In this Psalm, we learn that when we proclaim Hallelujah, meaning "Praise the Lord," we should indeed glorify Him upon hearing the phrase, "I will confess to the Lord" (Psalm 116:1). Our expressions of reverence to God must be rooted in the succinct affirmation: "For He is good." There is a profound solemnity in this simplicity, as God's goodness stands out as an extraordinary aspect of His nature. When the Son of God was addressed as the Good Teacher—assuming that the inquirer saw Him merely in His humanity—He responded, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except one, that is, God" (Mark 10:17-18). This indicates that to truly recognize Him as good, one must acknowledge His divinity. This scripture speaks of a revelation granted to a people liberated from toil and false worship; they are freed by God’s grace, who not only refrains from repaying evil with evil but instead responds to it with good. Thus, it is fitting to proclaim, "Because His mercy endures forever."
Let the people of Israel proclaim His goodness, for His mercy lasts forever (Psalm 116:2). Let the house of Aaron declare that His mercy is eternal (Psalm 116:3). Yes, let all who revere the Lord shout that His mercy is unending (Psalm 116:4). Dear friends, you surely remember what is meant by the house of Israel and the house of Aaron, both of which reverently honor the Lord. These groups represent both the great and the small and have already been joyfully depicted in your hearts through another psalm. It is our joy to recognize our unity in Him, who is good and whose mercy is everlasting; for they were heard saying, "May the Lord multiply you and your offspring." This pertains to the believers in Christ, of whom the apostles were part, so that a multitude of Gentiles may be added for the exaltation of the perfect and the obedience of the children, enabling us all to unite as one flock under one Shepherd. Together, the body of Christ expresses, "I called upon the Lord in my distress, and He answered me" (Psalm 116:5). Although the trials we face are confined, we journey along a boundless path. Who can bring a charge against God's chosen ones? (Romans 8:33).
"The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid of what man can do to me" (Psalm 116:6). But are men the only adversaries confronted by the Church? And what are men but flesh and blood? The apostle reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12)—the devil and his angels; the prince of the air he refers to elsewhere (Ephesians 2:2). Therefore, listen: "The Lord is my helper; I will look down upon my foes" (Psalm 116:7). Regardless of their source—whether from evil men or malignant spirits—with the Lord's assistance, to whom we sing praises, we shall disregard them.
As my enemies are set aside, I must not allow a friend to present himself as a trustworthy confidant, urging me to place my hope in him, for it is better to trust in the Lord than in mortal man (Psalm 116:8). I should not view any being, even one who appears to be a good angel, as my reliance, for only God is truly good (Mark 10:18). When help comes from a person or an angel motivated by genuine love, it ultimately stems from Him who created them good in their measure. Hence, it is better to trust in the Lord than in rulers (Psalm 116:9). Even angels are called princes, as we see in Daniel where it mentions, "Michael, your prince" (Daniel 12:1).
"I was surrounded by all nations, but in the name of the Lord, I destroyed them" (Psalm 117:10). I was besieged on every side; yet, "In the name of the Lord, I destroyed them" (Psalm 117:11). This signifies the struggles and triumphs of the Church. If one wonders how she could overcome such profound evil, let us recall her initial experiences, as he continues, "They surrounded me on every side." The phrase "all nations" is notably omitted here because it refers specifically to the Jewish actions. Those same faithful people (the body of Christ, for whom all that was done in mortal form with immortal power served) were persecuted, and it was their own flesh that was nailed to the cross.
"They swarmed around me like bees and blazed like a fire among thorns; but in the name of the Lord, I destroyed them" (Psalm 117:12). The sequence here aligns with the events. We rightly understand that our Lord, the Head of the Church, was encircled by His persecutors as bees form a hive. The Holy Spirit provides a mystical insight into the actions of those who were unaware of their deeds. While the bees produce honey in the hive, the Lord's persecutors inadvertently made His sacrifice even sweeter for us; so that we might taste and see how good is the Lord, who died for our sins and rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25). The further statement about consuming fire among thorns parallels His Body—representing the scattered believers—who were surrounded by all nations and who endured the flames of persecution. Herein lies the vengeance either upon those who, having persecuted the righteous, have joined the people of Christ, or upon those who will ultimately recognize the truth of their Judge.
"I was thrust down like a heap of sand, yet the Lord supported me" (Psalm 117:13). Even though there are many believers, they may be seen as countless grains of sand, which can be gathered into one heap; but what is man that You are mindful of him? The statement isn't asserting that the multitude of Gentiles could surpass my army, but rather, "the Lord supported me." The assaults of the Gentiles did not yield a defeat for the unified body of believers.
"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation" (Psalm 116:14). Who, then, falls when pressed but those who lean on their own strength and praise? For one only falters in battle if their strength and praise forsake them. Therefore, he whose strength and glory is the Lord cannot fall any more than the Lord does. This is why He became their salvation, not because He transformed into something He was not, but because those who believed in Him transitioned into what they were not before, finding salvation in Him only upon their turning towards Him.
