Hopeful Attentiveness - Lesson from Psalm 61 (62)

Spiritually seek the condition where your soul is ever attentive to the will of God, aware of His love for us, and with the aim to be perfected in His image.  In Psalm 61 (62) David prays that his soul be submissive to God, because he knows that this necessary for our salvation. He recognizes God as his savior and protector. He realizes that with his firm faith all the trials and tribulations he faces will be overcome. This is what we too are to seek. We need a soul that is attentive to the will of God if we have the hope of following Him and being united with Him in eternal life.

1 For the End, for Jeduthun; a psalm by David.
2 Shall not my soul be submissive to God?
For from Him is my salvation.
3 For He is my God and my savior,
My protector; I shall be shaken no more.

David also wonders how long he will have to struggle. For us this struggle is an everyday issue. We must resist the norms of our current worldly society. Following worldly advice we can damage and even kill the soul in us. We will be praised for accomplishments that have nothing to do with our salvation. We may begin to think these achievements are what is most important, forgetting the commandments that God has laid down for us. This attack will continue throughout our life. We must learn to be attentive.

4 How long will you attack a man?
All of you murder him;
You attack him as you would a leaning wall and a broken hedge.
5 They also planned to remove my honor;
They ran with a lie;
They blessed with their mouth, and they cursed with their heart. (Pause)

David begs that his soul be submissive to God. What God can give us is patient endurance. This can come through prayer, participation in the sacraments, understanding God’s teaching and following the guidelines of His Church. In this way we will receive grace to necessary to endure the many misleading forces we encounter. 

6 However, be submissive to God, O my soul,
For my patient endurance is from Him.

This begins by recognizing the Truth that it is God who can save us. It is through His power that we can resist the worldly temptations, and become able to resist norms that go against what God desires. With unwavering faith we can protect our soul. God in His love can protect us and give us the necessary strength to overcome all the temptations of this worldly life.

7 For He is my God and my savior,
My protector; I shall never be moved.
8 In God is my salvation and my glory;
He is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.
9 Hope in Him, all you congregation of people;
Pour out your hearts before Him;
God is our helper. (Pause)

Beware of those who do not share your faith. Beware of what others tell you is important for your success. Beware of self-help programs devoid of faith. Beware of all forces that try to get you to conform to the wiles of this world.

10 But the sons of men are useless;
The sons of men are liars with the yokes of wrongdoing;
They are altogether useless.
11 Do not hope in wrongdoing,
And do not hunger for booty;
If riches flow in,
Do not set your heart on them.

Remember always that God is unconditional love and all merciful. No matter how many times we fall because of the numerous temptations we will face in this life, he is waiting for our repentance with open arms, just like in the story of the Prodigal Son. From the time of our baptism God is in us. His power is ours if we are willing to seek it. In the end we will be judged based on how well we have used our free will, how well we were able to follow what He created us to be and do. Draw on His strength to follow Him alone! In this way you will be saved.

12 God spoke once;
I heard these two things:
13 That power is of God, and to You, O Lord, is mercy;
For You will repay every man according to his works.

It is necessary for us to stay on a path where we are ever searching for God’s direction. We must be patient and careful waiting for Him to act within us. If we continually are looking for salvation, for eternal life united with Him, we will find the peace we seek, a peace that cannot be found following worldly wisdom. Human power and wealth have no significance unless it is united with the will of God.

Because of our weakness, our need for affirmation of others, our self centeredness, the path we must endure is very difficult. The key is to continually struggle, improving bit by bit, and calling on the Holy Spirt to help us in all things. Develop a regular prayer lie, participate regularly in the sacraments of the Church, read a little Scripture everyday along with the writings of the Church fathers, seek fellowship among those who share your faith, and avoid others who have little regard for Scriptural teachings. 

Following a way of life prescribed by our Orthodox Church your soul will be continually nurtured. You will grow spiritually. This is the path toward salvation that God has blessed us with. Follow it!

Misguided by Today’s Norms? A Lesson from Psalm 72 (73)

Living by the Gospel is difficult. Today, we face major spiritual challenges due to the misguided norms of our time. We seem to have lost a clear view of what is good according to Scriptural teaching. We no longer seem to keep our vision of death and what is to come for those who fail to recognize the consequences of our daily choices. We often ignore what we know to be righteous and, instead, opt to follow norms of our time. Psalm 72 (73) speaks to this issue.

Asaph begins his Psalm confessing that he was almost misled by those who ignore God’s commands or modify them to fit their desires for success or material well being. He then shows how he changed his view through God’s grace and was made aware of the greater consequences in store for those who rely on social norms to gain success or well being through their own efforts. Recognizing the source of Truth he turns to embrace God and His goodness.

