Thrones of David's house and the true building of God
Apollinaris is commenting on Psalm 124 (125), 126 (127), 127 (128), 129 (130), 131 (132), and 132 (133), explaining how David's throne, the building of the temple, and the blessings of Zion are fulfilled in Christ and the church.
He says that thrones of the house of David were established in her, since Daniel also prophesies a kingdom over all things. It is not the rule of some one person or of a single ruler, but a common kingdom for the best and most godly, through whom the kingdom of David is set upright by the grace of Christ, who gave to the twelve apostles the right to sit on twelve thrones and judge Israel.
But he will not allow good subjects to be corrupted by evil demons. Rather, after the good have toiled a little under them, he will free them from a harmful slavery that does not dare to come upon those who are ruled by God (Psalm 125:3; LXX 124:3).
Solomon is inscribed on the song, because he built the temple (Psalm 127:1; LXX 126:1-2). But it signifies the true Solomon, our Lord, the cause of the true and peaceful building. For this reason the building is shown to be made by God, and its guard is secure because it is guarded according to God. And this is fitting, because the buildings and guards made by human beings fell into vanity: the night watches of those who keep guard, and the diligent and laborious care by day. For this reason human things, being such as they are, came first, so that divine things alone might be recognized as having what is sure and unchangeable. Just as righteousness came through the law, so that God's righteousness might be seen after it as having what is genuine and alone true, and true life after the life that was in shadow and image.
"When he gives sleep to his beloved ones." He has indicated the rest from God that is like sleep and will be given out of love.
"For I have stretched you, Judah," he says, "for myself as a bow." Here too he calls the remaining saints the arrows of the Mighty One, for the defeat of the ungodly and those who are violent with injustice (Psalm 127:4; LXX 126:4a).
The paths of entrance are many and various, and the lives of those who begin are of many kinds, but there is one perfection that reaches the height (Psalm 128:1; LXX 127:1). He characterizes those who fear the Lord by saying next what sort of people they are: "Those who walk in his ways." For those who do not do this do not fear the Lord. The fear of the Lord is a turning away from evils, and the one who has turned away from evils is ready for the divine ways.
The cry "out of the depths" could mean out of the waters of afflictions that have poured around him. The endurance and the repetition of the same words belong to one who clings and hangs on and does not wish to let go of his supplication because of his desire (Psalm 130:1-2; LXX 129:1b-2). For this reason he says, "Hear my voice, and let your ears be attentive."
The place did not become clear to David from the matter itself by his own forethought (Psalm 132:6; LXX 131:6). For this reason he says, "We heard and we found," because a command of God pointed out the threshing floor of Ornan, on which he built the altar to turn away the death that was destroying the generation of the Hebrews (Psalm 132:8; LXX 131:8). And having loved the discovery exceedingly, as one who had come to know what he had long desired, he rejoices in the matter and loves the worship there. There, he says, God also made a visitation, because the glory of God became manifest through the presence of the angel (Psalm 132:9; LXX 131:9).
In the same way, he says, he foretells the time of Solomon, in which the ark is moved from the tent and set in the temple, and divine glory appeared and a cloud filled the house.
These things, he says, we see happened in Solomon's time according to David's words (Psalm 132:10; LXX 131:10).
For the favor is toward David, even if the benefit extends to those after him (Psalm 132:10; LXX 131:10). Just as it is said directly to Solomon that because of David he would not fall entirely from the kingdom, so also the sparing for David's sake passed to his descendants, just as it is said to Hezekiah: "I will shield this city for the sake of David my servant" (2 Kings 19:34).
To the earlier and brief gifts he brings the greatest one, which preserves all of them. For from the beginning he gave an abundance of food, which one translator calls "prey" and another renders as "grain." And he promises to make the inhabitants free from want. Concerning priests and holy ones he has made a decree that they be saved and attend to the sacred hymns. But when all these things had already been corrupted—the nation unable to enjoy the good things of the land because it had fallen under the power of the Romans, the priesthood failing, and all the joy in the temple dissolved—the great power arose there, the horn of David, which gores every power of enemies, a beautiful lamp shining with heavenly light for David and for his offspring, who, having begun there, sends out his radiance to the whole world, as the prophet Simeon says: "A light for revelation to the nations and for glory to your people Israel."
The ointment was also a parable of a divine matter, but what comes from God is made more evident by the parable of the dew that comes down from heaven upon the mountains. For the gift and the good are heavenly, not human, and do not appear among human beings apart from the gift from above.
