Not at all; while our lips may give praise for a moment, let our lives offer continuous worship. For the psalm is indeed good.
A psalm is a song, a specific melody from the psalter, which serves as a musical instrument akin to a lyre or harp. Therefore, when we sing psalms, we engage not just our voices but also various instruments to accompany our praises. If you choose to sing a psalm, let it not solely be your voice that praises God, but let your actions also harmonize with your words. Sing with your voice for the edification of others, but ensure your heart and life are also engaged in this act of worship. Do not harbor deceit in your heart as you sing to God. In your meals and drinks, let a psalm be sung—not merely melodious sounds to please the ear, but with proper moderation, echoing the Apostle’s words: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). If your insatiable desires lead you to excess, your life contradicts the praise on your tongue. After you eat and drink, let your rest be undefiled, and your marriage bed be honorable. In your desire for children, let lust not override chastity: “In your bed honor your wife” (1 Peter 3:7). For you are both united in Christ, both formed by Him, and redeemed by His blood. Let us praise God, ensuring our praises never fall silent.
What if sleep overtakes us? Let no guilty conscience disturb our rest; may the innocence of our dreams offer praise to God.
May our praises be pleasing to Him. How? Through a life of virtue. Know that such praise pleases Him. For it is noted elsewhere, “It is not fitting for the mouth of a sinner to praise” (Sirach 15:9). Hence, if praise is unacceptable from the mouth of a sinner, it must be from a place of integrity. Though a man may delight in praise that flows from carefully chosen words and a sweet tone, the praise that truly matters comes from a heart aligned with a life devoted to God.
Who is our God that our praise should delight Him? He is gracious and accommodating, drawing near to those in need, as shown in Scripture: “But God proves His love for us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Let us reflect upon the praise of which the Apostle speaks—the praise for which Christ died for sinners and the ungodly: “The Lord builds up Jerusalem and gathers the outcasts of Israel” (Psalm 145:2). For the people of Jerusalem are the people of Israel, representing the eternal city in Heaven, where both angels and humans rejoice in the presence of God. Yet we are wanderers from that divine city, estranged by sin and bound by mortality. God, in His mercy, looked upon our wandering. He sends His Son as our Redeemer in captivity. Take with you a purse, He said, and carry the price for captives. He took upon Himself our mortal form, shedding His blood for our redemption. By His sacrifice, He gathers the scattered children of Israel. If He restored those who were lost, how do we strive to gather those currently in disarray? If those once scattered were united through the Builder's hand, how shall we see restoration for those who have strayed from Him? This is our cause of praise; this is the One we must honor all our days.
How does He gather His people? He heals the brokenhearted (Psalm 145:3). Notice how the scattered of Israel come together through their healing. Those who lack a contrite heart cannot be mended. What does it mean to have a wounded heart? It is essential for us to recognize our state so that we may find healing. For Scripture teaches: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” Therefore, He heals the wounded heart, drawing near to them as it is written: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.”
Who are those with wounded hearts? The humble. Who are the prideful? Those who remain unbroken. The heart that has been wounded is healed, while the proud remain unyielding. It is through pain that healing can occur; thus, dear ones, let us not desire glory before we are first humbled. To exalt that which is not yet aligned is counterproductive.
By what means does He bind up the wounded? As physicians dress wounds. There are instances when, despite healthy limbs, physicians must reset broken bones to correctly align them, occasionally creating a new wound to restore proper form.
What are these means by which He binds? The sacraments of our earthly existence provide comfort, as do all the teachings shared among us. All actions within the Church are the means through which He heals our bruises. Just as a physician removes the bandage upon complete healing, so too shall we, in the heavenly Jerusalem, receive things unattainable here. In that perfect state among the angels, will we still require the reading of Scripture to establish our faith? Will we need a bishop's touch? These are means of healing fractures; and only if we are bound can we one day attain fullness.
He who counts the stars and names them (Psalm 146:4). What a remarkable thing for God to know the number of the stars! While humanity strives to ascertain their count, it is insignificant for God. He lists them not lest He forgets, for even the hairs of your head are numbered (Matthew 10:30). These stars symbolize the luminaries within the Church who illuminate our darkest nights. As the Apostle states: “Among a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the Word of life” (Philippians 2:15). These stars, whom God counts, are those who will reign with Him, being gathered into the Body of His only Son. Those who fall short are not even counted. Many may present as believers or appear to engage with the congregation, but God knows the true nature of what He numbers and what He discards.
The height of the Gospel remains vast and fulfilling. The Lord has proclaimed: “They are more than can be counted.” There are those among the people, perhaps, who appear more numerous than those destined for the heavenly Jerusalem. Each must consider whether they shine amidst the darkness and resist the insidious temptations of this world. Those who stand firm will be as stars already known to God.
He calls them all by name. This represents our great reward: that our names be known to God. We should desire this recognition, making it our pursuit. It is better not to take joy in other things, even in certain spiritual gifts. When the disciples returned from their ministry, rejoicing because even demons obeyed them in His Name (Luke 10:17), He cautioned, ‘Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you; rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven’ (Luke 10:20).
Great is our Lord (Psalm 146:5). The psalmist, overflowing with joy, attempts to articulate his awe but finds it daunting. His strength is immense, and His understanding unfathomable. The One who counts the stars is beyond number Himself. Who can express this? Who can truly comprehend the limitless nature and universal understanding of God? All that is infinite may fill this world, but remains insignificant compared to God’s infinite nature. His comprehension surpasses all calculations, for He who created all things measures all things.
What does God possess? He created everything; He is the architect of order. How can one comprehend while God has arranged all in measure, number, and weight? (Wisdom 11:20). Let human voices be silent, and human thoughts refrain from extending into the incomprehensible, as if such things can be fully understood. Instead, approach these mysteries with reverence and expectation.
Let us strive to be communicants in that divine truth, not questioning the mechanics of how many can partake of one substance. Do not pursue that which cannot be adequately expressed; rather, return to the Savior for healing. Let your heart be contrite. He will guide and bind up that which is broken, restoring it to full health, enabling us to attain what is presently beyond our grasp. For it is good to acknowledge our weaknesses before He who desires to bestow divine nature upon us.
The Lord calls forth the humble (Psalm 145:6). You may feel lost, unable to grasp or attain what is beyond your reach; then honor God's Word, awaiting clarity in His time. Do not rush to judge Scripture as obscure or contradictory. There are no contradictions within it; rather, what may seem unclear serves to engage and prepare us to receive its truth. When it is unclear, it prompts us to seek deeper understanding. The Lord invites us to knock, and as we practice this, we will grow and grasp what He reveals. Accept that some truths are hidden; remain gentle and patient.
The Lord declares favor on those who fear Him and hope in His mercy (Psalm 146:11). Fear can be warranted: the robber, the beast, the unjust—a common fear. But rejoice in those who place their hope in God’s mercy. Judas, who betrayed our Lord, knew fear but lacked hope. It was good he feared, if only he had also trusted in mercy; instead, despair led him to take his own life. So let us fear the Lord, but let our fear be infused with faith in His mercy.
THEOSIS