This is the challenge we all still face in these times. We are influenced by the misguided norms of our current times. We are all sinners and easily misled like the Psalmist. The Church provides us with a sacramental life where we can seek forgiveness from our loving and all merciful God.

It’s important to recognize our weakness and spiritual fragility. We are often blind to the ways of our choices and actions. The norms of this world can keep us in darkness. It’s easy to forget the whole picture, forgetting our purpose and the end we are destined.

Reflect on the lesson from Psalm 72 (73)

Here is psalm 72 with comments:

Asaph begins by proclaiming the goodness of God. He expresses the difficulty he finds in explaining evil in the world and how he almost became misled.

1 A psalm for Asaph. †

How good God is to Israel,

To the upright in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet were almost shaken;

My steps had nearly slipped.

He then explains what misled him. Not following the commandments, not being aware of life after death, false approval of others, arrogance, evil thought, disdain for God, unaware of God’s omnipresence, meaningless of wealth.

3 For I was jealous of the lawless

When I beheld the peace of sinners.

4 For there is no upward gaze at their death

Nor steadfastness in their chastening.

5 They are not in difficulties as other men,

And they shall not be chastened with other men.

6 For this reason arrogance mastered them;

They clothed themselves with their wrongdoing and ungodliness;

7 Their wrongdoing shall go forth as from fatness;

They passed through to their heart's intent.

8 They thought and spoke in evil;

They spoke in wrongdoing to the height.

9 They set their mouth against heaven,

And their tongue passed through the earth.

10 For this reason my people shall return here;

Days of fullness shall be found in them.

11 They said, “How does God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

12 Behold, these are sinners, and they prosper;

They possess wealth in this age.

He explains how he began doubting the path of righteousness and recognized his sinfulness.

13 And I said, “Surely in vain have I kept my heart righteous, And washed my hands with the innocent.”

14 For all day long I was scourged,

And my reproof persisted through the night. 

15 If I should speak, I would describe it thus: Behold, I am breaking covenant with the generation of your children.

Seeing the difficulty in his situation he catches himself seeking God’s help to understand.

16 And I sought to understand this;

It was difficult in my sight,

17 Until I came into God's holy place

And understood their end.

He discovers the consequences of errors of ignoring the tenets of a righteous life, recognizing how he was almost deluded into faithlessness. He becomes repentive.

18 Surely, for their deceits You appointed deceits for them;

You cast them down in their exaltation.

19 Oh, how they came into desolation suddenly!

They ceased to be; they perished in their lawlessness.

20 Like a dream to one who is awakened,

So, O Lord, You shall despise their image in Your city.

21 For my heart was kindled,

And my reins were changed,

22 And I was despised, and did not know;

I became like a beast before You.

Turning to God he seeks His guidance and embrace.

23 And I am continually with You;

You hold fast my right hand;

24 With Your counsel You guide me,

And with glory You take hold of me.

He is now able to embrace God and declaim his desire to stay close to Him.

25 For what is there in heaven for me but You,

And what do I desire on earth besides You?

26 My heart and my flesh fail,

O God of my heart; and God is my portion forever.

He realizes the consequences of the errors of others who seem to do well but ignore God”s commands.

27 For behold, those who keep themselves far away from You shall perish;

You destroy away from You all who act unfaithfully.

He ends his psalm proclaiming all God’s praises and commits to put his hope only in Him.

 .

Psalm 116 (117) with Commentaries of Church Fathers

PSALM  116 (117)

1 Alleluia. Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; Praise Him, all you peoples, 

2 For His mercy rules over us; And the truth of the Lord endures forever.

TEHILLIM: The Psalm contains magnificent praise to God. David describes why it is proper for him to love God in light of all the miracles He performed for him. Dvid does not know how to repay God, declaring ir impossible to repay all that God has done for  him.

David recited this psalm in connection with the troubles he endured as he fled from one place to another in fear of Saul and of those who plotted against him. When God saved David from all of them, he recited this psalm.

Alleluia.

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

REARDON: why do the nations (ethnoi) and the peoples praise the Lord? “For His mercy (eleos) is confirmed upon us, and the truth of the Lord abides forever.” When St. Paul quotes the first half of our psalm in Romans 15: 11, it is in support of his large argument “that the Gentiles (ethnoi) might glorify God for His mercy (eleos)” (15: 9).

The word “nations” in this psalm does not mean the modern “countries” as political units. In the psalm’s context, indeed, the term has no political meaning at all, even though ethnic divisions are very often embodied in political structures. Standing as a synonymous parallel to “peoples,” the word “nations” in this psalm has a general reference to those various distinctions among human beings that are determined by geography, language, specific histories, and other cultural patterns. The sense is conveyed by Daniel’s exhortation that “all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him” (Dan. 7: 14).

