Psalm 118 (117):19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The doors of righteousness are accessible to those who have faced punishment and turned away from their transgressions. The repentant individual can confidently declare, 'Open to me the gates of righteousness.' These words may also be interpreted metaphorically, signifying the entrance to heaven that is kept for the unrighteous, where acts of virtue, generosity, and righteousness must be sought.

In this Psalm, we learn that when we proclaim Hallelujah, meaning "Praise the Lord," we should respond to the call to "Confess to the Lord" (Psalm 116:1) with praise. Our praise for God can be encapsulated in the affirmation, "For He is good." There is a profound gravity in this simplicity, as God's goodness is so significant that even the Son of God, when referred to as the Good Teacher by someone who perceives only His human form, responded, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:17-18). This implies that to affirm His goodness, one must recognize His divine nature. As this is addressed to a future generation liberated from toil and the presence of evil, it reflects the grace of God, who not only refrains from recompensing evil with evil but returns evil with goodness. Thus, it is fitting to declare, "Because His mercy endures forever."

Israel should now proclaim that He is good, and that His mercy endures forever (Psalm 116:2). The house of Aaron should also declare His everlasting mercy (Psalm 116:3). And let all who revere the Lord acknowledge that His mercy lasts indefinitely (Psalm 116:4). Beloved, you surely recall the distinction of the house of Israel and the house of Aaron, both of whom fear the Lord. They represent the great and the small, joyfully captured in your hearts by another psalm: let us rejoice that we are united in His grace, He who is good and whose mercy is eternal. They expressed their hope: “May the Lord increase you and your children,” so that to the Israelites who believe in Christ, represented by our father apostles, an army of Gentiles might be added, elevating the perfect and guiding the little ones to become one flock under one Shepherd. Together we might affirm, “I called upon the Lord in my trouble, and the Lord answered me” (Psalm 116:5). Our trials may seem confined, yet the vast path we walk is endless. Who can bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? (Romans 8:33).

The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man does to me (Psalm 116:6). But is humanity the Church's only adversary? What is a mere man, founded in flesh and blood? The apostle teaches us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12)—the devil and his angels, whom he designates as the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). Thus, hear this: The Lord is my helper; therefore I will scorn my enemies (Psalm 116:7). Regardless of their origin, whether from evil humans or malevolent angels, with the Lord's assistance—with whom we will sing praise and give our Hallelujah—such adversaries shall be held in contempt.

But when my foes are leveled to nothing, let not my friend present himself as virtuous and bid me place my trust in him, for it is far better to rely on the Lord than on human assurances (Psalm 116:8). I should not regard anyone, even if they might appear to be a good angel, as one on whom I must depend, for no one is good except God alone (Mark 10:18). When a man or angel extends help out of genuine love, it is ultimately through the God who created them good in their capacity. Therefore, it is wiser to trust in the Lord than in princes (Psalm 116:9). Even angels are referred to as princes, as exemplified in Daniel where it states, "Michael your prince" (Daniel 12:1).

All nations surrounded me, yet in the name of the Lord, I cut them down (Psalm 117:10). I was engulfed on all sides; indeed, I was besieged, but in the name of the Lord, I overcame them (Psalm 117:11). This reflects the struggles and victories of the Church; when confronted with immense evil, she recalls these instances, stating, “They surrounded me on every side.” The mention of "all nations" is intentionally omitted here as it was the Jews alone who executed these actions. Those same faithful people, who embody Christ’s body, endured persecution from those whose corporeal form He took and was crucified upon.

They attacked me like bees swarm a hive and burned like a fire among thorns, yet I avenged them in the name of the Lord (Psalm 117:12). Here, the arrangement of words mirrors the sequence of events. Our Lord, the Head of the Church, was assailed much like bees surrounding a hive. The Holy Spirit speaks with profound insight about the actions of those who were unaware of their deeds. Just as bees produce honey within the hive, the persecutors, though oblivious, rendered Christ even sweeter to us through His Passion—allowing us to taste and see how sweet the Lord is, who died for our sins and rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25). The "fire among thorns" pertains more to His Body, composed of His scattered people, who faced the fury of nations. They consumed this sinful flesh and the anguish of mortal existence ignited by persecution. The vengeance was either because those persecutors, consumed by their own evil, joined Christ's people or due to the eventual realization that awaits those who neglected the mercy of the One who called them.

