Psalm 101 (100):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

'My eyes are (turned) upon the faithful of the earth, that they may sit with me.’ What marvel is this! The mortal in body shall sit, while the spiritual shall remain standing! I do not belittle the angels of God—let this not be misunderstood—but I emphasize the divinity of Christ, who exalted human nature. If the holy apostles are destined to judge those who do not believe, it logically follows that those who have received faith through the apostles, alongside those who share their belief, must also be granted a place beside the apostles to pass judgment on those who have not embraced the faith and are unaware of the saving message. Perhaps the apostles will present twelve faithful nations, who, together with them, will pronounce judgment upon the twelve tribes of Israel that rejected the apostolic teaching and did not heed the will of the Lord. They too wished for those who accepted the faith to hear: ‘My eyes are upon the faithful of the earth, that they may sit with me.’ Let us contemplate what comes next.

Let’s consider how these two elements, mercy and judgment, may be understood temporally; perhaps their sequence carries significance, as He says mercy followed by judgment. If we view them as sequential, we realize that our current age is one of mercy, with the future reserved for judgment. Why does mercy come first? Ponder how God operates so you may reflect His nature where possible. He illuminates both the righteous and the wicked with His sun and provides rain to all. This is an illustration of mercy. Observing that both the just and the unjust share the same light, water, sustenance, and blessings from the earth should not lead one to conclude that God is unjust. Rather, this is merely a moment of mercy, not judgment. If God had not first extended His mercy, how could He justly crown anyone with judgment? Therefore, this time of mercy is when God’s patience invites the sinner to repentance.

The Apostle also delineates the seasons of life. "Do you think," he states, "that you will escape the judgment of God while condemning those who commit such deeds?" Should one wonder, "Why do I engage in such sins daily without consequence?" he reveals the time of mercy: "Do you despise the riches of His kindness, forbearance, and patience?" Romans 2:4. Indeed, many disregard these gifts; still, the Apostle urges them to recognize that God's goodness is intended to lead them to repentance. But as he warns in the subsequent verse, this season of grace won’t last indefinitely: "according to your hard-heartedness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will repay each according to their deeds." Romans 2:5-6. Here, mercy and judgment coexist. Is God’s judgment merely feared and never valued? It is to be feared by the wicked due to impending punishment and loved by the righteous for the promise of reward. The Apostle, having warned the wicked, also brings hope for the righteous by sharing his own experience of grace. He reflects on what state he would have been in had he not found grace: a blasphemer, persecutor, and abuser of others. He affirms the time of grace, testifying, "I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and an abuser, but I received mercy." Yet, was his experience solely about receiving mercy? He encourages us further by stating that in him, Christ Jesus displayed all patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. What does it mean that He shows all patience? It signifies that any sinner could look at Paul’s life and see a model of forgiveness, inspiring hope for themselves. Paul did not alone merit this grace, as through his testimony he instills both fear and encouragement. When he declares, "The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day," he affirms, "and not only to me, but also to all who love His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8. Thus, dear brethren, we inhabit a time of mercy; let us not deceive ourselves into thinking, "God will always be merciful..."

"I will sing to the harp, and gain understanding without fault" reflects the need to approach God with integrity. Psalm 100:2. Only when one walks blamelessly can they truly sing joyful praises to God. What constitutes a blameless approach? The psalmist clarifies, "I walked in innocence in the midst of my house." For a life of righteousness begins and culminates in purity. This establishes that the essence of righteousness is simply innocence. Who is innocent? It is the one who harms neither others nor themselves. One might claim, "I have robbed no one," or "I live off my honest labor," and feel just. However, if such a person corrupts their own soul, they cannot expect to show mercy to others or guard the vulnerable. How could someone who inflicts harm upon themselves extend kindness to others? Hence, true righteousness is embodied in innocence. He who loves iniquity ultimately despises his own soul. When one pursues sin, it may seem they cause others harm, but they do harm to themselves first. Thus, all goodness converges upon this one principle—innocence. A heart dedicated to evil finds limited space, as only innocence can create a breadth of spirit; "I walked in the innocence of my heart in the midst of my house." The house symbolizes either the Church or the inner self—our heart. The innocency of the heart means one must cleanse their conscience, for a guilty heart cannot find peace within. Those with troubled consciences often immerse themselves in distractions and superficial pleasures, seeking solace in fleeting joys rather than in the tranquility that comes with a pure conscience.

