THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
This Psalm stands as the inaugural one augmented by the term Alleluia, signifying Praise the Lord, which is why it opens with an exhortation to praise: "Confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name" (Psalm 103:1). This admission should be interpreted as an act of worship, akin to our Lord's declaration, "I confess unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25). Typically, after such praise, an invocation to God follows, to which the supplicant adds their petitions. For example, the Lord's Prayer commences with a concise praise: "Our Father, who art in heaven" (Matthew 6:9). This invocation leads to further requests for assistance. As it is said, "Tell men what He has done" (John 21:17), or more accurately translated from the Greek, "Proclaim the gospel of His works among the Gentiles." To whom is this directed but to the evangelists in the prophetic texts? "Sing unto Him, and play instruments unto Him" (Psalm 104:2). Praise Him in both word and action, for we sing with our voices and play with our hands. Let your discussions revolve around all His wondrous deeds. "Praise His holy Name" (Psalm 104:3). These two verses can be viewed as a paraphrase of the aforementioned phrases: engaging in conversation about His marvelous works reflects "Sing unto Him," while "Praise His holy Name" relates to the utterances and the instrumental music offered to Him. The former denotes the words we use to extol Him, recounting His glorious deeds, while the latter signifies the actions through which we create delightful music for Him, ensuring that no one seeks personal acclaim for their good works at the cost of the genuine grace from which they flow. Thus, when we proclaim, "Be glorified," it is something that those who work diligently and righteously can achieve, while it is vital that this glorification occurs "in His holy Name," for the honor bestowed must reflect back to the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). This, we affirm, is to be celebrated in His sacred Name. Similarly, another Psalm declares, "My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad"—reflecting that those who earnestly seek the Lord shall rejoice at His presence.
"Seek the Lord, and be strengthened" (Psalm 103:4). This phrase translates directly from the Greek, even if it may not seem typical in Latin. Various versions employ "confirm" or "establish." While the words "Come unto Him, and be enlightened" pertain to vision, those in the text pertain to action. What does it signify to "seek the Lord's face forever"? It is indeed beneficial to cling to God; yet if we are always pursuing Him, when are we to discover Him? Does "forever" pertain to our entire earthly existence, implying that we ought to seek Him even as we find Him? Faith finds Him, while hope continues the search. However, love has both found Him through faith and seeks Him through the vision, where He will ultimately satisfy us, rendering our seeking obsolete. If faith had not discovered Him in this life, "Seek the Lord" would not be uttered. Should we find Him through faith, yet not need to pursue Him, the exhortation "For if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience" (Romans 8:25) bears no meaning. Thus, the phrase "Seek His face forever" implies an unending quest for the manifold love that propels us to search for the One we have found, where each increment in love spurs an intensified yearning.
"Remember," he says, "His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth" (Psalm 104:5). This aligns with the directive: "Say unto the children of Israel: I am He that sent Me unto you"—an expression that can seem minuscule to the human mind. In naming Himself, He mingles grace with the people, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; this is My name forever" (Exodus 3:14-15). Here, He indicates that those whose God He claims to be will dwell with Him eternally, expressed in terms accessible to even children, encapsulating the understanding that those who, through deep love, seek Him perpetually can grasp "I am who I am."
Thus, it is stated, "Ye seed of Abraham, His servant, the children of Jacob, His chosen" (Psalm 104:6). Moreover, "He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth" (Psalm 103:7). Is He the God of the Jews alone? Certainly not! He is our Lord God, as the church, where His judgments are proclaimed, extends globally. "He has remembered His covenant forever" (Psalm 104:8). Other versions read "forever" reflecting a linguistic ambiguity within Greek. If we are to interpret this in temporal terms and not in eternity, why does he specify the covenant remembered as "the word which He gave to a thousand generations"? This understanding might come with limitations, yet he goes on to speak of the covenant made with Abraham (Psalm 103:9), the oath sworn to Isaac, and the law appointed to Jacob, establishing it as an everlasting covenant with Israel (Psalm 103:10). If the Old Testament pertains to a physical inheritance in Canaan—after all, the Psalm states, "To you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance" (Psalm 104:11)—how can it be deemed eternal if this worldly inheritance cannot last? That is why it is deemed the Old Testament, superseded by the New. While a thousand generations do not intrinsically suggest eternity, as they indicate an eventual terminus, they nonetheless exceed the transitory state of existence. Though a generation may be defined as a span of years, for instance, the Greek term γεν-α suggests a period of no fewer than fifteen years, what then does one thousand generations encompass, not just from the promise given to Abraham until the New Testament, but from Adam to the world's conclusion? Who could confidently assert that this world might endure for 15,000 years? Thus, it seems the Old Covenant should not be understood in this context, for the prophet proclaimed its cancellation by the New: "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when I will establish a new covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31-32). Speaking of the everlasting covenant, which we should interpret as the covenant of justification that God promised to faith: "He remembered His covenant forever and ever," along with "the Word which He commanded to a thousand generations." What does “commanded” denote? The command implies that the righteous shall live by faith (Romans 1:17), and to this faith, an eternal inheritance is promised. The reference to a thousand generations should be seen through the concept of completeness for all, encompassing the transitory nature of life until generations cease to follow, represented by the number a thousand, as this is ten multiplied by itself, then by ten again. He mentions the covenant made with Abraham, the oath sworn to Isaac, and the law appointed to Jacob, the same three patriarchs, whose God He proclaims Himself to be in a unique manner, as affirmed by the Lord when He said in the New Testament, "Many shall come from east and west, and shall recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 8:11). This speaks of the eternal inheritance.
