Psalm 107 (106):38Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Though we may lift our hearts in Alleluia daily, it holds a special significance on selected days, representing our continuous acknowledgment of God’s praise within our hearts. The dual occurrence of Hallelujah underscores our calling to cry out, Abba, Father. This relationship is established in Romans 8:15, revealing how both sides of God’s kingdom come together in Christ, our foundation, uniting us as one.

Let us proclaim to the Lord of His sweetness, as we are enveloped in His mercy (Psalm 105:1). Acknowledging His goodness is a response to having tasted it ourselves; those who have not chosen this experience cannot testify to its sweetness. However, for those who have truly savored the Lord's goodness (1 Peter 2:3), let us offer our confessions. His mercy is everlasting, conveyed in the Scriptures through the term "and," which, in Greek, means for eternity. This divine mercy is not transient but aims to unite us with the angelic hosts in eternal communion.

Let the redeemed of the Lord speak up, those whom He has delivered from their adversaries (Psalm 105:2). While Israel’s deliverance from Egypt is historically noted, it is crucial to acknowledge that the truly redeemed are those who recognize their freedom through the Lord. They are gathered from across all nations—East, West, North, and South (Psalm 105:3)—illustrating how God’s redeeming work extends to the entirety of creation. This people of God, liberated from the vast Egypt of sin, travel as if through the Red Sea (Exodus 14:22), participating in a baptism symbolic of our cleansing from sin through Christ's sacrificial blood.

This narrative serves as a figure of our own journey, penned for our edification as we conclude the ages (1 Corinthians 10:11). The Israelites wandered in the wilderness, experiencing thirst and hunger (Psalm 105:4), yearning for a home. Despite their suffering, God’s intention is not cruelty, but rather, to show His goodness, compelling us to seek His aid and love Him in return. Thus, amidst their trials, they called upon the Lord, and He rescued them from their plight (Psalm 105:6), leading them on the right path toward their promised home (Psalm 106:7). In their weariness, He filled them with His goodness (Psalm 105:8).

Those who dwell in darkness, shackled by poverty and despair (Psalm 105:10), often find themselves in this situation due to a lack of reliance on God, rebelling against His commands out of pride (Psalm 105:11). A heart hardened in sin struggles against divine counsel (Psalm 105:12). When oppressed by sin, a humble heart learns to cry out, O wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24). Upon deliverance, one can indeed proclaim God's mercies.

In their distress, they called on the Lord, and He freed them from their troubles (Psalm 105:13). He rescued them from darkness and broke their chains (Psalm 105:14). Let all men testify of the mercy and wonders of God (Psalm 105:15), as He overcame their adversities by shattering iron gates and brass locks (Psalm 105:16), guiding them away from unrighteousness that had brought them low (Psalm 105:17).

In their satiety, they grew weary of all sustenance (Psalm 105:18). The danger lies not only in hunger but also in overindulgence. When their souls loathed their food, it illustrated a deeper danger (Psalm 105:19). As discontent became a sickness, God healed them with His Word (Psalm 106:20), leading them away from corruption and towards restoration. This kind of aversion to goodness signifies a malignancy of spirit. Therefore, let us recognize His mercies and wonders again (Psalm 105:21), offering praises with joy, not weariness or sadness (Psalm 105:22).

Those who navigate the sea in ships, doing their work amid turbulent waters (Psalm 105:23)—the nations. Revelation verifies that these waters metaphorically represent the multitude of nations. These mariners witness the Lord's powerful works and wonders in deep places (Psalm 105:24), confronting the depths of human hearts where turmoil may reign. As God desires that both rulers and subjects call upon Him, He speaks, calming the raging storm (Psalm 106:25). Their fears take them to the heights and depths of despair (Psalm 105:26), yet they remain entangled in their trials.

While those at the helm seem wise in their efforts, the storms of life can render their knowledge ineffective. When human wisdom fails, they call upon the Lord in desperation, and He delivers them from calamity (Psalm 105:28). By commanding the storm, He returned calm (Psalm 105:29), lifting them from distress and leading them to their desired refuge (Psalm 105:30). Let all proclaim the Lord's mercies to mankind (Psalm 105:31), attributing their victories to His grace, rather than their own merits or wisdom.

