Psalm 118 (117):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Can you perceive the goodness and compassion of God? The prophet did not declare, “I am deserving,” or “I have performed righteous deeds,” but simply stated, “I called,” and that plea was enough for rescue from disaster. Likewise, concerning the Israelites in Egypt, God professes: “I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sorrows, and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land” (Ex. 3:7-8). He did not mention their piety or improvements, but rather their suffering and their cries for help. Do you witness a merciful Father providing aid based solely on their suffering?

In this Psalm, we learn that when we proclaim Hallelujah, meaning "Praise the Lord," it is a moment to extol the Lord as we hear the call to “Confess to the Lord” (Psalm 116:1). Our adoration of God can be summed up in the assertion: “For He is good.” Such succinctness signifies the solemnity of God’s goodness, a divine attribute so profound that the Son of God, when referred to as the Good Teacher by one who saw Him merely in His humanity, asked in return, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:17-18). This highlights that recognizing Him as good necessitates acknowledging Him as God. Since this message is directed towards a community liberated from toil and evil, granted freedom by God's grace—who not only refrains from evil in response to evil but repays with goodness—it is entirely fitting to declare, “His mercy endures forever.”

Let Israel now proclaim His goodness, repeating that His mercy lasts forever (Psalm 116:2). Let the house of Aaron join in this testimony (Psalm 116:3). Truly, all who revere the Lord should affirm the everlasting nature of His mercy (Psalm 116:4). I trust, dear friends, you recall the significance of both Israel and the house of Aaron, both of whom hold the Lord in awe. These groups reflect both the small and the great, lovingly depicted in another psalm. We should take joy in our unity under His goodness and eternal mercy, as they voiced their prayer for the Lord to multiply them and their descendants, enabling a harvest of believers from the Gentiles for the glorification of the perfect and the obedience of the innocent. Thus, together in Christ, we may become one flock under the one Shepherd and, as His body, proclaim, “I called upon the Lord in trouble, and He answered me” (Psalm 116:5). Our afflictions may seem limiting, but the road we tread is boundless. Who can bring a charge against God’s chosen? (Romans 8:33).

The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what mere mortals do to me (Psalm 116:6). Yet are men the sole foes of the Church? What can flesh and blood do beyond being flesh and blood? The apostle reminds us that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness and the spirit forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12)—namely, the devil and his minions, that prince of the air (Ephesians 2:2). Therefore, heed this: The Lord is my helper; I will disregard my adversaries (Psalm 116:7). Regardless of whether my enemies arise from wicked humans or malignant spirits, with the Lord's aid, to whom we will sing praise and offer our Hallelujahs, I will hold them in contempt.

However, when I look down upon my enemies, let not anyone, even a supposedly virtuous companion, urge me to place my trust in him; for it is better to rely on the Lord than to place confidence in man (Psalm 116:8). Likewise, let me not consider any being, however angelic, as one upon whom I must lean; for no one is truly good except God alone (Mark 10:18). When people or angels assist us out of pure love, that help comes through Him who renders them good. Hence, it is better to depend on the Lord than on princes (Psalm 116:9), for even angels are termed princes, as illustrated in the reference to Michael, your prince (Daniel 12:1).

Surrounded by all nations, I invoked the Lord's name to overcome them (Psalm 117:10). I felt encircled on every side, yet in the name of the Lord, I avenged them (Psalm 117:11). This signifies both the struggles and triumphs of the Church. Should one wonder how such great evil could be vanquished, a look back shows us the first stirrings within her as she states, “They surrounded me on every side”; it is not incidental that the term “all nations” is omitted here, for it was solely the actions of the Jews that enacted hardship. The same faithful ones—the embodiment of Christ—bore persecution and have their flesh cruelly tormented upon the cross.

