Psalm 116 (114/115):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Is it possible he speaks of loving because hope ignites love, suggesting that he held onto hope that God would listen to his prayer?

But from where did he derive such hope? For he declares, "He inclined His ear unto me, and in my days I cried unto Him." Psalm 114:2. I loved, therefore, because He would lend an ear; He listened because He turned His ear toward me. Yet, how can you, O soul of man, be certain that God has inclined His ear to you unless you profess, "I have believed"? Thus, these three abide: faith, hope, and love. 1 Corinthians 13:13. Through your belief, you have hoped; through your hope, you have loved.

And what do your days represent if you proclaim, "In my days I called Him"? Perhaps these are the days marked by the fullness of time, when God sent His Son. Galatians 4:4. He has already asserted, “In a favorable time I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." Isaiah 49:8. More likely, I would consider my days as days of affliction, days of mortality, days akin to Adam’s—a time marked by labor and anguish. I was caught in deep mire, and in another psalm, I lamented, "Behold, thou hast aged my days," for in these days, I have called to You. My days differ from those of my Lord. I refer to my days as those in which I was bold enough to abandon Him; and since He reigns everywhere, omnipotently holding all things, I have earned confinement—that is, I have been enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and the restraints of mortality.

In these days, the snares of death have encircled me, and the torments of hell have seized me. Psalm 113:3. These torments would not have approached me had I not strayed from You. Yet they have enveloped me; I became oblivious to them while I delighted in the fleeting joys of this world, in which the nets of hell are even more treacherous.

However, after I confronted tribulations and burdens, I cried out to the Name of the Lord. Psalm 113:4. I did not recognize the trials that were beneficial; I experienced hardship for which He provides help, to whom it is said, “Be Thou our helper in trouble,” for the aid of man is insufficient. I believed I could find joy and celebration in the futile support of humanity; yet upon hearing my Lord declare, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4, I did not wait until I lost the temporal blessings in which I rejoiced, only to weep afterward; instead, I attentively reflected on the very affliction that made me rejoice in those things I feared losing but could not retain. I took a resolute and courageous stance and recognized that I was not only tormented by the hardships of this world but also bound by its fleeting joys. Thus, I uncovered the distress I had previously overlooked and cried out to the Name of the Lord, "Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul.” Let the holy people of God echo, “I have called upon the Name of the Lord," and let those of the Gentiles who do not yet call upon His Name listen, seek to uncover their own burdens, and call upon the Lord to be saved.

The Lord is gracious and just; indeed, our God is gracious. Psalm 114:5. He is gracious and just and merciful. Most gracious because He inclined His ear towards me; I was unaware that God’s ear was so near until those beautiful feet urged me to call upon His Name. For who calls upon Him except for he whom He first calls? Therefore, He is merciful above all; even when He corrects, He remains merciful because He accepts. He disciplines every son whom He embraces. I should not harbor bitterness in His correction or maintain excessive sweetness in His acceptance. For how could the Lord, who guards the little ones? Psalm 113:6. Not chasten those He seeks as heirs when what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12:6-7. I was in distress, and He aided me because I was in trouble; the physician’s cutting is not punitive but healing.

Rest now, O my soul, for the Lord has bestowed goodness upon you. Psalm 114:7. Not due to your merit or strength, but because the Lord has done well for you. For, "He hath delivered my soul from death." Psalm 114:8. It’s remarkable, dear brethren, that after declaring his soul's return to peace because of the Lord’s kindness, he added, “For He hath delivered my soul from death.” Did his soul find rest because it was freed from death? Isn’t rest often associated with death? What actions does one whose life is peaceful undertake? And what are the actions of one consumed with restlessness in death? Such actions must lead the soul toward calmness and not into the striving for relentless toil, for it was by Him who had compassion that he was delivered from death, saying, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28-30. Therefore, as one meek and humble, following Christ as the Way, the soul strives for rest; yet let it not be idle or lethargic but proceed in its course as it is written, “In quietness, do your works.” Sirach 3:19. You have rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. He who feels the chains of this flesh sings these things as fulfilled hope. For it is truly said, “I was in trouble, and He delivered me," and the Apostle truthfully asserts, "that we are saved by hope." Romans 8:24. It is accurate to say that we have been delivered from death, portrayed as a fulfillment, so we may comprehend the death of those who do not believe, of whom He says, "Let the dead bury their dead." Matthew 8:22. Then He will wipe away our tears once He has saved our feet from slipping. For then we will not stumble as we walk, when there will be no falling of this fragile flesh. But now, however steadfast the path before us may be, which is Christ’s, since we bear this flesh, which we are summoned to conquer; in the act of chastising and mastering it, the crucial matter is to not fall. But who, while contending with the flesh, can achieve this? “I will please the Lord, in the land of the living.” Psalm 114:9. We engage in effort now, as we await the redemption of our body. Romans 8:23. Yet when death is swallowed up in victory, and this corruptible puts on incorruption, and this mortal puts on immortality, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, there will be no more weeping, for there will be no falling, nor shall there be falling where there is no corruption. And thus, we shall no longer strive for acceptance, but will be entirely pleasing in the sight of the Lord in the land of the living.