I was thrust down like a pile of sand and stumbled, yet the Lord supported me (Psalm 117:13). Though there exists a multitude of believers, likened to countless grains of sand, they can unite in fellowship, forming a single heap. But what is a man, if not that which You remember? The statement is not that “the multitude of the Gentiles could not outnumber my host,” but rather, “the Lord sustained me.” The tribulations of the Gentiles did not topple the kingdom of believers who stand united in faith.

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation (Psalm 116:14). Who then among us falls when pressed, except those who trust in their own strength and glory? No one collapses in the fray unless they lack strength and honor. Thus, whoever finds strength and praise in the Lord shall not fall, just as the Lord Himself did not fall. For this reason, He has become their salvation—not that He transformed into something new but that they, having believed in Him, were transformed into something new, receiving salvation when they turned to Him, which He had not been for them while they turned away.

There is a voice of joy and salvation in the dwellings of the righteous (Psalm 117:15), where those who rage against their bodies expected cries of despair and ruin. They did not perceive the deep joy of the saints in their future expectation. Hence, the apostle states, “I may grieve, yet I always rejoice” (2 Corinthians 6:10), and, “Not only that, but we boast in tribulations” (Romans 5:3).

The right hand of the Lord does mighty deeds (Psalm 117:16). What wonders, you may ask? “The right hand of the Lord has lifted me up.” Great acts include exalting the humble, making the mortal divine, transforming weakness into strength, and suffering into triumph—affording aid and raising those in distress. This reveals God’s true deliverance to those who suffer, while the salvation of men proves futile for persecutors. These are remarkable feats, but why be amazed? Listen as he reiterates: the right hand of the Lord has accomplished great things.

"I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord" (Psalm 117:17). Those who spread ruin and death everywhere thought the Church of Christ was perishing. Yet behold, she now proclaims the works of the Lord. Amid defeat, He triumphed over those who pursued Him, enduring torment with patience and loving those who turned against Him.

Still, let us ponder why the Body of Christ, the Holy Church, the people chosen for adoption, have faced such humiliation. The Lord has disciplined and rebuked me, but has not allowed me to perish (Psalm 116:18). Let not the boastful wicked deceive themselves into thinking their power is legitimate; they possess it only because it has been granted from above. Often, a master instructs his sons to be corrected by the most unworthy servants; even so, he secures an inheritance for the former while constraining the latter. What is this inheritance? Is it gold, silver, jewels, farms, or well-kept estates? Observe how we enter into it and comprehend what it truly signifies.

“Open to me the gates of righteousness” (Psalm 117:19). We take note of a gate; what lies beyond? “That I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.” This signifies a confession of praise, filled with awe, for the house of God, in joyous proclamation. It is the eternal blessing of the righteous, through which all who dwell in the house of the Lord are blessed as they praise Him endlessly.

Consider how they enter the gates of righteousness. “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it” (Psalm 116:20). Let no wicked person enter Jerusalem, a place that welcomes no uncircumcised soul, where it is written, “Outside are the dogs” (Revelation 22:15). It is sufficient that I resided among the tents of Kedar throughout my long journey, enduring company with the wicked until the end, yet this is the Lord’s gate: the righteous shall enter.

"I give thanks to You, O Lord, for You have heard me and have become my salvation" (Psalm 116:21). How often has the confession of one, who does not showcase his wounds to the Healer but instead extends gratitude for the health received, proved commendable. But the Physician Himself embodies Salvation.

But who, we ask, is the focal point of our discourse? “The stone that the builders rejected” (Psalm 116:22) has become the cornerstone—uniting the two into one new entity, peace achieved; reconciliation brought to both to God through one body (Ephesians 2:15-16)—both circumcision and uncircumcision.

