Psalm 81 [MT 82]
Commentary from 7 fathers
How long will ye judge unrighteously, and accept the persons of sinners? Pause.
ἕως πότε κρίνετε ἀδικίαν καὶ πρόσωπα ἁμαρτωλῶν λαμβάνετε; (διάψαλμα).
Доко́лѣ сꙋ́дите непра́вдꙋ, и҆ ли́ца грѣ́шникѡвъ прїе́млете;
"Take the Psalm and give the tabret" [Psalm 81:2]. Both "take," and "give." What is, "take"? What, "give"? "Take the Psalm, and give the tabret." The Apostle Paul says in a certain place, [Philippians 4:15] reproving and grieving, that no one had communicated with him in the matter of giving and receiving. What is, "in the matter of giving and receiving," but that which he has openly set forth in another place. [1 Corinthians 9:11] "If we have sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things." And it is true that a tabret, which is made of hide, belongs to the flesh. The Psalm, therefore, is spiritual, the tabret, carnal. Therefore, people of God, congregation of God, "take ye the Psalm, and give the tabret:" take ye spiritual things, and give carnal. This also is what at that blessed Martyr's table we exhorted you, that receiving spiritual things ye should give carnal. For these which are built for the time, are needful for receiving the bodies either of the living or of the dead, but in time that is passing by. Shall we after God's judgment take up these buildings to Heaven? Yet without these we shall not be able to do at this time the things which belong to the possessing of Heaven. If therefore you are eager in getting spiritual things, be ye devout in expending carnal things. "Take the Psalm, and give the tabret:" take our voice, return your hands.
Exposition on Psalm 81
Judge the orphan and poor: do justice to the low and needy.
κρίνατε ὀρφανῷ καὶ πτωχῷ, ταπεινὸν καὶ πένητα δικαιώσατε·
Сꙋди́те си́рꙋ и҆ ᲂу҆бо́гꙋ, смире́на и҆ ни́ща ѡ҆правда́йте:
"Sound the trumpet" [Psalm 81:3]. This is, Loudly and boldly preach, be not affrighted! As the Prophet says in a certain place, "Cry out, and lift up as with a trumpet your voice." [Isaiah 58:1] Sound the trumpet in the beginning of the month of the trumpet. It was ordered, that in the beginning of the month there should be a sounding of the trumpet: and this even now the Jews do in bodily sort, after the spirit they understand it not. For the beginning of the month, is the new moon: the new moon, is the new life. What is the new moon? "If any, then, is in Christ, he is a new creature." [2 Corinthians 5:17] What is, "sound the trumpet in the beginning of the month of the trumpet"? With all confidence preach ye the new life, fear not the noise of the old life.
Exposition on Psalm 81
3–4“Blow the trumpet at the new moon, on our festival day of good omen. Because it is a command for Israel, a judgment of the God of Jacob.” God ordered the priests to use the trumpets. They reminded the people of the trumpets used on the mountain: when the God of all spoke on Mount Sinai, [Scripture] says, there was a loud noise of the trumpet. So when the priests used the trumpets, they reminded the people of that appearance. Consequently, they were right to command those who had been granted return and had enjoyed the divine assistance to make use of the trumpets along with the other instruments.
Commentary on the Psalms 81:3
3–4“Sound the trumpet at the beginning of the month, on the day of your notable solemnity.” We must also consider that we are commanded through the instruments of the musical discipline both to play the lyre for the Lord and to observe the day of solemnity, so that every action of ours may be directed to the Lord and offered to his ears in most pleasant music, just as musical instruments are directed towards a sweet-sounding melody and coalesce smoothly into one harmony. For there is great power and delightful knowledge in that discipline, which the teachers of secular literature (as God graciously granted them to know, since he bestows everything that is useful) made able to be discerned through their theoretical writings, namely those things which in the nature of matter were previously held in secret. Therefore, the first division of this discipline is harmony, rhythm and meter. The second is a division of instruments into percussion, stringed instruments and blown instruments. The third is divided into six harmonies. The fourth is divided into fifteen tones. Thus, the power of all that most beautiful discipline is explained by such distinctions of ancient teachers; we read in the secular books that many miracles have occurred through these means. But—to omit the legendary tales of secular literature—we read that David drove a demon from Saul by his melodious harp and the divine Scripture attests that the walls of Jericho fell straightaway by the sounding of the horns, so that there can be no doubt that musical sounds often accomplish great and powerful deeds, at least if the Lord orders and permits them.
Expositions of the Psalms 80:4
Rescue the needy, and deliver the poor out of the hand of the sinner.
ἐξέλεσθε πένητα καὶ πτωχόν, ἐκ χειρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ ῥύσασθε αὐτόν.
и҆зми́те ни́ща и҆ ᲂу҆бо́га, и҆з̾ рꙋкѝ грѣ́шничи и҆зба́вите є҆го̀.
"Because it is a commandment for Israel, and a judgment for the God of Jacob" [Psalm 81:4]. Where a commandment, there judgment. For, "They that have sinned in the Law, by the Law shall be judged." [Romans 2:12] And the very Giver of the commandment, the Lord Christ, the Word made flesh, says, "For judgment I have come into the world, that they that see not may see, and they that see may be made blind." [John 9:39] What is, "That they that see not may see, they that see be made blind," but that the lowly be exalted, the proud thrown down? For not they that see are to be made blind, but those who to themselves seem to see are to be convicted of blindness. This is brought about in the mystery of the press, that they who see may not see, and they that see be made blind.
Exposition on Psalm 81
They know not, nor understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth shall be shaken.
οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οὐδὲ συνῆκαν, ἐν σκότει διαπορεύονται· σαλευθήσονται πάντα τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς.
Не позна́ша, нижѐ ᲂу҆разꙋмѣ́ша, во тьмѣ̀ хо́дѧтъ: да подви́жатсѧ всѧ̑ ѡ҆снова̑нїѧ землѝ.
"A testimony in Joseph He made that" [Psalm 81:5]. Look you, brethren, what is it? Joseph is interpreted augmentation. You remember, you know of Joseph sold into Egypt: Joseph sold into Egypt is Christ passing over to the Gentiles. There Joseph after tribulations was exalted, and here Christ, after the suffering of the Martyrs, was glorified. Thenceforth to Joseph the Gentiles rather belong, and thenceforth augmentation; because, "Many are the children of her that was desolate, rather than of her that has the husband." [Isaiah 54:1] "He made it, till he should go out of the land of Egypt." Observe that also here the "fifth of the sabbath" is signified: when Joseph went out from the land of Egypt, that is, the people multiplied through Joseph, he was caused to pass through the Red Sea. Therefore then also the waters brought forth creeping things of living souls. [Genesis 1:20] No other thing was it that there in figure the passage of that people through the sea foreshowed, than the passing of the Faithful through Baptism; the apostle is witness: for "I would not have you ignorant, brethren," he said, "that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea." [1 Corinthians 10:1-2] Nothing else then the passing through the sea did signify, but the Sacrament of the baptized; nothing else the pursuing Egyptians, but the multitude of past sins. You see most evident mysteries. The Egyptians press, they urge; so then sins follow close, but no farther than to the water. Why then do you fear, who hast not yet come, to come to the Baptism of Christ, to pass through the Red Sea? What is "Red"? Consecrated with the Blood of the Lord. Why do you fear to come? The consciousness, perhaps, of some huge offenses goads and tortures in you your mind, and says to you that it is so great a thing you have committed, that you may despair to have it remitted you. Fear lest there remain anything of your sins, if there lived any one of the Egyptians! [Exodus 14:29-30]
But when you shall have passed the Red Sea, when you shall have been led forth out of your offenses "with a mighty hand and with a strong arm," you will perceive mysteries that you know not: since Joseph himself too, "when he came out of the land of Egypt, heard a language which he knew not." You shall hear a language which you know not: which they that know now hear and recognise, bearing witness and knowing. You shall hear where you ought to have your heart: which just now when I said many understood and answered by acclamation, the rest stood mute, because they have not heard the language which they knew not. Let them hasten, then, let them pass over, let them learn.
Exposition on Psalm 81
I have said, Ye are gods; and all [of you] children of the Most High.
ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ῾Υψίστου πάντες·
А҆́зъ рѣ́хъ: бо́зи є҆стѐ, и҆ сы́нове вы́шнѧгѡ всѝ:
"He turned away from burdens his back" [Psalm 81:6]. Who "turned away from burdens his back," but He that cried, "Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden"? [Matthew 11:28] In another manner this same thing is signified. What the pursuit of the Egyptians did, the same thing do the burdens of sins. As if you should say, From what burdens? "His hands in the basket did serve." By the basket are signified servile works; to cleanse, to manure, to carry earth, is done with a basket, such works are servile: because "every one that does sin, is the slave of sin;" and "if the Son shall have made you free, then will you be free indeed." [John 8:34-36] Justly also are the rejected things of the world counted as baskets, but even baskets did God fill with morsels; "Twelve baskets" [Matthew 14:20] did He fill with morsels; because "He chose the rejected things of this world to confound the things that were mighty." [1 Corinthians 1:27] But also when with the basket Joseph did serve, he then carried earth, because he did make bricks. "His hands in the basket did serve."
Exposition on Psalm 81
But ye die as men, and fall as one of the princes.
ὑμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνήσκετε καὶ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀρχόντων πίπτετε.
вы́ же ꙗ҆́кѡ человѣ́цы ᲂу҆мира́ете, и҆ ꙗ҆́кѡ є҆ди́нъ ѿ кнѧзе́й па́даете.
Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
ἀνάστα, ὁ Θεός, κρίνων τὴν γῆν, ὅτι σὺ κατακληρονομήσεις ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι.
Воскрⷭ҇нѝ, бж҃е, сꙋдѝ землѝ: ꙗ҆́кѡ ты̀ наслѣ́диши во всѣ́хъ ꙗ҆зы́цѣхъ.
All this, from the beginning of the Psalm up to this verse, we have heard of the oil of the press. What remains is rather for grief and warning: for it belongs to the lees of the press, even to the end; perchance also not without a meaning in the interposition of the "Diapsalma." But even this too is profitable to hear, that he who sees himself already of the oil may rejoice; he that is in danger of running among the lees may beware. To both give heed, choose the one, fear the other.
"Hear, O My people, and I will speak, and will bear witness unto you" [Psalm 81:8]. For it is not to a strange people, not to a people that belongs not to the press: "Judge ye," He says, "between Me and My vineyard." [Isaiah 5:3]
Exposition on Psalm 81
[A Psalm for Asaph.] God stands in the assembly of gods; and in the midst [of them] will judge gods.
Ψαλμὸς τῷ ᾿Ασάφ. - Ο ΘΕΟΣ ἔστη ἐν συναγωγῇ θεῶν, ἐν μέσῳ δὲ θεοὺς διακρινεῖ.
Бг҃ъ ста̀ въ со́нмѣ богѡ́въ, посредѣ́ же бо́ги разсꙋ́дитъ.