Psalm 144 (143):10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Not through an army, nor a host of warriors, nor through escorts does one find salvation, but rather through the assistance of God. “Thou deliverest David thy servant.” After addressing the situation in broad terms, the prophet also reflects on his own experience; he does not simply state: to him that delivers, but rather: “thou deliverest,” indicating the continual care and guidance of God.

The title of this psalm is concise in its wording yet profound in its mysteries. It speaks of David when he confronted Goliath. This historical conflict is familiar to us, dear ones, as we recall it from Scripture. David selected five stones for his sling but needed only one to triumph. While five Books were chosen, they ultimately formed a cohesive whole. Thus, after being struck down, he seized the enemy's sword and beheaded him. In a similar manner, our David defeated the devil using his own weapon. His mighty followers, empowered by him—who he had previously slain—turned against the devil, and Goliath’s head was severed not by another’s hand but by the sword he wielded against himself.

Blessed be the Lord my God, who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for war. Psalm 143:1. These words should resonate with us if we are indeed the body of Christ. It almost seems as if there’s redundancy in expressing our hands for combat and our fingers for warfare, yet is there really a distinction? Certainly, both hands and fingers engage in work. It’s noteworthy how often we equate fingers with hands. Yet, within our fingers, we discern varying actions that maintain a unified purpose. This signifies grace! The apostle notes that to one is given this gift; to another, that. There exists a variety of ministries, all powered by the same Spirit, which is the foundation of unity. Armed with these fingers, the Body of Christ advances into battle, engaging in warfare. Through acts of compassion, we vanquish our foes, for we can only show mercy because we have received it, and it is the Holy Spirit who grants us this inner kindness. He equips our hands for war and our fingers for conflict. Thus, we rightly proclaim, “My mercy, from whom we also learn to be merciful; for judgment without mercy will be shown to the one who has not been merciful.” James 2:13.

“My mercy and my refuge, my Preserver and my Deliverer.” Psalm 142:2. This warrior toils greatly, his flesh resisting his spirit. Hold steadfast to what you possess, for you will gain what you long for when death is swallowed up in victory; 1 Corinthians 15:54, when this mortal frame is resurrected and transformed into a glorious state uplifted to heavenly realms. There exists a life filled with joy, a time when nothing contests the spirit, when we are told, “Rejoice, do not fight.” But who among us yearns for such days? Everyone, naturally, would affirm this. Listen closely to what follows. I observe your toil and struggle amid peril; heed this: Depart from evil and practice goodness; let not the needy weep at your hands so that they may rejoice through you. For what reward awaits you now that you are fighting? Strive for peace and pursue it. In your heart declare, “My Mercy and my Refuge, my Guardian, my Deliverer, my Defender; my Guardian to keep me from stumbling; my Deliverer to prevent me from falling; my Defender so that I might not be struck down.” In all matters, amidst all my labors, struggles, and hardships, I have placed my trust in Him who subjects my people under me. Behold, our Head speaks to us.

“Lord, what is man that You have made Yourself known to him?” Psalm 142:3. This enigma encompasses the fullness of how You have revealed Yourself to him. Or the son of man, whom You have valued highly? You afford him great dignity, as You place him under weighty responsibilities. Valuation denotes the measure of worth assigned to something. Consider how much God values humanity, as evidenced by the sacrifice of His only Son! For God's valuation of man differs vastly from that of one human assessing another; when a person finds a slave for sale, they might offer a greater price for a horse than for a man. Contemplate how esteemed you are in God's eyes; indeed, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" And how valued are you, seeing that He did not spare His only Son? "How will He not also graciously give us all things along with Him?" Romans 8:31-32. Who provides sustenance to the warrior? What does He reserve for the victorious?

