In this Psalm, we are instructed that when we utter "Hallelujah," meaning "Praise the Lord," we should respond with praise upon hearing the phrase, "Confess to the Lord" (Psalm 116:1). Our acknowledgement of God's goodness cannot be more succinct than stating, “For He is good.” This brevity carries profound weight, as God's goodness is a unique attribute. The Son of God, when referred to as the Good Teacher by someone who viewed Him solely in His human form without grasping His divine essence, questioned, “Why do you call Me good? There is none good except one, that is, God” (Mark 10:17-18). This implies that to acknowledge His goodness is to recognize His divinity. The psalm speaks to a community liberated from toil and the company of the wicked, granted freedom by God's grace, which not only refrains from evil but responds to evil with goodness. Therefore, it is fitting to affirm, “Because His mercy endures forever.”
Let Israel now declare, “He is good” and proclaim that “His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 116:2). Let the house of Aaron also affirm that His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 116:3). Indeed, let all who revere the Lord confess the eternality of His mercy (Psalm 116:4). Dear friends, you likely recall the meanings of the house of Israel and the house of Aaron, both symbolizing those who fear the Lord. These represent both the humble and the exalted, joyfully depicted in another psalm, where we rejoice in unity, embraced by His grace, who is good and whose mercy lasts forever. There, we express the desire that the Lord might multiply blessings upon you and your children; to the Israelites who received faith in Christ, of whom the apostles were part, may an army of Gentiles be added, culminating in the glory of the perfect and the obedience of the young believers, as we become one flock under one Shepherd. As one body with Christ, we declare, “I called upon the Lord in trouble, and the Lord answered me” (Psalm 116:5). The confines of our trials may be narrow, yet the expansive path we travel knows no end. Who can bring any charge against God's elect? (Romans 8:33).
The Lord is my support; I will not fear what others may do to me (Psalm 116:6). Yet, are humans the sole adversaries of the Church? What is a man devoted to flesh and blood if not flesh and blood? The apostle teaches us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12), that is, against the devil and his minions, that same devil whom he refers to as the ruler of the air (Ephesians 2:2). Thus, let us hear this: The Lord is my helper; I will look down upon my adversaries (Psalm 116:7). Regardless of their origin—be they evil humans or wicked spirits—with the Lord’s assistance, whom we shall praise, they shall be held in contempt.
When my enemies are dismissed, let not my friend appear as a righteous man to urge reliance upon himself, for it is far better to put trust in the Lord than to depend on mere mortals (Psalm 116:8). Similarly, I should not consider any being, even if deemed a good angel, as someone to whom I owe my reliance; for no man is good except God alone (Mark 10:18). When men or angels assist us out of genuine love, it is through Him, who imparts goodness to them in accordance with His will. Hence, it is better to trust in the Lord rather than in earthly rulers (Psalm 116:9). Even angels are described as princes, as illustrated when Michael is called your prince (Daniel 12:1).
Surrounded by all nations, I invoked the Lord to avenge me (Psalm 117:10). I was hemmed in on every side, yet in the name of the Lord, I sought restitution (Psalm 117:11). This symbolizes the struggles and triumphs of the Church. In pondering how she overcomes such great evils, the psalm reflects on earlier experiences, adding, “They surrounded me on every side.” The phrase "all nations" is notably absent here, as the Israelites faced persecution primarily from the Jews, the same faithful who are part of the body of Christ, for whom the Lord took on flesh and suffered on the cross.
They attacked me like swarming bees and burned fiercely among thorns, yet in the name of the Lord, I prevailed against them (Psalm 117:12). The manner of these words aligns with the sequence of events. We rightly discern that our Lord, the Head of the Church, was besieged by His persecutors just as bees envelop a hive. The Holy Spirit subtly reveals that the actions of those unaware of their wrongdoing ironically made Him sweeter through His Passion. We may taste and recognize how good the Lord is, who died for our sins and was raised for our justification (Romans 4:25). The reference to thorns and fire more aptly applies to His Body, referring to His scattered followers, encircled by all nations. They endured the trials of this earthly existence amidst the flames of persecution. They might have been avenged, either by the very evil that once tormented the righteous joining the ranks of Christ’s followers or by the fate that awaits those who disregard His mercy.
Though I was crushed underfoot, I fell, yet the Lord sustained me (Psalm 117:13). Despite the vast multitude of believers likened to countless grains of sand, united in one body, I remind you, “What is man, that you are mindful of him?” The multitude of Gentiles cannot surpass the number of the faithful. Instead, the Lord is my support. The persecution of Gentiles has not led to the downfall of those who share a common faith in Christ.
