Psalm 120 (119):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When an individual starts to chart a path for their spiritual elevation, a Christian who seeks transformation begins to face opposition. Those who have not encountered such challenges have yet to grow, while those who cannot endure them show little inclination to improve themselves. To grasp the depth of our message, one must also experience the criticisms leveled at us. As one seeks to reform, longing for ascension, and desires to turn away from fragile, temporal concerns, to consider only the divine, to remain indifferent to material gain and loss, craving to give all possessions to the needy and follow Christ, let them observe how they withstand the slanderous tongues and relentless critics, including deceptive advisors who might lead them astray from salvation.

The one elevated first turns to God in prayer against these very voices, saying, “When I was in trouble, I called upon the Lord; and he answered me.” Why did He respond? To raise him to the steps of his ascent. “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from deceitful lips, and from a wicked tongue.” What constitutes a deceitful tongue? It resembles false counsel and embodies genuine malice. These are the voices saying, “Will you do what no one else dares?” Will you be the sole follower of Christ?

Some retreat due to excuses, while others are discouraged by insincere praise. Since this world has harbored such a life for an extended time, Christ’s power is so great that even those outside the faith hesitate to critique Him. They cannot rebuke Him nor the Gospel, as He is above reproach; rather, false praise can serve as a stumbling block. When that praise becomes a misleading excuse, it distracts one from true commendation and can alienate them from Christ, questioning, “What is this?” Those who have faltered may find caution in these words; a serpent harbors poison in its tongue, a treacherous deceit. Pray against it if you aspire to ascend.

Your Lord has inquired, “What shall they give you, or what shall they offer you against the evil tongue?” What is available as protection against a deceitful tongue? He invites you to test, for He promises to provide an answer. He responds to His own inquiry with sharp arrows from the Mighty One, accompanied by coals of devastation. Desolation and devastation convey a similar essence, as it’s evident that upon desolating, desolation closely follows. What are these coals? First, dear brethren, grasp that the swift arrows of the Mighty One are the words of God.

But what of the coals that bring desolation? It is insufficient merely to intercede with words against deceitful tongues and unrighteous lips; we must also validate our words through our actions. The term ‘coals’ symbolizes the examples of sinners who have turned to the Lord. You might hear individuals remark, “I once knew that man, deeply entrenched in vices, but now he serves God with purity.” Do not be astonished; he is a burning coal. You rejoice over the one whom you thought was lost, now alive. Yet when you laud the living with genuine praise, extend that praise to those who are lost as well, that they might be ignited; for anyone sluggish in their pursuit of God resembles an extinguished coal, needing the transformative arrows of God’s word and the fiery coals to contend with the evil tongue and deceitful mouth.

“Alas, my pilgrimage has become distant.” My journey feels far removed from thee; I find myself in exile, having yet to arrive at that realm where evildoers are absent; I have not yet come to the society of Angels, where no offense exists. Why am I not there yet? Because this pilgrimage is a journey. An exile is someone residing in a foreign land, away from their true homeland. Sometimes, dear brethren, when one travels abroad, they might find better companionship than at home. Yet the heavenly Jerusalem knows no such fortune; the further one strays from it, the more they find themselves among the wicked. To escape evil, one must return to the assembly of angels, reuniting with their former abode. There, all are righteous and sanctified, enjoying the word of God intuitively, without written letters—what we comprehend through text, they perceive in the presence of God. What a remarkable place! A glorious realm indeed, and how wretched are those who wander away from it.

When one speaks, “My pilgrimage is far off,” these words echo the Church herself, laboring on this earth. It is her voice that cries out from the ends of the earth in another Psalm, saying, “From the ends of the earth, I have called unto Thee.” Where does it express its pain and where does it dwell? “I dwelt among the tents of Kedar.” You might not understand the Hebrew term. What does it signify, “I dwelt among the tents of Kedar?” Kedar symbolizes darkness. As we learn from the interpretation of Hebrew words, we know that Abraham had two sons, exemplars of the two covenants: Ishmael in darkness, Isaac in light. Anyone seeking earthly contentment within the Church of God belongs to Ishmael. These are the very individuals who dismiss and undermine those pursuing spiritual growth, wielding deceitful tongues and unrighteous speech. Against such foes, the Psalmist rose in prayer, receiving hot coals and swift, sharp arrows from the Mighty One. Among them, he continues to dwell until the entire earth is nurtured; therefore, he spoke of his time among the tents of Kedar. The tents of Ishmael are indeed referred to as Kedar. The book of Genesis attests to this: Kedar is associated with Ishmael. Thus, when Isaac dwells with Ishmael, those who are of Isaac coexist with those of Ishmael. They yearn for higher ascension while those of Ishmael attempt to drag them down; they aspire to ascend to God while others seek to deprive them of their wings.

