Psalm 119 (118):33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Next, we hear him declare, "Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and seek Him with all their heart" (Psalm 117:2). It appears to me that there is no other category of the blessed than the one previously mentioned. To engage with the testimonies of the Lord and to seek Him wholeheartedly is synonymous with being blameless on the path; it signifies walking in the law of the Lord. He also states, "For they that do evil shall not walk in His ways" (Psalm 118:3). Yet we recognize that those who commit iniquity examine the Lord’s testimonies, often prioritizing knowledge over righteousness. There are those who also study them not out of good conduct but to comprehend how they ought to live. Such individuals have yet to walk blamelessly in the law of the Lord; therefore, they are not truly blessed.

It is indeed recorded and affirmed in this Psalm: "They that do evil shall not walk in His ways" (Psalm 118:3). However, we must strive, with divine assistance, through whom both we and our words exist (Wisdom 7:16), to ensure that words rightly spoken are also rightly understood; otherwise, they may confuse the listener. We should be cautious not to imply that all the saints, who state, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8-9), cannot be seen as walking in the paths of the Lord, since sin is evil, and those engaged in evil do not walk in His ways. Alternatively, if it were assumed they walk in His ways, it might lead to the false assertion that they are without sin. This assertion is not merely a caution against arrogance and pride, as it would not have included the phrase "and the truth is not in us"; instead, it would have stated "humility is not in us." The subsequent words clarify the intent and eliminate misunderstandings. For after this, the blessed Apostle writes, "If we confess our sins, He, being faithful and just, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

What does the phrase mean: "You have accused us of keeping Your commandments too strictly?" (Psalm 118:4). Have you imposed an excessive burden, or have you let too much go? Regardless of our interpretation, it seems this indicates a sentiment opposite to that wise and celebrated adage lauded by the Greeks in their philosophers and unanimously praised by the Latins: "Do nothing in excess." However, in Latin, the term *nimis* can appear in contexts found in Scripture, conveying significant meaning in our conversations. In this instance, if God accuses us of adhering too diligently to His commandments, it suggests a deeper understanding. When we express to a dear friend, "I love you too much," we do not imply something inappropriate but indicate profound affection.

Oh, how he longs, "Oh, if my ways were made straight so that I might keep Your decrees!" (Psalm 118:5). You have indeed taken upon Yourself the responsibility; how I wish to realize what You have taken upon Yourself. When you hear this, dear friends, recognize the expression of earnestness, and upon distinguishing this desire, let go of presumptuous pride. For who claims to want what is within reach can do it without divine aid? Thus, if one desires what God commands, one must beseech Him to enable them to fulfill His commands.

"I will not be put to shame as long as I keep all Your commandments" (Psalm 118:6). When we hear or recall the commandments of God, we should perceive them as in a mirror, as the Apostle James notes (James 1:23-25). The individual aspires to embody the essence of the commandments of God in such a way that they view them without confusion, for he chooses not merely to listen but to act accordingly. Thus, he seeks to have his paths aligned and to uphold the statutes of God. How can one achieve alignment without the grace of God? Without it, the law of God becomes a source of confusion rather than joy for those who neglect to heed its commandments.

"I will confess to You, O Lord, with the direction of my heart; in this I shall understand the judgments of Your righteousness" (Psalm 117:7). This is not merely a confession of wrongdoing but rather an expression of praise; as it is said, "In whom there was no sin, I confess unto You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth" (Matthew 11:25) and as noted in the book of 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 right, I will acknowledge You, for You have accomplished it, and it is Your glory, not mine.

Furthermore, he proclaims, "I will keep Your decrees" (Psalm 118:8). Yet what comes next? "O leave me not," or as some copies write, "not even excessively." Yet, since God’s presence was withdrawn during the wilderness of sin, He would have left even more so without the strong remedy of grace bestowed through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in response to this prayer of the body of Christ, God neither forsook nor abandoned it excessively, as God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Origen points out that the first request is directed towards God, while the second expresses David's personal commitment. He says to the Lord, "Set me in the way of Thy justifications," and he pledges to devote his entire life to this pursuit. Theodora adds that since the search for justification cannot be completed quickly, David wisely states he will not seek for just a few days or even ten, but will pursue it continuously, recognizing that the entirety of his life may scarcely be enough.