Greek
Θρόνους τε τοῦ οἴκου ∆αυὶδ ἱδρυθῆναι ἐπ' αὐτῆς φησιν, ἐπεὶ καὶ βασιλείαν τὴν πάντων ὁ ∆ανιὴλ προφητεύει, οὐ μόνον ἀρχικήν τινος οὐδὲ ἑνὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀλλὰ κοινὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀρίστων καὶ 35 θεοσεβεστάτων, δι' ὧν ἡ βασιλεία ∆αυὶδ ἀνορθοῦται χάριτι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὃς τοῖς δώδεκα ἔδωκεν ἀποστόλοις τὸ ἐπὶ δώδεκα θρόνοις καθεζομένους κρίνειν τὸν
Ἰσραήλ. 254 Ps 124,3 Ἀλλ' οὔτε πονηροῖς δαίμοσιν ἐάσει διαφθείρεσθαι τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ὑπηκόους, ἀλλ' ὀλίγον πονήσαντας ὑπὸ τούτων τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἐλευθερώσει δουλείας βλαβερᾶς οὐ τολμώσης ἐπελθεῖν τοῖς ὑπὸ θεοῦ ἀρχομένοις. 255 Ps 126,1.2 Σαλομῶν ἐπιγράφεται τῷ ᾄσματι, διότι τὸν ναὸν ᾠκοδόμησε. σημαίνει δὲ τὸν ἀληθῆ Σολόμωνα κύριον ἡμῶν, αἴτιον τῆς ἀληθινῆς καὶ εἰρηνικῆς οἰκοδομίας. διὸ καὶ θεοποίητος ἡ οἰκοδομία αὕτη δηλοῦται καὶ ἡ φυλακὴ βέβαιος ἐν τῷ φυλάττεσθαι κατὰ θεόν· καὶ τοῦτο εἰκότως ὅτι διέπεσον εἰς μάταιον αἱ δι' ἀνθρώπων οἰκοδομίαι καὶ φρουραὶ καὶ ἀγρυπνίαι φρουρούντων ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ τὸ δι' ἡμέρας ἐπιμελὲς καὶ ἐπίπονον. διὸ καὶ προεισῆλθε τὰ ἀνθρώπεια τοιαῦτα ὄντα, ἵνα ἐπιγνωσθείη τὰ θεῖα μόνα δὴ τὸ βέβαιον καὶ ἀμετάστατον ἔχοντα, ὥσπερ καὶ δικαιοσύνη προσῆλθε διὰ νόμου, ἵν' ἡ θεοῦ δικαιοσύνη μετ' αὐτὸν ὀφθείη τὸ γνήσιον καὶ τὸ μόνον ἀληθινὸν ἔχουσα καὶ ζωή γε ἀληθὴς μετὰ τὴν ἐν σκιᾷ καὶ ἐν εἰκόνι. Ὅταν δῷ τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς αὐτοῦ ὕπνον. τὴν παρὰ θεοῦ δεδήλωκεν ἀνάπαυλαν ὕπνῳ ἐοικυῖαν ἐξ ἀγάπης δοθησομένην. 256 Ps 126,4a Ἐνέτεινα γάρ σε, φησίν, Ἰούδα, ἐμαυτῷ ὡς τόξον. καὶ ἐνταῦθα βέλη τοῦ δυνατοῦ τοὺς καταλειπομένους ἁγίους λέγει πρὸς ἧτταν τῶν ἀσεβῶν καὶ σὺν ἀδικίᾳ βιαίων. 257 Ps 127,1 Πολλαὶ μὲν καὶ διάφοροι αἱ τῆς εἰσαγωγῆς ὁδοὶ καὶ πολύτροποι τῶν ἀρχομένων οἱ βίοι, μία δὲ ἡ εἰς ἄκρον φθάνουσα τελειότης. χαρακτηρίζει δὲ τοὺς φοβουμένους τὸν κύριον, ὁποῖοί τινές εἰσιν ἑξῆς εἰπών· Οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ. οἱ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες οὐ φοβοῦνται τὸν κύριον. φόβος μὲν γὰρ κυρίου κακῶν ἀποτροπή, ὁ δὲ τῶν κακῶν ἀποτετραμμένος ἕτοιμος εἰς τὰς θείας ὁδούς. 258 Ps 129,1b.2 ∆ύναιτο δὲ τὸ ἐκ βάθους οἷον ὑδάτων τῶν περικεχυμένων θλίψεων, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ἡ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπανάληψις ἐξεχομένου καὶ ἐξηρτημένου καὶ μὴ θέλοντος τὴν ἱκεσίαν ἀνεῖναι διὰ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν. διὰ τοῦτο Εἰσάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ γενηθήτω τὰ ὦτά σου προσέχοντα. 