Yet in the realm to come, the feet are steadfast, the essence of life remains unchanged, and there exists no peril of falling into sin, as there is no fleshly rebellion or encouragement from others to sin. In the resurrection, distinctions of gender fade away, giving rise to a singular and unified existence for those who serve their Master and dwell in the land of the living. This mortal world serves merely as a habitation for the dying. Given the intricate nature of visible things, and knowing that all complex forms are typically subject to decay, we who inhabit this earthly realm inevitably share in the transient nature of all. Thus, we experience multiple deaths even before the ultimate separation of soul and body occurs. Do not find this notion surprising; instead, reflect on reality itself. Over the course of decades, an individual typically undergoes three significant transformations in life stages, with each period marked by definite boundaries signaling change. The early years culminate in the shedding of primary teeth; the adolescent phase, capable of learning, continues until full maturity; and the young adult, upon the appearance of initial facial hair, transitions into a husband gradually. Hence, when you observe a person in whom the gradual march of time has halted, whose intellect has matured and where no sign of youth remains, would you not deduce that the past has perished within him? Likewise, an elder who has undergone notable changes in both appearance and mindset is undeniably distinct from who he previously was. Consequently, human existence is often fraught with countless deaths, not only in the shift from one age to the next but also in the moral declines that accompany sin. However, in a realm devoid of physical or mental alterations, where the intellect remains unerring and the disposition constant, and where no external circumstances disrupt the peace of the mind, there exists the true land of the living, always consistent in its essence. In this land, the Prophet assures that all will be notably favorable to the God of all, as no outside influence can hinder the resolve to genuinely serve alongside the angels. It is declared, ‘We will be pleasing to Him, whether we are in the body or when we leave it’ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:9). This land of the living knows no night, no sleep—which represents death—no sustenance, no refreshment—symbols of our frailty, no illness, no sorrow, no need for healing, no judgments, no trade, no crafts, no wealth—the root of evils and the cause of strife. This is the true land of the living, a realm where we do not die to sin but instead embrace the genuine life found in Christ Jesus, to whom belongs glory and dominion forever. Amen.

"My feet are secure." Because my feet did not rest upon the solid foundation, "my feet nearly slipped, my feet were almost shaken" (Ps. 72:2). He has saved my feet from stumbling. Why? Because my soul has turned to its peace.

