Salmos 45
John Chrysostom · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Salmos 45:1
The one who speaks from his own resources, you see, hesitates and thinks twice about the efforts he makes, handicapped in his composition by ignorance, error and uncertainty, and there are many things that undermine the speed of his utterance. When on the contrary it is the Spirit who moves the mind, there is no obstacle. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:2
Salmos 45:1
The inspired authors were not like the seers. In their case, after all, when the demon takes possession of their soul, it cripples their mind and clouds their reasoning, and so they utter everything without their mind understanding anything of what is said; rather, it is like a flute sounding without a musician to play a tune. This was said also by a philosopher of theirs in these words, "Just like the soothsayers and seers saying many things without knowing anything of what they say." The Holy Spirit, [by contrast], does not act like that; instead, he allows the heart to know what is said. I mean, if the psalmist did not know, how could he have said "good news"? The demon, you see, being enemy and foe, commits an assault on human nature; the Holy Spirit, by contrast, being caring and beneficent, renders those who receive him sharers in his purposes, and with them understanding him he reveals what he has to tell. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:1
Salmos 45:2
How, then, does another inspired author say, "We saw him: he had no form or beauty; instead, his form was dishonorable, of no importance beside human beings." He is not speaking about deformity—God forbid—but about an object of scorn. You see, once having deigned to become human, he went through every demeaning experience, not choosing a queen for his mother, not placed in a bed of gold at the time of swaddling clothes but in a manger, not reared in an affluent home but in an artisan's humble dwelling. Again, when he picked disciples, he did not pick orators and philosophers and kings but fishermen and tax collectors. He shared this simple life, not owning a house, or clad in rich clothing or enjoying similar fare, but nourished at others' expense, insulted, scorned, driven out, pursued. Now, he did this to trample underfoot human conceit in fine style. So, since he did not fit himself out in any pomp or circumstance or attach to himself hangers on or bodyguards, but went about at times alone, like any ordinary person, thus that author said, "We saw him, and he had no form or beauty," whereas the psalmist says, "Comely to behold beyond all human beings," suggesting grace, wisdom, teaching, miracles. Then to underline the comeliness he says, "Grace streamed out on your lips." — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:2
Salmos 45:3
These terms, you see, signify his operations.… I mean, just as Scripture says God gets angry, not to attribute passion to him but to indicate through this expression his action of punishing and thus make an impression on more materialistic people, so too by mentioning weapons it suggests this. After all, since we are punished not through ourselves but by other instruments, in his wish to demonstrate God's power to punish he indicates it in terms familiar to us … so that we may gain a more vivid impression of his punishing.… Why, then, does he say this here? In these rather materialistic terms he shows his operation, through which he set the world on its course, through which he brought the war to an end and set up the trophy. It was a harsh war, after all, more bitter than all wars, not against savages in battle but against the demons exercising their wiles and destroying the whole world. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:5
Salmos 45:4
What was being achieved was in fact fearful and productive of terror: death was destroyed, hell was broken asunder, paradise was opened, heaven was thrown open, demons were shackled, the lower regions were mingled with the upper, God became human, a human being is seated on the kingly throne, hope in resurrection dawned, expectation reached beyond death, ineffable good things were enjoyed, and all other good things he achieved by his coming.… The Septuagint, [by contrast], reads, "Your right hand will guide you in marvelous fashion," that is to say, we should marvel not only at what is achieved but at the fact that it is achieved in surprising fashion: through death is death destroyed, through a curse is a curse lifted and blessing bestowed, through eating were we lately expelled, through eating we have once again been admitted. A maiden expelled us from paradise, through a maiden we find eternal life. What was the means of our being condemned becomes the means of our being crowned. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:7
Salmos 45:4
All other people, you see, exercise royal power by making war so as to gain cities or wealth, or because of enmities or vainglory. God, by contrast, acts not for any of these things but for the sake of truth, to plant it on earth; and for the sake of gentleness, to make those who are more savage than wild beasts become gentle; and for the sake of righteousness, to make those who are in thrall to lawlessness become righteous, first from grace, and second from good deeds. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:6
Salmos 45:5
Do you see the successful outcome of the war? The submission of those previously rebellious? The instruction? The catechesis? Their very fall and submission to him, you see, are for everyone the basis and foundation of their exaltation. In fact, having delivered them from their folly and empty conceit and from the demons' error, he subjected them to himself. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:7
Salmos 45:6
By "throne" here he means not simply throne but kingship. He calls it eternal here, but elsewhere elevated: "I saw the Lord seated on an elevated throne," Scripture says. And again: "Because your throne is elevated." Another author … contemplates him seated on a throne of glory, whereas David presents also a throne of lovingkindness: "Mercy and judgment the foundation of his throne." Now, all of these references are to his kingship, that it is everlasting (this is the meaning of "for ages of ages"), that it is in high esteem, that it is elevated, that it is powerful and mighty. Also that it has no beginning, when he says, "Your kingdom a kingdom of all ages." — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:8
Salmos 45:7
Christ, to be sure, was nowhere anointed with oil but with the Holy Spirit. For this reason he added "beyond your companions" to indicate this very fact, that no one was like him. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:9
Salmos 45:8
Just as on hearing reference to bow and sword and all those similar things you do not take them in a material way, so on hearing mention of myrrh and cassia you would not think of them in a material way but at an intellectual level. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:10
Salmos 45:11
The reference is not to beauty of body, since he says it arises from obedience to him. Obedience, however, gives rise not to beauty of body but to beauty of soul. If you do this, he says, note, then you will be beautiful, then you will be desirable to the groom. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:11
Salmos 45:12
The inspired author, forebearing to mention the whole world, refers to the neighboring city, which at that time was in the grip of impiety, the devil's stronghold, with an awful reputation for extravagance, and he thus implies the whole from the part. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:11
Salmos 45:16
The apostles, you recall, traversed the whole world and became rulers more masterful than all other rulers, more powerful than emperors. Emperors, after all, are in power while alive but on their death are no more, whereas the apostles exercise power at their death. And while emperors' laws are in force within their own boundaries, the fishermen's commands extend to every part of the world. The Roman emperor cannot legislate for the Persians, nor the Persian for the Romans, whereas these Palestinians passed laws for Persians, Romans, Thracians, Scythians, Indians, Moors and the whole world. The laws remained in force not only while they were alive but also after their death; and those subject to them would prefer to lose their life rather than abjure those laws. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:13
Salmos 45:17
Where he began, there he concluded—in Christ.… Because you have achieved so much, you have appointed such rulers, you have driven out evil, you have planted virtue, you have plighted your troth to our nature, you have performed these wonderful good things. All the world will offer you hymns of praise, not for a short time, not for ten, not twenty, not a hundred years, or in one part of the world, but earth and sea, both inhabited and uninhabited, will sing praise for all time, giving thanks for all the good things accomplished. For all these good things let us too give thanks to the loving Christ, through whom and with whom be the glory to the Father, together with Holy Spirit, now and forever, for ages of ages. — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 45:13