True and flourishing life emerges only from the harmonious interplay of freedom and grace. What God provides is always at hand; you simply need to awaken from complacency. When striving for every good, ensure that your motives are pure. Defiled intentions tarnish the goodness of virtuous actions. Therefore, guard against selfish aims in your good works (Psalm 118:36). Do not incorporate the allure and distractions of worldly vanities (Psalm 118:37). Let the reverence of God alone inspire you in all endeavors (Psalm 118:38). Bear in mind that no matter how diligently you tend to yourself, degrading thoughts may infiltrate your mind: repent of these, for many go unnoticed, and some may lurk even now, concealed beneath a guise of virtue; practice continual repentance. Allow repentance to be the foundation of your life (Psalm 118:39). Then, entrusting yourself to God, proclaim, “With all my heart I desire to please You, O Lord” (Psalm 118:40). “Teach me, instruct me,” etch Your principles into my conscience, clearly indicating what I must do so that I am not lost in speculation but see all things clearly. In other psalms, the prophet expresses, “Make me righteous, O Lord, in Your way” (Psalm 26:11) and “Guide me, O Lord, in Your path, and I will walk in Your truth” (Psalm 85:11). Darkness and uncertainty are detrimental. Blessed Theodoret observes: “The prophet declares that he continually requires Your guidance and law to recognize the path of Your justifications and to traverse it unhindered.” Yet, as Bellarmine notes, the prophet expresses a desire not merely for the law to be pronounced, but for it to be fully understood within the depths of his being, becoming the guiding principle for every aspect of his soul's activity. When such a clear sight of the law is granted, and especially when its power is recognized internally, the seeker of God's pleasure naturally desires nothing more than to fulfill it at all times, seizing every opportunity. The prophet declares, “I will seek it and pursue it,” signifying his commitment to meet the law’s demands. “One thing,” remarks Origen, “he requests from God, and another he commits to provide on his part: ‘Lord, set before me the path of Your justifications; and I will dedicate my entire life to seeking it.’” St. Ambrose illustrates this divine law vividly: In a military campaign, soldiers do not chart their own course; rather, they receive from their commanding king a schedule of where to go and how to proceed, adhering strictly to it. Only in this manner do they find everything prepared along the way. Should any of them stray, they will neither receive the provisions nor find shelter. The king commands these arrangements along the specified path and requires obedience from those who follow his guidance without deviation. He also assigns stops along the way: for instance, allowing three days for travel and a fourth for rest, choosing cities abundant with water and food for a restorative pause. In this fashion, the journey is made with ease until they reach the city, where the diligent soldiers are granted complete rest. Understand that Christ, the Leader of the saints, lays down the path for their journey to the heavenly city. This can be likened to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land, where Moses, under God’s command, documented the camps along the route. Consider who oversaw these camps and the entire journey: God went before them as a pillar of cloud by day to give shade, and as a pillar of fire by night to illuminate their way. The pillar of fire and cloud served as the law-giver of the journey; it was from this pillar that God communicated with them. When the people needed rest from their travels, the pillar halted, and when it was time to move on, the pillar would rise and lead the way. This pillar foreshadows the Lord Jesus, who was to come on a “cloud of light” (as Isaiah said in Isaiah 19:1), through the incarnation in the Virgin Mary, enveloped in purity because of her virginity and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. Let us likewise submit our paths to the guidance of the Lord Jesus; may His commandments dictate the course of our lives. Those who walk in His commandments find shelter in the shadow of Christ. This is echoed in the bride’s song: “I will ascend and sit in His shadow” (Song of Songs 2:3). Every soul, as well as the entire congregation of Christians—the Church—can make this proclamation. He is our King and Leader, having arranged everything favorably for our journey. If there are burdens, discomforts, or challenges along the way, He, as our Leader, soothes sorrow, alleviates burdens, and imbues strength to the weary. If an earthly king provides for his soldiers’ needs, how much more certainly does the Almighty God understand what His servants require and fulfill those needs? Thus, every soul finds rest under the shade of Christ, echoing the song of the bride, “I will ascend and sit in His shadow, and His fruit is sweet.” He leads them to green pastures and guides them to tranquil waters, which is to say, through the grace of the Holy Sacraments. Progressing