Now let our Lord speak; let Christ, the entirety of Him, address us. "Lord, hear my prayer; give ear to my supplication" (Psalm 142:1). Hearing and receiving are synonymous here, serving as both a repetition and an affirmation. "In Your faithfulness, answer me; in Your righteousness" (Psalm 142:1). Let this not be taken lightly when it is said in Your righteousness because grace teaches us that we should not claim our righteousness as our own. It is God’s righteousness that He bestows upon us. What, then, does the apostle say regarding those who take pride in their righteousness? Concerning the Jews, he states, "They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2).
You misinterpret Your evil deeds as being God's doing, while you credit your good deeds to yourselves. True righteousness only emerges when you acknowledge your faults and attribute goodness to God. Thus, I plead, "Hear me in Your righteousness," because when I reflect on myself, all I see is sin.
"And do not enter into judgment with Your servant" (Psalm 142:2). Who would dare to confront God in judgment but those who, unaware of His righteousness, attempt to validate their own? "Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You take no notice?" (Isaiah 58:3). It is as if they are questioning, "We have fulfilled Your commands, so why aren't we rewarded?" God must respond, "I will grant you the means to receive what I have promised; I have equipped you to act righteously, that you may be rewarded." The prophets address the proud majority to question, "Why do you dispute with Me? All your sins are against Me" (Jeremiah 2:29). Do you recount your own righteousness before Me? No one alive shall be justified in Your sight. Everyone living—those bound by flesh and awaiting death, born of man, tracing their lineage back to Adam—can justify themselves before their own eyes, but not before You. They may satisfy themselves, but such self-conviction cannot appease You. Do not enter into judgment with me, O Lord my God. No matter how I justify myself, You, Lord, reveal the truth that shows my weaknesses.
Thus we find ourselves in accord with Your servant. It is beneath Your dignity to engage in legal disputes with Your servant or even a friend (Matthew 5:40). Consider the Apostles: they, too, learned how to approach this prayer. They were granted a model of prayer from the heavenly Counselor: "Pray then like this" (Matthew 6:9). He conveyed important truths beforehand to the chief shepherds of His flock. They prayed, "Forgive us our debts" (Matthew 6:12). They didn’t merely say, "Thanks be to You for forgiving us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors," but rather, "Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors." The faithful were indeed praying this way; the Apostles were praying faithfully as well, and this Lord’s Prayer was intended primarily for the faithful. If it solely pertained to the forgiveness granted through Baptism, it would be more fitting to say, "Forgive us our debts."
Yet, when questioned, "Why do you say that? What are your debts?" may they respond, "For not every living person shall be justified before You."
"The enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life down to the ground" (Psalm 142:3). Here, we hear our Head speaking on our behalf. Here, the devil not only afflicted the Soul of Christ but so did Judas against his Master. Today, that same evil one continues to persecute the Body of Christ, and one Judas follows another. Consequently, many claim, "My enemy pursues my soul." Those who torment us seek to silence our heavenly hope, aiming to entice us to relinquish our divine aspirations for earthly pleasures. They have cast me into dark places, akin to a dead man of the world. From the Head we hear this more clearly; His death did not render Him among the dead of this world. But who then are the dead of this world, and what distinguishes Him from them? The dead are those who have perished in their own sins, receiving the wages of iniquity. As it is written, "For I was conceived in iniquity."
In His death, He affirmed, "I do the will of My Father, yet I am undeserving of death. I am responsible for my own demise, for through the death of the innocent, those who deserved death may find liberation." They have positioned me in figurative Hades, akin to a tomb or during His Passion itself.
"And My spirit is overwhelmed within Me" (Psalm 142:4). Remember, my soul is filled with sorrow, even unto death (Matthew 26:38). Here we witness a single voice. We can perceive the seamless transition from the Head to the members, and from the members back to the Head.
Indeed, we have once been there too as the body acknowledges. "I remember the days of old" (Psalm 142:5). Did He bring to mind the days that initiated creation? No, but those justified by His grace, remaining in Him, with love and humble reverence, speak forth the thoughts of His works. They affirm that He created all things good, for nothing would endure without His establishment. His creation became a source of wonder to me as I searched for the Creator through the Master’s handiwork. What is this but an invitation to recognize that all goodness within myself originates from Him?
So look to the Creator of your life—the Source of your existence, righteousness, and salvation: meditate upon the work of His hands. The righteousness within you comes from His doing. Consider the apostle’s teaching: “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Do we have no good works? Certainly, we do; however, "For we are His workmanship," as stated in Ephesians 2:9-10. This is not merely a reference to our nature as humans; it pertains to the work we perform. But let’s not dwell on speculation; let’s draw from the text because we are His creation, crafted in Christ Jesus for good works. Do not assume that you initiate anything unless it aligns with your sinful nature.
