Psalm 116 (114/115):1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Upon realizing this, the apostle proclaimed: ‘Therefore I rejoice in infirmities, in afflictions, in needs, in persecutions, in oppressions for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Cor. 12:10). Thus, not everyone is able to rejoice when God imparts these beneficial gifts. Many seek the trivial and find solace in it; yet the prophet differs, for he cherished that God was attentive to him, granting him what was truly useful.

Is he suggesting that hope kindles love, leading him to love in anticipation of God hearing his voice?

But from where did he base this hope? For he states: He has inclined His ear to me; in my days, I called upon Him (Psalm 114:2). I loved, therefore, because He was willing to listen; He listens because He has inclined His ear to me. Yet how can one know, O soul of man, that God has inclined His ear towards you unless you proclaim, "I have believed"? Therefore, these three remain: faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Because you believed, you have hoped; and because you hoped, you have loved.

And what are these days when you say, "In my days, I called upon Him"? Perhaps they are the days of fulfillment when God sent His Son (Galatians 4:4), who has declared: “In an acceptable time, I have listened to you, and in the day of salvation, I have helped you” (Isaiah 49:8). I might instead refer to my days as those of tribulation, days bound to mortality, days shaped by Adam, filled with labor and sadness. For I find myself mired in deep muck, and as expressed in another psalm, Behold, you have made my days old; in these days, I have sought You. My days differ from the days of my Lord. I consider those days as mine, crafted by my own folly, having strayed from Him. Because He reigns in all places, omnipotent and holding everything, I have brought upon myself captivity; meaning I have received the dark veil of ignorance and the bonds of mortality. In these days, I have been ensnared by the nets of death, and the torments of hell have seized me (Psalm 113:3), troubles that would not have befallen me had I not turned from You. Yet now they have caught me unawares, while I reveled in the world's prosperity, in which the nets of hell are even more beguiling.

However, once I too encountered distress and heaviness, I cried out to the Name of the Lord (Psalm 113:4). I did not detect useful sorrow—trouble in which He provides aid, to whom it is said, "Be our help in trouble," for human assistance is futile. I thought I could delight in the futile support of man; but upon hearing from my Lord, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4), I chose not to wait until I had lost those temporal blessings that once brought me joy and thus I would have to weep. Instead, I recognized the affliction that anchored my joy in such things as I feared losing but could not retain; I took it to heart earnestly, realizing that I was not only tormented by the trials of this world but also ensnared by its happiness. Thus, I unearthed the distress and heaviness that I had previously evaded and called upon the Name of the Lord; Lord, I implore You to rescue my soul. Let the holy people of God proclaim, "I have called upon the Name of the Lord,” and may the rest of the Gentiles who have not yet called upon His Name hear and desire to uncover their troubles and heaviness, calling upon the Name of the Lord and finding salvation.

The Lord is gracious and just; indeed, our God is gracious (Psalm 114:5). He is gracious, just, and compassionate. Above all, gracious for He has bent His ear toward me; I was unaware that God’s ear was close to my lips until those beautiful feet inspired me to call upon the Name of the Lord, for who calls on Him except the one He first called? Hence, His mercy precedes all; yet He is also just in His discipline, merciful because He accepts. He disciplines every son He welcomes; I should not resent His chastisement nor become overly pleased that He receives. For how can the Lord, who safeguards the little ones (Psalms 113:6), not chastise those whom He aims to elevate as heirs? For what son is there whom his father does not correct? (Hebrews 12:6-7). I was in trouble, and He assisted me. He aided me because I was in distress since the physician’s pain from the knife is not punitive but beneficial.

