Psalm 116 (114/115):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When all these barriers are removed, there will be nothing left to mourn; all will be filled with joy, peace, love, tranquillity, and genuine happiness; there will be no faults, no rage, no grief, no greed, no excess, no poverty, no wealth, no disgrace, or any similar burden. Let us earnestly aspire to attain this life and pursue it wholeheartedly. For this reason, we are instructed to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come’ (Matthew 6:10), so that we may continually envision that day. One filled with this love and sustained by the expectation of these blessings will remain unshaken by any current tribulations and will not be troubled by present sorrows. Just as those headed to the royal city do not allow any distractions along the way—be it meadows, gardens, gorges, or barren lands—but focus solely on their beloved homeland, so too will the individual who constantly pictures the celestial city and nurtures affection for it find no hardship daunting and no pleasure or glory truly delightful. What I propose is that he will not even perceive it; he will have a different perspective, as Paul instructed, stating: ‘when we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal’ (2 Cor. 4:18). Observe how he illustrated this same journey through different words. Let us therefore pursue those blessings, that we may attain and revel in eternal life, which may be granted to us all through the grace and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory and dominion, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

But from where did this hope arise? He states, He inclined His ear to me; and in my days, I cried out to Him (Psalm 114:2). I loved, therefore, because He would hear; He would hear because He inclined His ear to me. How, O soul of man, can you be sure that God has inclinated His ear toward you unless you proclaim, I have believed? Thus, these three remain: faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Because you believed, you had hope; because you hoped, you loved.

And what are your days if you claim, In my days I called upon Him? It may be the days of fulfillment in which the appointed time has come, and God sent His Son (Galatians 4:4), who declared, In an acceptable time, I have heard you, and in the day of salvation, I have helped you (Isaiah 49:8). I would rather describe my days as those of my suffering, the days of my mortality, the days according to Adam, filled with toil and sweat, the days marked by ancient decay. For I found myself ensnared in deep mire; in another psalm, I lamented, Behold, You have made my days old; in these days, I have cried out to You. For my days differ from the days of my Lord. I refer to my days as those shaped by my own arrogance, whereby I have turned away from Him. As He reigns over all and possesses great power, I have earned imprisonment; that is, I have received the gloom of ignorance and the chains of mortality.

In these days, the nets of death have encompassed me, the sorrows of Gehenna have overtaken me (Psalm 113:3)—sorrows that would not have befallen me had I not strayed from You. Yet now they pursue me, even though I did not recognize them while I delighted in the world's prosperity, where the snares of hell are even more treacherous.

But when I confronted tribulation and burden, I called upon the Name of the Lord (Psalm 113:4). I did not perceive the trouble and beneficial sorrow, which He offers assistance in, to whom it is said, Be our help in trouble; human assistance is fleeting. I thought I could rejoice and exult in the futile help of man, but upon hearing from my Lord, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matthew 5:4), I did not wait until I had lost the temporal blessings in which I rejoiced, bringing on my weeping. Instead, I took serious note of the very affliction that made me treasure transient things I feared to lose but ultimately could not retain. I acknowledged this firmly and courageously and realized that I was not merely tormented by life's hardships but entrapped by its joys. Thus, I recognized the trouble and burden that had previously eluded me and called upon the Name of the Lord; Lord, I implore You, rescue my soul.

Let the holy people of God proclaim, I have called upon the Name of the Lord, and let those among the Gentiles who do not yet invoke His name listen; may they hear, search out trouble and burden, and call upon the Name of the Lord to be saved.

The Lord is gracious and righteous; indeed, our God is merciful (Psalm 114:5). He embodies grace and justice, and above all, He is merciful. He is gracious because He has inclined His ear to me; little did I know that God’s ear was near my lips until those beautiful feet urged me to call upon the Name of the Lord, for who could call upon Him but the one He first called? Thus, He is primary in mercy; yet, He also chastises, remaining merciful as He accepts. For He chastises every son whom He accepts; I should neither be resentful of His discipline nor overly thrilled about His acceptance. For how will the Lord keep the innocent (Psalm 113:6) from chastisement when, in their maturity, He seeks heirs; what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:6-7). I faced difficulty, and He came to my aid. He aided me in my distress, for the pain administered by the physician’s knife serves not as punishment but as healing.

Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt kindly with you (Psalm 114:7)—not according to your worth or strength, but because the Lord has acted graciously toward you. For He has freed my soul from death (Psalm 114:8). It is remarkable, dear brethren, that after he professed his soul had found rest, because the Lord had blessed him with kindness, he added, For He has delivered my soul from death. Did it indeed find rest due to being rescued from death? Is not rest frequently associated with death? What actions characterize someone whose life is peaceful, and whose death brings disturbance? Such actions must lead the soul toward tranquil assurance, rather than an increase in agitated labor, for He rescued him from death who, having compassion, said, Come to Me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Therefore, as she follows meek and humble Christ, if the soul’s purpose is to strive for peace, let it not be idle or lazy, so it may accomplish its journey; as it is written, In serenity, perform your deeds (Sirach 3:19). You have redeemed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from slipping. He who bears the chains of this flesh sings these words as fulfilled in anticipation. For it is indeed true, I was in trouble, and He saved me; yet the apostle assures us that we are saved by hope (Romans 8:24). And it is rightly stated that we are delivered from death, as already accomplished, so that we might comprehend the death of the unbelievers, of whom it is said, Let the dead bury their dead (Matthew 8:22). Then He shall wipe away our tears, after He has preserved our feet from stumbling. For there will be no faltering when we walk without the risk of our flesh failing us. Despite the sturdiness of the path we tread, which is Christ; since we still bear this flesh, to which we are tasked to bring under control, the significant challenge is to stand; but who can remain unshaken in the flesh? I will serve the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 114:9).

We labor now, for we await the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23). But when death is swallowed up in victory, when this corruptible body puts on incorruption, and the mortal puts on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53-54), then there will be no weeping, since there will be no falling, and no falling because corruption no longer exists. Therefore, we will no longer strive to please but shall be fully acceptable in the sight of the Lord in the land of the living.

In the resurrection, distinctions of gender vanish, revealing a singular and harmonious existence for those who serve their Lord and dwell in the land of the living. This earthly realm is fleeting, functioning merely as a habitat for the dying. Given that the physical world is composed of intricate elements, and complexity typically leads to decay, we who inhabit this world, as its constituents, inevitably share in its nature. Thus, we experience numerous deaths even prior to the final separation of soul and body. Do not find this notion surprising; rather, reflect on the reality surrounding you. Throughout the span of years, an individual undergoes three significant transformations marked by life changes, with each segment delineating a new phase. The initial seven years indicate the end of early childhood, marked by the loss of teeth, followed by adolescence, leading into adulthood, where a young man seamlessly transitions from youth to manhood as his appearance evolves subtly. When you observe someone whose progression through years has plateaued, with a mature intellect and devoid of traces of youth, do you not recognize that their past has perished? Moreover, an elder who has altered in both physical and mental attributes becomes distinctly different from their former self. Human existence is thus replete with numerous deaths, not only through transitions in age but also through spiritual failures. Yet, in the realm devoid of bodily or mental alteration, where the mind remains steadfast and untroubled by external circumstances, lies the true land of the living, where beings remain unchanged. There, a prophet assures the grace of the Almighty, as nothing external can hinder a sincere commitment to serve alongside the angels. It is written, ‘We aim to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it’ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:9). This is the land of the living: free from darkness, without sleep—the shadow of death, lacking nourishment and hydration, which serve merely to bolster our frailty; absent are illness, pain, remedies, judgments, trade, arts, and wealth—the origin of evils and reasons for strife. This land is not about dying to sin, but rather embracing true life in Christ Jesus, to whom belong glory and sovereignty forever. Amen.

Thus, I cry out, "Cleanse me from my secret faults, and deliver Thy servant from strangers" (Ps. 18:13-14). From strangers, for they do not belong to me; though they lurk within, I do not wish to entertain wicked thoughts, yet I find myself drawn to them. Despite my desire to reject these evil notions, I am like a captive in resistance, pulled towards them. Since I cannot control the presence of such thoughts, I implore, "Although these intrusions are alien to my heart, because they seem to overpower me, I ask: 'Cleanse me from my secret faults.' Even if these transgressions are foreign, I beseech, 'Deliver me, Thy servant, from these external sins.'" Why do I make this plea? Because of the prophet's declaration, "I will please the Lord." He did not state simply, "I will please," but "I will please." My righteousness is not achieved through my works. This is why the apostle observes, "We know in part, we prophesy in part" (1 Cor. 13:9), and adds, "For now we see through a glass darkly, then face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12). Therefore, we often express lengthy discourses. In this present world, no individual can attain perfection; not David, not the apostles, not any of the saints. "No one is clean from sin, even if he lives one day" (Job 14:4-5). If the apostles and saints refrained from declaring, "we are holy," they took the risk of asserting not "I will please," but "I will please." The one who commits to future actions acknowledges the shortcomings of the past. "I will please the Lord." Where? "In the land of the living." This refers to what is ultimately the land of the dead – it is the land of the living. If David existed here, and indeed he did dwell in the land of promise, by affirming, "I will please the Lord in the land of the living," he acknowledges that this is a domain not of the living but of the dead. Would you like to understand what this land of the living signifies? The Lord proclaimed in the Gospel, "The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob" (Matthew 22:32), and they had passed from this life. And what follows? "God," asserts Christ, "is not the God of the dead, but of the living." So what does a righteous person declare? "I will please the Lord in the land of the living," in the realm of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This means that when I find myself in the embrace of Abraham, I will please the Lord.

