Psalm 144 (143):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Do you notice how he once more relies on the humanity of God for salvation? Yet he alludes to something deeper here. Through his words, he conveys that he would not deserve His grace if it had not been granted by God Himself; He is indeed ‘my grace,’ and it is not earned through my deeds. While God is indeed compassionate, His mercy is not extended to everyone without distinction. As stated, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Rom. 9:15). Consequently, if we desire forgiveness, we must endeavor to merit such grace. The prophet attributes the very act of pardon to God. Are you witnessing a contrite spirit? Observe the thankful heart that gives credit to the divinely loving God.

The title of this psalm, though brief, is profound in its depth of mysteries. It reflects upon David's encounter with Goliath, a legendary moment from our ancestral history that you, my cherished friends, can recall from the Holy Scriptures. David chose five stones for his sling, yet he only needed one to secure victory. Five foundational texts were selected, yet harmony prevailed. Struck down and defeated, he seized the adversary's sword to decapitate him. Likewise, our David, Christ, struck down the devil using the very weapon he wielded. Those formidable ones under His dominion, whose lives He saved, turned their tongues against the enemy, resulting in Goliath's defeat via his own sword.

Blessed be the Lord my God, who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare. Psalm 143:1. Such words resonate with us as members of the Body of Christ. There seems to be repetition in the notion of hands for warfare and fingers for combat as they represent the same essence. However, is there not a distinction between hands and fingers? Certainly, both engage in the work, and we often mistake fingers for hands. Yet, fingers represent a division of labor while still maintaining a degree of unity. This is the grace! The Apostle teaches that some are given this gift, others that; there is a variety of functions, all carried out by the same Spirit, maintaining our unity. Thus, the Body of Christ goes forth to battle, engaged in spiritual warfare. Through acts of kindness, we vanquish our foe. This can only be accomplished through the mercy we have received from the Holy Spirit; He directs our hands for battle and our fingers for warfare. To Him, we rightly proclaim, “My mercy, through whom we are merciful,” for “judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.” James 2:13.

“My mercy and my refuge, my Preserver and my Deliverer.” Psalm 142:2. This warrior toils diligently, with his flesh opposing his spirit. Hold on to what you possess, and you shall fully receive your desires when death is enveloped in triumph, 1 Corinthians 15:54, as this mortal frame is resurrected and transfigured into a celestial form, elevated to a divine state. There exists a life filled with goodness, where nothing seeks to challenge the spirit, a realm where we are not admonished to fight but to rejoice. But who among us yearns for such days? Every soul undoubtedly responds affirmatively. However, take heed of what follows. I perceive your labor and the struggles and dangers that surround you; therefore, heed this message: “Abandon evil and do good; do not allow the poor to weep before you, so that the poor may rejoice through you.” What reward awaits you while you’re engaged in this battle? Seek peace and pursue it. Learn to proclaim, “My Grace, my Refuge, my Guardian, and my Deliverer; my Guardian, to protect me from stumbling; my Deliverer, to prevent me from being lost; my Defender, to shield me from harm.” In all my efforts, in all my struggles and trials, I place my trust in Him who grants authority over my people. Observe how our Head communes with us.

“Lord, what is man that Thou art mindful of him?” Psalm 142:3. In this acknowledgment lies the depth of His knowledge of us. Or who is the son of man whom Thou dost cherish? You place such significance on him, assigning him great worth and authority. The valuation reflects the worth assigned to an item. How profoundly He valued man, to the extent of offering the blood of His only Son for him! For God’s valuation of man is not akin to that of one man to another; when one finds a slave for sale, he might pay more for a horse than for a man. Contemplate the tremendous value placed upon you, that you might declare, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” And how highly did He esteem you that He did not withhold His Son? How will He not also grant us all things? Romans 8:31-32. Who bestows nourishment upon the soldier? What does He reserve for the victor?

“Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.” Psalm 142:4. What does ‘vanity’ signify? It pertains to the time that flows and fades away. Such vanity is mentioned in contrast to the eternal Truth that perpetually remains; this also is the work of His hand, within its realm. As it is written, “God has filled the earth with His goods.” Sirach 16:29. In relation to Him, this transitory nature stands in agreement. However, when we compare these earthly, ephemeral matters to that Truth which says, “I AM WHO I AM,” Exodus 3:14, these transient things are identified as vanity, for in time they vanish like a whisper in the wind. The Apostle James, seeking to humble the proud, states, “What is your life? It is but a vapor that appears for a short while and then vanishes away.” James 4:14. Therefore, work diligently by night, offering your hands in good deeds, and call out to God before the day comes that brings you joy, lest the day arrive that leaves you in sorrow. For behold, how securely you labor when you are not forsaken by Him whom you seek, so that your Father, who sees in secret, may reward you openly. Matthew 6:4.

