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COMMENTARY ON PSALM 93 A song ojpraiseJorDavid. No title in the Hebrew. HE PHRASE "NO TITLE in the Hebrew" is not in the Hexapla, nor in Eusebius.1 The psalm prophesies the change in people: God is immutable and unchanging ,2 always the same in manner and substance, not a king at one time and without kingship at another; rather, he is always king by nature, though this has not always been clear to people. For most of the time, in fact, the majority were ignorant of him, and offered to idols the worship due to God; but after the Incarnation of our God and Savior, the knowledge of God spanned the entire world like a light. He is, in fact, "the true light, which enlightens human beings coming into the world";3 for this reason the inspired mind says in prospect, The Lord reigned, he was clad in comeliness (v. 1). Since the Passion seemed a sad event to those who understood the fruit stemming from it to the extent that the inspired author cries aloud, ''We saw him, and he had no appearance of beauty, his appearance instead being dishonorable, disreputable by comparison with sons of human beings."4 But after the birth from a Virgin, willing ac1 . Theodoret does not indicate whether the phrase is correct in saying the Hebrew has no title (though even his minimal grasp of the language could surely have informed him), nor where he found the phrase-perhaps in some of those "copies" of the LXX he refers to at times. But he does betray that he has to hand a copy of Eusebius's Commentary on the Psalms, on which at least once we have seen him very dependent (cf. Ps 16.5) and which has been thought to be his principal means of accessing Alexandrian commentary. 2. Again that key term that would shortly figure in the Chalcedonian formula , (iTpElTTWS. immutable. 3.John l.g, a text that comes to the mind of the author of the long form of the text with Theodoret's comparison. 4. cr. lsa 53.2. The long form of the text then cites virgin birth and crucifixion to document this point, Theodoret being content to mention the ascension . 112 COMMENTARY ON PSALM 93 113 ceptance of crucifixion and ascent into heaven, he dispatched rays of light befitting God. So it was right for the inspired author to cry aloud, The Lord reigned, he was clad in comeliness: he did not take what was not his, but gave a glimpse of what was his. This is the way he speaks also to his own Father, "Father, gloriry me with the glory I had in your presence before the world was made,"5 not being without glory after the Incarnation , but as testimony to that text, [1625] "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: listen to him."6 (2) The Lord was clad and girded with power. The fact that "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God" the divine Paul dearly taught us.7 Consequently, he did not receive from any other source power that he did not have before; rather, it was his own power he employed against the enemies, though the inspired word presents him as a kind of king girt with royal armor, using a belt in his struggle against the enemies. He then goes on to show the achievements coming from this: He established the world, which will not be moved. He made the world firm and immovable, he is saying, having the stability of divine knowledge and being free of the error of falsehood: no longer do people adore some gods at one time and others at another; instead, they offer worship to the true God. (3) Your throne is prepared from that time, you are from eternity (v. 2). It was notjust now, he is saying, that you received election as king: you possess eternal sway and everlasting kingship. About his kingship he says also in the forty-fourth psalm, ''Your throne, 0 God, is for ages of ages."8 And his unchangeableness and immutability he likewise taught us in the hundred and first psalm, ''You are the same," he says, "and your years will not come to an end":9 even though you became man, you did not 5·John 17·5· 6. A conflation of texts from Gospel accounts ofJesus' baptism and transfiguration , supplied by the long form of the...

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