Pay attention to what follows: Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart (Psalm 117:2). It seems to me that this describes the same group of the blessed previously mentioned. To consider the testimonies of the Lord and to seek Him wholeheartedly is to embody blamelessness along the path, to walk in the law of the Lord. Then it is stated, For they who do evil shall not walk in His ways (Psalm 118:3). Yet, we know that those who commit iniquity often examine the Lord's testimonies, preferring knowledge over righteousness. Others may also explore these testimonies not because they already live righteously but to learn how they should live. Such individuals do not yet walk blamelessly in the law of the Lord, which is why they have not yet attained blessedness.
It is declared in this Psalm that those who do evil do not walk in His ways (Psalm 118:3). However, with God's assistance, in whose hands we and our words reside (Wisdom 7:16), we must strive that what is correct in words is also rightly understood, avoiding confusion for the reader or listener. We must be cautious so that all the saints, who assert, If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8-9), are not thought to be incapable of walking in the ways of the Lord since sin is unrighteousness. Conversely, since it is evident they do walk in His ways, it cannot be presumed that they are without sin, which is certainly untrue. This cannot be merely a statement to prevent arrogance. If it were, it would not have added, And the truth is not in us; instead, they should have said, Humility is not in us. The subsequent words illuminate the meaning and dispel any doubts. After making this statement, the blessed John continued, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
What does it convey: You have accused us of adhering too closely to Your commandments (Psalm 118:4)? Have You overtaxed us? Or have You required too much? Depending on our understanding of these phrases, the meaning appears contrary to the renowned truth praised by philosophers of the Greeks and esteemed by the Latins: Do nothing excessively. Nonetheless, the Latin word nimis can express a profound sense, as it appears in Scripture and in our everyday conversation. In this instance, when You accuse us of observing Your commandments excessively, we grasp a significant truth if our understanding is correct; and when we tell a dear friend, 'I love you too much,' we do not imply it is beyond what is appropriate but rather that it is truly substantial.
If only, he pleads, my ways could be made straight so that I could keep Your decrees (Psalm 118:5). You have indeed taken on the responsibility; O that I could fully comprehend Your expectations. As you listen, recognize the fervent wish within those words, and having identified this desire, set aside the pride of presumption. Who can truly claim they desire something within their power without divine assistance? Thus, if one genuinely seeks what God commands, they ought to pray for God to enable them to fulfill those commands.
And I will not be ashamed as long as I keep all Your commandments (Psalm 118:6). We must regard God’s commandments as a mirror, as the Apostle James notes (James 1:23-25). This individual wishes to grasp his own being such that he can reflect on the commandments of God without confusion because he intends not to merely hear them but to act upon them. Hence, he desires that his actions be aligned with God’s statutes. But how can one be made straight if not by God’s grace? Otherwise, one will find in the law of God a source of confusion rather than joy, should they examine the commandments without intention to follow them.
I will confess to You, O Lord, with my whole heart; in this, I shall know the judgments of Your righteousness (Psalm 117:7). This is not a confession of sins but an expression of praise, similar to the declaration made by the one in whom there was no sin: I confess to You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth (Matthew 11:25). It is also written in the book of Ecclesiasticus: so confess all the works of God, that they are very good (Sirach 39:15-16). I confess to You, he asserts, according to the leading of my heart. Indeed, if my paths are made right, I shall give thanks to You, for You are responsible for this, and it is Your glory, not mine.
He goes on to add: I will keep Your decrees (Psalm 118:8). But what follows? Do not abandon me; do not forsake me even too much! Or, as some versions read, do not abandon me excessively. Although God withdrew from humanity amid the wilderness of sin, He would have entirely abandoned it if not for the powerful remedy of grace through our Lord Jesus Christ; however, as indicated in this prayer of Christ’s body, He did not forsake it even to a great extent, for God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).
THEOSIS