THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
This Psalm is the inaugural one preceded by the word Alleluia, which translates to Praise the Lord. Hence, it opens with the exhortation to give thanks, "Confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name" (Psalm 103:1); for this confession ought to be interpreted as praise, much like the words of our Savior, "I confess unto Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25). Typically, following an act of praise, there is an invocation of God, to which the supplicant then adds their petitions; as seen in the Lord’s Prayer, which begins with a concise adoration: "Our Father, who art in heaven" (Matthew 6:9). Accordingly, one is encouraged to "tell men what He has done" (John 21:17), or more directly translated from the Greek, "Preach the gospel of His works among the nations." This charge is aimed explicitly at the evangelists within the prophecies.
"Sing to Him and play instruments to Him" (Psalm 104:2). Praise Him through both speech and action; for we express our adoration vocally and through the instruments that our hands play. Let your discourse be filled with all His marvelous works. Extol His holy Name (Psalm 104:3). These two verses seem to paraphrase the earlier exhortation—a call to have our conversations centered on His wondrous deeds, which correlates to “sing to Him”; the following phrase, "praise in His holy Name," aligns with the verbal praises and musical expressions. The former points to the good words through which we sing, recounting His marvelous works, while the latter describes good deeds that manifest pleasant melodies, ensuring that no one seeks glory for themselves in their virtuous acts. Thus, after declaring, “Be glorified,” which those who have strived hard and justly can do, it is added, “in His holy Name,” for the one who is glorified should receive praise in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). This glorification is to happen in His holy Name.
We also find in another Psalm, "My soul shall glorify the Lord; let the humble hear and rejoice" (Psalm 103:2). From this, it can be concluded, "Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice," for the humble who do not covet what belongs to others will be joyfully blessed. "Seek the Lord, and be strengthened" (Psalm 103:4). This phrase is directly translated from the Greek, though it may not appear as a typical Latin word; hence other versions read "confirm" or similar terms. While phrases such as "Come unto Him, and be enlightened" pertain to sight, those in our passage relate to action: "Seek the Lord, and be strengthened."
What does it mean to "Seek the Lord's face forever"? Indeed, to cling to God is beneficial, but if He is perpetually sought, when will He actually be found? Does this eternity refer to our earthly lives, suggesting that we should seek Him, for even when He is found, He must continue to be sought after? Faith has already discovered Him, yet hope persists in seeking Him. Love has indeed found Him through faith and seeks Him through vision, where He is discovered, thus no longer requiring our pursuit. If faith had not identified Him in this life, we wouldn't be admonished to "Seek the Lord." And if, having already found Him by faith, He didn't also demand diligent seeking, the exhortation "For if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patient endurance" (Romans 8:25) would not exist. Thus, "Seek His face forever" conveys the idea that the discovery should not cease, reflecting the love that compels the search for the Beloved.
"Remember," he instructs, "His marvelous works that He has accomplished, the wonders of His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth" (Psalm 104:5). This passage recalls God's declaration to Moses: "I am He that sent Me unto you"—a statement whose significance may elude shallow understanding. Here, He mentions His Name and graciously enriches the people by declaring, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; this is My Name forever" (Exodus 3:14-15). The intention is to convey that those whose God He professes to be dwell with Him eternally; expressed in a manner comprehensible even to children, it allows those who seek His face with profound love to grasp the meaning of "I AM."
To whom is it said, “You offspring of Abraham, His servant, the children of Jacob, His chosen ones?” (Psalm 104:6). He continues, "He is the Lord our God; His judgments are over all the earth" (Psalm 103:7). Is He merely the God of the Jews? (Romans 3:29) Certainly not; He is the Lord our God, for the church where His judgments are embraced exists throughout the entire world.
"He has always remembered His covenant" (Psalm 104:8). Different translations read "forever," revealing the nuances of the Greek language. Yet if we take "forever" to imply this transient world and not eternity, why does he specify the word "which He gave to a thousand generations"? This implies some limitation; but then he references the covenant He established with Abraham (Psalm 103:9), the oath He swore to Isaac, and His appointment of Jacob with a law, designating it to Israel as an everlasting covenant (Psalm 103:10).
Should we interpret this in light of the Old Testament, particularly regarding the land of Canaan? The Psalm states, "I will grant you the land of Canaan; the portion of your inheritance" (Psalm 104:11). How can it be referred to as eternal when this earthly inheritance cannot be eternal? Thus, it is labeled the Old Testament, since it has been superseded by the New. Indeed, a thousand generations do not suggest eternality, as they indicate a conclusion; yet they encompass more than this temporary existence.
