"Blessed are the blameless in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord" Psalm 118:1 What is the way? (HTML format)
Psalm 118:01
2012
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mp3 SYNOPSIS:Homily on Psalm 118:01: Blessed are the blameless in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. What is the way? "Blessed are they that search out His testimonies; with their whole heart shall they seek after Him." Psalm 118:2 (Word DOC format)
Psalm 118:02
2012
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mp3 SYNOPSIS:Commentary on Psalm 118. Verse 2"For they that work iniquity have not walked in his ways." Commentary on Psalm 118:3. The reason for EVERY problem we have. What are the "ways" of God? (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:03
2012
SYNOPSIS:Commentary on Psalm 118, Verse 3. The reason for EVERY problem we have. What are the "ways" of God?
Notes for this passage are found here in word or pdf format "Thou hast enjoined Thy commandments, that we should keep them most diligently" Purpose of the commandments & how to stay diligent? (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:04
2012
SYNOPSIS:Meditation on Psalm 118:04. The commandments are not arbitrary; they have a purpose. What is diligence (it has two parts) and how do we maintain it? Notes for this passage are found here in word or pdf format"Would that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes." How to "wish" for something. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:05
2012
SYNOPSIS:A meditation on Psalm 118:05, "Would that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes." How does a Christian properly "wish" for something? What must we do to be ready for the change to happen?
"Then shall I not be ashamed, when I look on all Thy commandments." Psalm 118:6 Shame gives way to illumination. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:06
2012
SYNOPSIS:Homily on Psalm 118:06: Then shall I not be ashamed, when I look on all Thy commandments. Shame gives way to illumination.
"I will confess Thee with uprightness of heart, when I have learned the judgments of Thy righteousness." Two kinds of confession, but only one is righteous. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:07
2012
SYNOPSIS:Commentary on Psalm 118:07. There are two kinds of confession of God. How do we learn to do the one that is righteous? Also the Christian understanding of the judgments of God.
"I will keep thy statutes; do not utterly forsake me." The Grace of God may depart for a season, but never His mercy. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118-08
2012
SYNOPSIS:Psalm 118:08 introduces a difficult concept: the grace of God (His abiding presence) may depart from the soul for a season, for many different reasons, known only to God, for the strengthening of the soul, but His mercy is never absent. Examples of this process are seen clearly in the lives of the Prophet Elias and Apostle Peter. The courageous Christian embraces the inevitability that He will chasten whom He loveth, although, being of weak flesh, even the courageous need reassurance. This is not disbelief, but rather a part of our human condition.
"Wherewithal shall a young man correct his way? By keeping Thy words." (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:09
2012
SYNOPSIS:A meditation on Psalm 118:09, "Wherewithal shall a young man correct his way? By keeping Thy words." for something? This is a process, and not cicular reasoning. The Christian law of attraction.
"With my whole heart have I sought after Thee, cast me not away from Thy commandments." Hyperbole and a plea. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:10
2013
SYNOPSIS:A meditation on Psalm 118:10, "With my whole heart have I sought after Thee, cast me not away from Thy commandments." How should we understand absolute statements that are false? They are a plea for help to make the statement true. Also a short discussion of the use of hyperbole in our prayers.
"In my heart have I hid Thy sayings that I might not sin against Thee." There is power against sin when the heart treasures the things of God. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:11
2013
SYNOPSIS:Homily on Psalm 118:11, part of our series. This verse is a promise. When the heart treasures the things of God, there is great power against sin and for virtue. We look to the Theotokos as an example.
"Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes" Learn the statutes by learning (living) the resurrection. (mp3 format)
Psalm 118:12
2013
SYNOPSIS:Homily on Psalm 118:12: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes" The preceding verses are a promise and prerequisite before God will agree to teach us His statues, that is, reveal Himself to us by grace. We must promise to seek after the Lord with all our heart, and desire to treasure all we learn of Him in our heart, and then, God will be attracted to our zeal, and visit us, and teach us His statutes. It is significant that we sing this verse several times in the Evlogitaria of the Resurrection (sung in Sunday matins). Following the reliable principle that the New Testament (and the church, whose life is described in it) interprets the Old, we must therefore live in the resurrection if we are to "entice" God to visit us and teach us about Himself. These words are radical for many, but well understood by true Christian ascetics. Read this psalm daily, and try to live according to it, and you will also understand.