Psalm 17 (16):13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Awaken, O Lord, You whom they perceive to be dormant, and despite the sinful acts of humanity; let their blindness from their evil deeds hinder their efforts, and thus bring them to ruin.

Your instrument against the adversaries of Your creation. The spirit of a righteous individual, particularly one who leads sinners from sin to holiness, resembles a blade tempered for battle against malevolent forces. This blade, which You, O Lord, have honed against Your foes, 'deliver ... from the enemies of Thy hand.' Who are these adversaries of God's handiwork if not those who oppose belief in the one and only Son of God, who is also the embodiment of God's power?

O Lord, You obstruct their efforts with the obstacles known only to You. This is conveyed by the Prophet through the phrase ‘Lock up,’ which draws on the imagery of those who stealthily betray those seeking refuge. Yet, rescue me from their wickedness, wielding Your sword against them. As Simmachus articulates it: ‘by Your sword.’

Rise up, O Lord. The prophet portrays God’s patience as a form of divine rest and fervently cries out, ‘Arise, O Lord, and come to my aid. Thwart them. He implores, hinder my adversaries before they can execute their plans. Check their swift movements against me. This metaphor, “check,” derives from the practice of those who, aiming to impede a runner's progress, quickly place their foot beneath the runner's feet, thus easily causing them to stumble. Rescue my soul from the wicked and safeguard your weapon against the enemies of your hand. With your sword, O God, I plead, save my soul from the evil Saul, along with those who unite against your servant, whose stance is essentially against you, O Lord.

The sword of the Word represents the message of God, which is dynamic and powerful, more piercing than any double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). This divine sword is bestowed upon the soul as a means of protection against adversaries.

In reflecting on the cruelty of those who persecute him, he implores the Lord for assistance and rescue, recognizing Him as the sole source of salvation. Arise, O Lord; manifest Your might and do not postpone Your aid. Prepare their downfall; restrain the voracious mouths of the foes who, like a lion, seek to consume me. You have predicted their fangs, preventing them from gnawing or tearing, just as You foretold the lions' teeth that could not harm Daniel in the den, and as You declared the power of fire that could not destroy the three young men thrown into the furnace. Command them to be impeded, so that they do not bring harm upon me. Or perhaps, by Your wondrous Providence, You will confound them, transforming their desire to consume the righteous into a self-destructive act.

The misguided belief of the Jewish people is that Christ the Lord, having risen early from the grave, will not rise again. However, both the Jews and the demons have fallen due to the power of the Cross of Christ. This divine instrument serves as the justice for sins, manifesting through both seen and unseen adversaries, from which humanity is liberated through repentance. Observe the voices of Adam and the righteous souls dwelling in Sheol, for they understood the mystery of salvation through Christ.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The sentiment expressed by the Psalmist, like numerous others, often proves challenging for those engaging with the Holy Scriptures. Faithful individuals, committed to the Church, are frequently left in a state of troubled confusion upon encountering such passages. Those who are proud of their Western education, lacking in the tradition of Orthodoxy, unjustly criticize the Orthodox Church for articulating phrases that they claim lack significance. These individuals are gravely mistaken; the words presented offer a crucial insight for the Christian's mission.