Like bees buzzing around a hive, they attacked me, igniting a blaze among thorns; yet in the name of the Lord, I revenged them (Psalm 117:12). The arrangement of words echoes the sequence of events. Our Lord, the Church's Head, was besieged by attackers just as bees surround their hive. The Holy Spirit deftly articulates the actions of those unaware of their implications. Just as bees produce honey in the hive, so the Lord’s persecutors unknowingly made Him more precious through His Passion, allowing us to taste and see how sweet is the Lord who died for our sins and was raised for our justification (Romans 4:25). Furthermore, the image of consuming fire among thorns pertains to His Body, the dispersed faithful encircled by the nations—as they too were gathered from all corners. Through the fires of persecution, they consumed this sinful flesh and experienced the deep sufferings of this mortal life. This revenge may signify either the eradication of evil within them that persecuted the righteous or the eventual realization by those who dismissed mercy that the truth of their Judge will ultimately be felt.

I was thrust aside like chaff, leading to my fall; yet the Lord upheld me (Psalm 117:13). While a multitude believes, they may be likened to countless grains of sand gathered into a single heap. Yet, what is man that You should remember him? He did not proclaim that the multitude of Gentiles could not exceed the number of my followers; instead, it is the Lord who has provided support. Thus, the adversities faced by the Gentiles did not topple the congregation of believers united in faith.

The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation (Psalm 116:14). Who then stumbles unless they trust in their own might and self-praise? In a contest, defeat comes only to those whose strength fails them. Contrarily, those whose strength and boast lie in the Lord will not fall, as the Lord does not falter. For this reason, He becomes their salvation—not as one who transforms into something else but in effecting a change in them, such that when they turn to Him, He becomes their salvation, which He previously was not to them.

In the homes of the righteous, there is a cry of joy and health (Psalm 117:15), while those who rage against their bodies believe they announce despair and destruction. For they do not grasp the inner joy found in the saints through their hope for the future. Hence, the apostle teaches, “I sorrow, but I rejoice always” (2 Corinthians 6:10), and again proclaims, “Not only so, but we also glory in tribulations” (Romans 5:3).

The right hand of the Lord has accomplished mighty deeds (Psalm 117:16). What kinds of mighty deeds? The right hand of the Lord has exalted me. These are truly marvelous acts—to uplift the lowly, to elevate the mortal to divine status, to transform weakness into strength, to bring glory from subjugation, to yield triumph from trials—such that God’s true salvation is revealed to the suffering, while the salvation available to humanity remains unclaimed by those who persecute. These are great acts; why then, do you wonder? He reiterates that the right hand of the Lord has executed great works.

I will not perish, but will live and recount the Lord’s deeds (Psalm 117:17). Though many sow desolation and death around me, how mistaken they are to think the Church of Christ is fading. Behold, He now proclaims His works. Across the ages, Christ radiates through the glorious martyrs. Overcoming defeat, He triumphed over those who struck Him, enduring torment with patience, and loving all who opposed Him.

Yet still, let us ponder why the Body of Christ, the Holy Church and the chosen people, have endured such humiliation. “The Lord has disciplined and corrected me, but He has not delivered me to death” (Psalm 116:18). Let not the haughty wicked presume on their power; they possess it only by divine allowance. Often, a father directs his sons to be disciplined by the most insignificant of servants; even while he prepares an inheritance for his sons, he holds the servants in check. What is this inheritance? Is it merely gold, silver, jewels, or properties? Observe how we gain access to it, and learn what it truly is.

“Open to me the gates of righteousness,” he implores (Psalm 117:19). Now, we understand that a gate exists—what lies beyond? “That I may enter in and thank the Lord,” he declares. This is a profound expression of praise, reverberating with awe, within the house of God, where joy is shared, marking the eternal beatitude of the righteous, blessèd are those who dwell within the Lord’s house to praise Him eternally.

Yet consider how the just enter the gates of righteousness. “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it” (Psalm 116:20). No wicked person shall enter into that Jerusalem which refuses admission to the uncircumcised, where it is spoken of: "Outside are the dogs" (Revelation 22:15). Though I have wandered long among the tents of Kedar, enduring the company of the wicked, this gate belongs to the Lord; the righteous shall pass through.

I give thanks to You, O Lord, for You have answered me and have been my salvation (Psalm 116:21). The gratitude of one who recognizes the healing they have received without showing their wounds serves as a model of virtue. Yet the true Physician is Salvation itself.

And who is the subject of our discourse? “The stone which the builders rejected” (Psalm 116:22)—this has become the cornerstone, that He might fashion one new man from two, thereby creating peace and reconciling all to God in one Body (Ephesians 2:15-16)—both Jew and Gentile.

