In this Psalm, we learn that when we proclaim Hallelujah, which signifies "Praise the Lord," we should respond to the call to “Confess to the Lord” (Psalm 116:1) with joyful praise. Our song of adoration can be succinctly expressed with the words: “For He is good.” The gravity of this simplicity is profound, as God’s goodness is such an essential attribute that even the Son of God, when addressed as the Good Teacher by someone fixated only on His humanity, replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:17-18). This implies that acknowledging Him as good necessitates recognizing Him as God. This revelation was presented to a people liberated from toil and wandering in their worship, who had received Grace from the Lord—not merely refraining from evil but also repaying malevolence with good. Thus, it is fitting to affirm, “Because His mercy endures forever.”
Let Israel now acknowledge that He is good, and His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 116:2). Let the house of Aaron now proclaim that His mercy lasts forever (Psalm 116:3). Indeed, let all who hold the Lord in reverence now declare that His mercy endures eternally (Psalm 116:4). Beloved, I trust you remember what comprises the house of Israel and the house of Aaron, both of whom revere the Lord. These two groups—the great and the small—have been joyfully represented in our hearts through another psalm. We should all rejoice together in His grace, proclaiming that He is good and that His mercy lasts forever; especially as they were heard saying, “May the Lord grant you a multitude of blessings, you and your children,” so that the faithful Israelites, who believed in Christ, might see an influx of Gentiles joining them in praise, for the glory of the perfect and the obedience of little ones. In unison, we rejoice as one body under one Shepherd, where the Head, as one man, declares, "I called upon the Lord in trouble, and He answered me" (Psalm 116:5). Though we face limited afflictions, the path before us is boundless. Who can bring an accusation against God’s chosen? (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 truly the sole adversaries of the Church? What are humans but flesh and blood? The apostle reminds us that "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness" (Ephesians 6:12), namely, the devil and his minions; that very adversary whom he also describes as “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). Therefore, listen to this: "The Lord is my helper; I will look down on my enemies" (Psalm 116:7). Regardless of their origin—whether they are wicked men or malevolent spirits—through the Lord’s assistance, to whom we shall sing praises, we shall indeed disregard them.
Yet when my adversaries are belittled, let not my friend reveal himself as an excellent man urging me to place my trust in him. “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 116:8). Let me not regard someone, even if they can be considered a good angel, as a man I should rely upon; for no man is truly good, except God alone (Mark 10:18). When someone, be it human or angel, offers help with genuine love, it is through the grace of the One who created them good in their measure. Therefore, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes” (Psalm 116:9). For angels also hold the title of princes, as we read in Daniel, “Michael, your prince” (Daniel 12:1).
All nations surrounded me, but I, in the name of the Lord, dealt with them (Psalm 117:10). I felt the pressure from every side—yes, I experienced it from all directions—but in the name of the Lord, I overcame them (Psalm 117:11). This signifies the struggles and victories of the Church; if one wonders how such evil can be defeated, he reflects on the initial experiences within the spirit, stating, “They pressed me on every side.” The phrase “all nations” is purposely omitted here since it refers specifically to the actions of the Jews alone. Those same religious individuals, who are the body of Christ, endured persecution from those who took on flesh and hung Him on the cross.
“They surrounded me like bees swarm a hive; they burned like fire among thorns, but in the name of the Lord, I avenged them” (Psalm 117:12). Here, the sequence of words aligns with the events. We rightly understand that our Lord, the Head of the Church, faced those persecutors akin to bees surrounding their hive. The Holy Spirit articulates with profound mystery the actions of those unaware of their deeds; bees create sweetness within the hive, while the Lord’s persecutors unwittingly elevated Him through His Passion, allowing us to perceive how sweet the Lord is, who died for our transgressions and rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25). The burning thorns represent His Body, the dispersed congregation surrounded by all nations, as they were gathered from the nations. They consumed this sinful flesh and the harrowing experiences of this mortal life in the flames of persecution. Yet, these adversaries may be avenged—whether by those who, after their toils, joined the ranks of the people of Christ, or by those who will ultimately acknowledge the truth of their Judge in the end.
“I was pushed hard so that I fell, but the Lord upheld me” (Psalm 117:13). Even though there exists a multitude of believers, they may collectively resemble countless grains of sand, seen as one burdened heap; what indeed is man that you are mindful of him? The multitude of nations couldn’t exceed the community of the faithful, for the Lord is the one who supports me. The persecution of the Gentiles could not topple the unity of believers in the truth of their faith.
"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation" (Psalm 116:14). Who, then, stumbles when pushed, apart from those who choose to be their own strength and glory? For in any contest, failure occurs only when one’s strength falters. Hence, one who finds their strength and praise in the Lord will not fall any more than the Lord Himself falls. This is why He became their salvation—not through some transformation of His essence, but because those who believed in Him were transformed and found Him to be their salvation when they turned to Him, whom they could not find when they turned away.