The Lord is my strength, my song, and has been my deliverance (Psalm 116:14). Who falters when pushed except those who rely on their own strength and recognition? No one falters in battle except those whose strength and praise fail. Therefore, one whose strength and praise is the Lord cannot fall any more than the Lord Himself. This is why He became their salvation—not because He became something other than He was, but because those who put their faith in Him transformed into who they were meant to be, receiving salvation that was not theirs until they turned to Him.
The joyful voice can be heard in the homes of the righteous (Psalm 117:15), where those who sought to oppress the body expected only sorrow and ruin. They failed to perceive the inner joy of the saints anchored in hope for the future. Thus, the apostle expresses, “I may grieve, but I rejoice always” (2 Corinthians 6:10), affirming the glory found in tribulations (Romans 5:3).
The right hand of the Lord has accomplished mighty deeds (Psalm 117:16). What great deeds are these? The right hand of the Lord has elevated me. Great things include uplifting the humble and glorifying the mortal, turning weakness into strength, and bringing victory out of suffering. These acts reveal true salvation to the afflicted while rendering the salvation offered to the persecutors void. Such deeds are indeed remarkable. Listen, for the right hand of the Lord has done wondrous works.
“I shall not die, but live, and proclaim the works of the Lord” (Psalm 117:17). Yet, the adversaries, spreading ruin and death in every direction, believed they were extinguishing the Church of Christ. Behold, the works of the Lord are now declared. In every instance, Christ embodies the glory of the blessed martyrs. Overwhelmed, He triumphed over those who tormented Him; enduring suffering patiently, He loved those who rebelled against Him.
Yet, let us reflect on why the Body of Christ—the Holy Church, the people chosen by God—endures such trials. The Lord has chastened and corrected me, yet He has not delivered me over to death (Psalm 116:18). The arrogant wicked should not falsely assume their authority is unchallenged; they possess it only because it is granted from above. Often, a father delegates his lesser servants to discipline his sons, ensuring the latter’s inheritance while restraining the former. What is this inheritance? Is it earthly treasures, lands, or possessions? Let us discern what it truly signifies.
“Open to me the gates of righteousness,” he implores (Psalm 117:19). We have noted the mention of a gate. What awaits within? “That I may enter and give thanks to the Lord.” This expresses a full acknowledgment of praise, resounding in awe as we approach God's dwelling, wrapped in joy and collective praise. This is the eternal joy of the righteous, bestowing blessings upon those who reside in the Lord's house, praising Him forever.
Consider how they enter the gates of righteousness. “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it” (Psalm 116:20). Hence, let no wicked person pass through that Jerusalem that accepts not the uncircumcised, where it is written, “Outside are the dogs” (Revelation 22:15). It suffices that I wandered among the tents of Kedar, enduring the company of the wicked till the end. However, this is the gate of the Lord, and only the righteous shall pass through.
“I will give thanks to You, O Lord, for You have heard me and have become my salvation” (Psalm 116:21). How often has the gratitude of one—who does not exhibit his ailments to a physician but instead celebrates the health received—proved admirable? Yet the Physician Himself is Salvation.
Who is the subject of our discourse? “The stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 116:22) has become the chief cornerstone, joining both Jew and Gentile in Himself to create a new man, thereby establishing peace and reconciling both to God in one Body (Ephesians 2:15-16).
“The Lord has done this” (Psalm 117:23); He made Him the cornerstone. Although He would not have assumed this role without suffering, it was the very ones who rejected Him who inadvertently contributed to this reality. Those builders rejected Him, yet in the construction of the Lord's secret design, He has become the cornerstone. This is wondrous in our sight: to the inner man, to the believers, to those who hope and love—not to those whose carnal perception led them to disdain Him as merely human.
“This is the day which the Lord has made” (Psalm 117:24). He recalls what was stated earlier; “Since He has inclined His ear to me, I will call upon Him as long as I live,” referring to past experiences. Thus he proclaims, “This is the day which the Lord has made,” the day of His salvation. This is the day of which it was said, “In an acceptable time, I heard you; in the day of salvation, I assisted you” (Isaiah 49:8), referring to the day when the Mediator became the cornerstone. Let us, therefore, rejoice and be glad in Him.
“Save me, O Lord; grant success on my journey, O Lord” (Psalm 116:25). As this is the day of Salvation, let me be delivered; for we return from a long journey, separated from those who despise the world, and waged unwarranted hostilities against us; grant us successful passage as we return, for You have become our Way.
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 117:26). Cursed is one who comes in his own name; as stated in the Gospel, “If another comes in his own name, you will accept him” (John 5:43). We bless you from the Lord’s house. I believe these words are spoken by the great to the humble, namely, those who, in spirit, connect with the Word of God and dwell closely with Him, while still moderating their words to uplift the less informed. Hence the apostle could say, “Whether we are out of our senses, it is for God; whether we are sober, it is for you, for the love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). They bless the children from the inner house of the Lord, where this praise reverberates eternally, prompting us to heed their proclamations from there.
THEOSIS