"I have not set evil before my eyes" (Psalm 100:3) signifies a firm stand against wickedness—"I have not loved anything evil." The psalmist clarifies what he deems evil: he detests the faithless. Fellow believers, if you commune with Christ within your heart, or follow righteous paths in the Church, you must detest not just the infidels external to the faith but also those who may be found among you. Who are the infidels? They are those who disregard God’s law; those who hear it yet fail to comply are infidels. You must reject their actions but love the person, as they were created by God even while they choose to stray. Critique their unfaithfulness while honoring the divine image within them. In combating their wickedness, you ultimately combat the causes of evil, restoring what God intended.

"The wicked heart did not cleave to me" highlights the division between corrupt and upright hearts. A heart inclined towards God's will is upright, while a wayward heart contradicts Him. The righteous, when confronted with adversity, often ask, "God, what have I done to deserve this?" demanding fairness from God when they themselves act unjustly. Instead, turn that introspection inward: if you desire to see justice, you must first ensure your own conduct aligns with it. God acts justly; when you label Him otherwise, you misplace the blame. Ultimately, when you lament, “What have I done to Thee,” you acknowledge your own perceived righteousness. Yet God could respond that you have not affected Him, but rather harm yourself, for goodness aligns with His commandments, while wrongdoing brings self-destruction. When you encounter such individuals, dear brethren, encourage them to reflect and correct their ways. And if they reject correction, abstain from their company.

"When the wicked departed from me, I did not know him" (Psalm 100:4) means the psalmist disapproved of the wicked and refused to accept their ways. He expresses that 'to know' in scripture can imply 'to rejoice'—God knows both the just and unjust. Yet does God truly lack awareness? Certainly not. At the final judgment, He will declare to some, "I never knew you; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity." Matthew 7:23. This does not mean He lacks knowledge, but rather He recognizes that those individuals do not embody His principles. Thus, speaking of the wicked's departure, it implies their refusal to live in accordance with His will, and as such, they cannot be within His embrace.

"Whoever secretly slandered his neighbor, him I persecuted" (Psalm 100:5) shows the psalmist’s commitment to righteousness, taking action against sins not the individuals. "With a proud eye and an insatiable heart I did not feed," indicates an aversion to the proud. If the psalmist refused communion with the proud, how can we reconcile that with our Lord’s practice of dining with sinners and tax collectors, who humbly sought healing? He invited both the humble and proud to reflect on righteousness and repentance. If we abstain from feasting with those who err to promote their reform, must we not also uphold fellowship where there is the hope of restoration? As the Apostle encourages, if anyone does not heed the word, let them be noted and abstained from, yet not hated, but admonished as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3:14. Thus we seek to heal others, while maintaining our own integrity against the dangers of iniquity.

The godly and the proud each possess feasts; the former seeks nourishment in righteousness, the latter in pride. Pride inevitably gives birth to envy; the proud cannot exist without it. Hence, every proud individual nurtures envy, feasting upon the misfortunes of others. The Apostle cautions against mutual destruction, as "if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another." Galatians 5:15. Such individuals host feasts of ill intent—guard yourself from their snares. The wicked and righteous both enjoy their forms of sustenance; the righteous, however, are filled when they hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Their food is purity, while the wicked dine upon pride. It is evident that that heart steeped in pride remains insatiable.

Where does their nourishment derive? The psalmist observes, "My eyes were upon the faithful on earth, that they might sit with me." (Psalm 100:6) This indicates a desire for fellowship. "You will sit," He assures them, "on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matthew 19:28. The faithful on earth are commissioned to judge as they align with righteousness. "Whoever walks blamelessly serves Me," he states. Serving must be heartfelt; many seek personal gain rather than what is of Christ. Philippians 2:21.

"I have not dwelt proudly in the midst of my house" (Psalm 100:7) clarifies the absence of pride in the speaker's heart. Proud hearts cannot coexist with a peaceful heart; they differ entirely as the just dwell nowhere near the unrighteous. How can prideful hearts integrate into the community of believers? Such hearts disrupt the peace, while the righteous cultivate harmony. “With his plighted heart,” the psalmist professes, “throughout my house, no one who speaks unjustly remains before my eyes.” This righteousness reflects how we comprehend when the Lord approaches.

