Psalm 144 (143):4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Another translator, Symmachus, uses the term “blowing” (ατμω̃) instead of “vanity.” The concept of vanity denotes perishability, mortality, and transience. Here, the prophet refers to the human body. This aligns with Abraham’s declaration, “I am dust and ashes” (Gen. 18:27), and Isaiah’s statement: “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is as the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades” (Isaiah 40:6, 7). What does it signify to say that life “is like vanity”? In essence, it refers to nothingness; all human endeavors are fragile and temporary, destined to fade away. “His days, like a shadow, pass away” indicates that even when moments seem significant, they carry no lasting power and soon diminish.

The title of this psalm is concise in wording yet profound in its mysteries. To David against Goliath. This confrontation is remembered by our ancestors, and dear friends, we recall it together from the Scriptures. David selected five stones for his pouch but only utilized one. Five Books were appointed, yet harmony reigned. Armed and defeated, he seized the enemy's sword and decapitated him. Similarly, our David struck down the adversary using his own weapon. When his valiant men, empowered through him as he claimed other souls, acknowledged their belief, they turned against the devil, and thus Goliath's head was severed by his own blade.

Blessed be the Lord my God, who teaches my hands for battle and my fingers for warfare (Psalm 143:1). These words resonate with those of us who are the body of Christ. There seems to be a reiteration of this thought; our hands are for combat, and our fingers for warfare—both functions share a common purpose. Is there, however, a distinction between hands and fingers? Indeed, both are instruments of action. It’s easy to mistake fingers for hands, yet fingers indicate a division of labor while maintaining a form of unity. This is grace! The apostle notes that to one is given this talent and to another that; there exists a variety of works, all executed by the same Spirit, which is the root of unity. Thus, the Body of Christ engages in spiritual warfare, launching into battle... Through acts of mercy, we vanquish our foe; mercy cannot exist without having first received it from the Holy Spirit, who equips our hands for conflict and our fingers for combat. To Him, we appropriately declare, My mercy, from whom we also derive the capacity to be merciful, for judgment devoid of mercy will be with him who has not shown mercy (James 2:13).

My mercy and my refuge, my Preserver and my Deliverer (Psalm 142:2). This warrior toils greatly, his flesh rebels against the spirit. Hold tightly to what you possess; then you will fully receive what you desire when death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54), when this mortal form is resurrected and transformed into a celestial state, elevated to heavenly quality. Life there is abundant and peaceful, a time when the spirit faces no opposition, directing us to ‘Rejoice’ rather than ‘Fight.’ Yet who among us yearns for those days? Every person, admittedly, would say 'yes.' Yet listen to what follows. I observe your hardships; I see you engaged in struggles and threats. Therefore, heed this: Depart from evil and do good; let not the poor weep under your gaze, but let them rejoice in your presence. What reward awaits you, for you are already engaged in the fight? Seek peace and pursue it. Learn and proclaim, My Grace and my Refuge, my Guardian and my Deliverer, my Defender: my Guardian to prevent my fall; my Deliverer, to ensure I do not cling to sin; my Defender, to shield me from harm. In all these matters, amid my efforts and trials, I have placed my trust in Him who grants me authority over my people. Behold, our Head communing with us.

Lord, what is man that You have made Yourself known to him? (Psalm 142:3). This encapsulates the notion of being known by God. Alternatively, what of the son of man whom You uphold? You assign him great significance and recognize his worth, placing him over and under certain matters. To be valued involves assessing the worth of something. How highly did He regard humanity, shedding the blood of His only Son for us! For unlike human valuation, which might appraise a horse higher than a man, God’s valuation of you is immeasurably elevated. Consider how much He cherishes you, enabling you to affirm, ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ And to what extent did He value you when He did not spare His Son? How will He not also bestow upon us everything else along with Him? (Romans 8:31-32). Who sustains this warrior with nourishment, what does He reserve for the victor?

Man is like a breath; his days fade away like a shadow (Psalm 142:4). What is vanity? It is merely the time that flows and vanishes. This vanity stands in stark contrast to Truth, which endures eternally; all is crafted by His Hand, albeit in different measures. As it is written, God has filled the earth with His bounty (Sirach 16:29). What does this mean? It is an accord with Him. However, all these earthly matters, ephemeral and transient, when juxtaposed with the eternal Truth declaring, I am who I am (Exodus 3:14), are deemed vanity. For in due time, they dissipate like a puff of air. How more succinctly can I express this than the apostle James, who sought to humble the proud, saying, ‘What, he asks, is your life?’ It is like a vapor that appears briefly and then vanishes (James 4:14). Therefore, even at night, labor with your hands—performing good works—cry out to God before the day arrives that brings you joy, lest you encounter the day that sorrows you. For behold how securely you labor, not deserted by Him whom you seek, so that your Father, who observes in secret, may reward you openly (Matthew 6:4).