The sound of joy and victory resounds in the midst of the righteous (Psalm 117:15); while those who raged against their bodies thought there was despair, they remained unaware of the inner joy of the saints' hopeful perseverance. The apostle remarks, "I am sorrowful yet always rejoicing" (2 Corinthians 6:10), and again, "We also rejoice in our sufferings" (Romans 5:3).
“The right hand of the Lord has executed with strength” (Psalm 117:16). What wonders has it accomplished? He proclaims, "The right hand of the Lord has raised me up." Great things indeed—to elevate the humble, to sanctify the mortal, to transform weakness into strength, folly into splendor, affliction into triumph—so that genuine salvation may be revealed to the suffering, while there may be no advantage in salvation for the persecutors. Such remarkable deeds prompt awe, yet they are reiterated: the right hand of the Lord has indeed done marvelous works.
"I shall not die but live, and declare the works of the Lord" (Psalm 117:17). Yet those who sow desolation and death all around believed that the Church of Christ was extinguished. Observe, however, how he now speaks of the works of the Lord. Christ shines forth with the glory of the blessed martyrs; in His defeat, He triumphed over those who struck Him; by enduring suffering, He subdued the tormentors; and in His love, He reached out to those who rebelled against Him.
Nevertheless, let us ponder why the Body of Christ, the Holy Church, the chosen people, has endured such humiliation. “The Lord has chastised me severely, but He has not given me over to death” (Psalm 116:18). Let the arrogant wicked not presume that their authority is legitimate; it has only been granted to them from above. A father often directs his sons’ correction to the most worthless of servants, yet he provides an inheritance for his sons while limiting those who serve. What kind of inheritance is this? Is it wealth, silver, jewels, or land? Observe how we enter this inheritance as we recognize its true nature.
"Open to me the gates of righteousness," he asserts (Psalm 117:19). Here we encounter the idea of a gate. What lies beyond it? "That I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord." Here is a heartfelt expression of thanksgiving, brimming with wonder, as it unites the congregation in a joyful praise, embodying the everlasting joy of the righteous. The blessedness of those who dwell in the house of the Lord is profound, for they continually offer praise to Him.
Consider how they enter through the gates of righteousness. "This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it" (Psalm 116:20). Let no evildoer enter this sacred city, which excludes the unclean, for it is said, "Outside are the dogs" (Revelation 22:15). While I endured my long pilgrimage amidst the tents of Kedar, associating with the wicked until the end, this is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous shall pass.
“I thank You, O Lord, for You have answered me and have become my salvation” (Psalm 116:21). How often has a confession, from one who does not reveal their wounds to the healer but instead expresses gratitude for the health they've received, been worthy of praise? For the Physician Himself is Salvation.
But who is this to whom we speak? “The stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 116:22), has become the chief cornerstone—the one who brings together the divisions of humanity to create in Himself a single new man, thereby establishing peace and reconciling both Jew and Gentile to God in one body (Ephesians 2:15-16).
"The Lord has done this” (Psalm 117:23)—the Lord made Him this precious cornerstone. Though He would not have become so without suffering, He was not made so by those who inflicted this suffering upon Him. The builders rejected Him, yet in the concealed structure that the Lord raised, the cornerstone that they rejected became the chief stone of the foundation. This is indeed a marvel in our sight—the insight of the inner self, the perspectives of those who believe, those who hope, and those who love—not perceived by those who, viewing Him as mere man, dismissed Him.
“This is the day which the Lord has made” (Psalm 117:24). The speaker reflects on his previous proclamations, “Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call upon Him as long as I live,” alluding to prior days of struggle. Thus, he announces, “This is the day which the Lord has made”—the day of salvation He bestowed. This is the same day spoken of in the prophecy: “In an acceptable time, I have heard you, and in the day of salvation, I have helped you” (Isaiah 49:8)—the day in which the Mediator became the cornerstone. So, let us rejoice and be glad.
"Save me, O Lord! Lord, grant me success!" (Psalm 116:25). For this is the day of salvation. As we return from a long journey, having distanced ourselves from those who opposed us, let the Lord prosper us on our way since He has become our Way.
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 117:26). Cursed is anyone who comes in their own name; as it is stated in the Gospel, "If anyone comes in his own name, you will receive him" (John 5:43). We bless you from the house of the Lord. These words reflect the great who, in spirit, commune with the Word of God, those who connect with Him in this life; yet they temper their utterance for the sake of the humble. Thus, those may express, as the apostle states, "Whether we are beside ourselves, it is for God, or whether we are in our right mind, it is for you" (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). They bless the children from within the house of the Lord, a place where praise flows continually.
THEOSIS