He who truly understands his position in such an abyss cries out, groans, and sighs, longing for deliverance from the depths in order to reach Him who reigns above all abysses... Indeed, there are those who dwell so deeply in the void that they fail to utter a sound of distress. Scripture tells us, "When the wicked has reached the depths of wickedness, he despises." Proverbs 18:3 Consider, dear friends, the grave abyss from which God is scorned. Each individual bears the weight of daily transgressions, crushed beneath the burdens of iniquity. When told, “Pray to God,” they scoff, asking, “If my offenses were truly grievous to God, would I even exist?” They believe, against reason, that if God were concerned with human matters, He would not have allowed them to continue to live and thrive amidst their grave transgressions; this twisted joy becomes a profound misfortune...
O Lord, attentively listen to my voice. Oh, let Your ears carefully consider the sound of my lament. Psalm 129:2 From where does he cry? From the depths of despair. Who is making this cry? A sinner. And what hope accompanies his tears? It is rooted in He who has come to forgive sins, bestowing hope even upon the sinner lost in the depths. This hope is unveiled in the subsequent words: "If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?" Psalm 129:3 He thus reveals the weight under which he cries, burdened by the waves of his own wrongdoing... He doesn’t say, "I cannot bear it," but rather, "who can endure?" He sees that nearly all human experience is surrounded by sin, that every conscience bears the accusation of its thoughts, making it impossible to find a pure heart self-assured in its righteousness.
But where does hope arise? It rests in the fact that there is forgiveness with You. Psalm 129:4 What is this forgiveness if not a sacrifice? And what kind of sacrifice is it but one offered on behalf of others? The shedding of innocent blood has washed away the sins of the guilty: such an immense price has liberated all captives from the grasp of their captor. Therefore, You possess a means of atonement. Were You only a Judge and not also merciful, You would have seen all our transgressions and demanded an accounting. Who could bear such scrutiny? Who could present themselves before You and declare innocence? Who could withstand Your judgment? Thus, there remains only one hope: “for Your sake, I have brought forth to You, O Lord.” What does this mean? It refers to the law that underlines human guilt. A law that is holy, righteous, and good, Romans 7:12 was given to the Jews, yet it revealed their guilt. No law could impart life, Galatians 3:21, but only reveal to the sinner his faults. The sinner has lost sight of himself and must be reminded through the law. The law made him aware of his guilt, yet the Lawgiver brings freedom: for the Lawgiver is the Supreme Authority.
There exists a law of divine mercy, a law of atonement. One enforces fear; the other embodies love. The law of love offers forgiveness of transgressions, erases the past, provides warnings for the future, accompanies its follower along the path. Yet, one must negotiate with the adversary while journeying along his path. Matthew 5:25 For God’s Word serves as your adversary until reconciliation is achieved. You achieve that accord when you find joy in obeying the Word of God. Then the once-adversarial force becomes your ally: when the journey concludes, none will hand you over to the Judge. Therefore, for the sake of Your law, I have awaited You, O Lord, for You have chosen to establish the law of mercy; You forgive me all my transgressions and provide guidance for the future, so that I may avoid offending You... For the sake of this law, I rely on You, Lord. I have awaited Your coming to rescue me from every need; even amidst my trials, You have not forsaken Your merciful law... My soul has longed for Your word...
Thus, we trust confidently in the words of Him who cannot mislead. My soul has put its trust in the Lord from dawn until dusk. Psalm 129:5 The dawn signifies the conclusion of night. Understanding this, we should not believe that our trust in the Lord is meant for just one day. What does this imply, dear friends? These words suggest that the Lord, who has pardoned our sins, rose from the dead at dawn, granting us the hope that what was true of Him shall also manifest in us. Our sins are forgiven, yet we have yet to experience the resurrection; if we are not raised, then what has transpired in our Head has not yet occurred in us. What occurred in our Head? The flesh of that Head has risen again; the Spirit of that Head has died? What died in Him is now rejuvenated. He resurrected on the third day, and it is as if the Lord communicates to us, “What you have observed in Me, aspire to for yourselves; just as I have risen from the dead, you shall rise as well.”
However, some might exclaim, “Behold, the Lord is risen; must I then place my hope in my own resurrection?” Indeed, that is precisely why: because the Lord has risen in the flesh He took from you. He would not have resurrected unless He had first experienced death; He could not have died unless He had embraced flesh. What did the Lord ask of you? The flesh. Who is He who descended? The Word of God, which existed before all creation, through which all things were made. But to offer you something, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He received from you all He could present to you; just as a priest receives from another what he offers on their behalf when seeking to atone for their sins before God. This has already occurred; it has been accomplished this way. Our Priest accepted from us that which He could present for us: He took from us flesh, in that very flesh He became the sacrificial offering, He was made a burnt offering. In His Passion, He was sacrificed; in His Resurrection, He restored what had been slain, presenting it as His offspring unto God, proclaiming to you, “You are now consecrated, for such offspring have been offered to God; therefore, anticipate that the same will occur in you as it did in your offspring.”
Since He then rose at the dawn, our souls began to hope from that moment: but how far does this extend? Even until nightfall; until we experience physical death, for our mortal demise is but a slumber...
And he returns to this, “From the dawn let Israel hope in the Lord.” Let Israel not merely hope, but let their hopeful gaze be fixed from the morning watch. Do I then criticize the world’s hope when anchored in the Lord? No; but there exists a different hope that belongs to Israel. Let Israel not desire wealth as its greatest good, nor yearn for physical health, nor seek an abundance of earthly possessions; they must be prepared to endure tribulation while facing trials for the sake of truth...
For the Lord shows compassion, and His redemption is abundant. Psalm 129:7 How marvelous! This sentiment couldn’t be better articulated anywhere else than in the phrase, “From the morning watch.” Why? Because the Lord has risen with the dawn; and the body should hope for that which has transpired in the Head. Yet, to counter any doubts: the Head may rise because it was sinless, devoid of fault; what recourse do we have? Shall we dare hope for a resurrection as witnessed in the Lord while still encumbered by our transgressions? However, see what follows: “And He will redeem Israel from all their transgressions.” Psalm 129:8 Regardless of the weight of sin he bears, the mercy of God remains. For this, He journeyed ahead without sin, to erase the sins of those who follow Him. Do not place hope in yourselves, but place your hope in the One who watches from the dawn...
THEOSIS