O Lord, my might, and my strength, and my refuge in the day of tribulation: to thee the Gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth, and shall say: Surely our fathers have possessed lies, a vanity which hath not profited them.
יְהוָ֞ה עֻזִּ֧י וּמָעֻזִּ֛י וּמְנוּסִ֖י בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה אֵלֶ֗יךָ גּוֹיִ֤ם יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ מֵֽאַפְסֵי־אָ֔רֶץ וְיֹאמְר֗וּ אַךְ־שֶׁ֙קֶר֙ נָחֲל֣וּ אֲבוֹתֵ֔ינוּ הֶ֖בֶל וְאֵֽין־בָּ֥ם מוֹעִֽיל׃
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To You belong the nations. The Israelites, who were raised by righteous ancestors, have wandered into sin, whereas these people have not. The prophet declares this, rebuking them while highlighting how their punishment will serve a greater purpose for others, simultaneously provoking the Jewish people. Those who are close will treat You with contempt, while those who are distant will be drawn to You.
The Gentiles belong to you. Even though they have acted with stubbornness and defiance and their thoughts are often irrational, they find salvation and glory through Christ. Their journey began with the martyrs, whose triumphant rewards illuminate the heavens with the brilliance of their glory.
Regarding the calling of the Gentiles, which was to come and is now realized, it is said, ‘To Thee shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers inherited only lies, emptiness, and things of no avail’ (Jer. 16:19). This theme is elaborated in Chapter XXXIII. It discusses what Jeremiah and Zephaniah, inspired by the prophetic Spirit, predicted about Christ and the invitation extended to the Gentiles.
O Lord, you are my stronghold and my aid... to you the nations will come from the farthest corners of the earth. The return of the Israelites from Babylon was a precursor, yet it was ultimately fulfilled through our Lord. He rescued us from the chains of the enemy through the ministry of His sacred disciples, gathering the lost nations from throughout the world and guiding them out of darkness into His glorious light.
O Lord, my strength, my stronghold, and my sanctuary in times of trouble. Any human authority, apart from the power of God in Christ, is recognized as feeble and inconsequential. Thus, we must turn to the Lord and declare: Lord, you have been our safe haven from generation to generation (Psalm 89:1), and in another verse: he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). The day of tribulation or evil should be understood as that time referred to by the Apostle when he states: that he might deliver us from this present evil world (Gal. 1:4), and: making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:16).
The fulfillment of what is now realized through Christians was predicted long before the advent of Christianity. The Jewish people, who continue to oppose the name of Christ, hold within their prophetic texts the very foretelling of their own future betrayal. They read the prophecy declaring: "Lord, my strength and my fortress and my refuge in the day of trouble; nations from the ends of the earth will come to You and say, ‘Our fathers inherited only lies, emptiness, and things of no avail.’" This prophecy is becoming a reality, as nations from the farthest corners of the earth are turning to Christ, echoing these words and renouncing their idols. It is evident that God is present in His Church, which has flourished across the globe.
Meanwhile, the Jewish people, justly dispersed and suffering throughout various regions, are inadvertently promoting our prophecies through their manuscripts. This serves to show that they are not of our making, but rather that this people, in opposition to our beliefs, are testifying to our truth. How could the disciples of Christ, as some foolishly claim, have taught these things if they had not themselves been instructed by Christ regarding the futility of worshipping pagan deities and idols? Who can assert that the prophecies now found in the writings of Christ's adversaries were concocted by His followers?
The Lord stands as my stronghold, my aid, and my sanctuary in times of distress. To You, the nations will turn from the farthest corners of the earth, saying, “Truly, our ancestors have pursued empty idols, which bring no benefit.” Those who were blessed with such attention and received the instruction of the law and the prophets persisted in wickedness and lawlessness. In contrast, the Gentiles, who had not experienced this level of oversight and hardly heard the apostles’ message, abandoned their falsehoods and embraced the path of righteousness. In recalling the earlier parable, I raise my voice:
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