THEODORET: He summons all to a dance at the same time: he provided the occasions of salvation for all the nations, not Greeks only and Romans, but for all savages, employing the sacred apostles as ministers of benefaction. “Go, make disciples of all the nations,” he said, “baptizing them in the name of die Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I commanded you.” In obedience to tills law they traversed all land and sea, one bringing Indians to Christ, one Egyptians, one Ethiopians. Blessed Paul teaches concisely to how many nations he offered the divine message, “so that from Jerusalem as far round as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ.” It was not, in fact, by following the direct route but by encompassing the nations situated in the middle that he offered the saving teachings: “Thus I make it my ambition not to preach the Gospel where the name of Christ has already been heard, lest I build on someone else’s foundation; rather, as it is written, Those who have never been told of him shall see, and those who have never heard shall understand.” Later, of course, he set foot on Italy and reached Spain, and brought benefit to the islands situated in the ocean. In fact, in his letter to the Romans he said, “I hope to visit you on my travels to Spain, and to be sent on to there by you if first I have enjoyed your company for a little  while"; and writing to the remarkable Titus he says, “I left you behind in Crete for the reason that you should appoint elders town by town, as I directed you.” Thus the excellent John rid Asia of its former godlessness; thus the divinely inspired Andrew illuminated Greece with the rays of the knowledge of God; thus the divine Philip rebutted the error of both Phrygias; thus the mighty Peter traveled from Jerusalem as far as the city of Rome, offering the rays of truth to all; thus they all traversed the whole world, dispersed the gloom of ignorance, and gave a glimpse of the Sun of Righteousness. The inspired word was, therefore, right to urge all the nations to offer the hymn to God, since they all enjoyed salvation.

Praise Him, all you peoples,

THEODORET: In former times Jews were scattered to the ends of the whole world, taught to worship the one God. So since they no longer occupied only Palestine, and did not continue to form one people under one king, but were scattered among the nations and obeyed their rulers while maintaining their own lifestyle and observing the direction of the Law, he was right to speak of them not as a people but as peoples. In fact, most of them accepted the divine message: in Jerusalem three thousand and five thousand were caught by the fishermen on a single occasion; and later there were large numbers beyond counting, the divine James said; and in Syria, Cilicia, Lycaonia, Pisidia, Asia [Minor], and Painphylia,* and in all the other nations the apostles offered the divine message to Jews first. Some believed and enjoyed the truth, while others contradicted the beneficial teachings. The inspired word, then, is right to urge even them to sing the praises of the benefactor, calling them peoples.

For His mercy rules over us;

THEODORET: it was by applying mercy alone that he achieved our salvation. Thus blessed Paul also says, “When the goodness and the loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not through the righteous deeds we had done but in his great mercy, through washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out on us in rich measure"; and again, “By grace you have been saved through faith: and this is not from you, but a gift of God”; and elsewhere, “The saying is sure, and worthy of complete acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first but I received mercy." God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. So the inspired word was right to say his merry to us has been deepened.

And the truth of the Lord endures forever.

THEODORET: for he bestowed the salvation, which he promised through the holy authors. Blessed Paul also says as much in beginning his letter to the Romans, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle, set apart for God's Gospel, which he promised beforehand through his inspired authors in the holy Scriptures"; and again, "I say that Jesus Christ became a minister of the circumcision on behalf of God’s truth for the confirmation of the promises to the ancestors and lor the nations to glorify God for his mercy.” Since, therefore, the God of all fulfilled the promises, bestowed the salvation he promised, and opened the fountains of mercy to all, we who have come forward from the Jews and you who have come to faith from the nations, blend together in harmonious singing and thus repay the benefactor.

Psalm 129 (130) with Commentaries of Church Fathers

PSALM 129 (130)

1 An ode of ascents. Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; 

2 O Lord, hear my voice; Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplication. 

3 If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand? 

4 For there is forgiveness with You. 

5 Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; My soul waited for Your word. 

6 My soul hopes in the Lord, From the morning watch until night; From the morning watch until night, Let Israel hope in the Lord. 

7 For with the Lord there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption; 

8 And He shall redeem Israel From all his transgressions.

REARDON: Throughout Christian history, Psalm 129 (Hebrew 130) has been one of the psalms most frequently prayed. Indeed, this psalm having long been designated for daily recitation in both the East and the West, there are undoubtedly thousands of Christians even now who know it by heart.

And as the day ends, most of us are aware of various ways in which, during the course of it, we have failed of the grace of God, perhaps permitting some root of bitterness to spring up and trouble us, whereby many are defiled (Heb. 12: 15). We end our day, therefore, by remembering God’s mercy: “If You, O Lord, should count our sins, O Lord, who could stand it? But with You there is appeasement. For Your name’s sake have I waited for You, O Lord. My soul has waited on Your word.”