“Man is like a breath; his days fade away like a shadow.” Psalm 142:4. What then is this brevity? It is the transitory nature of time and existence. This vanity is contrasted sharply with Truth, which remains eternally steadfast, for Truth too is the work of His Hand, in its own right. As it is said, “The earth is filled with the goodness of the Lord.” Sirach 16:29. What does this mean? It signifies alignment with Him. But, since everything here is temporary and fleeting, when we compare it with the immutable Truth that proclaims, “I AM WHO I AM,” Exodus 3:14, such momentary facets are aptly deemed vanity. In temporal frameworks, they evaporate like whispers in the wind. Why elaborate beyond what the apostle James articulated to humble the arrogant? “What, he asks, is your life? It is but a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14. Therefore, as darkness descends, let us labor with our hands through good works, crying out to God, before the day arrives that ultimately brings joy, lest it comes and engulfs us in sorrow. For see how securely you are laboring; you are not abandoned by Him whom you pursue, so your Father who sees in secret may reward you publicly. Matthew 6:4.

“O Lord, bend down Your heavens and come down; touch the mountains and let them smoke.” Psalm 143:5. Flash Your lightning, and may You scatter them; let Your arrows fly, and let them bring shame. Psalm 143:6. Extend Your hand from above, and rescue me, extracting me from deep waters. Psalm 143:7. The Body of Christ, humble David, full of grace, relying on God, calls for His divine assistance in this world. What does it mean for the heavens to bend down? The apostles stooped to serve. For these heavens testify to God's glory; indeed, they declare, “There is no speech nor language, but their voice is heard throughout.” And when these heavens proclaimed their message to every land and wrought miracles with wonders and commands from the Lord, it was perceived that heavenly beings descended to commune with men. Certain gentiles even sought to offer sacrifices to them. Yet they offered homage to the Lord Jesus Christ, humbling themselves in order to magnify God. The heavens bowed low for God to draw near. When He touches the mountains, they ascend in smoke. Until that divine touch, they may reckon themselves as formidable; they are about to proclaim, “You are great, O Lord,” and the mountains will confess that only You are supreme over all the earth.

Yet, there are those who conspire together against the Lord and His Anointed. They gather, plotting. Ignite Your lightning, and scatter them; multiply Your signs, and destroy their schemes. Let Your arrows fly, and dismantle them. Let the afflicted be pierced, that through their wounds they may be healed, so that they might proclaim in the Church, in the Body of Christ, “I am wounded by Love.” Send Your hand from on high. How does the Body of Christ prevail? By divine assistance. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God. 1 Thessalonians 4:16. He is the Savior of the Body, the Hand of God. What does “Out of many waters” imply? It symbolizes deliverance from various nations. Who are these nations? Strangers, nonbelievers, assailing us from without or entangling us from within. Pull me from the numerous waters that have engulfed me, in which You have permitted me to be tossed, to cleanse me from my defilement. These waters symbolize contradiction. Numbers 20:13. ...By the hand of foreign children. Listen, brethren, to those among whom we dwell; from whom we long to be rescued, whose lips utter vanities. Psalm 142:8. If you were not gathered today to witness these divine acts of God's Word and deeply engaged in this moment, what trivialities would surround you! Whose mouths utter emptiness: when will they who spout vanity hear you speak? Their right hand embodies deceit. Why do you mingle with them, with only your shepherd's pouch and five stones? Phrase this alternatively: the same principle conveyed by the five stones also signifies in another light. “A new song will I sing to You, O God,” Psalm 143:9. A song of grace; a song of the new creation; a new song from the New Testament. Lest you believe that grace has constrained the Law and that by grace the Law is fulfilled, I will sing to You with the harp of ten strings. According to the Ten Commandments, in this framework, I can lift my voice; I can rejoice in You; I can sing a new song to You, for Love is the fulfillment of the Law. Romans 13:10. However, those devoid of Love may carry a hymn book, yet they cannot sing. Disharmony cannot silence my psalter.

