THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
This Psalm marks the beginning of those accompanied by the term Alleluia, which translates to Praise the Lord. Accordingly, it opens with the exhortation to praise, “Confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name” (Psalm 103:1). This act of confession is synonymous with praise, much like our Lord’s declaration, “I confess unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Matthew 11:25). Following praise, one typically invokes God, adding personal petitions; this structure is evident in the Lord’s Prayer, which commences with a brief praise, “Our Father, who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9). Hence, we are encouraged to share what He has accomplished (John 21:17), or, more accurately, to “Preach the gospel of His works among the Gentiles.” To whom does this relate but to the evangelists foretold in the prophecies?
We are called to “Sing to Him and play instruments to Him” (Psalm 104:2). Praise Him with both our words and actions, for we lift our voices in song and play instruments with our hands. Let our conversations be filled with His marvelous deeds, praising His holy Name (Psalm 104:3). These verses may be seen as an interpretation of the earlier directive; speaking of His marvelous works reflects the encouragement to sing to Him, while praising His holy Name pertains to the words and music offered to Him. The former signifies the good words we use to sing His praises, recounting His wondrous acts, while the latter relates to our deeds that express our joyful music towards Him, ensuring that no one seeks personal glory over what is accomplished through divine strength. Thus, as we proclaim “Be glorified,” those who are deserving truly have the ability to do so, and we recognize that praise belongs to Him alone (1 Corinthians 1:31).
In keeping with this, another Psalm states, “My soul shall glory in the Lord; let the humble hear and rejoice.” This indicates that those who seek the Lord will find joy, as the humble rejoice without striving against others, recognizing those who emulate good. “Seek the Lord and be strengthened” (Psalm 103:4) conveys a literal sense from the Greek, though it might not appear as such in Latin texts; thus, some translations imply “confirm.” The exhortation, “Come unto Him and be enlightened,” speaks to sight, while “Seek the Lord and be strengthened,” pertains to action. But what does it signify to “Seek the Lord's face forever”? Clinging to God is essential; however, if one is always in pursuit, when will they truly encounter Him? Could it imply that our earthly life encompasses this seeking? Even when found, He remains a pursuit; faith has located Him, yet hope continues to search. Love has discovered Him through faith and pursues Him through vision, where He will ultimately be found to satisfy us, needing no further searching. Should faith not have found Him within our existence, the call to “Seek the Lord” would be meaningless. Furthermore, if faith, once found, did not require continued seeking, the scripture would not assert, “For if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:25).
The essence of “Seek His face forever” implies the search that embodies love will not cease but rather intensify with that love’s growth. “Remember,” he states, “His marvelous works, which He has done, the wonders of His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (Psalm 104:5). This echoes God’s call to Israel, proclaiming “I am He that sent Me unto you.” He reveals His name, 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). His intent was clear: those whose God He is shall dwell with Him eternally, conveyed in a manner even children can grasp, affirming those who, through deep love, seek His face forever would comprehend, “I am what I am.”
To whom does He say, “Ye seed of Abraham, His servant, the children of Jacob, His chosen ones” (Psalm 104:6)? He further states, “He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth” (Psalm 103:7). Is He not the God of the Jews alone? (Romans 3:29) Certainly, He is the Lord our God, as His judgments are proclaimed throughout the world.
“He has always remembered His covenant” (Psalm 104:8). Some translations read “forever,” reflecting the ambiguity in the Greek. If we consider this world rather than eternity, why does He emphasize the covenant He remembered as “the word which He gave to a thousand generations”? This may bear certain limitations; though the covenant He made with Abraham (Psalm 103:9) and the oath sworn to Isaac, which He established with Jacob as a law and as an everlasting covenant to Israel (Psalm 103:10), seem to refer to the Old Testament concerning the land of Canaan, how can this notion of eternity apply if this worldly inheritance isn’t eternal?
The term “Old Testament” suggests it has been superseded by the New. Nevertheless, a thousand generations may not imply eternity since it suggests a conclusion, yet that number exceeds our brief existence. Regardless of how long a generation lasts, a minimum of fifteen years can be posited for the ability to procreate. What do these thousand generations signify, not only from the time Abraham received this promise but from the entirety of humanity's timeline until the end? Who would assert that this world will last for 15,000 years? Thus, the Old Covenant is not the focus here, as the prophet foretells that it will be replaced by a New Covenant: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31-32).
By stating He remembered His covenant forever, we are to comprehend this as the ever-present covenant—namely, the covenant of justification and the eternal legacy promised to faith. Furthermore, the command He issued for a thousand generations suggests the righteous ought to live by faith (Romans 1:17), as they are offered an everlasting inheritance. The notion of reaching a thousand generations symbolizes the perfect number, indicating that as long as one lineage succeeds another, we are commanded to live by faith.