And what is this “word” from God for which we wait at the end of the day? Is it, perhaps, “Today you will be with Me in paradise”? Surely the thief hanging on the Lord’s right hand was waiting for such a word, knowing that if the Lord should count our sins, who could stand it? Some mysterious movement of grace in his soul, however, prompted him to hope that with the Lord there is appeasement.

TEHILLIM: The Psalmist prays  for an end of his being in exile.

An ode of ascents.

1. Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

THEODORET: “Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord”, that is to say, From the very bottom of my heart I pour out the supplication. The divine Scripture condemns those who employ only their lips: at one place the prophet Jeremiah says to the God of all, “You are near to their mouth, but far from their innards”; at another place God himself through the prophet Isaiah condemns Jews in the words, This people honors me with their lips, but the heart is far from me."
CHRYSOSTOM: What is the meaning of “Out of the depths”? He did not simply say, "Out of my mouth;" he did not simply say, "With my tongue;" his mind was wandering when the words came out, you see. Instead, from the depths of my heart, with great zeal and enthusiasm, from the very bottom of my mind. Such, you see, are the souls of the distressed: they stir up their very heart in its entirety, calling on God with deep compunction - which is precisely the reason they are heard. Prayers like this, in fact, have immense force, not being overturned or undermined, even should the devil attack with great impetus.
People who pray like this, you see, even before they receive what they request, reap fine benefits from their prayer, repressing all their passions, assuaging anger, repelling envy, quelling desire, extinguishing the lust for things of this life, reducing the soul to complete tranquility, and finally raising it to heaven itself. In other words, just as rain falling on tough terrain, or fire on steel, softens it, so prayer of this kind softens and bedews the toughness of the mind in its passions more thoroughly than fire and more effectively than rain. The soul, after all, is tender and pliable; but as often occurs with the waters of the Ister that become solidified with ice, our soul too has the experience of becoming hardened and petrified with sin and deep indifference. So we have need of great ardor so as to soften the hardness. Now, this in particular is what prayer achieves. When, therefore, we practice prayer, do not look only to get what you ask but also to make the soul better from prayer itself; this is the function of prayer, after all. The person praying in this way rises above earthly concerns, gives wings to the mind, makes the brain lighter, falls victim to none of the passions.  
“Out of the depths I cried to you, O Lord”: he makes two points here, Out of the depths, and crying, implying by crying not just the tone of voice but the disposition of attitude. O Lord, hearken to my voice: we learn two things from this, that it is not possible simply to attain what comes from God if what comes from us is not to the fore—hence he first said Out of the depths I cried, and only then hearken; secondly, that fervent prayer accompanied by the tears of compunction has great power to influence God to accede to our requests. Like someone who has achieved something wonderful and made a contribution of one's own, he added, “Lord, hearken to my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the sound of my supplication”: he calls the faculty of hearing ears, and says again sound, referring not to the pitch of the breath, nor to the cry, but to the intensity of disposition.

2. O Lord, hear my voice; Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

THEODORET: He knows God is bodiless, despite using human expressions: he uses terms for the sense of hearing and sight. Our eyes, of course, have the power of sight, and our ears have been equipped with the sense of hearing. What God hears with, on the contrary, he also sees with, and what he sees with he also hears with.

AUGUSTINE:  "Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice". Jonas cried from the deep; from the whale's belly. He was not only beneath the waves, but also in the entrails of the beast; nevertheless, those waves and that body prevented not his prayer from reaching God, and the beast's belly could not contain the voice of his prayer. It penetrated all things, it burst through all things, it reached the ears of God: if indeed we ought to say that, bursting through all things, it reached the ears of God, since the ears of God were in the heart of him who prayed. For where hath not he God present, whose voice is faithful? Nevertheless, we also ought to understand from what deep we cry unto the Lord. For this mortal life is our deep. Whoever hath understood himself to be in the deep, crieth out, groaneth, sigheth, until he be delivered from the deep, and come unto Him who sitteth above all the deeps.

3. If You, O Lord, should mark transgression, O Lord, who would stand?

CHRYSOSTOM: in case anyone were to say, "I am a sinner, I am full of sins beyond counting, I cannot approach and pray and call on God," he strips away this pretext by saying, If you were to take note of crimes, Lord, Lord, who would stand? Who here means "no one," you see. It is impossible, after all, it is impossible for anyone to render a meticulous account of one's affairs and ever attain mercy and lovingkindness. We say this, not to drive souls to indifference, but to comfort those who have fallen into despair.  

AUGUSTINE: he hath disclosed from what deep he cried out. For he crieth beneath the weights and billows of his iniquities .... He said not, I may not abide it: but, "who may abide it?" For he saw that nigh the whole of human life on every side was ever bayed at by its sins, that all consciences were accused by their thoughts, that a clean heart trusting in its own righteousness could not be found.