along the path of righteousness, she enters the blessed assembly of love, declaring, “I am enraptured with love” (Song of Songs 2:5). There exists another camp into which the soul, faithfully journeying toward its destination, enters with love—the camp of the cross and burial. In this way, the soul is distanced from unwholesome pursuits. “Let us pass, as ambassadors of Moses declared to the king of Edom,” meaning to steer clear of earthly things, which can lead us astray. The camp of folly is not good, nor is the camp of excess. Israel needed to traverse these without pause in search of wisdom, establishing a camp there, as life is in her right hand, and fullness is within her grasp (Proverbs 3:16; Proverbs 16:16). The prophet wisely claims, “Set the law within me,” which means instill within me a law that remains steadfast in my heart; one that no storm of this world can disrupt, that it may become a personal truth to me, with the essence of the law inscribed upon my heart. “I will serve it,” asserts the prophet, “and I will carry it out.” This search entails not a trivial pursuit but a quest for heaven, the kingdom of God, and the company of angels, an eternal haven of blessedness. Hence, it is essential to seek not for merely a day or two or a few months, but continuously, amidst all things, to gather such treasures that are worthy of reward. The final reflection on the engraving of the law on the heart is elaborated upon by Blessed Augustine: “The Apostle asserts that the law is not meant for those who are righteous but for the lawless and disobedient” (1 Timothy 1:9-11). Does he not who states, “Lay down the law for me, O Lord,” belong to those for whom the Apostle claims the law is prescribed? No, for if he were such, he would not have stated, “The path of Your commandments flows when You enlarge my heart.” The essence of his prayer is a yearning for the law not to be inscribed on tablets of stone for the disobedient but imprinted on the hearts of flesh (2 Corinthians 3:3) according to the New Covenant. Jeremiah proclaims, “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to My covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord: I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Jeremiah 31:31-33). This expresses the prophet's longing for the law of the Lord to be inscribed within him—not as it was written on stone tablets for the unrighteous and the obstinate of the Old Testament, but as it is inscribed on the heart by the Holy Spirit, like the finger of God, for the children of the holy ones, the liberated ones, the offspring of the heavenly Jerusalem. It's inscribed not merely as a reminder to be neglected, but as a truth that is intellectually understood and lovingly obeyed, based not on the confines of fear but on the expansiveness of love. One who upholds the law out of fear of punishment rather than from love for truth does so without sincere intent; thus, he cannot hold to the principle that “the path of Your commandments flows when my heart is enlarged,” for such enlarging indicates love, which, as the apostle affirms, “is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10). Why then does he request that the law be laid down for him if he had already been walking in the commandments with a heart full of love for the law? This he states because, while aiming for excellence, he believes it to be a divine gift. Building on the prior request, what more does he seek than continued growth in the life of the law? He refers to the law as the path of justification; thus, not a different path than that of the commandments in which he has already walked, as his desire for the law was rooted in love. He has traversed this path, yet he seeks to continue walking, striving to reach the honor of the highest calling from God. Therefore, he adds, “and I will pursue and retrieve it.” How can he search for what he already possesses, except to acknowledge that he is engaged in the actions that reflect what he aspires to achieve? To “have” implies a journey of endeavors that are not yet complete. “I will retrieve it” signifies a lifelong pursuit, for only through that pursuit do we truly succeed, recognizing that those who excel here prepare themselves for the fullness of enjoying it eternally.

Bestow upon me the grace to recognize Your law as the sole guideline for my existence; illuminate my mind to comprehend it correctly. Help me to act in accordance with Your will in secret, and shield me from all wickedness. Fulfill the promises made to those who revere You; take away the shame that afflicts me, thereby demonstrating that Your law brings sweetness to those who follow it. For the love I bear for Your law, revive me.

Establish a law for me—an exemplar of life as outlined in Your ordinances; let observing this standard be my foremost commitment. If by Your grace I embrace Your justifications as my law, I shall seek to understand all its facets. Teach me Your word instilled with reverence for You—the living promise regarding those who honor You. The reproach mentioned weighs heavily upon me, leading others to believe they could utterly crush me.