This Psalm marks the beginning of those introduced by the word Alleluia, which translates to Praise the Lord. Therefore, it opens with praise, as seen in the exhortation, Confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name (Psalm 103:1). This acknowledgment is akin to praise, resonating with our Lord’s declaration, I confess unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth (Matthew 11:25). Following praise, there typically follows an invocation of God, where the supplicant adds their petitions. This is evident in the Lord's Prayer, which starts with a concise form of praise: Our Father, who is in heaven (Matthew 6:9). Following this supplication, one is encouraged to tell others about His wonders (John 21:17), alternatively expressed in more literal translations from the Greek as, ‘Proclaim the gospel of His works among the Gentiles.’ This imperative is directed towards the evangelists as prophesied.
The call to Sing to Him and play instruments unto Him (Psalm 104:2) emphasizes the importance of praising Him in both word and deed. We express our adoration through song and musical instruments, using our voices and hands. Discuss His marvelous deeds in all your dialogues and praise His holy Name (Psalm 104:3). These two verses naturally reflect the earlier exhortation to sing, while the latter part encourages praising His holy Name, linking verbal praise and instrumental worship—where the former denotes the good words through which we extol Him, and the latter signifies our good actions in creating beautiful melodies for Him, ensuring that no individual seeks glory for a deed through their own ability.
Thus, after proclaiming ‘Be glorified,’ which undoubtedly applies to those who labor earnestly and rightly, it is specified to be in His holy Name, as to be glorified means to be praised in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). This is the essence of praising in His holy Name. Additionally, we encounter in another Psalm: My soul shall glory in the Lord; let the humble hear and rejoice. Hence it follows, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord be glad: the humble rejoice, not competing with bitterness against those they emulate.
Seek the Lord, and be fortified (Psalm 103:4). In this instance, the expression is directly translated from the Greek despite its less apparent Latin counterpart; other versions use 'confirm.' The words ‘Come unto Him, and be enlightened,’ pertain to visual understanding; those in the text imply action: Seek the Lord, and be strengthened.
However, what is intended by the phrase ‘Seek the Lord's face forever?’ It is indeed good for me to cling to God; but if He is to be continually sought, when will He be found? Is the eternality meant to encompass our earthly lives, suggesting that seeking continues even after discovery? That is, faith has apprehended Him, but hope is still in pursuit. Yet love has simultaneously found Him through faith and seeks Him through sight, where ultimate satisfaction emerges without further need for pursuit.
For if faith hadn't discovered Him in this life, we would not be urged to ‘Seek the Lord.’ Likewise, if once found through faith, He no longer required diligent seeking, we would not hear, ‘For if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience’ (Romans 8:25). This encapsulates the meaning behind ‘Seek His face forever;’ reinforcing that our discovery of Him should ever stimulate our quest borne of love, growing along with our devotion to the One we have found.
‘Remember, His marvelous works, the wonders He has performed, and the judgments of His mouth’ (Psalm 104:5). This verse suggests the imperative to communicate to the children of Israel, ‘I am He who sent Me to you’—a notion that may seem elusive to grasp at first glance. When invoking His name, He graciously assured the people, stating: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; this is My Name forever (Exodus 3:14-15). By doing so, He intended to convey that those whose God He identified as lived eternally with Him, communicating in terms even children could comprehend.
To whom it is addressed: Ye seed of Abraham, His servant, the children of Jacob, His chosen ones (Psalm 104:6)... He continues: He is the Lord our God; His judgments encompass the entire earth (Psalm 103:7). Is He the God of the Jews alone? (Romans 3:29) God forbid, for He is the Lord our God, given that His judgments are proclaimed throughout the world.
He has consistently remembered His covenant (Psalm 104:8). Various translations refer to it as forever, which stems from the ambiguities inherent in the Greek language. If it is meant to refer solely to this world and not to eternity, then why mention ‘the word which He gave to a thousand generations’? This phrase can be interpreted with certain limitations; however, it also refers to the covenant He made with Abraham (Psalm 103:9): the oath sworn to Isaac and assigned to Jacob as law, and an everlasting covenant to Israel (Psalm 103:10). If this passage alludes to the Old Testament relating to the land of Canaan; as indicated in the Psalm: ‘To you will I give the land of Canaan, the measure of your inheritance’ (Psalm 104:11), then how can we consider it eternal if this earthly inheritance does not possess eternality? This is why it is termed the Old Testament, as it is superseded by the New.
Yet, the reference to a thousand generations does not imply eternality; rather it signifies an end. Even so, a thousand generations may seem excessive for this transient existence. Notably, if we consider how long a generation lasts—starting at a minimum of fifteen years for the capability to reproduce—what then do these thousand generations convey, both from the time of Abraham when this promise was made to the New Testament, and back to Adam up until the consummation of the age? Who would dare suggest that this world would endure for 15,000 years? Hence, it seems that the Old Covenant described here pertains not to its abrogation by the New, as prophesied, ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant’ (Jeremiah 31:31-32). Accordingly, He remembered His covenant forever, which we interpret as an everlasting covenant: the covenant of justification and the eternal inheritance promised to faith; adding the command He issued for a thousand generations.