For however long a generation might extend—some sources claim a minimum of fifteen years before reproduction—what does this represent? These thousand generations, spanning from the time of Abraham, when this promise was given until the New Testament, from Adam to the world's end. Who would dare posit that this world could persist for 15,000 years? Hence, it seems prudent not to construe the Old Covenant in this context, which the prophet declared invalidated by the New: "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when I will establish a new covenant" (Jeremiah 31:31-32).
By stating that He will remember His covenant for an everlasting duration, we must interpret this as the covenant of justification and of the eternal inheritance promised to faith. He goes on to mention the "Word which He commanded to a thousand generations." What does "commanded" imply? The command was that the righteous should live by faith (Romans 1:17), and such faith is presented with an everlasting inheritance. Therefore, the thousand generations represent the perfect number for all—that is, as long as one lineage succeeds another, we are called to live by faith. This is observed by the people of God, the offspring of promise, who are born into inheritance and depart by death until every generation concludes; this is hinted at by the number a thousand, the square of ten (ten times ten), multiplied by ten yields a thousand.
In saying, "the covenant which He made with Abraham," and the oath sworn to Isaac, this extends to Jacob himself, the same three patriarchs, whose God He designates in a unique manner; and in the New Testament, the Lord affirms, "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 indeed signifies the eternal inheritance.
He progresses to recount a narrative found in Scripture: "When they were few, very few, and were strangers in the land" (Psalm 104:12), referring to the territory of Canaan. Some texts describe them as being "very few" and "foreigners," though the translator has rendered the Greek phrase too literally into Latin. To translate the entire sentence in this manner suggests they were notably few and strangers; the phrase "while they were" reflects the intended Greek meaning, as the verb "to be" demands a nominative case rather than accusative.
"In that time, they journeyed from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another nation" (Psalm 103:13). This reiterates the earlier statement of their movement between nations. God instructs, “Let no man do them harm,” and even the kings He reproached on their behalf (Psalm 103:14). "Touch not My anointed ones or do My prophets any harm" (Psalm 104:15). These declarations illustrate God's words chastising or correcting the rulers to protect the holy ancestors while they remained few in numbers and strangers in Canaan. Though these words may not appear explicitly in the historical texts, they can be considered implicit, either as divinely communicated to hearts through invisible truths or declared through an angelic messenger. Both the king of Gerar and the king of Egypt received warnings from heaven not to harm Abraham, with a similar admonition for Isaac (Genesis 26:8-11) and others not to touch Jacob when they were minimal and foreign before relocating to Egypt.
Yet a question arises: how could they be called "anointed" (Christ) before any anointing occurred to bestow this title upon kings? Why are these patriarchs referred to as anointed, although they were not directly appointed? Did they prophesy, as seen in Abraham’s case, and thus share this honor? They can be considered Christians in essence, as Christ's lineage derived from them, yet Christ existed before them; as He proclaimed, "Before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). How is it they lacked knowledge of Him or faith? They are labeled prophets for this precise reason; they, albeit dimly, foretold of the Lord. Jesus states, "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing My day; he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). For no one is ever reconciled to God outside of the faith present in Christ Jesus, regardless of when they lived; as the Apostle rightly articulates, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
He continues, illustrating how they transitioned from one nation to another: "A famine arose in the land, and He broke all the staff of bread" (Psalm 103:16). Thus, they moved from one nation to another, migrating to another kingdom. But let us not overlook the terminology in Scripture; "He called for a famine upon the earth," likening the famine to a person or spirit obeying His command. Through this perspective, the ancient Romans honored deities such as the goddess Fever and the god Pale. More plausible still, it meant He proclaimed there would be a famine. To "call" implies naming, and naming is akin to commanding. The apostle notes that God "calls non-existent things as though they were" (Romans 4:17). With God, the future is as good as realized in His sovereignty; it is attested elsewhere that "He who created what is to come" (Isaiah 45:11). Once the famine arose, it can be said that it was "called," fulfilling what He had secretly designated.
Moreover, He emphasizes, "He sent a man before them" (Psalm 104:17). Who was this man? Joseph, indeed. In what manner was he sent? Joseph was sold into slavery. His brothers' malice precipitated this, yet God orchestrated Joseph's journey to Egypt. This compels us to reflect on how God masterfully utilizes the wicked actions of humanity while they, in turn, distort the good works He has ordained.