Return to your rest, O my soul; for the Lord has bestowed kindness upon you (Psalm 114:7), not according to your worthiness or strength, but because the Lord has shown you goodness. For it is said that He has rescued my soul from death (Psalm 114:8). It is remarkable, beloved brethren, that after he said his soul had returned to rest because the Lord had rewarded him, he added, "For He has rescued my soul from death." Did it rest because it was liberated from death? Is not rest most frequently associated with death? What are the actions of one whose life is rest, and whose death is chaotic? Such actions must reflect a soul aimed at serene security, not the pursuit of restless labor, as he was liberated from death by Him who, in His mercy, proclaimed, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30). Therefore, in meekness and humility, following Christ as her way, the soul must strive for rest; however, she must not be sluggish or idle, so she can progress in her journey, as it is written, “In quietness do your work” (Sirach 3:19). You have saved my soul from death, my eyes from weeping, and my feet from stumbling. He who feels the shackles of this flesh sings these assurances as fulfilled in hope for himself. It is indeed true that I was in distress, and He delivered me; yet the apostle rightly affirms that we are saved by hope (Romans 8:24). We are spoken of as already delivered from death, for we should grasp the distinction between the death of the unbelievers of whom it is spoken, “Let the dead bury their dead” (Matthew 8:22). Then He will wipe away our tears when He saves our feet from stumbling. In that day, our steps shall not falter when we walk, as there will be no slipping of weak flesh. But for now, despite our path, that which is Christ's; given our mortality, the greatest challenge lies not in falling, but in not stumbling in the flesh; who can achieve that? I will serve the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 114:9). We toil now, as we await the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23). But when death is swallowed up in victory and this corruptible puts on incorruption, and this mortal, immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53-54), then we shall weep no more because there will be no stumbling; and no stumbling, for there is no corruption. Therefore, we will no longer labor for His pleasure, but shall be wholly accepted in the Lord's sight in the land of the living.

Thus, since the Lord has enabled me to fulfill this service without failing your love, let us give thanks together to the Benefactor, who fortifies the visible frailty of my body with His invisible might. To ensure I do not distress you by prolonging our gathering, I will briefly reflect on the psalm you have been singing, and after nourishing your spirits with words of encouragement to the best of my ability, I will excuse you so that each may tend to their physical needs.

What has emerged from your lips? You have sung: I love you, for the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer. Only those perfected in faith—those liberated from fear and bestowed with the spirit of sonship—can utter, I love you. The object of this love is not explicitly stated, yet it is understood to be the God of all. In essence, the highest form of honor belongs to God, for that which is esteemed is what is universally desired. God is good, the foremost and most complete of all goods. Thus, I have cherished God Himself and embraced suffering for His sake. The Prophet speaks of the afflictions I have endured: mortal ailments, depths of despair, trials, and sickness—all these he found worthy of love for God and of hope akin to those who suffer for righteousness.

I endured these trials not out of reluctance or coercion, as the Prophet states, but willingly, driven by love and purpose. I can echo the sentiment, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long (Psalms 43:23). This resonates with the apostolic proclamation, made with a similar spirit, when the Apostle asserts: Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword (Rom. 8:35)? Consequently, I embrace all these hardships, aware that I endure trials for the sake of righteousness, with the Lord of all as my witness and guide. For the Lord will indeed hear the voice of my prayer. In like manner, each of us is capable of fulfilling the challenging aspects of the commands when we offer our lives as an open book before the God of all.

For this reason, I will continue to invoke the name of the Lord throughout my life. The thoughts of Isychius reveal that whoever, guided by the essence of the preceding psalm, is counted among those who revere the Lord, upon transitioning from fear to love, can testify, ‘I have loved Him.’ This declaration is not commonplace, but is made by those who have been perfected, stepping beyond the dread of servitude to embrace the spirit of sonship. Great Basil clarifies that the phrase isn't merely attached to the notion of love, but is directed toward the God of all, who alone is deserving of love. Properly called good, God embodies the ultimate desire of all, both at the beginning and end. Therefore, it follows that I have loved God, the pinnacle of all desires, and I willingly accepted suffering for His sake. He articulates the nature of his afflictions, such as the pains of death, the trials of the grave, and sorrow, all of which became bearable through his love for God and the hope of the rewards awaiting those who endure for righteousness. He asserts that he did not enter these trials unwillingly or under duress, but approached them willingly with love, able to proclaim: for Your sake, we face death all day long; and: who can separate us from the love of Christ? Thus, I embraced those challenges, knowing I suffer for righteousness in the sight of the all-seeing Lord. I have loved, and as a result of this love, I have received the blessing of being heard. Goldsmith observes that many who cherish life often resist what would be beneficial to them, despite seeking assistance. When that assistance is granted, they may respond with discontent. True usefulness is recognized by God, even if one highlights afflictions like poverty, hunger, or illness. Therefore, the speaker declares that in the midst of severe trials and dangers, they have loved God, for He has listened and provided what is truly beneficial. Moreover, He inclined His ear to me, acknowledging my weaknesses and even condescending to those who suffer, reflecting His humanity. Another perspective states that God's awareness does not depend on sensory perception—He understands our needs simply through the movement of our hearts. Consider Moses, who, without uttering a single word, prayed to the Lord through heartfelt groans and was heard, as the Lord responded to him, ‘Why do you cry out to me? A life of righteous deeds alone is a powerful voice before God.