"In the morning, I destroyed all the wicked that were in the land. May I root out all the wicked from the city of the Lord.” Psalm 100:8. This notion brings forth the understanding that wickedness persists in God’s city, seemingly unresolved. Why tolerate their presence? This indicates the current season of mercy, not judgment, as the psalm began with a declaration of both grace and judgment. God presently withholds judgment, for He desires repentance, but will enact judgment when the night of mercy ends.

God allows the wicked to exist until the dawn, for He knows it is night—a time of mercy where individuals may yet transform, and only He comprehends the outcomes each person may produce. Understanding that mercy covers the errant, we ought to recognize our hope in Christ while warning of the impending judgment. Those refusing to amend their ways will ultimately find themselves severed from communion with the holy. The dawn represents the shift from mercy to judgment; thus, God does not act harshly in the night, waiting for hearts to turn. At the daybreak, however, swift judgment will come. He spares now, so we might hear His cries through the Law, the Prophets, Psalms, Epistles, and Gospels, extending mercy with an earnest call for repentance, knowing judgment will follow.

Isychias remarks that not only did He turn away from the wicked, but He also found delight among the righteous, fixing His gaze upon them, similar to how admirers do with those they cherish. The one who walks in the path of righteousness serves me, while the one who leads a wicked life is my servant. It is essential to have not just good friends but also devoted servants; thus, Solomon proclaimed that “a wise servant is pleasant to the king” (Proverbs 14:25), and Sirach stated about the wise and God-fearing man that “he will serve among the nobles” (Sirach 39:4).

By saying that he will sing of mercy and judgment or justice, he refers to these qualities as attributes separate from the royal countenance he aspires to embody; qualities he does not dare to claim for himself, and thus he prays to the Lord, declaring, "I will sing to Thee, O Lord." Consider the prophetic portrayal of the king: "I will walk in the anger of my heart in the midst of my house; I will hate them that do transgression; I will cast out him who slanders his sincere secret. I will set my eyes on the faithful land, and I will plant them with me" (Psalm 100:2-6). What a striking image of the king! In his dwelling, he is gentle and straightforward, resembling a loving father. The sight of wrongdoing ignites righteous indignation within him, seemingly involuntarily. He repels slander and deceit as if they were a contagion. He maintains vigilant watch over the court, the capital, and the realm to seek out the faithful, to draw them close, involving them in affairs, testing them in smaller responsibilities to prepare them for greater tasks, and rewarding their merit with his favor.

To you, loyal Russians, I offer comfort through the storied, dignified image of the Tsar, while our spirits are uplifted by the living portrayal of our most devout sovereign. With careful attention, I extend my reflections from the unfulfilled writings of the Prophet. The King's "eyes" are fixed "upon the faithful lands": yet does He find enough that are faithful? Are they aligned with His desires and beneficial to the kingdom? Do the fruits of loyalty receive sufficient recognition for His royal merits? I present this consideration of fidelity as a gift to the Tsar on this day of His glory. Loyal Russians, let not the concern for fidelity disturb you. It is not doubt that should trouble you, but a yearning for the perfection of this virtue and an awareness of the potential hindrances that may arise on any journey. Let us strive, for ourselves and for one another, that our allegiance to the King and to the law be total, always and in every matter, whether grand or modest, selfless, and ready for sacrifice. From the profound depths of the heart, we witness the course of moral conduct, deserving of earnest reflection, always recalling: "He who is faithful in a little is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in the least is unjust also in much" (Luke 16:10). Those lacking foresight often overlook this truth. Treachery against the tsar and the homeland in battle, misappropriation of public wealth, or unjustly condemning the innocent are stark betrayals that are apparent to all, and the severity of such wrongs serves as a deterrent against their commission. However, neglecting duties of royal service or abusing rewards for one's own gain, introducing personal interests into public matters, accepting pleas in place of legitimate evidence, or exonerating the wrongdoer—these are often deemed minor offenses, sometimes excused by circumstance, and thought not to detract from fidelity in larger matters. Do not be deceived. These seemingly minor transgressions are not trivial; they carry the potential for grievous infidelities. Such seemingly harmless untruths in minor details lead to far-reaching deceits. Some may argue that a free individual can stop after a small sin and not succumb to greater evils. In the realm of freedom, I do not assert that it is impossible. Yet we must heed the testimony of experience, which proclaims through the voice of the Wise that "he who humiliates the small by the small will fall" (Sir 19:1), and more importantly, to the wisdom of God herself that "he who is unjust in a little is unjust also in much." Her declarations may defy immediate understanding, but they are beyond dispute. “All the words of the wise are right to them that understand, and straight to them that find knowledge” (Proverbs 8:9). Let us strive, therefore, to comprehend the essence of Christ's words. Generally, it is more prudent to guard clothing that remains clean than to risk those already soiled, as they are prone to further stains. This principle applies equally to the garments of the soul and the conscience regarding past actions. There exists an intrinsic drive to safeguard purity; there lies special joy within this preservation; there is a unique strength in maintaining cleanliness, for the grace of God abides close to the pure, fortifying and protecting it. Yet once even a single blemish of unrighteousness adds to the soul’s attire, it loses the former strength and the grace that once offered safeguard from additional moral blemishes. With repeated acts of deceit, moral perception dims; the soul’s vision falters, diminishing the clarity needed to discern between minor and major falsehoods, and thus the evil habit takes hold. Thus, it becomes evident how a moral pathway that permits small injustices directly fosters greater unrighteousness.