He continues with the well-known account from Scripture: "And when they were few, very few, and strangers in the land" (Psalm 104:12), referring to Canaan. Some versions render this phrase differently, emphasizing that they were indeed very few and foreigners. Regarding their travels from one nation to another, "From one kingdom to another" (Psalm 103:13)—a reiteration of the prior thought. No one was permitted to harm them—not even kings, as it is stated: "Touch not my anointed, nor do my prophets harm" (Psalm 104:15). He declares God's words as He rebuked kings to protect the holy forefathers, who were once few in number and strangers in Canaan. Although absent from historical accounts, such words are to be understood as potentially spoken covertly by the silent workings of God in the hearts of men or through divine messages delivered by angels. For both the king of Gerar and the king of Egypt received heavenly warnings against harming Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 26:8-11), and others were forewarned not to harm Jacob, while they stood few and foreign before they settled in Egypt, as referenced here. Yet questions arise regarding how such a small foreign group would nourish themselves until they multiplied in Egypt; hence the affirmation, "He allowed no one to harm them" prompts reflection.
One may wonder why they were deemed anointed before any such designation was conferred through physical anointment—this label assigned to kings. Were these patriarchs called anointed merely because they were foreshadowing the Christ yet to come? Although Christ’s flesh was derived from them, He existed before them—asserting His timelessness with "Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58). How could they not recognize Him, given they prophesied His coming? Jesus stated, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day" (John 8:56). None have ever reconciled with God apart from the faith found in Christ Jesus—be it before or after His incarnation, as the Apostle rightly observes: "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
He begins recounting the transition from one nation to another, explaining how "A famine came upon the land, and He broke all the staff of bread" (Psalm 103:16). Consequently, they journeyed from one nation to another and from one kingdom to another. We must pay heed to the specific language of the Scriptures: "He called for a famine in the earth"—suggesting not an impersonal force but something under divine command that obeys His word. This reflects a similarity seen in ancient Rome concerning deities like Goddess Fever or God Pale. Alternatively, it denotes that God spoke of a forthcoming famine, which can imply that "to call" aligns with forming commands. As the Apostle remarked, God "calls things that be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17), affirming that within God’s providence, events already exist that await fulfilment in time. Thus, the arrival of famine was foreseen to achieve what His hidden guidance intended. He expressed how He summoned the famine, stating, "He broke all the staff of bread."
"But He sent a man before them" (Psalm 104:17). What man? This refers not to the mere presence of Joseph. How did He send him? Joseph faced the betrayal of his brothers and was sold into slavery, yet in this, God deployed Joseph to Egypt. Here lies a profound reflection on divine providence, where God reaps good from human malfeasance while humankind can misuse even His good intentions.
He continues sharing how Joseph endured hardship in his lowly status but was ultimately exalted. "His feet were hurt by fetters; iron entered into his soul until his word came" (Psalm 103:18). Although the Scriptures do not specify that Joseph was shackled, we must not doubt the reality of this suffering; aspects of his story, though not recorded, were undoubtedly inspired by the Holy Spirit in these Psalms. The iron penetrating his soul represents the anguish of dire necessity; he refers not to the body but to the innermost being. A similar sentiment is found in the Gospel when Simeon foretells Mary, "A sword will pierce through your own soul" (Luke 2:35), alluding to the depth of sorrow that the Passion would inflict upon Mary, revealing the hearts of many. He dramatically expressed human grief in these terms. Joseph remained in distress until his appointed moment; as he faithfully interpreted dreams, he eventually stood before Pharaoh, charged with foretelling the future regarding those dreams (Genesis 41). The phrase "Until his word came" invites us to reflect deeply, ensuring that we do not attribute any event of such magnitude solely to human action; thus, he added, "The word of the Lord tested him" (Psalm 104:19), or as some texts state more accurately from the Greek, "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.’"