Approved for publication by the Publications Board of the Russian Orthodox Church PB 11-116-1697
С 95
Priest Daniel Sysoev Explanation of Selected Psalms. In Four Parts. Part 1: Blessed is the Man. — New Jersey, Daniel Sysoev Inc, 2018. — 128 pp.
ISBN 978-5-4279-0069-2
Explanation of psalms 1, 2, 5, and 54. This book examines the issues of human happiness, the royal path, eternal life, a personal relationship with the Creator, and prayer for one’s enemies. “The Psalter is suitable for any good work. If you are des pondent, in the Psalter you will find relief; if you seek deliverance from the wound of sin, the Psalter will cure your wound; if sin has become a habit, the Psalter will cut off from you the sinful growth.” —Saint Basil the Great
Protected by copyright law. Reproduction of this book in whole or in part is prohibited. Any violations of this law will be prosecuted. © Daniel Sysoev Inc, 2018 © Yulia Sysoeva, 2018
CONTENTS The Psalter: A Biblical Treasure. . . . . . . . . 5 BLESSED IS THE MAN Explanation of Psalm 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 When is a Person Happy?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Dangers of Heretical Books. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Why Study the Law? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 A Righteous Man is like a Tree of Life. . . . . . . . . . 26 What Awaits Sinners? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 ON THE ROYAL PATH Explanation of Psalm 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Rebellion against God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Anger and Wrath of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Royal Mount Sion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The King’s Greatest Secret . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The Great Remaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 EXPLANATION OF PSALM 5 The Conditions for Inheriting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 How to Become Attuned to Prayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Who will say, “My God”?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 How and When does God Punish Us?. . . . . . . . . . 61 A Window into Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 How to Make Crooked Paths Straight. . . . . . . . . . 73 How to Pray for Heretics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Fighting for Gladness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 3
Contents
EXPLANATION OF PSALM 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 When does God Depart from a Man?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 God Hears All Men, but Does Not Heed All Men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 The Reasons for God-Forsakenness. . . . . . . . . . . . 87 God is Free in His Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 How to Complain to God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 The Wings of the Holy Spirit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 The Spiritual Benefits of Pilgrimage. . . . . . . . . . 101 The City of Sojourners and the City of Earth-Dwellers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 The Sorrowful Labor of Men. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Prayer for the Enemies of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Prayer for Our Enemies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Gentle, Kind-Hearted Sinners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
The Psalter: A Biblical Treasure We are about to study several of the psalms of King David, namely those psalms that are most commonly employed in worship, so that you will be able to participate in the prayers with understanding and with attention of mind and heart. Regarding worship, Saint John Chrysostom said that “at its beginning, middle, and end it is filled with psalms.”1 Indeed, the whole of our worship is permeated and suffused with the words of King David. The All-night Vigil, which consists of vespers, matins, and the first hour, is literally built upon the words of the psalms. Psalm 103 is either read or sung, then Psalms 1, 2, and 3 are sung, followed by Psalms 140, 141, 129, and 116. Next come the Six Psalms—six psalms that are read at the beginning of matins. Then two kathismata are read, after which the psalms of the polyeleos are sung, followed by the psalms of praise. There is a Jewish saying: “There are five books from God to man”—the Pentateuch of Moses—“and five books from man to God.” These five books from man to God are the Psalter of King David, which the Jews divide into five parts, each consisting of about thirty psalms. 5
The Psalter: A Biblical Treasure
Indeed, the Psalter has a particular meaning for us. We know that all scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16). The Psalter is not merely the words of men. The apostle Paul said that the Holy Spirit spoke well through the mouth of King David. Regarding this the Lord also said that the Holy Spirit spoke through David the King. It is the Holy Spirit Who authored the Psalms, and Who played upon the heart of King David as upon a harp. The very word psalter means a collection of texts intended to be sung to accompani ment on the psaltery—a plucked multi-stringed musical instrument resembling a small ten-strin ged triangular harp. The number of strings is not coincidental; it symbolizes the Ten Commandments. Blessed Augustine wrote that the heart of every man must become a psaltery. The heart must be taut, the Ten Commandments must abide in the heart, and the Great Harpist— the Holy Spirit—will play upon it the great song of God. Thus, a person must himself become a psaltery, and to do this he must study the Psalter. In ancient times there was a rule that one could not become a priest or a bishop without knowing the Psalter by heart. On Athos to this day it is normal for a monk to spend the first three years of his life in the monastery learning the Psalter by heart. It is an essential element of daily life. 6
Priest Daniel Sysoev
Explanation of Selected Psalms In Four Parts Part 1 Blessed is the Man Translator Priest Nathan Williams Layout Olga Bochkova Cover and Design Igor Ermolaev
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