Hence, Paul expresses: for we who dwell in this earthly vessel groan under its weight (2 Corinthians 5:4), and similarly, he states: I long to be freed and to be with Christ, which is far better (Philippians 1:23). Thus, these expressions pertain to those righteous individuals who are liberated from the myriad labors of the body and find rest in heavenly abodes. Consequently, when David proclaimed, The Lord has favored you, he added that He has delivered his soul from death or, more precisely, from sin, which can be considered a death of the soul that stifles its virtuous actions. He has also freed my eyes from tears, ceasing their flow due to my many sorrows, and my feet from stumbling blocks placed before me by both visible and invisible foes. Chrysostom remarks that although death entered the world through sin, God has redeemed it for our benefit, often guiding us to a higher existence. Thus, one might question whether it can truly be called death, as its terror often originates from our understanding of it. Indeed, it is not death itself that troubles us, but rather the awareness of our sins within our conscience. Therefore, cease from sin, and death shall become a desired passage for you. Basil notes that the righteous regard their comfort as the heavenly abodes awaiting them as a reward for their efforts. Thus, the faithful ascetic applies these comforting words to himself, echoing Paul’s declaration: I have fought the good fight, and now a crown of righteousness has been laid up for me. Eternal rest is promised to those who have faithfully endured in this life, not earned through obligation, but bestowed by the grace of Almighty God to those who place their trust in Him. It is aptly said: to your rest, for it is yours, not another’s; the saints receive the blessings prepared for them by God as their own inheritance. Chrysostom adds that He has freed my feet from creeping. This signifies a greater liberation, as we are not only released from sorrow, but also from stumbling and malevolence. Thus, a person who departs this life uprightly and reaches the harbor has arrived at solid ground; every obstacle is removed, and there is no longer any turmoil or distress. Instead, the one who has departed here dwells in unending glory. Isychias suggests that the soul’s rest is the cessation of sin, which disturbs and oppresses its faculties. David, viewing baptism as liberation from sin, referred to it as the water of rest. He encourages the soul ensnared by sin to turn towards the rest offered by baptism or the tears of repentance. Basil further compares future rest with earthly possessions. Here, death’s afflictions overwhelm me; there, He has rescued my soul from death. Here, sorrowful eyes weep; there, all tears are wiped away (Isaiah 25:8). In this life, dangers of stumbling abound, as Paul warned: let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall; yet there, the foundations are steadfast; life is unyielding; sin poses no threat to carry one away.

If we accept that the psalmist articulates the sentiments of the entire community, we can perceive the psalm as a hymn of gratitude from those liberated from bondage; in this context, bondage refers to the imminent peril discussed in the psalm, where the survival of the people was jeopardized, risking their dispersion among the nations and eventual demise. Additionally, it may also be interpreted in a personal context, echoing sentiments found in Psalms 17 and 55. The psalmist declares that he is fervently devoted to God, expressing love because the Lord has consistently responded to his supplications. This assertion is supported by recent instances of Divine intervention, prompting the psalmist to offer praise to the Lord for all his days. To this affection for God, as seen in Psalm 17, we must emphasize that acknowledging God alone fills his heart with joy, as he rejoices over the Lord hearing his voice. Calling upon the name of God with gratitude is a profound act, as illustrated in Psalm 17:4. The psalmist, who found himself in perilous circumstances, earnestly sought the Lord for deliverance, and the Lord, in his mercy and justice, aided the innocent while safeguarding those of pure heart. Grateful for such compassion, the psalmist’s previously troubled soul finds rest, as it had been on the brink of despair yet is now encouraged to return to its former tranquility. Through divine assistance, God has alleviated all distressing influences. Rightly, the psalmist views his deliverance from death’s threat as a sign that God will sustain him in the days to come, in the land of the living, which stands in contrast to sheol, the realm of the dead. To honor God in the land of the living means to live a life of piety on earth, and he wholeheartedly places his hope in the Lord’s help to guide him in a godly life.

Righteous is Christ the Lord, who justly decreed Adam's expulsion from paradise; merciful is He, having sacrificed Himself, so that Adam may return to paradise. The Lord watches over those infants who are born with malice instead of wisdom, for He bestows His grace upon the lowly. Those who are born of water and the Spirit are like infants, and through faith, they mature toward spiritual perfection. Adam and the others will be restored to paradise, for Christ the Lord has chosen to suffer for him. The just man regards his resting place as the mountain dwellings, which he will inherit in reward for his actions. Meanwhile, on earth, the tears of repentance offer rest to the sinful soul. Christ liberates Adam's soul from hell and death, alleviating every tear from his eyes and strengthening it with grace, so that it may no longer succumb to sin eternally. The land of the living is heaven, where the righteous and the angels offer thanks to God. The prophet describes this land of the living as the eternal, immortal life, devoid of external disturbances: no longer any night or sleep, no need for food or nourishment, no pain or death, but rather the enjoyment of true life in Christ. Life in this world is foreign to the soul, which feels as though it is half-dead, confined within a mortal, corruptible body. The soul is not derived from the earth and will not return there; it belongs to the realm of the living.