Observing this is the people of God, the heirs of His promises, who are born into this faith and transition into eternal life through death until every generation concludes, illustrated by the number one thousand—ten squared, multiplied by ten yielding a thousand. The covenant, He articulates, made with Abraham and the oath sworn to Isaac, were laws appointed to Jacob, representing these three patriarchs, with whom God uniquely identifies—a connection reaffirmed in the New Testament when it’s stated, “Many will come from east and west and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11). This reflects the eternal inheritance.
He proceeds to recount a well-known scriptural narrative. “When they were few, very few, and were strangers in the land” (Psalm 104:12), referring to Canaan. Various translations indicate “very few” and “strangers,” which the translator has rendered too literally from the Greek. Should we rephrase it, they were indeed very few and mere foreigners, with the phrase “while they were” capturing the Greek essence accurately.
“In the time they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another nation” (Psalm 103:13), reiterates the transition from nation to nation. Let no one do them harm; even kings were reprimanded because of them (Psalm 103:14), which encapsulates God’s words, forbidding any harm to His anointed, or making His prophets suffer (Psalm 104:15). Such declarations were not recorded in the history texts yet must be perceived as conveyed, perhaps whispered, by God into the hearts of men through unseen truths, or announced by an angel. Both the king of Gerar and the king of Egypt received divine warnings to refrain from harming Abraham, and likewise for Isaac (Genesis 26:8-11), and others as well, all while they remained few and foreign before settling in Egypt.
Before multiplying across Egypt, the question arises: how did these few foreigners sustain themselves in a foreign land? He clarifies: “He allowed no one to harm them,” and proceeds. Yet it invites contemplation about the title “anointed,” especially regarding figures like Christ, prior to any formal anointing designating kings.
Why, then, are the patriarchs referred to as anointed? We hear of Abraham as a prophet; certainly his status applies to them too. Perhaps they were recognized as Christs in a hidden sense because the Messiah’s flesh emerged from them, although Christ predated them: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). How could they share ignorance of or disbelief in Him? They are labeled prophets precisely because they prognosticated the coming of the Lord, as Christ affirms, “Your father Abraham longed to see My day; he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). No individual has ever been reconciled to God apart from faith in Christ Jesus, neither before nor after His incarnation. As the Apostle rightly states, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
Then he recounts the circumstances leading to their relocation from one nation to another, amid a famine that struck the land, wherein “all the staffs of bread were broken” (Psalm 103:16). Thus, they moved from one nation to another. It’s noteworthy how Scripture articulates, “He called for a famine in the earth,” depicting famine as an agent obeying its Creator.
This mirrors Roman practices, memorializing deities like the goddess Fever and the god Pale. Alternately, it reflects God simply declaring a famine; to call is synonymous with naming—calling forth and commanding with authority. As the apostle affirms, God calls into existence things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). Thus, in God’s sight, events intended for the future are already accomplished.
“As the famine drew near, it’s stated that He called for it,” fulfilling what He determined in His divine rule. He subsequently illustrates how He summoned the famine: “He broke all the staffs of bread.”
“But He sent a man before them” (Psalm 104:17). Who was this man? Not Joseph. How was he sent? Joseph was sold into slavery—the wrongdoing of his brothers served God’s greater purpose. Here lies a vital reflection: how God utilizes human wrongdoing to fulfill His good, while those men misapply God’s goodness.
Continuing the account of Joseph, he details how he faced affliction yet eventually rose to prominence. His feet suffered in shackles; iron pierced his soul until his time arrived (Psalm 103:18). Although scripture may not explicitly mention his confinement, we should not doubt it occurred. Certain details may be omitted in this narrative, without failing the Holy Spirit’s message within the Psalms. By stating “iron entered into his soul,” it conveys the deep sorrow borne of necessity; the emphasis here is on the soul rather than the body.
A parallel appears in the Gospel, wherein Simeon tells Mary, “and your soul shall be pierced with a sword” (Luke 2:35). The Lord's Passion became a stumbling block for many, peeling back the secrets of countless hearts—revealing sincere sentiments towards Him, undoubtedly anguishing His Mother. Joseph suffered through this affliction until his prophetic interpretations of dreams brought him into the king’s presence, enabling him to elucidate the king’s dreams (Genesis 41).
The narrative emphasizes that “until his word came,” striving to prevent the misinterpretation that such a pivotal moment can be attributed solely to Joseph. Thus, we read, “The word of the Lord ignited him” (Psalm 104:19) or, more closely reflecting the Greek, “The word of the Lord inflamed him, so he would also be glorified among those who declare ‘Receive praise in His holy Name.’”
The king summoned Joseph and released him, the prince of nations, freeing him from chains (Psalm 103:20). The king, equated to the prince, liberated him from confinement and appointed him steward of his household, overseeing everything he possessed (Psalm 103:21). Joseph was to guide his nobles and impart wisdom to his elders (Psalm 103:22).