Now, consider further what is stated: "Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and seek Him with all their heart" (Psalm 117:2). It appears that this description of the blessed refers to those previously mentioned. To engage with the Lord's testimonies and to pursue Him wholeheartedly embodies the essence of being blameless in one’s journey, reflecting a walk in the law of the Lord. He continues, "For they that do evil shall not walk in His ways" (Psalm 118:3). We recognize, however, that evildoers may examine the Lord's testimonies not for righteousness but for knowledge; likewise, those who desire to learn how to live well search through the testimonies. Yet, they have not truly walked blamelessly in the Lord’s law, which is why they have not attained blessedness.
It is affirmed in this Psalm: "They that do evil walk not in His ways" (Psalm 118:3). We must strive, with God's assistance, recognizing that both we and our words are within His hands (Wisdom 7:16), to ensure that what is rightly articulated is not misunderstood, causing confusion either for the reader or the hearer. We should be cautious not to think that all saints — whose assertion is, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8-9) — cannot walk in the ways of the Lord, since sin is indeed evil, and evildoers do not walk in His ways. Alternatively, if they are truly walking in His ways, one might mistakenly conclude they are sinless, which is plainly false. This statement aims to curb arrogance and pride, not to dismiss the acknowledgment of sin, as underscored by the subsequent clarification: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
He asks: "Have you accused us of adhering too closely to Your commandments?" (Psalm 118:4). Have we overstepped a boundary, or perhaps held back? Whether understood one way or another, this notion opposes that commendable wisdom extolled by both Greek and Latin sages alike — namely, to avoid excess. The Latin sometimes employs the term in a way that mirrors its usage in Scripture; in saying we keep Your commandments too much, we convey a sense of deep commitment, and when we express love as "too much" to a cherished friend, it signifies profound affection rather than an inappropriate intensity.
"Oh, if only my ways were directed so that I might keep Your decrees" (Psalm 118:5). You have indeed assumed a weighty responsibility: if only I could realize fully what this entails. When you hear this, recognize the words of one who yearns, and in acknowledging this desire, release the arrogance of presumption. Who among us can claim to desire what lies within their capability without assistance? Therefore, if one aspires to fulfill God’s commands, they should earnestly pray for divine help to achieve them.
"I will not be ashamed as long as I keep all Your commandments" (Psalm 118:6). We are encouraged to contemplate God's commandments as if looking into a mirror, as the Apostle James states (James 1:23-25). This individual yearns to reflect God’s statutes accurately, choosing not merely to hear but to act upon them. For this reason, he seeks straight paths in order to uphold the commands of God. But how does one achieve this straightness except through the grace of God? Without it, the law may become a source of confusion rather than joy, should one choose to scrutinize commandments they are unwilling to follow.
"I will confess to You, O Lord, with the intent of my heart; in this I shall know the judgments of Your righteousness" (Psalm 117:7). This confession is not of sin but of praise; as proclaimed, "In whom there was no sin, I confess to You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25), and as noted in Ecclesiasticus: "Confess all the works of God, for they are very good" (Sirach 39:15-16). He asserts, "I confess to You according to the guidance of my heart." Indeed, if my paths are made straight, my confession will be to You, for it is Your action and Your praise that I exalt.
He further states, "I will keep Your decrees" (Psalm 118:8). And what comes next? "Do not forsake me too much!" — or as some texts express, "Not even excessively." Since God had distanced Himself from a world steeped in sin, He indeed would have abandoned it entirely, had it not been upheld by the potent remedy of grace through our Lord Jesus Christ; yet now, according to this prayer from the body of Christ, He has not forsaken it even too heavily, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).
THEOSIS