4. For there is forgiveness with You.

CHRYSOSTOM: It is not in our good deeds but in your goodness that the possibility lies of escaping punishment; in other words, avoidance of judgement rests with your lovingkindness. If we were not to benefit from it, our efforts would not suffice for snatching us from the wrath to come. This he indicated also through the inspired author, saying, "I am the one who blots out your crimes,"that is, it comes from my goodness, my lovingkindness. Thus, in other words, your efforts would not ever suffice for freedom from retribution were not the workings of my lovingkindness also brought to bear. And again "I support you."   

AUGUSTINE: And what is this propitiation, except sacrifice? And what is sacrifice, save that which hath been offered for us? The pouring forth of innocent blood blotted out all the sins of the guilty: so great a price paid down redeemed all captives from the hand of the enemy who captured them. "With Thee," then, "there is propitiation." For if there were not mercy with Thee, if Thou chosest to be Judge only, and didst refuse to be merciful, Thou wouldest mark all our iniquities, and search after them. Who could abide this? Who could stand before Thee, and say, I am innocent? Who could stand in Thy judgment?

5. Because of Your law, O Lord, I waited for You; My soul waited for Your word.

THEODORET: he means. Aware of this your goodness (you employed mercy like some law), I do not renounce firm hope as I await [1901] the promise of good things. He called the good promise here word; loving-kindness, however, he promised to the repentant.

6. My soul hopes in the Lord, 

   

CHRYSOSTOM: on account of your lovingkindness, on account of your Law I looked forward to salvation; for if I were to consider my own capabilities, I would long ago have despaired, I would long ago have given up. As it is, however, I attend to your Law and your word, and so have sound hope. Which word? That of lovingkindness. He is the one, you see, who says, "As heaven is far above earth, so are my plans above your plan and my ways above your ways;"and again, "According to the height of heaven above earth the Lord confirmed his mercy on those who fear him;" and again, "As far as the east is from the west he removed our transgressions from us."That is to say, I did not only save the virtuous, but I also spared sinners, and amidst your sins I gave evidence of my own support and care.

6. From the morning watch until night; From the morning watch until night, Let Israel hope in the Lord.

CHRYSOSTOM: nothing is so efficacious for salvation as watching constantly and depending on that hope, even should countless problems beset us to drive us to despair. This is an impenetrable wall, this is unassailable security, this an impregnable tower. Even should circumstances betoken death, danger and ruin, therefore, do not stop hoping in God and expecting his salvation: everything is easy and simple for him, and he will be able to find a means where none exists. Accordingly, do not expect to enjoy help only when things go swimmingly; rather, at that time most of all when there is storm and tempest, and the risk of ultimate disaster hangs over you - then it is in particular that God gives greater evidence of his power. This, then, is what he means: at all times you must hope in the Lord, all your days, all your life.

7. For with the Lord there is mercy,

And with Him is abundant redemption;

8. And He shall redeem Israel from all his transgressions.

THEODORET: The verse directs its prophecy to the Lord: he is the Lamb of God in person, who takes away the sin of the world. This was also the way the divine Gabriel spoke to the holy Virgin: “You will have a son, and you will give him the name Jesus, because he is the one who will save his people from their sins.”

CHRYSOSTOM: What is the meaning of Because with the Lord there is mercy? A font and treasure of lovingkindess is to be found there, he is saying, flowing constantly. Now, where there is mercy there is also redemption - and not only redemption but also complete redemption, a limitless ocean of lovingkindness. Even if we are given up as lost because of our sins, therefore, we should not lose heart or despair: where there is mercy and lovingkindness, accounting for sin is not taken scrupulously, the judge overlooking much because of his great mercy and his propensity to lovingkindness. God is like this, you see, inclined and favorable to showing constant mercy and giving pardon. He will redeem Israel from all its transgressions. If he is like this, then, and the magnitude of his lovingkindness is everywhere poured out, it is obvious that he will also save his people and free them not only from punishment but also from their sins.

Mindful of this, therefore, let us continue to implore and entreat him, and never desist, whether we receive what we ask or not. After all, if it is in his power to give, and in his power when to give, he also knows precisely the right time. Consequently, let us continue beseeching, imploring, having confidence in his mercy and lovingkindness, and let us never despair of our salvation but contribute what is ours, and what is his will follow in its fulness, since mercy on his part is beyond telling and lovingkindness without limit. 

Psalm 141 (142) with commentary

Psalm 141 (142)

1 Understanding; by David, when he was in the cave; a prayer. 

2 I cried to the Lord with my voice, With my voice I prayed to the Lord. 

3 I shall pour out my supplication before Him; I shall declare my affliction in His presence. 

4 When my spirit fainted within me, Then You knew my paths; For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me. 

5 I looked on my right, and saw There was no one who knew me; Refuge failed me, And there was no one who cared for my soul. 

