Pseudo-Athanasius

In his own words on Psalms

• Psalms 7:2

  Cush is the one who went to Abasalom in the guise of a traitor, and brought to naught the counsel of Ahithophel and saved David from death. When David learned of these things, he knew that his Savior was not a man but God.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 7

• Psalms 9:13

  The Lord does not forget the cry of the poor, and especially of those who in the spirit ask of him vengeance for wrongs brought against them by demons. Those who pray that there may arise a Savior for those on earth in order to repress the second tyrannical man who waxed strong against us and to impose on us the spiritual law of the gospel, from which people who are rational may learn, no more to imitate senseless animals. They are also hastening to his coming, hoping for salvation.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 9

• Psalms 13:5

  In this I trust, that I shall receive forgiveness of my sin, in that I hope in your mercy through which you have worked salvation for all people.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 13

• Psalms 16:1

  The words in [this psalm] are sung as if by the person of Christ, who although he is noble as Lord by nature and has under his feet creation as a handmaid, yet he asks to be preserved by the Father as the head of the body of the church.… He made those sanctified by the Spirit a marvel in the land—in his church—teaching them the will of the Father as an angel of mighty counsel. They hastened to hear the preaching, not through blood [sacrifices] or practices of the law to please God, but through praise and bloodless sacrifice. Nor with names that befit their former works did he say, I shall call them, that is, idolaters and polytheists and atheists; but called and holy and pious, and who have a share in the Lord. Because the latter was obedient to the Father to death—which he calls a cup—for this reason he gave him as a portion and inheritance to the Gentiles. And he binds it to him with cords—fetters of spiritual life.… He is on [the Father's] right hand in that we gain through his hands his heavenly Father as helper, and like a rod of power he has supported our weakness. Therefore he also says to him: My flesh will reside in hope. The hope, then, is that his flesh will again assume the soul that was constituted. For his soul was not left in Sheol, nor did his body see the corruption of the grave.… For these things are granted us in him as the head and firstborn of the resurrection and because we have grown rich with his poverty. And again we shall be in unfading delights, which the saints will receive on the day of his manifestation from him who is the Father's right hand.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 16

• Psalms 17:7

  He teaches us that even if we are virtuous, we should trust not in ourselves but in God, and that we should pray to him that like the pupil of the eye he protect the mind—our soul's eye—from evil of the opposing powers.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 17

• Psalms 17:13

  The soul of each of the righteous—clearly of those who pull sinners from impiety to piety—is as a sharpened sword against the spirits of evil. This sword, O our Lord, which you sharpened against your enemies, save from the enemies of your hand.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 17

• Psalms 18:8

  In this and the following verses, he posits as a sign the smoke, which in his descent from heaven he made as darkness under his feet; it indicates the incomprehensibility of his dispensation. And in his ascension, he flew on the wings of the Spirit, as on cherubim, that is, the cloud that received him. And because in his church, which is his tabernacle, he mysteriously dwells and operates, he says, "He set darkness as his hiding place." Again, because the remarks about him are made obscurely in the holy prophets, he writes, "Dark waters in the clouds of the airs," which he showed to be clear and obvious when he openly came to earth.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 18

• Psalms 21:1

  Friends of David also delivered this psalm, as if he were now pleased for the salvation that was born from his seed for the world; this was a glorious crown for him, and length of days and glory and magnificence, and delight and joy and hope and unshakeable grace.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 21

• Psalms 24:1

  This verse teaches about God's kingdom to come, in which he will reign over all. And in order to make known that as maker and natural Lord he will reign over it, he said [in the next verse], "He is its foundations."

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 24

• Psalms 25:13

  The person who fears the Lord, his seed—which is good works—will cause him to inherit the spiritual land, which he will acquire by humility and labor with the forgiveness of sins.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 25

• Psalms 28:9

  He aids and saves the people that were anointed for inheritance and the priestly kingdom, and he tends and exalts them forever, showing us to be raised up and glorified in future infinite ages.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 28

• Psalms 29:2

  He commands us to worship the Lord in his holy court, teaching that it is not allowed to worship outside the church which holds the orthodox faith.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 29

• Psalms 29:10

  God dwells in the flood, that is, in the multitude of those who believed in Christ, who [as it says in the next verse] gives power to his people and blesses it in peace. For we are strengthened in Christ, who also gave us his peace.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 29

• Psalms 30:5

  In God's wrath is anger, but in his will is life, because his will is life.… He is led to anger because of our sin. And although mourning will continue all night, in the morning he makes for us a rejoicing, when through repentance we strip off the burden of evil.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 30

• Psalms 30:7

  Without your power I cannot rise from my fall. Bring it to pass that the grace of my soul shine out again, not averting your face as previously.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 30

• Psalms 31:16

  In this I trust, that I shall be saved if you make your face to shine on me, hiding your back from me.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 31

• Psalms 32:9

  People have special need of [understanding], for when they have lost it, they become like horses and mules. Thus he says: I was turned to misery when thorns were thrust in me—that is, the sin that tormented him. On that account he says to God: I have shown you my sin, and my lawlessness I did not hide from you; and you removed my wickedness. The first duty of repentance is for a person to confess his sin, according to [the saying]: God will have mercy on him who confesses his sins and abandons them.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 32

• Psalms 32:10

  Even if there are many scourges of the sinner, yet mercy will surround one who trusts in the Lord, and the just will rejoice because their boast is in the Lord.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 32

• Psalms 33:19

  Those who fear him, those who hope for his mercy, he saves from spiritual death and nourishes in a spiritual way, that they may also say, "Let your mercy be on us, Lord, as we have hoped in you."

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 33

• Psalms 35:2

  He indicates through the arms and shield and sword the chastising powers sent by God to help those who fear him.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 35

• Psalms 35:11

  The person of Christ is introduced here, denounced and falsely accused at the tribunal of the chief priests when there rose up evil witnesses against him, and they repaid evil things for good and bereavement for his soul. They were called sons of God but acted wickedly against him.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 35

• Psalms 36:7

  But people will hope in the shadow of your wings; that is, they have you as helper and protector, and they will be illuminated and spiritually refreshed by Christ—the true light and spring of life [who is] with you.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 36

• Psalms 40:7

  Here the psalmist introduces the person of Christ, who says, By the will of the Father he came and completed the things that are written concerning him in the law and the prophets. And he declared his righteousness in a great church, which is in all peoples and is more excellent than that of the law.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 40

• Psalms 40:10

  [At this point in the psalm] he introduces the persons of those who believed from Israel; for he confesses to God that he did not remove his mercy from it but then and now saved and supported them.

  EXPOSITION ON PSALM 40