“He who grants salvation to kings, who rescues David His servant.” Psalm 143:10. You know who David is; now apply this truth for yourself. From where does He deliver His servant David? Where does He redeem Christ from? From where does He rescue the Body of Christ? Deliver me from the sword of malice. The phrase “from the sword” stands insufficient; he clarifies with “with malice.” Surely, there exists a sword borne of good intentions. What is this sword of good intentions? It is the very sword of which the Lord declared, “I did not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34. For He came to divide believers from nonbelievers, children from parents, severing all earthly bonds. The sword cuts away what is unhealthy while restoring the members of Christ. Thus, this good intention is a double-edged sword, potent from both the Old and New Testaments, yielding a narrative of what has been and a promise of what shall come. This illustrates the sword of good intention, while the sword of malice is wielded to utter vanities; it stands juxtaposed to the sword of truth by which God reveals righteousness. Indeed, men’s words bear the sharpness of spears and arrows, and their tongues act as razor-sharp swords. Deliver me from this sword. Psalm 142:11. And rescue me from the hand of strangers, whose mouths speak deceptive tales, as mentioned earlier. Moreover, their right hand embodies iniquity, as previously illustrated when he referred to them as many waters. To clarify, do not assume the many waters signify good, for he elucidated this by addressing the sword of wickedness.

To Him who grants deliverance to our rulers and to the holy Apostles whom Christ appointed as their leaders. He rescues His servant David from the onslaught of the fierce. Save me and remove me from the grip of those who are foreign to Your ways. In fulfillment of Your promises to them, demonstrate Your unwavering love for us. The prophet refers to 'the sword of the fierce' as symbolizing the madness and violence of the aggressors. He identifies them as wicked, as outsiders.

What does it signify? 'The heart of the king is in the hand of God' (Proverbs 21:1). This holds true for Julian's persecutor, for Nero, and for Decius as well. The heart of the king is indeed within the grasp of God. Those who exercise self-control over their own bodies, who have disciplined their flesh, do so that when they share the message with others, they themselves may remain blameless (cf. 1 Cor. 9:27). These are the rulers referred to by Wisdom in Proverbs, 'He gives a kingdom to kings' (cf. Proverbs 8:15).

To the One who bestows salvation as Sovereign. In this way, You also rescued our forebears, granting them the kingdom, and You enabled David, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and all who called upon Your aid to triumph over those who opposed them. To Him who rescues David, His servant. For the sake of the promises made to them, watch over us diligently. From the sword of fierce wrath.

To Him who grants salvation to rulers and rescues David, His servant, from the hands of the evil. I will persist in singing to You, Lord, a song of gratitude, recognizing You as the source of salvation for leaders, for it is not through military might or external powers that rulers are saved, as Chrysostom has pointed out, but through the strength and assistance of God. You, O Lord, save me—Your servant—from all disastrous conflict and from every tragic end.

O God, I will offer a fresh song unto You; in the ten-stringed instrument I will praise You, who grants deliverance to kings. (Psalm 143:9-10). Have you ever considered that in the early Church of the Hebrews, much like today, there existed a form of prayerful song for the health and salvation of the sovereign? Indeed, as the Sacred Scriptures illustrate, this practice was upheld not only through simple invocations but also through prophetic utterances. The prophet David assures God of a song, ‘who gives salvation to kings,’ and without a doubt, he will honor his dedication: this will constitute a prayerful melody; for a song directed to the Almighty is also an act of prayer.

Once more, he turns to gratitude, confident that God will extend His blessings throughout his life. In acknowledgment of the assistance he received in defeating Goliath, he vows to sing a new and extraordinary hymn, signifying a solemn, unique, and distinguished composition, which he sets apart from the commonplace and daily offerings. Regarding the psalter and the ten-stringed lyre, it is noted that this style of music was integral to the ceremonial law of the Jewish tradition. However, it is essential to focus on the essence of this new song: God, who grants deliverance to rulers, in His grace not only safeguarded His anointed servant David but also rescued him from peril.

The heading of this psalm indicates that it was authored by David, which further highlights its strong resemblance to other psalms attributed to him, particularly Psalm 17. The phrase “to Goliath,” found solely in the Greek versions and the Vulgate, appears to have been added later. While this psalm draws inspiration from Psalm 17, its entirety does not specifically reflect David's triumph over Goliath. At the point this psalm was composed, David had already attained victory, and his people had submitted to him (v.2). The Lord had indeed performed remarkable acts on his behalf; however, David was simultaneously in peril from surrounding nations, prompting him to seek divine assistance. This psalm is likely rooted in the events recounted in 2 Samuel 5 and 8.