Psalm 102 (101):15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

A humble individual is voicing their prayers aloud, not silently. We may discern His identity and question if this is indeed the one of whom the apostle wrote, "Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be enriched." (2 Corinthians 8:9). If it is indeed He, why does He find Himself in such a state of poverty? How can someone who is blind to riches be considered wealthy? Who could possibly be richer than the Creator of all wealth, even that which is not genuine wealth? Through Him, we receive numerous blessings — abilities, memories, character, health, senses, and the very structure of our beings. When these aspects are secure, even the destitute find themselves enriched. Furthermore, He bestows upon us great riches such as faith, piety, justice, charity, and chastity — virtues which no one can possess except through Him who justifies the ungodly. What tremendous wealth this entails! How do we perceive these statements emanating from one so wealthy? "I ate ashes as bread and mingled my drink with weeping." (Psalm 102:9). Is this the extent of His wealth? The first fortune is exalted, while this seems so lowly.

Still, let us evaluate whether this impoverished figure is indeed Him; for the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14). Reflect on these words as well: “I am your servant and the son of your servant.” Notice this servant — chaste, a virgin, a mother — for in Him our poverty was taken on when He assumed the form of a servant, emptying Himself so that you need not fear His riches or feel unworthy to approach Him in your state of need. By becoming like us, He embraced our poverty; through His humility, He bestowed upon us wealth beyond measure. As we strive to comprehend these truths about Him, we must proceed with caution and not hastily declare certainty.

Let Him combine His poverty with our own; allow Him to transform our humble bodies; let Him be the Head, and we, His members, so that together we may be united as one flesh. (Philippians 3:21). For He desires us to be members of His body. The repentant are included among His members, as they are neither isolated nor detached from His Church, which was formed in part by the call, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2). Let us listen to the prayers of the Head and His body, the bridegroom and the bride, Christ and His Church, united in one purpose as a perfect being made complete in His fullness. Thus, we should attend to Christ, who is present with us in our poverty and affliction. For this very title signifies the poor. In the end, let us recognize who this impoverished individual is; let us hear His prayer and identify His essence; do not misunderstand His words that cannot directly refer to the Head alone. I emphasize this so you might interpret these descriptions as emanating from the frailty of the body, acknowledging the voice of the members in the Head. The title is "The Prayer of the Suffering One," expressed as He was tormented and poured out His supplications before the Lord. This is the same impoverished figure who elsewhere declares, "From the ends of the earth I will call upon Thee when my heart is in turmoil." He suffers not just as a man, but also as Christ, who, as proclaimed by the Prophet, identifies Himself both as the Bridegroom and the Bride: "He hath put a diadem upon me as the bridegroom, and as the bride hath adorned me with jewels." (Isaiah 61:10). He refers to Himself in both roles, indicating that the Bridegroom symbolizes the Head while the Bride represents the body. Together, they create a singular voice, united by their shared flesh. May we perceive our reflection within these words and, if we realize that we stand apart, strive to draw near.

"Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto Thee." (Psalm 102:1). When we plead, "Hear my prayer, Lord," it is akin to saying, "Let my cry reach You," revealing the depth of the petitioner's sentiments in this repetition. "Turn not Thy face away from me." When has God turned His face from His Son? When did the Father distance Himself from Christ? But consider this: turn not Thy face away from me in light of the scarcity of my members, for in days of mourning, incline Thine ear unto me. "In the day of my trouble, I will call upon Thee." (Psalm 86:7). Now, consider our collective troubles; I am in trouble alongside you, others in future generations may also face troubles; our fate stretches through the ages, for whoever suffers is not alone within my body.

Peter prayed, Paul prayed, the other Apostles prayed; the Faithful prayed in times past and will continue to pray in the multitude of generations to come. Soon, I implore for that which You are willing to provide. My requests are not for worldly things, as one solely focused on the earth; rather, having been redeemed from former bondage, I long for the heavenly kingdom. "Hear me soon," I plead, recognizing that it is with such longing that You promise, "Even while thou speakest, I will say, Here I am." (Isaiah 58:9). What drives your calling? What sorrow do you feel? What longing compels you? O needy one, before the all-rich God, from what necessity do you yearn for solace? What is the source of your entreaties?

"For my days have vanished like smoke." (Psalm 102:3). O days! Where the day is acknowledged, there light finds understanding. My days, my seasons, are they not fleeting like smoke? Consider how smoke ascends, swells, and ultimately dissipates — thus pride, too, is transient and without permanence. "And my bones are burnt as in a furnace." My bones and strength are laden with bitterness and suffering. In Christ's body, there exists no stronger foundation than that of the holy apostles. Yet see how the bones appear to burn. Who is offended by them? "And who is weak, and I am not weak?" (2 Corinthians 11:29). Faithful interpreters and preachers of the Word live authentically as they speak and speak righteously as they hear. Though they seem courageous, all who take offense act as a furnace against them. For true love resides within, and more so within the bones, which support all flesh. But if one suffers offense, their soul in jeopardy, the bone burns in proportion to its inclination.