The Lord established this (Psalms 117:23): for it was through His suffering that He achieved this status as the chief cornerstone, although those from whom He suffered did not elevate Him. Those who initially rejected Him were part of the very construction that the Lord secretly raised, making Him the head of the rejected corner. This is wondrous in our eyes—seen through the lens of the inner man, by those who believe, hope, and love, unlike those blinded by carnal vision who, perceiving Him merely as man, dismissed Him.

“This is the day the Lord has made” (Psalm 117:24). The speaker recalls previous psalms: “Since He inclined His ear to me, I will call upon Him as long as I live”—reflecting on earlier days when he now claims, “This is the day the Lord has made”; a day of salvation granted to him. It is the day of which it was said, “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 cornerstone. Let us therefore rejoice and be glad in Him.

“Save me, O Lord; prosper me in Your way, Lord” (Psalm 116:25). As this is the day of Salvation, I implore You to save me: for we, having returned from a lengthy journey, are distanced from those who hated the world, once at ease with them, and who declared war upon us without cause; guide us back securely, for You have become our Way.

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 117:26). Cursed then is he who arrives in his own name; as cited in the Gospel: “If another comes in his name, he will be received by you” (John 5:43). We bless you from the house of God. I believe these words come from the great to the humble—those blessed in spirit who commune with the Word of God, remaining with God, and who moderate their discourse for the sake of the humble, enabling them to express sincerely what the apostle declared: “For whether we are out of ourselves, it is for God; or whether we have sobered up, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:13-14). They bless the children from the inner sanctum of the Lord, where praise continually resounds through ages. Consider what they proclaim from that sacred place.

This verse conveys two important lessons: first, that individuals who embrace faith will inevitably face trials, as indicated by the scripture, "But if thou wilt labour in the work of the Lord... prepare your soul for temptation" (Sir 2:1); and second, that those who grieve should look to no one but the Lord Himself for support, as He deepens our anguish, promising that for our modest efforts, we will be rewarded with immense blessings.

He did not shield me from adversities, yet He revealed the threats and swiftly dispersed them. The Prophet articulates this in the fourth Psalm, “In tribulation thou hast spread me” (Ps. 4:2), which means that He has granted me a comfort that surpasses the trials I face.

In times of distress, I cried out to the Lord, and He responded by delivering me into a place of peace. In my moments of pressure and temptation, I sought the Lord, and He did not just listen but also led me from my troubles into rest and freedom. This is echoed in Psalms 4:2, where it is noted, "In my distress, Thou hast enlarged me," which invites further contemplation. Chrysostom remarks on the divine mercy, highlighting that the speaker did not claim personal worthiness or righteous actions but simply called upon God; one heartfelt plea was enough for rescue from suffering.

In this passage, he highlights the theme of Divine worship, recounting how, in moments of severe distress, he called upon the Lord, who swiftly responded and delivered him from his hardship. This illustrates that David did not pride himself on his own righteousness nor did he lament about being wrongfully persecuted; instead, he turned to God's mercy, and the Lord heard his plea, liberating him from confinement into openness. Through this example, he instructs all believers not to despair in difficult times, addressing the common doubt that arises concerning the goodness of God: why does He permit His faithful servants to endure such suffering? David asserts that God’s mercy is ever-present; in every trial, we consistently find comfort through prayer.

This Psalm, delivered to David by the Holy Spirit, overflows with joy and gratitude in acknowledgment of the boundless mercy of God, who is the God of humanity. It expresses heartfelt praise and thanksgiving on the day of His magnificent victory, a time when all Israel stood united under the sovereign rule of David. This unity symbolizes the gathering of every tribe and nation into one kingdom under Christ the Lord, the King of everlasting glory, on that momentous day of His resurrection. Let us also express our gratitude to Christ, the Redeemer of mankind, whose mercy remains eternal for those who repent, for His compassion is boundless and unchanging.

And He elevated me into a broader realm, taking me from the confines of suffering into the expanse of the world. According to Athanasius, this "space" refers to the rich rewards found in persevering through trials. As stated in Psalm 4:2, Theodoret notes that this transition offers more solace than the pain of affliction itself.