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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 56 To the end. On the people far removed from the holy ones. As an inscription for David when the foreigners in Gath seized him. he title signifies that the sense of the psalm is twofold, referring both to David himself and to the people in captivity forced to dwell in a foreign land, but also to many [1284] later. I mean, the phrase, “On the people hidden from the holy ones,” refers to the people held captive or separated from the holy city at that time—namely, Jerusalem— or distancing themselves from God, that is, from faith in him.1 Sufferings happened to them, after all: they were enslaved to foreign people in Babylon; and likewise this man in his flight from Saul was a sojourner among foreigners. It should be remembered , however, that he arrived in Gath twice: on the first occasion appearing to be hostile, then in danger of his life, when he simulated a disability, was dismissed and fled. But later he regained his confidence and spent time there enjoying peace.2 He wrote the present psalm, to be sure, when exposed to the former danger. (2) Have mercy on me, O God, for people have trampled on me; in hostile manner they have distressed me all day long. My foes trampled on me all day long (vv. 1–2): driven out and assaulted by various foes, and as it were trampled underfoot and constantly suffering it, O Lord, I await your loving-kindness. Symmachus, on the other hand, rendered all day long “the whole day,” and constantly “unremittingly .” Because many are those warring against me from above, that is, from their position of influence. I was not fearful, he is 323 1. Theodoret does his best with the title he finds in his LXX text, again not recognizing in this phrase (which is rendered differently by modern versions) a cue to a melody for the choir, and letting miktam pass as “inscription ,” as he had done with Ps 16 (see note 1 there). 2. Cf. 1 Sam 21 and 27. saying, of people’s affluence on which they relied to declare war on us. Height of the day, in fact, is the name he gave to prosperity that is present, temporary, passing, impermanent, not continuing at length.3 (3) Then he teaches the reason for not having to fear those carried away with prosperity. By day I shall not fear; instead, I shall hope in you (v. 3). I am not afraid of passing good fortune, he is saying, having as I do your support. Symmachus, on the other hand, translated this, “On whatever day I feared, I trusted in you”: to fear I oppose confidence in you, he is saying. So it was good for the psalmist to put, Instead, I shall hope in you, that is, There is no one else, there is no one capable of rescuing those under pressure from the schemers, O Lord, except your providence alone. He clarified this further in saying, In God I shall praise my words4 (v. 4). [1285] Praiseworthy, he is saying, are the prayers, which in repentance I shall unceasingly offer to him. In God I hoped: shall I not fear what flesh will do to me? By flesh he means the more materialistic people who live a life confined to the earth. In my speech, he is saying, I adorn my words with mention of God; and when attacked, I have confidence in your care and despise my attackers. (4) All day long they loathed my words, all their calculations of evil are against me (v. 5). They direct every calculation towards schemes against me, he is saying, rejecting my words as false, and rebutting my defense. Now, to the present day it is possible to see many victims of this same thing whether from people or from demons. They will stay on my heels and remain in hiding, they will watch for my weak point as though expecting to have my life (v. 6). Symmachus rendered this more clearly: “They assembled secretly and pried on my tracks, looking forward to having my life”; 324 THEODORET OF CYRUS 3. If Theodoret seems to be making two attempts to explain the one phrase in his text (reproduced differently, as it happens), it is because Schulze has combined two codices here. 4. Aquila and Symmachus get closer than the LXX to the Masoretic text in reading “his word(s)”; but Dahood maintains...

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