“O Lord, bow down Thy heavens, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.” Psalm 143:5. “Flash Thy lightning, and scatter them; let Thy arrows strike, and put them to shame.” Psalm 143:6. “Extend Thy hand from above, and rescue me, and bring me up out of the great waters.” Psalm 143:7. The Body of Christ, humble David, filled with grace and relying on God, calls for divine aid. What does it mean for the heavens to bow down? The Apostles humbled themselves, for the heavens declare God’s glory; of these heavens, it is stated, “There is no speech nor language, but their voice is heard among them.” When these heavens declared their voice across the earth and performed wonders, many believed that gods had descended to mankind. Some of the Gentiles, in their error, desired to offer sacrifices, but they presented those gifts to the Lord Jesus Christ, humbling themselves to exalt God, as the heavens bent down for God to come to earth.

“Touch the mountains, and they will erupt in smoke.” Until touched, they hold onto their own grandeur, ready to proclaim, “You alone, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” Yet, some conspire, gathering against the Lord and His Christ. They unite, plotting together. “Strike with Thy lightning, and scatter them; amplify Thy wonders, and their schemes shall come to ruin. Let Thy arrows fly, and shatter them. Heal the wounded, so that in their healing, they may proclaim within the Church, in the Body of Christ, ‘I am wounded by love.’ Send forth Thy hand from on high.” What then lies ahead? How does the Body of Christ triumph? With heavenly assistance. For the Lord Himself will descend with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God from heaven, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, as the Saviour of the Body, the Hand of God. “What do the many waters signify?” Nations abound. What nations? Strangers and disbelief that assail us from the outside or lay traps within. Bring me forth from the overwhelming waters where You have chastised me, out of the turmoil that burdens me, to cleanse me of my impurities. These are the waves of contradiction. Numbers 20:13. By means of foreign children, confirm, brethren, where we dwell, desire freedom from whom? From those whose lips have spoken vanity. Psalm 142:8. Were you not assembled for these divine manifestations of God’s Word in this hour, what vain words you would hear! Whose mouths utter vanity: when will they, who speak such folly, hear you, proclaiming truth? Their right hand symbolizes wrongdoing.

Where are you among them with your shepherd’s bag and the five stones? In a different light: the same law you signify with the five stones also represents something more. “I will sing to You a new song, O God.” Psalm 143:9. A fresh melody of grace; a new anthem of a renewed being; a song emerging from the New Covenant. Yet, lest you perceive that grace invalidates the law and by grace the law is fulfilled, I shall sing to You upon the ten-stringed lyre. According to the commandments, I rejoice in You and sing a new song, for love brings fulfillment to the law. Romans 13:10. However, those without love, while they may carry a book of psalms, cannot truly sing, for contradiction cannot silence my melody.

“He who grants salvation to kings, who redeems David His servant.” Psalm 143:10. You are aware of who David is; be as David. From where does He redeem His servant David? From where does He save Christ? From the grips of evil, deliver me; ‘by the sword is inadequate,’ He adds, ‘with malice.’ Surely, there exists a sword of good intentions; yet what is this sword of good intentions? As the Lord states, “I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Matthew 10:34. His intention was to create separation between believers and non-believers, severing familial bonds. The sword cuts away the unfit but heals the members of Christ. This good intention wields a double-edged sword, potent on both sides, Old and New Testaments, narrating the tale of the past alongside future pledges. Thus, this represents the sword of good intention, while the other signifies malicious intent—those who speak vanity—that is of good intention, by which God speaks His truth. Indeed, the sons of men have teeth like spears and arrows, and their tongues are a sharp sword. “Deliver me from this sword.” Psalm 142:11. “And rescue me from the hands of strangers,” whose mouths have belied truth, as mentioned earlier.

Their right hand, indeed, is the right hand of sin, which has already been indicated when referring to the many waters. You should not assume that these many waters bear goodness, as they have been qualified by the sword of wickedness. “Whose sons are as a well-tended vine, flourishing in youth.” Psalm 142:12. He desires to speak of their prosperity. Take heed, sons of light, residents of this world; see the strangers, whom he calls strangers’ children, who embody contradiction, wield the sword of malice. Consider carefully, for you dwell amid these perils, where desires of the flesh vie for your attention, among tongues under the influence of the devil’s might, as he wrestles against you. Ephesians 6:12. What folly do they utter, and how their right hand serves iniquity! Their daughters are clad in the likeness of the temple, their barns overflowing, transitioning from one storehouse to another; their sheep thrive and multiply in the streets; their oxen grow bountiful; their fences are intact, with no disruption in their pathways, and tranquility prevails in their communities. Psalm 143:13; Psalm 142:14. Does this not exemplify happiness? I seek for the progeny of the kingdom of heaven; I seek the offspring of eternal resurrection, the Body of Christ, the members of Christ, the temple of God. Is it not happiness to have sons secure and sound, daughters adorned in beauty, storehouses filled, livestock thriving, no collapse of structures, not even fences, and silence in the streets—a reality of peace and abundance in their dwellings and cities? Is this not happiness? Should the righteous shy away from such a state? Is it not evident that the household of the righteous abounds with all these joys? Did not Abraham's home overflow with gold, silver, children, servants, and livestock? What do we declare? Is this not happiness? Yet still, this lies on the left hand. What do we identify as the left? Temporal, mortal, physical. I do not wish for you to withdraw from it, but to recognize that it is not the ultimate good.