May they exalt Him among the people and praise Him in the congregation of elders (Psalm 106:32). Let all, from nations to leaders, acknowledge His deeds, recognizing His work in establishing the assembly, delivering it from its troubles. For it was the proud, exemplified by Judah, who, having been entrusted with divine truths, relied upon their heritage rather than humility. God, by cutting off those branches of pride, embraced the humble, transforming wastelands into fruitful lands (Psalm 105:33).

The absence of prophets among the Jews speaks to God’s judgment (Psalm 105:34). As thirst characterized their arid situation, so too does a lack of spiritual nourishment define their state. Yet, even amidst judgment, hope arises as He turns wilderness into springs for the hungry (Psalm 105:35), illustrating His everlasting priesthood—a kingdom where grace abounds. Despite apparent scarcity, laborers will reap a rich harvest (Psalm 106:37), for God’s foundation stands firm, and those marked by faith multiply as His family.

But even as they grew few and faced tribulation (Psalm 105:39), this was not due to external factors, but an internal failing. Those who separate themselves from unity risk dwindling numbers (1 John 2:19). The Apostle forewarns of perilous times—men consumed with self-love (2 Timothy 3:2). The first peril lies in self-admiration rather than a shared cry for divine assistance. Thus, while the proud take their fall, the lowly are sustained (Psalm 105:40).

The way of the unrighteous remains obscured, for wandering away from divine truth will lead to self-destruction; they have been given over to their own desires (Romans 1:24). However, in contrast, the poor are aided by God (Psalm 105:41). A single humble person, once lifted from poverty, becomes a multitude to glorify Him. These profound mysteries, rich with meaning, inspire rejoicing among the righteous and silence the mouths of the wicked (Psalm 106:42).

Who is wise enough to comprehend these truths and discern the mercy of the Lord (Psalm 105:43)? It is not by our efforts but through the Lord’s grace that we are restored from wandering, fed and liberated from our transgressions. When challenged by sin, weak in our struggles, He rescues us, calming our storms and guiding us to a place of divine grace, where we grow in unity rather than diminish. The righteous witness this and find joy, while the mouths of all wickedness remain silenced.

The Apostles scattered the seeds of heavenly preaching among souls once untamed and barren, nurturing Christian believers who exhibit the fruits of virtue and bear spiritual offspring, pleasing Christ who blessed the Apostles, as recorded in the Gospel of Luke: he lifted his hands and blessed them (Luke 24:50). It is evident that through the Apostles, He also blessed those who embraced their faith, resulting in significant growth; from a mere twelve and seventy, the Christian community swelled to innumerable believers. Furthermore, the Apostles’ flock, depicted as cattle by Isychius and Theodoret, represents the disciples who follow their leaders without question, drawing spiritual sustenance akin to sheep. The disciples of the Apostles, reflecting a simple faith, thrived and multiplied, as noted by St. Luke in Acts: But the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:47). Isychius eloquently observes that the passage indicates not just one city but many, for the Gentile nations do not share a single governance, and the virtues envelop our inner selves. Athanasius speaks of these fields as echoing the parable: The sower went out to sow his seed. The term grapes signifies the churches; as it is written, Our grapes have blossomed (Song of Songs 2:13), or, per Isychius, a field of discernment leading to the heavenly kingdom. The Lord declared: the kingdom of heaven is likened to a treasure hidden in a field that a man discovered; He also referred to this kingdom as a vineyard in the parable of the laborers. The fruit of birth signifies that which those who strive to embody Christ's teaching cultivate, reaping at various yields of thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. Nyssa observes that by cattle, one might refer to obedient mental faculties, each contributing to our moral character. Among these, righteous anger serves the intellect, while lust may, in some manner, elevate the soul, guiding it toward lofty aspirations with the reins of reason. All other aspects of virtue multiply through this divine blessing when striving toward a noble goal. Athanasius clarifies that it is not those most learned in the Church who are considered cattle, but rather those nurtured by the Apostles.

Such a transformation is as delightful to witness in the earth’s nature as it is in the movement of the sun and stars. The subsequent phrase, "There they have established a dwelling for thirsty people," carries a dual significance: either those who are famished find there the means to quench their enduring thirst, or, through His generosity, God provides sustenance to all the needy and wandering souls, who often seek refuge anew. This is particularly true for those who are parched, as sometimes the world denies them essential nourishment, or their homeland—meant to nurture—forces them into the wilderness, where they willingly venture and there receive God’s blessings in peace.