“The Lord has done this” (Psalm 117:23): Indeed, He made Him the chief cornerstone. Though He would not have assumed this position without suffering, it was not through those who inflicted suffering that He rose to this status. The builders rejected Him, yet in the secret construction of the Lord, He was appointed as the cornerstone they spurned. This is marvelous in our sight—perceived by the inward man, by believers who hope, love, and not by the fleshly eyes, who scornfully dismissed Him as merely a man.

"This is the day that the Lord has made" (Psalm 117:24). The author recalls what was shared in former psalms: “Since He has inclined His ear to me, I will call upon Him as long as I live," referring to his earlier days; from this, he now proclaims, “This is the day the Lord has made”—the day upon which He has granted me salvation. It is the same day Isaiah referred to: "In a favorable time I heard you, and in the day of salvation, I helped you" (Isaiah 49:8)—the day when the Mediator became the chief cornerstone. Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad in Him.

"Save me, O Lord, and bless my life on this day" (Psalm 116:25). Since it is the day of Salvation, rescue me, as we return from a long journey, having distanced ourselves from those who despised the world, whom we once befriended and who declared war upon us without cause; guide our return, for You are our Path.

"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, him you will receive" (John 5:43). We bless you from the house of God. I believe these words speak to those great in spirit, who communicate with the Word of God, doing so with moderation so the small can genuinely express what the Apostle teaches: “For if we have left ourselves for Him, it is for God; or if we are sober, it is for your sake, for the love of Christ constrains us” (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). They bless the children from the inner sanctum of the Lord’s house, where this praise persists through generations; thus, consider what they proclaim from there.

Invite me to enter the doors of righteousness. By the doors of righteousness, I refer to the thresholds of virtue and abundance, where those who have persevered through trials and afflictions tread.

What do we understand by the gates of death, or the gates of hell, if not all manner of sin? When you engage in adultery, you have stepped through the gates of death. Breaking a promise leads you through the gates of death. Committing a grave sin means you have approached the gates of death. However, the Almighty is powerful enough to draw you from these gates of death, enabling you to lift your voice in praise at the gates of the daughter of Zion, as expressed in Psalm 9:15. The gate of the Church represents the gateway of purity, the door of righteousness, where the virtuous typically enter, proclaiming, "Open to me the gate of righteousness; I will go in and thank the Lord" (Psalm 117:19).

The Prophet refers to ‘the gates of righteousness’ not merely as the entrances to the temple but as the diverse forms of virtue that enable one to offer a fitting song to the Almighty. This becomes even clearer in the subsequent statement, which seems to respond directly to an inquiry, declaring, ‘This is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter into it.’

Open for me the doors of righteousness, and let us not refrain from acknowledging the Lord. He calls out to me, priests and Levites, to open the gates of the tabernacle, where the truth of the law and its justification reside, so that I may offer thanks to the Lord and glorify Him, as I vowed previously. The gates of righteousness can also signify the abodes of the aforementioned ascetics and the local congregations, places where truth and all virtues exist, allowing David to enter and give thanks through the singing of his psalms. The gates are opened to those who, through correction, have turned away from their sins. Consequently, anyone who experiences such correction can confidently proclaim, Open for me the doors of righteousness.

In this passage, David fervently seeks to express his gratitude to God, and as if he were presenting offerings on a special day, he instructs the priests to open the temple gates. He reiterates his previous declaration of intent, wishing to publicly give thanks to the Lord in the assembly of the faithful. Having been away from the sanctuary for an extended period, he now rejoices and feels victorious at the opportunity to witness the temple and present his sacrifices to God. However, he emphasizes that he intends to enter the temple not like the insincere ones, whom God rebuked through Isaiah, stating, ‘You shall not walk in my court’ (Isaiah 1:12). Instead, he aspires to approach with a true offering of praise and confession.

This Psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit and brimming with joy and gratitude, articulates the boundless and indescribable mercy of God, the Creator of humanity. It serves as a heartfelt homage in praise and thanksgiving to Him on the day of His magnificent victory, when the people of Israel were united under the sovereign reign of David. This unity symbolizes the convergence of all tribes and nations into the singular kingdom of Christ the Lord, the King of everlasting glory, on the momentous occasion of His sacred Resurrection.