Ponder Adam, the progenitor of the human race. From whence did misery spread, if not from him? From him stems this hereditary deprivation. Let him, who once found despair in his body, now express hope as one integrated into Christ’s body, declaring, "My heart is afflicted and withered like grass." (Psalm 102:4). This affliction is rightly so, for "all flesh is grass." (Isaiah 40:6). But how did this affliction come to pass? Because I neglected to partake of my sustenance — for God commanded concerning bread. What then is the bread of the soul? The serpent tempted, and the woman sinned; it was through the forbidden fruit that he turned away from the commandment. His heart became stricken as deserved, withering like grass, because he forgot to partake of the bread. By neglecting to eat his bread, he drank poison; thus, his heart was smitten and withered.

Now, partake of the bread you have forgotten. This Bread has come, wherein you may remember the recollections of your neglect, crying out in your poverty for abundance. "I am the living Bread which came down from heaven." (John 6:41). You have forgotten to nourish your spirit; yet after His crucifixion, the ends of the earth will remember and turn back to the Lord. Regaining your memory, let us consume bread from heaven for our sustenance — not the manna which nourished but led to death. (John 6:49). This bread bestows blessings on "those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." (Matthew 5:6).

"From the voice of my groaning, my bones cleave to my flesh." (Psalm 102:5). For many groan, and I join them; I too groan about these matters, especially when they lament about sinful actions. When a man loses a coin, he groans; yet when one loses faith, he does not weep. I weigh money against faith and find greater cause for grief for those who do not groan as they ought or remain indifferent. One may commit fraud and experience joy, but what is gained and what is lost? He has obtained wealth but sacrificed righteousness. It is for this reason that one who understands true sorrow groans.

Yet the carnal do not groan for this reason, even if they impose groans upon themselves unaware of their true cause of lament. We ought not to disdain them even if they remain indifferent, for we hope to guide them back. When guidance is beyond our reach, we too groan. "I have become like a pelican in the wilderness and like an owl among the broken walls." (Psalm 102:6). Here, there are three birds and three settings: the pelican, the owl, and the sparrow; the wilderness, the ruins, and the rooftop. The pelican dwells in solitude, especially along the banks of the Nile River. What significance can we attribute to this? The Psalm indicates it lives in isolation.

The owl loves the darkness of night, dwelling amid the ruins — the walls without a roof or inhabitants; this is the habitat of the owl. And the sparrow, perched on the roof, heralds what it experiences. A true servant of Christ may embody these three birds, acting with compassion for the weak while pursuing the victories of Christ, ever aware of their future with the Lord (Matthew 25:26). Examine these attributes through the lens of His stewardship: if such a man visits non-believers, he is a pelican in the wilderness. Has he come among believers and retreated? Then he resembles the owl among crumbling walls, for he does not abandon the darkness surrounding those who dwell within it, yearning to reclaim them.

If he has not mingled with believers who appear to have lost their faith, or those who walk warmly in belief, he calls forth the sparrow who does not denounce their faith. The sparrow cries not in the wilderness, for they identify as Christians; nor in the ruins, as they have not crumbled; but rather under the roof, signifying their humanity. The sparrow, proclaiming God's commandments, shuns the flesh yet remains undaunted. "What you hear in the ear, preach on the rooftops." (Matthew 10:27). Three birds occupy three realms; one individual may exemplify all three or each separate person may express one. The three settings depict three groups of people; the wilderness, the ruins, and the rooftop symbolize three categories of humanity.

Let us not overlook what is articulated about the pelican: if true, we must regard its meaning; if false, we discard it. It is said these birds will strike their young with their beaks and, upon doing so, mourn for three days. This act may restore life, and such parallels could hold true. For indeed, it aligns with Him who offers life through His blood, mirroring how the flesh of a mother and her blood brings life to her progeny. He likens Himself to a hen that gathers her chicks under her wings. (Matthew 23:37). If true, though, how can it parallel Christ that this bird strikes its own offspring? Does not His statement resonate: "I kill and bring to life; I wound and heal." (Deuteronomy 32:39). Would Saul, the persecutor, have perished if he had not been blinded from above? Would he have lived had life not been revived in him through His blood?

Let us visualize a stony hill in the garden of Joseph of Arimathea, where there exists a small cave or sanctuary with a humble entrance. Just outside, on the right side, lies a stone resting place large enough to accommodate the earthly remains of the departed, while on the left, there is ample room for those who carry the body. Oh, sacred site upon this earth! Oh, resting place worthy of the divine throne! Oh, stone beloved of God!