6 I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, My portion in the land of the living. 

7 Attend to my supplication, For I was humbled exceedingly; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I. 

8 Bring my soul out of prison To give thanks to Your name, O Lord; The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.”

THEODORET: The psalm’s theme is clear. Pursued by Saul, the divine David took refuge in the cave and hid himself in its interior.1 Then, perceiving Saul brought down into it, he banished fear from his mind, called for the divine assistance, and attained it. 

REARDON: Psalm 141 is a prayer of desolation and loneliness:

Samuel 22 tells of his seeking refuge from Saul in “the cave of Adullam,” and two chapters later there is a dramatic description of David’s concealment from Saul in a cave near Engedi by the Dead Sea.

When we think of those unjustly accused who may have prayed this psalm, various characters come to mind from the Book of Daniel, such as Susannah, the three youths in the furnace, and the Prophet himself. And if this psalm is a fitting supplication for those in prison, then the Prophet Micaiah and John the Baptist are to be counted among those who may have prayed it. Likewise the Apostles Peter, Paul (“ in prisons more frequently”), and John. But most of all, and adding superabundant dignity to the rest, there is Christ our Lord, the Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, abandoned by His closest friends, betrayed by one of them and denied in public by another, but finding His sole refuge in the Father.

TEHILLIM: David composed this awesome and wonders psalm while biding for Saul in a cave, at which time he had cut off the corner of Saul’s garment (to prove that he was able to kill him but did not do so).  He declared, “Where can I turn, and where can I run? I have no recourse but to cry out to you.”

Understanding; by David, when he was in the cave; a prayer.

1. I cried to the Lord with my voice, With my voice I prayed to the Lord.

CHRYSOSTOM: everywhere he makes this beginning and here uses voice twice. It is not without purpose...it is to teach us two things, both the vigor of his enthusiasm and alertness of his mind, and in addition that the voice is his.

2. I shall pour out my supplication before Him;

THEODORET: I shall declare my affliction in His presence. From this it is clear that he calls his earnestness of mind cry: how could this man in hiding and anxious to escape notice use his voice to cry out? So he means, In all earnestness I implored God.

I made the trouble clear to him, he is saying, and earnestly offered the petition about it; he indicated by pour out the force of the request.

CHRYSOSTOM: Do you see a spirit freed of earthly concerns? He neither had recourse to human beings, nor looked for assistance from them but for invincible help and grace from above. Wishing to make clear the intensity of his mind and fervor buried within him he said, “l pour out” in great abundance. From this we learn that tribulations also make no slight contribution to sound values. This is the fruit of tribulation, after all. It has in fact two advantages: one, in making us more zealous and attentive; the other, in proving no insignificant reason to be heard... And everywhere in Scripture we shall find that those bearing tribulations with gratitude not only expiate many of their sins but also obtain thereby no little confidence in God’s presence.

3. When my spirit fainted within me, then You knew my paths; For on the way I was going, they hid a trap for me.

CHRYSOSTOM: When faint hearted people in particular give up and many utter defamatory words, then the psalmist most of all employs good sense, having tribulations  as a teacher. So when you see someone despairing as a result of tribulation, or uttering some harsh word, hold not the tribulation responsible but the faintheartedness of the speaker—its natural with tribulation to have the opposite effect—attention, a contrite mind, an alert attitude, depth of piety. Hence Paul also said, “Tribulation produces endurance and endurance character.” And, “Lest I’ve carried away with the magnitude of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given me, as a messenger of Satan, to punish me. Three times I besought the Lord about it, and he said to me, My grace is enough for you: my power is brought to completion in weakness. When I am weak, you see, then I am strong.”

4. I looked on my right, and saw there was no one who knew me; Refuge failed me, and there was no one who cared for my soul.

THEODORET: I espied no helper in any direction, he is saying, calling action of the better disposed the right. Flight is no longer available to me, and there is no one looking after my soul: I have fallen into nets from which there is no escape, I find no means of flight nor one to assist me. 

CHRYSOSTOM: Here he shows the extent of the disaster...and what was worse , that not only were any allies or assistants not at hand, but they did not even recognize him. This is the extent of isolation, the height of alienation... This brought him no harm and instead it gave even greater benefit bringing him into relationship with God. So, when you see evils on the increase, do not lose heart, but be more on the alert: this is the reason God allows them to arise, to shake you from your slumber...one becomes more zealous in prayer, more active in alms giving, in scorn for the belly, and every vice becomes more easily overcome, banished by tribulation.

