Psalm 105 (104):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This Psalm is the first among those that begin with the word Alleluia, which translates to Praise the Lord. Consequently, it opens with the exhortation to praise, "Confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name" (Psalm 103:1), as this confession is akin to praise, echoing our Lord's own words: "I confess unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25). Following an expression of praise, an invocation of God typically follows, to which the prayer is added; hence the Lord's Prayer commences with the brief commendation, "Our Father, who is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9). After this, requests are made. Therefore, we are encouraged to proclaim what He has accomplished (John 21:17), or, translated directly from the Greek, "Preach the gospel of His works among the Gentiles." This is a directive aimed at the evangelists as foretold in prophecy. We are called to "Sing to Him and play instruments to Him" (Psalm 104:2). Praise Him through both words and actions; we lift our voices in song and play instruments with our hands. Let your discussions revolve around His wondrous deeds. "Praise His holy Name" (Psalm 104:3). These two lines could naturally be viewed as a rephrasing of the earlier directive to sing; in this manner, our conversations about His wondrous deeds encapsulate the essence of singing, while the act of praising His holy Name pertains to both spoken and musical expressions. The former reflects the good word we offer in song, and the latter signifies the good actions in which we fill the air with joyful music, ensuring that no one lays claim to the praise of that good deed outside the grace of God’s empowerment. Thus, having stated, "Be glorified," which those who labor faithfully rightfully do, he added, "in His holy Name," for the one who is honored should be praised through the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). This praise is rendered in His holy Name, as we also read in another Psalm: "My soul shall glory in the Lord: let the meek hear and rejoice," leading to the conclusion that "let the heart of them that seek the Lord rejoice.” The meek, who do not engage in bitter rivalry with those they emulate as doing good, rejoice in such a manner.

"Seek the Lord, and be strengthened" (Psalm 103:4). This term is quite literally interpreted from the Greek, despite it sounding somewhat non-Latin. Various translations provide alternatives such as "confirm." The phrases, "Come unto Him and be enlightened," point to a visual experience, whereas this text speaks to action: "Seek the Lord, and be strengthened." What does it mean to "seek the Lord's face forever"? It is indeed beneficial to cling to God, yet we might wonder that if He is always sought, when then shall He be found? Is "forever" meant to signify our earthly life? Thus, we come to realize we should continually seek Him, for even when He is found, He remains to be sought. Faith has indeed discovered Him, yet hope continues its quest. However, love encompasses both the finding through faith and the seeking through vision, where He ultimately satisfies our longing. Without faith’s discovery of Him in this life, the prompt "Seek the Lord" would not be necessary. And if, upon finding Him through faith, diligent searching were not required, it would not be said, "For if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience" (Romans 8:25). This encapsulates the essence of the exhortation to "Seek His face forever," indicating that the discoveries made should never cease to be pursued through love, but instead, as our love deepens, so should our quest for the One who has been revealed.

"Remember," he urges, "His marvelous works which He hath wrought, the wonders of His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth" (Psalm 104:5). This echoes the sentiment, "Say unto the children of Israel: 'I am He that sent Me unto you'"—an expression that may hardly grasp the mind at first. By invoking His own Name, He graciously reassures His 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). Herein is an invitation to understand that those whose God He declares Himself to be live eternally with Him, conveyed in a manner accessible even to children, that those whose love knows how to eternally seek His face may comprehend: "I am what I am."

To whom it was said: "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 universe" (Psalm 103:7). Is He only the God of the Jews? (Romans 3:29) God forbid; He is the Lord our God, for His judgments are preached throughout the whole world.

"He has always remembered His covenant" (Psalm 104:8). Other translations read "forever" due to the nuances of the Greek language. But if we are to take this to mean the present world rather than eternity, why does the mention of the covenant reference "the word which He gave to a thousand generations"? This might suggest limitations; however, we see "the covenant which He made with Abraham" (Psalm 103:9) is followed by an oath sworn to Isaac and a law appointed to Jacob, which became an everlasting covenant for Israel (Psalm 103:10). If this reference signifies the Old Testament concerning the land of Canaan, then how can it be understood as everlasting if this earthly inheritance is not eternal? Hence, it is deemed the Old Testament, superseded by the New. A thousand generations do not imply eternal significance since they suggest an end; and yet, they encompass more than this temporary existence allows. Regardless of how long a generation may last, for example, in Greek, termed γεν-α, which denotes a minimum span of fifteen years, what then do these thousand generations represent? They extend from the time of Abraham's promise to the New Testament, reaching from Adam to the end of the world. Who would venture to say the world could endure for 15,000 years? Therefore, I believe the Old Covenant is not meant here; for it is stated through the prophet that it will be annulled by the New: "Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31-32). When it mentions, "He remembered his covenant forever and ever," we ought to interpret this as an everlasting covenant, specifically the covenant of justification and the eternal inheritance promised to faith; it also mentions the Word commanded to a thousand generations. What does "commanded" signify? The command was that "the righteous man should live by faith" (Romans 1:17), with this faith leading to an everlasting inheritance. Therefore, the thousand generations should be understood as a perfect number, signifying continuity and succession through lineage, demanding that we live by faith. This is evident among the people of God, the children of promise, who inherit by birth and depart through death until every generation has reached its conclusion; this is indicated by the number a thousand, as it represents the square of ten—ten times ten, multiplied by ten to arrive at a thousand. He reiterates, "the covenant which He made with Abraham, the oath sworn to Isaac, and appointed the same to Jacob, law to Jacob"—all linking back to those three patriarchs, whose God He identifies Himself as, in a special sense, also treasured in the New Testament, where He remarks: "Many shall come from east and west and shall lie down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 8:11). This is the eternal inheritance.

He continues recounting a well-known narrative from Scripture. "When they were few, very few, and were strangers in the land" (Psalm 104:12)—referring to Canaan—though some translations convey "very few foreigners," the original Greek suggests a different nuance. The phrasing indicates they were few and strangers; yet, the verb "to be" should not be translated using the accusative but the nominative case.

"In the time they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another nation" (Psalm 103:13). This reiterates his earlier statement about transitioning from one nation to another. "Let no man do them any harm; even kings He rebuked for their sake" (Psalm 103:14). "Touch not," He declared, "my anointed, nor do my prophets harm" (Psalm 104:15). He emphasizes the divine command delivered to rebuke kings to protect the holy patriarchs while they were still few in number and insignificant in the land of Canaan. These words might not be explicitly found in the historical texts, yet they are either implied through inner revelations from God or communicated through an angelic messenger. For both the king of Gerar and the king of Egypt received warnings from heaven about not harming Abraham, and another king was cautioned similarly regarding Isaac (Genesis 26:8-11), and still others were instructed to protect Jacob. When they were few and strangers in the land prior to their acceptance into Egypt, the question arises: how could such few foreigners sustain themselves? Hence, he continues, "He allowed no one to harm them," implying divine protection.

How and where do I pursue God? The answer is this: 1) Yearn for and seek solely God and His divine will, echoing the prophet who desired nothing in heaven or on earth except for God: ‘What shall I have in heaven? And without You what shall I desire on earth?’ When you seek God with this intent, you will succeed. 2) The One who is omnipresent may be sought and discovered everywhere. No matter your location or dwelling, God is close at hand; pursue Him there. Residing in a city? God is present, so seek Him there. Living in the countryside? God is here, so search for Him. Are you in a monastery or a deserted place? God accompanies you; seek Him in that space. In essence, wherever you find yourself, God is nearby. If you look for Him with sincerity, you will encounter Him.