"In the dwellings of the righteous, there is a song of joy and salvation" (Psalm 117:15), where those who raged against their bodies anticipated sorrow and destruction. They did not recognize the inner joy of the saints rooted in their hope for what is to come. Hence the apostle remarks, "I grieve, yet I rejoice always" (2 Corinthians 6:10), and again, "And not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings" (Romans 5:3).
"The right hand of the Lord has accomplished mighty acts" (Psalm 117:16). And what mighty acts? "The right hand of the Lord has uplifted me." Great deeds include uplifting the lowly, granting divinity to the mortal, transforming weakness into strength, subjection into glory, and suffering into victory—bringing salvation to those who endure, while the salvation of mankind remains ungraspable to the wicked. These are indeed great acts; but why do we marvel? Consider what he reiterates: "the right hand of the Lord has performed great things."
"I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord" (Psalm 117:17). While others sow despair and death all around, they believe the Church of Christ is perishing. Yet, behold, He proclaims the works of the Lord; everywhere, Christ is glorified among the blessed martyrs. Though beaten, He triumphed over those who struck Him; in enduring suffering, He overcame those who tormented Him, loving even those who opposed Him.
But our contemplation leads us to understand why the Body of Christ, the Holy Church, the people chosen for adoption, have faced such humiliating trials. For he states that "the Lord has disciplined and corrected me, but He has not delivered me to death" (Psalm 116:18). Let not the arrogant wicked presume to have unchallenged authority; they receive it only through divine permission. A father might task his sons to be corrected by the lowliest servants, yet he grants an inheritance to the former while restraining the latter. What is this inheritance? Is it gold, silver, jewels, or land? Observe how we enter it and discover its true nature.
"Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Psalm 117:19). We have heard of a gate—what lies within? "That I may enter them and give thanks to the Lord." This signifies a wonder-filled declaration of praise amid the congregation of God’s house, characterized by joy. Herein resides the eternal blessedness of the righteous, where those residing in the Lord's house are forever blessed, praising Him through all ages.
Consider how they enter these gates of righteousness. "The gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter through it" (Psalm 116:20). Let no wicked person gain access to that Jerusalem which allows no uncircumcised soul, where it is stated, "Outside are the dogs" (Revelation 22:15). It suffices to say that I have spent a long time dwelling among the tents of Kedar, enduring the company of the wicked; but this is the gate of the Lord. Only the righteous will pass through.
"I confess to You, O Lord, for You have heard me, and You have become my salvation" (Psalm 116:21). How commendable it is for one to acknowledge their healer without disclosing their wounds, giving thanks instead for the health they possess. For the ultimate physician is Salvation itself.
Yet, who is this we discuss? "The stone which the builders rejected" (Psalm 116:22); this stone has become the cornerstone, forming out of two a new human entity in Himself, thereby establishing peace; reconciling both to God in one body (Ephesians 2:15-16)—the circumcised and the uncircumcised.
"The Lord has done this" (Psalm 117:23)—that is, He has made this rejected one the chief cornerstone. Although He would not have assumed this role without suffering, it was not through those who caused His suffering that He achieved it. The builders cast Him aside, but in the construction that God secretly established, He became the head of the corner, rejected by them. This is marvelous in our sight: in the sight of the inner man, in the eyes of believers, hopeful and loving, unlike those who, with fleshly sight, dismissed Him.
"This is the day the Lord has made" (Psalm 117:24). This man recalls his earlier sentiments: "Since He inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him for as long as I live," reflecting on his earlier days; thus he declares, "This is the day the Lord has made," indicating the day of his salvation. It echoes the declaration that "In an acceptable time, I have heard you, and in the day of salvation, I have helped you" (Isaiah 49:8)—the very moment when the Mediator became the cornerstone. Let us, therefore, rejoice and find joy in Him.
"Save me, O Lord; prosper my way, O Lord" (Psalm 116:25). As today is the day of Salvation, deliver me: for we, returning from distant travels, find ourselves apart from those who hated the world and with whom we once found ease, yet when we communicated, they declared war on us without justification. Please guide our return, for You have become our Way.
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" (Psalm 117:26). Cursed, therefore, is he who comes in his own name; as stated in the Gospel, "If another comes in his own name, you will receive him" (John 5:43). We bless you from the house of the Lord. I believe these words express communication from the spiritually great to the humble, those great in spirit who connect with the Word of God and are with Him as they can be in this life. Nevertheless, they moderate their speech for the sake of the small, enabling them to echo the apostle’s words: "Whether we are out of ourselves, it is for God; or whether we are sober, it is for your sake" (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). They bless the little ones from within the house of the Lord, where praise is ceaseless from age to age; thus, consider what they proclaim from there.
THEOSIS