SELECTA IN PSALMOS FROM THE [COMMENTARY] OF ORIGEN ON THE PSALMS

Because of the psalms that have been given the superscription “for the end [τέλος],” we have recited the definitions of [the term, telos], from Aristotle on the one hand which read as follows—“Τέλος is that for the sake of which other things exist, but itself exists for the sake of nothing;” or in this way, “for the sake of which other things exist, but itself does not exist for the sake of these things;” or in this way, “that through which someone practices other things, but itself for the sake of nothing else”^[1]—and on the other hand, from the [writings] of Herophilos, On the Stoic usage of terms,^[2] [which is] as follows: They say that ‘telos’ is a term that indicates something for the sake of which we practice everything else, but is it itself for the sake of nothing; yet the purpose [σκοπόν] is joined together to it, just as well-being is [joined together] with the action of well-being; [telos] then is the ultimate end of things chosen.”

And if the definitions [they use] for God, and such things as are signified from the term God, provide some benefit to us, when we pick out from them the points of difference with Scripture, indeed do you yourself give attention. The same Herophilos says, then: “They say that ‘God’ is the most unique immortal being, rational, insofar as God is every rational soul.” Alternatively [he says], “An immortal being, rational, and self-existing, so that the souls contained in us are not gods, but will be when they are freed from bodies.” And in another passage, God is called an immortal living being, rational, excellent, so that every good soul is God, even though it be contained in a human; but God is also called the self-existing immortal excellent living being, so that the souls contained in wise humans are not gods. In yet another place he calls God an immortal living being, excellent, having a certain dominion in the cosmos by administration, in the manner of the sun and the moon. Alternatively he calls God the prime administrator of the cosmos. Finally he calls God: a living Being that is incorrupt and unbegotten, and first king, having the whole cosmos as his realm.

The Hebrews divide the book of Psalms into five books. The first [book] runs from “Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the impious” ^[71] up to the ending of the 40th psalm. The second is from “In the manner the deer yearns” ^[72], up to the 71st psalm. The third is from “How good to Israel is God, to the upright in heart” ^[72], up to the 88th psalm. The fourth is from “O Lord, you have been a refuge for us from generation to generation” ^[74], up to the 105th psalm. The fifth is from “Confess to the Lord” ^[75], up to the end.

I personally thought that there was one [psalm] in the book of Psalms that had been given the superscription, “A prayer of Moses, man of God” ^[76]. Later, I was swayed concerning certain oracles of God by Iullo the Patriarch, and by someone who is styled as “wise” by the Jews, when I heard that, from Psalm 1 and 2, through the whole book of Psalms, [the Psalms] for the Hebrews that are without superscriptions, or have a superscription but without the name of the writer, are attributed to the person whose name occurs in the psalm having a superscription before them. And when he spoke about these things, he first said that there are 13 psalms of Moses, but when I heard [his list] … I replied to him that there were 11. Then, when I inquired from him who was reputed as wise among them, I learned that there are in fact 11, which begin with the 89th psalm, “O Lord, you have been a refuge for us from generation to generation” ^[77], and following, which is reckoned by us as the 90th psalm, which begins, “He who dwells in the help of the Most High” ^[78], which he also said was of Moses. While [the psalm] does have a superscription, yet because it does not include the name of him who wrote it—I mean the 91th psalm which is superscribed in this way, “Psalm, an ode for the Sabbath day” ^[79]—he said [that the psalm] was of Moses, which begins, “It is good to confess to the Lord, and to chant to your name, O Most High” ^[80]. The 92nd psalm which likewise has no superscription, which begins, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed in majesty” ^[81], he also said was of Moses. And similarly with the 93rd psalm which begins, “The Lord is God of vengeance” ^[82], and the 94th psalm which begins, “Come, let us rejoice in the Lord” ^[83], and the 95th which begins, “Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth” ^[84], and the 96th psalm which begins, “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice,” and the 97th which alone is given the superscription, “Psalm,” for while it has “by David” in certain copies, this appears neither in the Hebrew text nor in the rest of the versions—this psalm begins, “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous things” ^[85]. The 98th psalm was also said to be from him, which begins, “The Lord reigns, let the nations be enraged” ^[86], and the 99th psalm which was given the superscription, “A Psalm for confession,” which begins, “Shout aloud to the Lord, all the earth” ^[87]. After these 11 psalms, [the psalms] are given the superscription “A psalm by David,” both in the Hebrew and all the other editions, and the 100th psalm is no longer of Moses.^[5]

Having said these things about the psalms which are attributed to Moses from the Hebrew texts, the Jew anticipated an objection in turn, and proposed the explanation of this as it appeared to him. For he saw that someone might object that one of the 11 psalms, Psalm 98, was not of Moses, because [it says], “Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at the footstool of his feet. Saint Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his name. They called upon the Lord, and He heard them; He spoke to them in a pillar of cloud” ^[88]. The disputant might say, how could Moses put the name of Samuel in his own psalm, seeing as he lived many generations later? To this he replied that there is no marvel in the fact that Samuel’s name was prophesied in advance by Moses, as he was a holy man, and was numbered together with Moses by Jeremiah in the passage, “Not even should Moses and Samuel arise” ^[89], then in the [Book] of Kingdoms Josiah was prophesied, “Altar, altar, thus says the Lord; behold, a son is born to David; Josiah is his name” ^[90].

After seeking on many occasions the reason that diapsalma is recorded in the midst of the psalms, and after observing later in the Hebrew [text], and setting the Greek [text] together with it, I found that where the Hebrew text has “sel,”^[6] and the Greek [text] has “forever [ἀεὶ]” or something of equivalent force, there the Septuagint, Theodotion, and Symmachus placed the [word] “diapsalma.” We may as well confirm what is said with an example, such as in the 74th psalm which begins, “We will confess to you, O God, we will confess to you, and we will call upon you name;” after “I myself have strengthened its pillars” ^[91], there is a “diapsalma” in the Septuagint, Theodotion, and Symmachus. Instead of this Aquila has, “I weighed its pillars forever [ἀεί],” and in the Fifth edition, “I am He who prepared its pillars forever [ἀεί],” and in the Sixth edition, “I myself have strengthened its pillars continually [διαπαντός].” In the Hebrew text, after “Amouda”^[7]—which is “its pillars”—there occurs “sel.”

Again, moreover, in the 75th psalm, which begins, “God is known in Judah” ^[92], we find “diapsalma” in both the Septuagint and Theodotion after “weapons, and sword, and war” ^[93]; and in Symmachus, after “shield, and sword, and war,” [we find] similarly “diapsalma.” But with Aquila, after “shield and war and sword,” [we find] instead “forever,” and in the Sixth column, after “weapon and sword and war,” [we find] “unto the end.” But again, in the Hebrew text, after “oumalama”^[8]—which is “and war”—[we find] “sel.”

And again in the same psalm, after “to save all the meek of the earth” ^[94], Symmachus similarly has “diapsalma.” But in Aquila, after “all the meek of the earth,” there is “forever [ἀεί];” and in like manner in the Fifth column, after “all the meek of the earth,” there is forever [ἀεί].” But in the Sixth column, after “to save the meek of the earth,” there is “unto the end [εἰς τέλος].” And in the Hebrew text, after “aniey ars”^[9]—which is “meek of the earth”—there is “sel.” And so, having found this to be the case without fail after close observation, we have made note of these things. Whether those who have interpreted “diapsalma” wrote [that it pertains to] a change that occurs either with some musical tune or rhythm, or were inclined otherwise, you yourself might give attention.^[10]