable between the corresponding Greek words \u03b6\u1fc6\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd and \u03b6\u03ae\u03c4\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u03bd: whence the Greek copies themselves derive the variation.\u201d\u2014C.]\n588:5391 589:5392\n[He adds: \u201cAs far as I have been able, as far as I have been aided by the Lord, I have treated throughout, and expounded, this great Psalm,\u2014a task which more able and learned expositors have performed or will perform better; nevertheless, my services were not to be withheld from it on that account, when my brethren earnestly required it of me, to whom I owed this office. That I have said nothing of the Hebrew alphabet, in which every eight verses are ranged under a particular letter, and the whole Psalm arranged in this manner, let no one wonder, since I found nothing that related especially to the Psalm: for it is not the only one which hath these letters. Let those who cannot find it in the Latin and Greek versions, since it is not adopted there, know that every set of eight verses in the Hebrew copies beginneth with that letter which is prefixed to them; as is indicated to us by those who are acquainted with the Hebrew tongue. This is done with much more care than our writers have shown in their Latin or Punic compositions of Psalms which they style abecedarii. For they do not begin all the verses down to the close of a period, but the first only with the same letter which they prefix to it.\u201d It was the counsel of the learned general editor to drop this Psalm entirely. For the sake of preserving the symmetry of the work, I have retained as much as I could.\u2014C.]","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VIII: Expositions on...","type":"page"}