Furthermore, the second part of Christ's teaching remains clear: "He who is faithful in a little is faithful also in much." Each power, with repeated experiences transitioning from lesser to greater, develops, expands, and can attain its utmost perfection. Thus, constant faithfulness in small matters naturally culminates in faithfulness in significant ones, particularly evident when circumstances allow for such manifestation. Faithful territories! Do not dismiss these reflections as irrelevant. Do not overlook even minor acts of infidelity; the larger breaches often follow closely behind. Cherish fidelity in small matters, as it paves the way for faithfulness in more serious affairs. How selfishness undermines fidelity, do we truly need to elaborate? Who is unaware, for instance, that if a judge is unfaithful to the law and to justice, it is often explained by the selfish interests that influence his decisions? Therefore, for those who believe that selfishness does not ensnare the conscience, just as self-interest does not hinder one's hands, I will highlight one enlightening example. Among the multitude of Christ's disciples, twelve Apostles were chosen—undoubtedly, they embodied the best promise of faithfulness to the Divine Master. There was no fault in their selection; omniscience confirmed it. Yet what transpired? One of these chosen disciples "had the purse and carried the money" (John 12:6). He became enamored with silver; he cherished the treasures, desiring to amass wealth. His affection for money led him to the most horrific betrayal—selling Christ for mere silver pieces, forsaking his apostleship, and jeopardizing both his temporal and eternal life. The case of Christ's betrayer stands unique; let nothing akin to it ever emerge in humanity! Yet, the allure of self-interest is pervasive. If even apostolic faithfulness can be tainted by it, every other form of loyalty should be vigilant against this snare, under which deadly poison may lie hidden. Essential to true faithfulness is the readiness to make sacrifices. Who is loyal solely within the confines of personal security? Such loyalty is merely a commitment to oneself. Fidelity devoid of self-sacrifice becomes trivial in moments when its need is most apparent, illuminating its potential beauty and greatness. Defending the tsar and the homeland against an aggressor indeed necessitates an unwavering willingness to sacrifice one’s life for the sovereign and the state. Yet even within the peaceful confines of the homeland, loyalty remains unassured unless fortified by a readiness to endure for the greater good. Is it not necessary, for example, in a court of law or in leadership, to uphold the rights of the weak in the face of an overpowering adversary? Who possesses the fortitude to do so? Certainly, only those who have resolved to endure persecution rather than betray the innocent. Is it necessary to declare a truth that conflicts with the desires and thoughts of the powerful, yet serves the common good? Who can dare to do this? Undoubtedly, it is only those who are more committed to suffering for truth and the collective welfare than to preserving their own peace at the expense of the larger community. Faithful territories! Strengthen and uplift your loyalty according to the principle embraced by the faithful of Heaven: "Be faithful unto death." The King’s "eyes" are upon the faithful lands to illuminate your actions, transforming your sacrifices, like that of Isaac, into sources of blessing, not only for you but for the homeland and generations to come. However, if the earthly king cannot assist those truly faithful, all will be accomplished by the King of heaven, who promises, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). Amen.