Alternatively, he may imply: "I will do good," which can be interpreted as "I will be found pleasing to God." These sentiments find further clarification in Psalm 55:14, which states, "For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling." Therefore, "I will do good before the Lord in the land of the living." Theodoret emphasizes that the land of the living is not the present life filled with sorrow, tears, illness, death, sin, and misfortune; rather, it pertains to a life liberated from such afflictions, where virtue thrives securely and the wealth of righteousness is attained effortlessly.

Chrysostom rightly observes that the land of the living signifies a true existence that is free from death, characterized by blessings untainted by evil. Ultimately, he points out that the enemy will be vanquished through death. Eusebius asserts that this present world is transient and serves as the abode of the dying. The soul, encased in a mortal body, finds itself in a state that is not truly the land of the living; instead, it dwells in a condition akin to being half-alive, bound within a decaying physical form. Thus, while residing in a corruptible body on earth does not embody a habitation in the land of the living, the righteous are aware that this place feels foreign to their souls because the soul is not derived from the earth, nor does it return to it, but belongs to the realm of the living. Saint Basil explains that the land of the living is where the prophet anticipates pleasing God without any external hindrances; it is a realm devoid of night, which symbolizes death, and free from the need for food and drink that sustain our frailties. There, no external calamities exist, creating a land where life is genuinely enjoyed in Christ, free from the decay brought about by sin.

If we accept that the psalmist is speaking on behalf of the entire community, we may view the psalm as a hymn of thanksgiving from those liberated from bondage; in this context, captivity refers to the perilous circumstances addressed by the psalm, where the national identity of the people was endangered, risking dispersion among the nations and eventual demise. Alternatively, it can also be understood in a personal context, as seen in Psalms 17 and 55. The Psalmist expresses his fervent love for God, affirming his allegiance because God has consistently listened to his supplications; he substantiates this by alluding to the recent answering of his prayer, for which he pledges to extol the Lord for the duration of his life. The love he speaks of, akin to that in Psalm 17, emphasizes a deep devotion: it is not merely "I love" but rather an expression of joy that the Lord acknowledges his voice. To invoke the name of God in gratitude is paramount, as referenced in Psalm 17:4. The Psalmist's call is filled with praise; he was in grave danger and cried out to the Lord for rescue, and the Lord responded with mercy and righteousness, aiding the oppressed and safeguarding the innocent. Now that the Lord has compassionately intervened, the psalmist's soul, once troubled, can find rest. His spirit was on the verge of despair, hence the encouragement to return to a state of tranquility. God, in His aid, has dispelled all sources of distress. The Psalmist rightly perceives this deliverance from mortal peril as a promise that God will sustain his life well into the future. Living to please God in the land of the living entails conducting oneself righteously upon the earth, and he surrenders himself to the hope that the Lord will guide him in leading a life of piety.

Righteous is Christ the Lord, who justly decreed Adam's expulsion from paradise; merciful is He, having died for Adam so that he may return to paradise once more. The Lord safeguards these newborns who come into the world with malice yet lack understanding, for He generously grants His grace to the humble. Those who are born of water and the Spirit resemble infants and, through faith, mature into perfection. Adam and others will once again find their way to paradise, as Christ the Lord humbly accepted suffering on their behalf. The righteous man refers to his eternal resting place as the lofty mountain abodes, which he will receive in reward for his deeds; and in this life, the tears of repentance provide solace for the sinful soul. Christ rescues Adam's spirit from hell and death, wiping every tear from his soul and empowering it with grace, ensuring it no longer succumbs to sin indefinitely. The land of the living is heaven, a realm where the righteous and angels praise God without cease. The prophet describes the land of the living as the eternal, immortal existence in which there are no barriers: no more darkness or sleep, no more sustenance or nourishment, no more suffering or death, but the fulfillment of authentic life in Christ. Here, life feels foreign to the soul, which exists as if it were half-alive, constrained within a mortal, corruptible body. The soul does not originate from the earth nor will it return to the earth; rather, it belongs to the land of the living.