“My soul has wandered considerably.” To clarify, he speaks of the soul’s journey, lest anyone grasp it as mere physical wandering. The body wanders through places, while the soul wanders through affections. If one loves worldly matters, they depart from God; but if they love God, they ascend to Him. Let us exercise our love for both God and our neighbor, thereby returning to charity. When we falter, we decay. Yet One descended to reclaim this fallen humanity, providing a path for reawakening. Reflecting on his own journey, he says he wandered in the tents of Kedar. Why? Because his soul has traveled far. His ascension occurs not in the body but in the heart.

“With those who despise the world, I found peace.” Despite the many words spoken, dear brethren, you cannot truly affirm your singing unless you begin to enact what you sing. No matter how often I declare this, express it, or articulate it, what I say will not penetrate the heart of one who does not embody it. Begin to act on these truths, and you will see the meaning unfold. Tears will flow in response to each word, and the Psalm will be sung from a transformed heart, one that aligns with the sacred lyrics.

Who are those who detest the world? They are those who maintain unity. If they did not despise worldly pursuits, they would live in harmony. Their separation stems from a desire to be righteous, preventing the wicked from mingling with them. These words—be they ours or theirs—must be discerned. The Catholic Church proclaims, “Unity must remain; the Church of God cannot be severed.” God will justly evaluate both the wicked and the righteous. We advocate love for the world, which translates to love for Christ. For if one loves the world, they inherently love Christ. Hence, when we proclaim, “Love the world,” we mean, “Love Christ.” The Apostle states, “He is our peace, who hath made both one.” Therefore, if Christ embodies peace and unifies, why do you divide? How can you be agents of peace if, when He unites, you create division? Yet, in our declarations, we act as peacemakers alongside those who despise the world. Despite their disdain, when we engage them, they wage futile conflict against us.

The harm it inflicts is significant—St. James illustrates this clearly in his writing. Its actions fall into two categories: great good and great evil. The former is to acknowledge Christ as God, while the latter is to repudiate Him. Therefore, one should not believe, “I have not sinned in my actions; if I have sinned, it is merely with my tongue.” What sin is more egregious than blasphemy against God? Yet it is the tongue that commits this offense. The devil's fall was not due to theft, murder, or adultery—evils indeed—but rather due to his speech. What did he declare? “I will ascend to heaven, I will set my throne higher than the stars, and I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Thus, let not monks assume they are without fault, thinking, “We have not committed grave sins within the monastery; we have not engaged in adultery, theft, murder, or other serious transgressions.” Nevertheless, the tongue can lead to severe transgressions. It is a grave offense when I speak ill of a brother; I essentially kill him with my words. As it is written, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15). Consider Solomon’s words: “In the hand of the tongue is death and life” (Proverbs 18:21). Reflect on the phrase “in the hand of the tongue”—do you see how wicked it can be? It wields power. What does it convey? “In the hand of the tongue.” It is a serious misfortune to slander our brethren, to remain silent while wronging them, to gossip. I am a sinner, so is he. What relevance does this have for you? Focus on your own flaws to avoid stumbling further. Why take pleasure in the failings of others? If I falter, will you rise in my place? Even if my mistake is my own, my brother's falling should cause you dread rather than delight. When a brother stumbles, do you celebrate or do you mourn? Answer me. The brother has fallen—do you find joy or sorrow in this? If you celebrate, is there any true joy in witnessing another's downfall? If you mourn, why harbor glee? Why do you propagate falsehoods? Let God observe your grief, and let the brother himself sense it, rather than letting it reach the ears of others. “Lord, deliver my soul from the mouth of the unrighteous and the tongue of the wicked.”

The temptation of being ensnared by a deceitful person can be unparalleled, for such a person can be more malevolent than any beast; while beasts reveal their nature, a flatterer shrouds their malice in a guise of affection, making it easy to be ensnared and plunged into despair. Furthermore, lips that are deemed unrighteous could also be described as those that undermine virtue and lead individuals toward sin. When referring to the mouths of demons that assail our thoughts, consider the passionate and impure ideas, whereas the tongue signifies thoughts that deviate from the soul's true nature, leading us to speak unrighteousness and stirring the inner man.

By using the expression "Deliver my soul" instead of just "Deliver me," he emphasizes the soul as the highest part of our being, and underscores that it is the soul that suffers most from the flatterer's words, leading to a multitude of afflictions. With these utterances, he furthers his earnest cry to God. He seeks divine rescue from the mouth of the wicked and the tongue of the deceiver, recognizing these as profound and prevalent evils in human existence. The wicked mouth, filled with blasphemies and slanders, truly counters the way of justice, while the flattering tongue propagates falsehoods, deceit, and hypocrisy. Although one may encounter wicked tongues that lack flattery, it is when flattery is mixed with wickedness that the damage is most severe, prompting the Prophet's heartfelt complaint. The decision to plead for deliverance of his soul rather than merely his person reveals the understanding that the soul's welfare is paramount and is often more affected by deceitful words than the physical form, leading to significant distress.