What does it mean to be commanded? The command indicates that the righteous shall live by faith (Romans 1:17), which offers an everlasting inheritance prior to its establishment. Thus, the thousand generations ought to be understood as lasting through all succeeding lineages until the end; we are accordingly commanded to live by faith. It is preserved through the people of God, the children of promise, who are born into and depart this inheritance through faith alone.
The narrative proceeds to recount a well-known tale from biblical Scripture. When they were few, very few, and were strangers in the land (Psalm 104:12), referring to the land of Canaan. While some translations read ‘very few and foreign,’ the original Greek construction merits careful analysis. The narrative conveys they were very few and outsiders, with the phrasing ‘while they were’ clarifying the situation, as the verb does not take the accusative, but the nominative case.
During the time they transitioned from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another nation (Psalm 103:13), this repetition encapsulates the journey across different realms. Despite being notably small in number, no one was permitted to harm them; and He reproved kings on their behalf (Psalm 103:14). He decreed: ‘Do not touch my anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm’ (Psalm 104:15). These words articulate God's protection, even against kings—warning them against harm while they were a small, vulnerable group in Canaan. Though the specific words may not be echoed in historical accounts, they suggest the divine protection either through an inner calling or an angelic message.
Additionally, the king of Gerar and the ruler of Egypt received divine warnings not to harm Abraham; likewise, another king was cautioned regarding Isaac (Genesis 26:8-11), and there were others regarding Jacob while they were few and foreigners before their eventual proliferation in Egypt. Amidst concerns of how such a diminutive, displaced population could sustain themselves, God affirmatively ensured their safety, stating, ‘He allowed no one to harm them.’
A point for contemplation arises regarding the anointing of patriarchs prior to any formal anointment that later designated kings. Thus, how were these patriarchs regarded as anointed? Notable among them, we read of Abraham as a prophet—what applies to him surely pertains to the others. Were they considered ‘Christs’ in an anticipatory sense, foreshadowing the coming of Christ? Although Christ's lineage includes them, He existed prior to them, responding to the Jews: ‘Before Abraham was, I am’ (John 8:58). How can it be conceived that they did not recognize or believe in Him? They were designated prophets precisely because they foretold the coming Lord, albeit indirectly. The Lord asserted: ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; he saw it and was glad’ (John 8:56). No individual was ever reconciled to God except through the faith found in Christ Jesus, as the Apostle succinctly affirms: ‘For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus’ (1 Timothy 2:5).
The account continues, describing the migration from one nation to another during a famine, when all bread supplies were depleted (Psalm 103:16). Thus, the transition between nations is reiterated. Not to overlook the weight of Scriptural expression; it is stated that He called for a famine upon the land, presenting it as if the famine were an animate entity or spirit, responding to His call.
The ancient Romans even venerated such deities as the goddess Fever and the god Pale. Rather, it may imply that God foretold a famine, indicating that to call is synonymous with to declare; using His command in a temporal sense. As stated in Romans, He calls those things which are not as though they were. For with God, those events which His Providence has foreordained have already occurred: of Him it is said, ‘He that created the future’ (Isaiah 45:11). Thus, when the famine ensued, it was a fulfillment of what He preordained.
Ultimately, the narrative illustrates how He sent a man ahead of them (Psalm 104:17). Who was this man but Joseph? Yet he was sold into slavery. This event stemmed from the wrongdoing of his brothers, but God had meant it for good. It's essential to reflect on how God redeems the malevolent actions of humanity, while the latter often misuses His benevolence.
Joseph’s narrative unfolds next, detailing his hardships and subsequent elevation. His feet were confined in fetters, iron entered his soul until his word came (Psalm 103:18). While Scripture does not explicitly mention Joseph’s shackles, we cannot doubt that they existed. Some details may be omitted but not overlooked by the Holy Spirit guiding the psalmist. The ‘iron’ signifies his profound anguish; the distinguishing focus on the soul implies that his affliction was deeply internalized, paralleling Simeon’s prophecy to Mary, ‘And a sword shall pierce through your own soul’ (Luke 2:35). The Lord’s Passion brought great pain, revealing the hearts of many as they grappled with their sentiment towards Him, much to the sorrow of His mother. Joseph endured this affliction until his words—interpreting dreams—were heard, positioning him to counsel the king regarding those dreams (Genesis 41).
The expression ‘until his words were heard’ suggests the gravity of his words should be understood, so as to not attribute the ensuing events solely to human agency. The text continues: ‘The word of the Lord ignited him’ (Psalm 104:19) or, as translated in other Greek sources, ‘The word of the Lord ignited him so that he might be glorified among those to whom it is said, “Receive praise in His holy Name.”’
THEOSIS