For what ought to be positioned on the right? God, eternity—years of God that will never fade, as it is stated, “and Your years will not come to an end.” There must be a right side, an ardent longing should arise within us. Let us utilize the left for the transient, but aspire for the eternal battle. Should wealth grow abundant, do not allow your heart to be swayed by it.

"My compassion and my shelter, my guardian and my Savior: my Intercessor" (Psalm 143:2). These are the designations attributed to God. Countless blessings correspond to numerous titles. "Bringing my people under control." This can be expressed in relation to Christ, that is, as understood through Him. The same sentiment can also reflect the perspective of the Apostles. The holy father in the monastery conveys his gratitude to God with these words: "Blessed are You, O Lord my God, who has brought my people under my care. They do not follow my lead, but Yours; in serving me, they ultimately serve You."

"My compassion and my stronghold, my advocate and my rescuer, my protector, in Him do I place my confidence." The Prophet identifies these titles based on personal experience; he asserts: You are 'my compassion'; for from You have I drawn the sources of grace: You are 'my stronghold'; as by seeking refuge in You, I find salvation: You are 'my rescuer'; for with Your aid, I have triumphed over my foes: You are 'my intercessor and my protector'; for You have shielded me in battle and defended me when under siege. Thus, I will place my unwavering hope in You. "Hearken, O My people, to Me." This pertains to Zerubbabel and to Jesus the High Priest; for they were the appointed leaders of the people at that time.

My source of compassion and sanctuary, my aid and my savior, my protector, in Him I will place my trust, guiding those beneath me. God, I assert, embodies my compassion and sanctuary; He is my aide, my savior, and my shield, thus I place my complete trust in Him. For we require divine assistance not solely in overcoming foreign nations and adversaries, but as Chrysostom notes, in also managing my own people. The triumph over foes originates from God's support, and in the same vein, as emphasized by Chrysostom, the voluntary compliance of my people is contingent upon it.

Let us give thanks to God, who equips our hands for battle, as we witness how ordinary citizens and villagers were unexpectedly transformed into soldiers, standing shoulder to shoulder with seasoned warriors. Let us praise God, our Savior, as we hear how our seafarers in the east, with only a handful of ships, navigated through the overwhelming naval power of our adversaries to safely return home. Let us glorify the God of compassion, who has instilled in our hearts a deep sympathy for the valiant efforts of the ascetics, inspiring us to support their endeavors and provide for their needs. Generous contributions poured forth from both the affluent and the less fortunate, enriching the military’s resources and providing aid for the wounded and sick soldiers and their families.

This selection of repeated phrases is not placed here without purpose; it significantly reinforces faith. It is widely recognized how unstable human thoughts can be and how quickly individuals can stray from belief when faced with temptation's tempest. Consequently, if the Lord had simply assured us of assistance through words to uphold us in our frailty, that alone would not suffice; even with multiple forms of support, we often waver and, at times, completely overlook His grace.

The title of this psalm indicates that it was composed by David, which corroborates its strong similarities to other psalms attributed to him, particularly Psalm 17. The phrase "to Goliath," found solely in the Greek translations and the Vulgate, was appended at a later time. Even though this psalm draws inspiration from Psalm 17, its overall message does not align perfectly with David's triumph over Goliath. By the time this psalm was penned, David had already achieved victory, his subjects were loyal to him (v.2), and the Lord had performed remarkable deeds on his behalf; nonetheless, he faced severe threats from nearby nations, prompting him to seek divine assistance. This psalm is believed to originate from the events outlined in 2 Samuel 5ff or 8:1ff.

Obey my people who are beneath me. Blessed Theodoret explains that this is fitting for Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua, as they were the leaders among the people at that time. St. Chrysostom refers to David when he speaks. In the words of Hebrews: "my mercy and my hedge, my refuge and my deliverer, my shield—and I trust in Him; He makes my people subject to me."