In addition he shows not only that traps lay in the way, nor was there  anyone to help or to recognize him, but there was no way out left him... he was cut off in the midst of evils... so what does he do? Does he disparaged of his salvation? No,

5. I cried to You, O Lord; I said, “You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.

CHRYSOSTOM: Not being disparaged he takes refuge in God. Note the alertness of spirit. Far from problems overwhelming him, they instead gave him wings, and being in difficulties he knew the invincible hand and all powerful force... He said You are my help: all human means have proved futile and the storm so far exceeds all assistance to be beyond all measures for surviving shipwreck. Yet even if this is beyond Hope in human estimation, and we are sinking, nevertheless everything is easy for You; hence let us hope and not grow faint. My inheritance, “ My portion of the living”, my treasure, my wealth—you are everything in yourself. Here he calls his own country the land of the living... and often calls the Babylonian captivity Hades and death.

7. Bring my soul out of prison to give thanks to Your name, O Lord; The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.”

CHRYSOSTOM:What he means is free me from troubles: by “prison” he hints at the excess of calamities. ...neither did tribulation make him lose heart but rather led him to supplication and prayer, nor did ease render him supine but led him also at that time to thanksgiving (to confess thy name).

“The righteous shall wait for me, until You reward me.” This will be of benefit even to the righteous: they will rejoice, be glad, jump for joy, to see my freedom from trouble. The righteous souls grieve with those who are abused and do not envy those who prosper, and on the other hand they rejoice and share the happiness and satisfaction of those shown favor. As Paul says, “ Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”

Let us bear the troubles besetting us with thanks, so that even they may become easier, and we may attain the future goods. May it be the good fortune of us all to be granted this, thanks to the grace and loving kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power, for the ages of ages.

THEODORET: the enemies have become stronger than I, but through your aid I shall escape their clutches. Bring my soul out of prison so that I may confess to your name. Aquila, on the other hand, put it this way, “Bring my soul out of confinement,” in other words, it was as if he was held in a kind of enclosure and cell, with the enemies camped at the door of the cave. Yet he promises to repay the favors with hymns, once he attains salvation. Righteous people will wait for me until you give me recompense. Symmachus, on the other hand, put it this way, “The righteous will crown your name when you act in my favor”: they will take the favor done to me as a pledge of salvation in their regard, and praise you as the just Judge.

Patience is needful and a product of Faith

In our daily life we encounter many temptations and difficulties. Sometimes it is difficult to think about God and acknowledge His never ending  love. All these trials and tribulations seek to divert us from a God-pleasing life following His commandments. Because of this, the path is described as narrow and difficult. The only way a faithful person can remain on this path is to have patience.

Saint Theophan says,

Patience overcomes misfortunes and patience withstands temptations. It is the foundation of a life that is unquestioning and always faithful to God’s commandments. Without patience not a step can be taken on that path.

The mother of patience, he says, is faith. This is a faith that firmly believes that everything we encounter comes from God or is allowed by Him. He has promised that He will not give us more than we are capable of handling if we only trust in Him. Everything we encounter is part of the path necessary for our perfection in Him.

Saint Theophan says,

If with God’s permission some temptations do occur, this is only to let us overcome that which draws us towards sin and receive the crown of righteousness for our strong devotion to the Lord’s commandments. Therefore, just endure this time of temptations, and that which seems so heavy will bring joy here, and prepare the ointment for eternal joy there, Believers have this kind of patience.

This kind of patience demonstrates our true faith and shows that it is God’s power working actively in our heart. 

Saint Theophan says,

Patience gives steadiness in goodness; and this steadiness makes faultless all the efforts of the enemies, and tears all their nets. Steadiness itself is a fruit of God’s power, which has settled in the heart for its dedication to God.

Prophet David demonstrates the faith and patience. He writes,

Sinners have set a snare for me, yet from Thy commandment have I not strayed (Psalm 118:110).

Reference: Psalm 118: A Commentary by Saint Theophan the Recluse, p248.

What does it mean to love His commandments with a whole heart?

Prophet David says in Psalm 118, “Behold, how I have loved thy commandments...” What is meant by this? Blessed Theophylact points out that David “does not simply say, I observed the commandments, but rather I loved them, although, nothing forced me to fulfill them.”

Most of us can’t really say we love His commandments. We may say we love God, but His commandments seem like something difficult, a burden, something we must force ourselves to follow. Perhaps this is only an indication of a weak faith and a limited love of God. David is teaching us that to really love God with our whole heart we also must learn to love His commandments.

Saint Theophan clarifies David’s view. Speaking as David he writes:

The commandments lie at the bottom of my heart, at the very sources of life, and are involved in all its manifestations. I love not only deeds according to the commandments, but the very moral purity required by them, the very perfection of life expressed by them. I love not only the deeds of humility, but humility itself, not only abstention from bursts of anger and impurity, but meekness itself and chastity, not only the deeds of mercy, but mercifulness itself—and so forth.