She does not clarify whom she is seeking, nor for whom her heart aches, as she assumed that all loved Him whom she adored, and all cared for Him whom she cherished. Such incomplete utterances powerfully illustrate that man finds no greater joy or fulfillment than in the Lord alone. However, it is clear from David's reasoning that he speaks of love towards God: I love Him, he states, because the Lord has heard the voice of my prayer; in other words, I love my God because He is gracious and compassionate, and in His goodness, He has responded to my plea. Truly, there is ample reason to love God! For as the Sovereign of all, He does not demand our offerings, yet takes delight in listening to the prayers of His unworthy servants. We can confidently call upon Him in our times of need, just as another psalm articulates: You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, and Your mercy extends to all who cry out to You (Psalm 85:5).

If we accept that the psalmist articulates on behalf of the entire community, we can view the psalm as a hymn of gratitude from those liberated from bondage; in this context, the captivity refers to the life-threatening peril described within the psalm. During this captivity, the survival of the populace was in jeopardy as they could be dispersed among the nations and ultimately perish. Nevertheless, it can also be understood on an individual level; see Psalms 17 and 55. The Psalmist passionately expresses love for God because the Lord has consistently attended to his supplications, which he affirms by referencing the recent response to his prayer, for this he pledges to exalt the Lord all his days (v. 2). Regarding love, akin to Psalm 17, it is important to emphasize: God, it is inadequate only to say: I rejoice that the Lord hears my voice. To call upon the name of God in gratitude is a solemn act; refer to Psalm 17:4. With joyful cries, the Psalmist, beset by mortal peril (v. 5), seeks the Lord’s deliverance (v. 3); the Lord, having granted him aid, reveals Himself as compassionate and just, defending the innocent and safeguarding the simple-hearted (infants; cf. Psalm 18). Given that the Lord has shown him such mercy, the despondent soul of the psalmist can now find peace (v. 7). The soul, which had been ready to falter from love amidst sorrow, is encouraged to return to its former tranquility. God, through His support, has alleviated all sources of distress. Rightly, the Psalmist perceives this escape from death as a sign that God will sustain him for many more days (in the land of the living; contrasting with sheol, the realm of the dead). To delight God in the land of the living is to lead a righteous life on earth, and he surrenders himself to the hope that the Lord will assist him in living a righteous life (v. 8).

Christ the Lord is just, having rightly commanded Adam's banishment from paradise, yet He is also merciful, having laid down His life so that Adam may return to paradise. The Lord watches over those born with malice and lacking understanding, for He bestows His grace upon the humble. Those reborn through water and the Spirit resemble infants and by faith ascend to spiritual maturity. Adam and others will enter paradise once more, for Christ the Lord has willingly endured suffering on their behalf. The righteous consider their resting place to be the mountain abodes, a reward for their good deeds, while on earth, the tears of sincere repentance bring solace to the sinful soul. Christ redeems Adam's soul from hell and death, wipes away every tear, and strengthens it with grace, ensuring it does not remain forever ensnared in sin. The land of the living is heaven, where the righteous and angels offer thanks to God. The prophet refers to the land of the living as the eternal life of heaven, free from earthly constraints—void of night and sleep, food and nourishment, misery and death; instead, it is a joy of true life in Christ. This earthly life feels foreign to the soul, rendering it seemingly half-dead as it dwells within a mortal, corruptible body. The soul originates not from the earth nor will it return there—it belongs to the land of the living.