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," the apostle says (Philippians 2:12-13). If we are to work out our salvation, then why must it be with fear and trembling if all that we do lies within our capabilities? Listen closely: "For God is at work in you, both to will and to act according to His good pleasure." Hence, we proceed with fear and trembling, so that our Creator might be pleased to work within us in this humble state.
"I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land" (Psalm 142:6). "Rain upon me," He expresses, "to yield good fruit through me." For the Lord will bring sweetness so that our land may bear its harvest. I extend my hands not to meet my desires but toward you, Lord. I yearn for you; I cannot fulfill this longing myself.
"Hasten to hear me, O Lord" (Psalm 142:7). Why delay while I languish in thirst? Your timing matters so that I may be filled, not rejecting the fullness of Your outpouring. If this delay exists for this reason, grant me grace, for my spirit is exhausted. Let Your Spirit fill me; thus, You should hear me more promptly. I stand poor in spirit; make me blessed in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). Whoever possesses the Spirit within him must not allow pride to swell against God.
"Do not hide Your face from me" (Psalm 142:8). You turned Your face away from me in my arrogance. When I was filled up and proud, I declared “I will never be shaken.” Unaware of Your righteousness, I claimed my own, and You, Lord, out of Your will, adorned me with greatness. I claimed my invulnerability, unaware it was Your strength that upheld me. You turned Your face from me to show me my weaknesses, and I was distressed. After having fallen into calamity due to Your turning away, I found myself parched as a barren land. If You do not turn back towards me, I will surely perish, like those who descend into the pit. Those finding themselves entrenched in sin display a disdain for Your Providence, as if they have no connection to it.
"Let me hear of Your steadfast love in the morning, for in You I trust" (Psalm 142:9). Here I am in the darkness of night, yet I trust in You until the iniquities of night fade away. As Peter states, "We have a more sure prophetic word," which you would do well to heed; it is like a light shining in a dark place until the day breaks and the morning star rises in your hearts. That morning represents the period after the culmination of time when we shall behold the truths we believed in this life. What is required until that morning arrives? Mere anticipation is insufficient; we must act. Why so? God must be earnestly sought even during the night. What constitutes seeking? It is through righteous deeds. As we linger in hope for morning and endure the trials of night, we must strive in anticipation of dawn.
Do not deceive yourself into thinking that you alone will strive to bring forth the morning. "Show me, O Lord, the way I should walk," for He illuminated the path of prophecy, sending forth the Lord in a vessel of flesh to exclaim, "My strength is dried up like a potsherd." Follow the lead of prophecy; walk according to the lamp of promised futures; live according to the wisdom of God.
"Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, for I seek refuge in You" (Psalm 142:10). I, who once ran away from You, now draw near. Adam hid from God, seeking shelter beneath the trees of Paradise. It is told of him in the Book of Job, "Like a servant who flees from his master"—he fled from the face of the Lord seeking only the shadow of safety. Woe to those who remain in the shadow, for then it will be declared, "All has vanished like a fleeting shadow" (Wisdom 5:9). The authorities of this world, the beings of darkness, and the wickedness arrayed against you pose significant challenges. Your struggle is profound, illustrating that you may defeat your enemies without ever seeing them. Your foes are indeed the powers of this world and the devil along with his minions; not the earthly princes mentioned in scripture, for "the world was made through Him," yet "the world did not know Him" (John 1:10). So I come running to You.
"Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God" (Psalm 142:11). What a magnificent profession! What a grand declaration! "You are my God," signifies that my attempt to find fulfillment in another is futile if I was created by and for You. You are all that I need; not only the Giver of my inheritance, but my inheritance itself. You are my God. Should I seek another for my redemption? You are my God; having crafted me originally, I long to be renewed by You. You are my Creator, and You renew me by Your Word. Thus, teach me, for it is illogical that You are my God while I govern my own will.
Heed the grace proclaimed to us, assuring us of salvation without any price. "For Your name's sake, O Lord, You will preserve me in Your righteousness" (Psalm 142:12). Not through my own worth but through Your mercy. If I had relied on my merit, I would surely merit only punishment from You. You have stripped me of my merits and bestowed upon me Your own gifts. You will rescue my soul from anguish and, by Your mercy, eliminate my adversaries and those who press down my spirit, for I am Your servant.
THEOSIS