Light And Salvation

Deus misereatur nobis et benedicat nos inluminet vultum suum super nos et misereatur nobis ut cognosceamus in terra viam tuam, in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum. Quod autem in latinis libris ita scribitur:  ut cognoscmaus in terra viam tuam, in graecis ita est τοῦ γνῶναι ἐν τῇ γῇ τὴν ὁδὸν σου. inter γνῶναι et cognoscamus, id differt, quod sine personae definitione est γνῶναι ; cognoscamus autem, ipsos eos qui haec loquuntur ostendit. Ergo secundum veram illam graecitatis translationem, illuminari se Dei vultu ob id deprecantur, ut cognita fiat in terra Dei via, quae est doctrine vitae religiosae. Per eam enim ad Deum pergitur. Religiosae autem viae doctrina Christus est, quam se esse Evangeliis ostendit: Ego sum veritas, via et vita. Et rursum: Nemo ad Patrem vadit, nisi per me. Et hunc esse viam, ipse ille connexus sibi psalmi sermo testatur. Quae in terra, id est, vel ex terra ortis, vel inhabitantibus cognoscibilis, et nota praestanda est. Ut cognosceamus in terra viam tuam, in omnibus gentibus salutare tuum. Jesus salutarem dici ipse ille proprietatis sermo loquitur. Nam quod nobiscum salutare est, id apud Hebreaum Jesus est. Confirmat autem istud Angelus ad Joseph de Maria loquens, Pariet autem filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum: quia ipse salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis Jesum itaque ostendit angelus idcirco, quia salutaris esse populo, nuncupandum. Tantae ergo praedicationi se impares esse nisi illuminentur ostendunt: nisi quodam vultus Domini splendore lucescant. Sunt enim et ipsi secundum Evangelium lumen mundi, Dominus autem ipse lux vera est. a luce illuminati, ut lumen essent apostoli et prophetae. Caeterum superfluum est ideo illuminari se velle, ut cognoscant ea de quibus quasi cognitis praedicabant. Sanctus Hilarius Pictaviensis,Tractatus super Psalmos, Tractatus in Psalmum LXVI Source: Migne PL 9.438c- 439b

God be merciful to us and bless us, shine the light of your face on us and be be merciful to us, that we know on earth your way, among all the nations your salvation. 1 That which in the Latin books is written, 'that we know on the earth your way' in the Greek reads, 'To know on earth your way,' and there is a difference between 'to know' and 'that we know' because to know is without expression of the person; for 'that we know' shows that they speak this about themselves. Thus according to the correct Greek translation they pray to be enlightened by the face of God, that the way of God be known on earth, which is the teaching of the religious life. For by that one comes to God. And the teaching of the religious way is Christ, which the Gospels declare: 'I am the truth and the way and the light, and again 'No one comes to the Father unless through me.' 2 And that this is the way, the other part of the Psalm bears witness. What is on the earth either rises from the earth, or must be brought forth to be knowable to the inhabitants. 'That we know on earth your way, among all the people's your salvation.' To say that Jesus is salvation is to speak the name correctly. For what we pronunce 'salvation' in Hebrew is Jesus. And this is confirmed by that angel who spoke to Joseph concerning Mary saying, 'She shall bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, because he will save the people from their sins.' 3 Thus the angel announces that His name to be Jesus because He shall be the salvation of the people. Therefore men are unequal to such preaching unless they show that they are illuminated, unless they shine with the splendour of the face of the Lord. For according to the Gospel they are the light of the world, and the Lord Himself is the true light, 4 and by light illuminated, the Apostles and Prophets are light. And concerning other things the wish to be illuminated is superfluous, that they might know things which as things knowable they might preach. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 66 1 Ps 66.2-3 2 Jn 14.6 3 Mt 1.21 4 Jn 1.9