O Lord, bow down Your heavens and descend; touch the mountains and they shall smoke (Psalm 143:5). Flash Your lightning and scatter them; send forth Your arrows and put them to shame (Psalm 143:6). Stretch forth Your hand from above, deliver me, and draw me out from the multitude of waters (Psalm 143:7). The body of Christ, humble David, full of grace, trusting in God, calls for divine assistance in this world. What does it mean for the heavens to bow? The apostles submissively followed. For these heavens proclaim the glory of God; of them, it has been said, ‘There is neither speech nor language, but their voice is perceived among them.’ When these heavens resounded their voices across the earth and performed miracles while the Lord shone forth with wonders and commands, many assumed gods descended to earth. Some Gentiles, misbelieving, even offered sacrifices to them... But they dedicated themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, humbling themselves to glorify God; for the heavens bowed to permit God's descent.

Touch the mountains until they ascend in smoke. Before being touched, they perceive themselves as grand; but in response to touch, they proclaim, ‘You are great, O Lord,’ and the mountains shall declare that You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

Yet there are those who conspire, gathering against the Lord and against His Anointed. They convene and plot. Ignite Your lightning and scatter them; multiply Your miracles, and their schemes shall be thwarted... Release Your arrows and lay them low. May the ailing be wounded, that the wounded may become whole; and let them voice, in the Church and within the Body of Christ: ‘I am wounded by Love.’ Send forth Your Hand from on high. What follows? What comes next? How does the Body of Christ achieve victory? Through heavenly aid. For the Lord Himself will descend with a shout of the archangel and with the trumpet of God (1 Thessalonians 4:16)—He, the Saviour of the body, the Hand of God. What does ‘out of many waters’ signify? From many nations. Which nations? Strangers, nonbelievers, assailing us from external threats or laying traps from within. Rescue me from the multitude of waters in which You have disciplined me, from the tumult that seeks to ensnare my spirit. These are the waters of contradiction (Numbers 20:13)... At the hands of strange children. Listen, brethren, to whom we belong, among whom we dwell, from whom we long to be liberated, whose lips have spoken deception (Psalm 142:8). Were it not for our gathering to these divine revelations from the Word of God at this hour, what empty chatter would fill our ears! Whose mouths emit insincerity: when will they, who speak empty words, hear the truth from you, who speak wisdom? Their right hand is the hand of wickedness. What role do you play among them with your shepherd’s pouch and the five stones? Allow me to rephrase: the same law represented by the five stones conveys a deeper meaning.

I will sing to You a new song, O God (Psalm 143:9). A fresh hymn of grace; a new melody emerging from a renewed spirit; a new anthem stemming from the New Testament. But lest it be perceived that grace negates the law and that through grace the law is fulfilled, I will sing to You on the ten-stringed harp. According to the law of the Ten Commandments: in this, I can exalt You; in this, I can celebrate You; in this, I can offer a new song unto You; for Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10). Yet those devoid of love may possess a psalter, but they cannot raise their voice in song. Contradiction does not render my psalter silent.

He who grants salvation to kings and rescues David, His servant (Psalm 143:10). You know who David is; identify as David yourself. From where does He release David His servant? From where does He rescue Christ? From where does He deliver the body of Christ? Save me from the sword of malice. Merely invoking the sword is insufficient; the phrase accompanies ‘malice.’ Surely there exists a sword born of good intentions. What does this mean? As the Lord articulated, ‘I did not come to bring peace upon the earth, but a sword’ (Matthew 10:34). For He was set to divide believers from nonbelievers, separating children from parents and severing other bonds—where the sword removes what is sick yet heals the members of Christ. Good intention embodies a razor-edged sword, formidable on both sides, rooted in Old and New Testaments, weaving past narratives with future promises. Thus, the sword of good intention contrasts with the sword of malice, from which emptiness emerges, while truth flows from God. Truly, the children of men wield teeth as spears and arrows, their tongues wielding sharp swords.

Deliver me from this sword (Psalm 142:11). Rescue me from the hands of strangers, whose lips utter falsehoods, just as before. Furthermore, their right hand embodies iniquity, as previously described when referring to them as many waters. In case you think the many waters are benign, He clarified using the sword of wickedness.

Whose offspring are like a young vine firmly rooted in youth (Psalm 142:12). He wishes to express their bliss. Pay attention, sons of light, sons of the world: observe, sons of the Church, members of Christ; take heed of those he refers to as strangers, whom he labels as foreign children, those identified as the waters of contradiction, those he calls the sword of malice. Be vigilant, I implore you, for among them lies peril; amidst their tongues, you engage in the tug-of-war against your fleshly desires, among their tongues controlled by the devil, who utilizes them as his instruments (Ephesians 6:12).