259 Ps 131,6 Οὐ προεννοήσαντι τῷ ∆αυὶδ ἐκ τοῦ πράγματος αὐτοῦ καταφανὴς ὁ τόπος ἐγένετο. διὸ καὶ Ἠκούσαμεν καὶ εὕρομεν λέγει, ὅτι πρόσταγμα θεοῦ τὴν ἅλωνα ὑπέδειξε τὴν Ὀρνᾶ ἐφ' ἧς τὸ θυσιαστήριον ᾠκοδόμησε πρὸς ἀποτροπὴν τοῦ φθείροντος θανάτου τὴν Ἑβραίων γενεάν. ὑπεραγαπήσας τε τὴν εὕρεσιν ὡς ἂν τὸ πάλαι ποθούμενον ἐγνωκώς, χαίρει τῷ πράγματι καὶ τὴν ἐνταῦθα προσκύνησιν ἀγαπᾷ. ἔνθα δὴ καὶ θεοῦ φησιν ἐπιδημίαν γενέσθαι, διότι καὶ ἐκφανὴς ἡ θεοῦ δόξα διὰ τῆς τοῦ ἀγγέλου παρουσίας ἐγένετο. 260 Ps 131,8 Ὁμοίως, φησί, τὸν καιρὸν προλέγει τὸν ἐπὶ Σολόμωνος· ἐν ᾧ μετάγεται ἡ κιβωτὸς ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς καὶ εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἵδρυται, θεία τε ἐπεφαίνετο δόξα καὶ νεφέλης ἐμπίπλα τὸν οἶκον. 261 Ps 131,9 Ταῦτα, φησίν, ὁρῶμεν ἐπὶ Σολόμωνος γεγενῆσθαι κατὰ τοὺς ∆αυὶδ λόγους. 262 Ps 131,10 Πρὸς γὰρ ∆αυὶδ τὸ εὐμενές. εἰ καὶ εἰς τοὺς μετ' αὐτὸν ἡ εὐεργεσία ὥσπερ καὶ ἄντικρυς λέγεται πρὸς τὸν Σολόμωνα διὰ τὸν ∆αυὶδ μὴ ἀποπεσεῖσθαι πάντῃ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτόν, καὶ δὴ καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀπογόνους διαβέβηκεν ἦ διὰ τὸν ∆αυὶδ φειδώ, ὥσπερ καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἐζεκίαν λέγεται Ὑπερασπιῶ ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης διὰ ∆αυὶδ τὸν δοῦλόν μου. 263 Ps 131,15®17 Ταῖς προτέραις καὶ βραχείαις δωρεαῖς τὴν 36 μεγίστην ἐπιφέρει τὴν ἁπασῶν ἐκείνων περισωστικήν. τροφῆς γὰρ εὐπορίαν ἔδωκεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἣν Θήραν καλεῖ, σίτησιν δὲ ἕτερος ἑρμηνεύει. καὶ τοὺς οἰκήτορας ἀνενδεεῖς καταστήσειν ἐπαγγέλλεται, περί τε ἱερέων καὶ ὁσίων βουλὴν πεποίηται σῴζεσθαί τε αὐτοὺς καὶ τοῖς ὕμνοις τοῖς ἱεροῖς προσεδρεύειν. τούτων δὲ ἁπάντων ἤδη διεφθαρμένων καὶ μήτε τῶν τῆς γῆς ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύειν δυναμένου τοῦ ἔθνους διὰ τὸ Ῥωμαίων ἐξουσίᾳ περιπεσεῖν τῆς τε ἱερατείας διαπιπτούσης καὶ τῆς εὐφροσύνης τῆς ἐν τῷ ναῷ διαλελυμένης ἁπάσης, ἡ μεγάλη δύναμις ἀνέτειλεν αὐτόθι τὸ κέρας τοῦ ∆αυὶδ ὃ πᾶσαν ἐχθρῶν κερατίζει δύναμιν, λύχνος εὐπρεπὴς οὐρανίῳ φωτὶ καταλάμπων τῷ ∆αυὶδ καὶ τῷ ἐκείνου γένει ὃς καὶ αὐτόθι ἀρξάμενος ἐπὶ πάντα κόσμον ἐκπέμπει τὴν λαμπηδόνα καθά φησιν ὁ προφήτης Συμεὼν Φῶς εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν ἐθνῶν καὶ δόξαν λαοῦ σου Ἰσραήλ. 264 Ps 132,3 Καὶ θείου μὲν πράγματος ἦν παραβολὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ μύρου, ἐπιφανέστερον δὲ τὸ ἐκ θεοῦ κατὰ τὴν τῆς δρόσου παραβολὴν γίνεται τὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατιοῦσαν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη. οὐράνιον γὰρ τὸ δῶρον καὶ τὸ ἀγαθόν, οὐκ ἀνθρώπειον οὐδὲ χωρὶς τῆς ἄνωθεν δωρεᾶς ἐν ἀνθρώποις φαινόμενον.