To love His commandments we must love the "very moral purity required of them." We also must love path to purification of our heart that enables us to live them. It’s more than the values that result from a God-pleasing life. We love the order and perfection they bring, the “moral purity,” the “humility”, the “meekness” that is necessary to live by them. This love develops when the commandments are contained in our heart and we are able to live them without effort. They are no longer forced. They become our natural habit, our way of life. Granted it takes a struggle to reach this state, but as we learn humility and to trust  in God we find this struggle results in love of the commandments themselves, the purity they entail, and the path essential to gain them in our life. 

This love of commandments is possible because the virtues they teach are already in our being. Saint Theophan explains,

Created in God’s image, we carry in ourselves the seeds of all God’s qualities of goodness. And they alone would have shone in our hearts, if the passions that darken, enshroud and distort them had not been grafted on to us by the Fall. The passions are the reason that there is in us a coldness towards virtues, an opposition to, and finally a turning away from them. Perhaps if there had not been God’s commandments, the passions would have led us so far as to drive every virtue from the face of the earth.

This need for love of God' commandments is key to our understanding the spiritual life. We find living by the commandments is difficult because our hearts are filled with passions. It’s not because we are inherently incapable, but that we let our heart be darkened and overtaken by them. The virtues needed to love the commandments are in us, We just have to give them the freedom to become our normal behavior. When we say the commandments are in our heart, it means they become the object of our love and we cannot think of being without them. We love the way of life they bring, and the virtues that make them natural in us. 

When we are able to purify the heart by taming the passions then the commandments stir up in us a life of virtue without effort. 

Saint Theophan puts it this way:

The commandments having been heard, enter in by the hearing, and there they stir up the remembrance of virtues, and of the brightness of the state into which they put a person, in contrast to the darkness of the passions. This remembrance disposes us to submit to the commandments, for the power  contained in them to return us to the lost but desired and bright spiritual state—and we do submit. At first, this submission is both called forth and supported only by the expectation of spiritual good from the commandments, and is effected by an effort of the will. But steadfastness in filling them, the slaying of the passions, quickens in the heart the virtues suppressed by them, returns the quickened ones, and allows the sweetness of those returned to be tasted. This is experienced sweetness of virtues draws the heart to it and makes it inalienable, because it is not coming from the outside, but radiates from the inside and envelopes the heart. From this comes love.

The path to a God-pleasing life based on following God’s commandments dose not happen all at once, but gradually. We submit to them and with Gods help we are purified. When we act through the synergistic efforts of our own effort and God’s grace, participate in the sacramental life in His Church, we step-by-step attain the perfection that Jesus came to show us by His example. When perfected we too will loudly proclaim how we love His commandments,

Reference: Psalm 118: A Commentary by Saint Theophan the Recluse, pp 319-320.

What is Happiness?

The prophet David gives us an answer in Psalm 118:

I have inherited Thy testimonies for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart. (Psalm 118:111)

Once one has faith in Jesus Christ, accepts His teaching, has committed to living by them, then he will have a spiritual joy that will never cease. These teachings, when accepted with faith, fill our heart, promising a future life that overcomes our physical death. When death is no longer something to be feared, we feel an inner peace. There is longer need for anxiety. This is the force behind a self-centered way of being and is destroyed. We can then enjoy true happiness. We become embraced in His love. 

What is happiness? Saint Theophan says,

A state that rejoices the heart. Happy is he who is gladdened by everything that is in him, with him, and near him.

And what is the means to this happiness, he continues:

Take God’s testimonies, the decrees of God’s will, attested to by God Himself, with all love and desire, and abide in them with the firm intention to be faithful to them forever—and this will pour into your heart a joy that will not depart from it forever, so that the transition from one life into the other will be for him nothing else but a change of the joy of this earth to a joy that is never ending and indescribable.

This is the full message of Jesus’ message in the Beatitudes. Saint Theophan offers this summary of Jesus’ most important talk:

If you want to be blessed, that is happy all around—be humble, contrite of heart, meek, loving righteousness, compassionate, pure of heart, peace-making, patient and good natured.

The path to true happiness is not pleasure seeking, acquiring greater material well being or wealth, making more friends, enhancing the way we look, having a grand vacation or a fine meal. All these things may bring a temporary sense of happiness, but do not last because we alway seek more and more. True happiness only comes as Prophet David says, when we accept as our inheritance all the testimonies of or Lord. Filling our life in following them, knowing we will overcome death, our heart is filled with His grace and unending joy.

This message is given not just by the prophets, but also by Jesus, His Apostles and the Church fathers. This message is at the foundation of the Church and her liturgies and teachings. They are all geared to help us overcome our present way of life and to instead embrace Christ and His testimonies. With humility and passionate love of Christ, we will be blessed with everlasting joy.

Reference: Psalm 118: A Commentary by Saint Theophan the Recluse, p249

Ten Points for Living an Orthodox Life