What emptiness streams from their mouths, and how is their right hand tainted with wickedness? Their daughters don the beauty of the temple's likeness. Their storehouses overflow, transitioning from one granary to the next; their sheep flourish and multiply within their streets (Psalm 143:13): their oxen are well-fed; they experience neither collapse, nor obstruction on their roads, nor uproar in their streets (Psalm 142:14). Is this not happiness? I call upon the sons of the Kingdom of Heaven, the offspring of eternal resurrection; I look toward the body of Christ, the members of Christ, the temple of God. Is not true happiness the security of children, the beauty of daughters, the abundance of storehouses, livestock thriving, absence of ruin—not just barriers, not even hedges, no clamor in the streets but tranquility, peace, abundance running rampant in households and towns? Is this not bliss? Should the righteous shy away from such? Could it be that you find no fulfillment in the homes of the righteous, brimming with such prosperity? Did not Abraham’s household flourish with gold, silver, children, servants, and cattle? What can we conclude? Is this not happiness? Yet it remains that this is merely on the left side. And what does ‘the left side’ signify? Temporary, mortal, material. I do not intend for you to shun it, but merely to recognize that it exists not on the right hand...

Indeed, our lives are fleeting like a shadow. I have journeyed through various stages—from childhood to adolescence to youth, and now I find myself in the fullness of life, approaching middle age. Gradually, I am becoming aware of the passage of time. The inevitability of death looms as old age draws near. Each day brings changes that make me increasingly aware of my own insignificance. We never remain static; we are always either growing or diminishing. Thus, in every fleeting moment, humanity transitions toward the end. As an elder, I reflect on my youthful days—how I played and explored with exuberance. Now, I feel the weight of life pressing down upon me. “His days, like a shadow, pass away.” Our existence resembles a shadow: perceptible yet lacking true substance. Everything insubstantial vanishes swiftly. Given our frailty and suffering, what should we seek in prayer? What should our requests be? What is the message of the prophet here? What is he yearning for?

What more can be said? The blessed being was formed from a transgressor, who faced trials; he no longer gazes upon the emptiness of this world, for all is vanity, as the wise Solomon observed in Ecclesiastes 1:2. Is it not futile to pursue that which cannot ultimately endure, when all things fade away like a fleeting shadow, as articulated in Psalm 143:4? Senseless pursuits, such as wars that have spilled much blood for fleeting gains, or contentions in spectacles, or the fervor of chaotic entertainments, or the misleading doctrines of heretics, or the deceptive utterances and fanciful acts of false prophets masquerading as celestial revelations.

Theodotion likens humanity to vapor, while Symmachus describes it as vapor; for just as vapor easily forms and vanishes, human nature deteriorates, and like a shadow, human life fades away. Yet, You have shown such profound concern for temporal beings!

Human beings are compared to fleeting emptiness, with their lives resembling a mere shadow. According to this view, humanity is akin to transience, as embodied by our earthly vessels; nothing within the human experience is lasting or solid—everything is impermanent. Worthlessness and triviality characterize our existence, as expressed by Solomon: “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). Not only does this apply to man, but the days of his life swiftly vanish as well, akin to a shadow that emerges briefly, seems substantial for a moment, then fades away.

Sin has caused humanity to fall into a wretched condition, as mankind was not trained in glory; he became akin to mindless beasts, equating himself with them (Psalm 48:13). However, with the arrival of Christ, the Son of God, he was lifted above all creation. Humanity may have become contemptible, yet through God's astounding grace, he was honored and elevated.

In this reflection, the psalmist magnifies the grace of the Lord by contrasting the Divine with humanity. When he contemplates the fruitful outcomes of his endeavors, he introspects and exclaims, “Who am I that God is so well pleased with me?” While his words encompass all of humanity, it is essential to note that David, aware of his own humble and unworthy state, increasingly magnifies God’s mercy. He articulates the reason for his wonder, underscoring the frailty of humankind in light of God’s grandeur. He compares humanity to smoke or a fleeting shadow, leading him to conclude that the abundance of God’s goodness is not bestowed upon us based on our worth. When we elevate our self-view, we must also remember the transitory nature of our lives, which, like a shadow, swiftly vanishes, thus tempering our pride and arrogance.

The title of this psalm indicates its authorship by David, aligning it closely with other psalms attributed to him, notably Psalm 17. The phrase “to Goliath,” present only in the Greek translations and the Vulgate, appears to have been added later. Although this psalm draws inspiration from Psalm 17, its overall message does not reflect David's triumph over Goliath. When this psalm was composed, David had already secured victory; his people were under his leadership (v.2), and the Lord had accomplished remarkable deeds for him. Nonetheless, he faced significant threats from surrounding nations and thus seeks God’s assistance. The origins of this psalm can be linked to events recounted in 2 Samuel 5ff. or 8:1ff.