When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;
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Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
21. Now all that stand in awe of the divine precepts become God’s ‘tabernacle.’ Hence as we have already said above, ‘Truth’ saith by Himself of the man that keeps His commandments, I and My Father will come and make Our abode with him. [John 14, 23] Contrariwise the wicked severally, whereas they do not aim at the things within, pour themselves forth without in the thoughts of their hearts. Whence it is said to them by the Prophet, Turn back to the heart within, O ye transgressors. [Is. 46, 8] And again, Woe to you that devise a vain thing. [Mic. 2, 1] Since in their actions they are afraid of men, whom they see with bodily sight, and God, Whom they do not see, they do not account to be present to them. Contrary whereunto it is said in commendation of a righteous person, seeing that he disregarded the king of Egypt, and obeyed the commandments of God, For he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible. [Heb. 11, 27] For the wicked ruler of the earth he as it were saw not, in that h...
If he actually searched for his former happiness, that was in order to show the providence of God; this is clear when he says, “In the days when God watched over me.” Then he gives evidence of this godly watch. “When his lamp,” he says, “shone over my head.” This means, you will make the light of my lamp shine, because a lamp is really necessary, if the present darkness is deep, if the difficulties of my situation are serious, as well as the assaults of physical suffering, and the plots of the wicked and the fights and attacks of cruel demons. All this shows that “by his light I walked through darkness.” You see that darkness invades everything and that “light shines through darkness.” But, as natural darkness is useful to have rest, it is not useful because of its own nature but thanks to the wisdom of God, who has created everything. - "Commentary on Job 29.2a–5"
