The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 12
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 13 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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For the end, a Psalm of David. How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me? forever? How long wilt thou turn away thy face from me?
Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυίδ. Ἕως πότε Κύριε ἐπιλήσῃ μου, εἰς τέλος; ἕως πότε ἀποστρέψεις τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ;
"For Christ is the end of the law to every one that believes." [Romans 10:4] "How long, O Lord, will You forget me unto the end?" that is, put me off as to spiritually understanding Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, and the true end of all the aim of the soul. "How long will You turn away Your face from me?" As God…
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrows in my heart daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Ἕως τίνος θήσομαι βουλὰς ἐν ψυχῇ μου, ὀδύνας ἐν καρδίᾳ μου ἡμέρας; ἕως πότε ὑψωθήσεται ὁ ἐχθρός μου ἐπʼ ἐμέ;
"How long shall I place counsel in my soul?". There is no need of counsel but in adversity. Therefore "How long shall I place counsel in my soul?" is as if it were said, How long shall I be in adversity? Or at least it is an answer, so that the meaning is this, So long, O Lord, will You forget me to the end, and so…
Look on me, hearken to me, O Lord my God: Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep in death;
Ἐπίβλεψον, εἰσάκουσόν μου, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου· φώτισον τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, μή ποτε ὑπνώσω εἰς θάνατον·
"Look on me, and hear me, O Lord my God". "Look on me," refers to what was said, "How long" dost "Thou turn away Your face from me." "Hear," refers to what was said, "How long will You forget me to the end? Lighten my eyes, that I sleep not in death." The eyes of the heart must be understood, that they be not closed…
Lest at any time mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him: My persecutors will exult if ever I should be moved.
μή ποτε εἴποι ὁ ἐχθρός μου, ἴσχυσα πρὸς αὐτόν· οἱ θλίβοντές με ἀγαλλιάσονται ἐὰν σαλευθῶ.
"Lest at any time mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him". The devil's mockery is to be feared. "They that trouble me will exult, if I be moved;" the devil and his angels; who exulted not over that righteous man, Job, when they troubled him; because he was not moved, that is, did not draw back from the…
But I have hoped in thy mercy; My heart shall exult in thy salvation.
Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ ἐλέει σου ἤλπισα· ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ καρδία μου ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ σου.
"But I have hoped in Your mercy". Because this very thing, that a man be not moved, and that he abide fixed in the Lord, he should not attribute to self: lest when he glories that he has not been moved, he be moved by this very pride.
I will sing to the Lord who has dealt bountifully with me, And I will sing psalms to the name of the Lord most high.
Ἄσω τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ εὐεργετήσαντί με, καὶ ψαλῶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου τοῦ ὑψίστου.
"My heart shall exult in Your salvation;" in Christ, in the Wisdom of God. "I will sing to the Lord who has given me good things;" spiritual good things, not belonging to man's day. "And I will chant to the name of the Lord most high"; that is, I give thanks with joy, and in most due order employ my body, which is the…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.