Psalm 17 (16):14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They are consumed with the flesh of swine, overflowing with defilement, trampling the precious truths of Your words beneath their feet. They pass on the residue to their children, lamenting: ‘This sin is upon us and upon our children.’ (Matthew 27:25)

‘The sons will be filled, yet leave the remnants for their offspring.’ Simmachus translates this as: ‘The sons shall be nourished, and will leave their leftovers for their children;’ meaning I understand that You will execute Your just judgment not only upon them, but also upon their children and grandchildren who follow the wickedness of their forebears. It is stated, ‘they shall be filled,’ instead of saying, ‘they shall suffer evils unto fullness.’

When the prophet refers to the righteous as "little," he emphasizes their earthly nature, yet this does not impede their ability to perform good deeds. Additionally, the structure of the quoted phrase should rather be interpreted as: "Separate I from the little ones of the earth." Their bellies will be filled with Your hidden treasures. Some scholars believe these hidden treasures refer to gold and silver and other metals that lie concealed within the earth and are revealed upon excavation. In this manner, their bellies would be filled, indicating either themselves or their storehouses, which are as full as their stomachs. Alternatively, "their bellies" might refer to food, suggesting they have consumed enough to reach satisfaction. However, various biblical interpreters contend that "hidden" should mean those divine judgments that are concealed with God, as Moses remarked in Deuteronomy regarding imminent punishments: "Are not all these things gathered up with me and sealed up in my treasuries?" (Deuteronomy 32:34). This foretells that the enemies of David will be filled with the veiled judgments of God, implying these chastisements will abundantly saturate them. Hence, the prophet uses the term "womb" to signify fullness. He employs the future tense to convey a sense of the present, as having perceived this event through prophetic vision, he speaks of it as though it were already fulfilled. The sons, or the swine, shall be nourished. In Jewish law, swine was deemed unclean, as it does not chew the cud, despite having cloven hooves, additionally because the creature revels in filth. By likening his adversaries to this impure animal, the prophet illustrates their own moral corruption through their unclean thoughts and actions. He states that they are filled with impurity, squandering their riches to indulge their carnal desires. Many interpreters of considerable acumen understand the text here as stating they "satiated themselves with sons"—not swine—indicating that the enemies of the prophet enriched themselves, producing many offspring. It is also plausible to interpret this in duality: they were either filled with riches or with punishments, suggesting that not just the fathers but their children were equally burdened with wealth and retribution. The remnants, or leftovers, were left for their children, which were so considerable that they would reach down to the descendants of David's adversaries. This term "infants" signifies these offspring, who inherit both the wealth and consequences from their forebears. Should we regard the remnants as punishments, it may foresee afflictions destined for David's enemies. Conversely, interpreting them as riches enhances their reproach, as they squandered their lives indulging in excess despite receiving numerous blessings, treating God's patience as insignificant.

In alignment with the Hebrew text, the Prophet implores God for deliverance by His hand or divine assistance from the individuals of this present age, whose existence is confined to this world: for, lacking an understanding of the spirit and being attuned to perishable possessions, they do not elevate their thoughts beyond earthly concerns but cling to the material realm as if it existed solely for their enjoyment. Hence, it is unjust that the wicked should perpetually prosper and delight, claiming a life of peace and abundance as if it were their birthright. This understanding aligns with David’s subsequent words, where he notes that God satisfies their desires with His concealed blessings, which we observe not only in the common aspects of light, breath, and sustenance, but also in superior gifts as they revel in them, as if the Lord cherished them as His beloved children above all others. The hidden blessings of God refer to the most unique and delightful forms of pleasure. It is indeed a profound challenge when one evaluates the grace of God through the lens of material wealth. Thus, it is unsurprising that David, as a human, felt troubled by this reality. However, it is notable that he seeks solace through this heartfelt appeal and does not complain against God, teaching us to express our sorrows to Him. The reasoning behind these concluding remarks lies in the fact that the people of this age pass their wealth uninterrupted to their descendants. As they are not among the children of God, this is all they desire. Consequently, on the day of reckoning, they are rendered oblivious. Thus, the core of the complaint is that they misuse the blessings from God for evil purposes, and therefore they deserve His retribution.

3:15, 16), with the Lord Himself laying its foundation stone (1 Pet. 2:6). Yet, David seeks not the destruction of these foes, but rather their separation from the Church, longing for them to be divided from the faithful on earth. The “little earth” symbolizes the Church of God's elect, referred to by the Savior as the little flock (Luke 12:32). His words remind us that many are called, but few are chosen. In this world, the chosen are few, surrounded by rampant iniquity and amidst a vast multitude of lawless individuals exists a small congregation of God’s children. When they encounter the wicked, they endure various trials, mockeries, and offenses—a reality faced by the righteous throughout history. Cain harbored hatred for Abel; the son of Abraham born of the flesh persecuted the one born of promise; the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites. The prophet implores the Lord to free the Church from the company of the wicked, longing for the descendants of Israel to remain untainted by the unbelieving and those who do not honor God. This desire was partially fulfilled when neighboring nations at odds with Israel were pacified, and later, when the wicked within the Jewish community were stripped of their power and influence. Their hunger shall be satisfied with Your hidden blessings. The 'hidden' refers to riches kept away from the sight of all but the chosen. The prophet confronts the ungratefulness towards God, and the malice shown to God’s children by the Church’s adversaries. You have filled their bellies with Your blessings. You have lavishly endowed them with the gifts of nature, providing them and the righteous with abundance, yet they remain unsatisfied and continue to afflict Your children, or as stated in another passage, consume Your people as they eat bread (Psalms 13:4). The phrase about feeding their sons offers several interpretations. One understanding is that You grant them the gift of offspring. This gift of childbirth is a special blessing from God, while sorrow in loss is a punishment as noted in various passages of Scripture (Ps. 143:12; Ezek. 24:25). Alternatively, it may mean their offspring also partake in Your gifts so abundantly that they too shall thrive, leaving behind a legacy for future generations. From the subsequent context, the prophet suggests the wicked live in material prosperity not only for themselves but extend that affluence to their descendants. However, this prosperity is transient; if I face trials for faith and truth here, I shall confidently behold Your glory in the end. Another possibility is reading, "Your sons"—this variant is supported because the Hebrew adds the pronoun, and it aligns with the ancient reading regarding the fulfillment of the sons. This interpretation suggests, Thy sons are satiated, indicating that the wicked satisfy their insatiable desires at the expense of the people You have spiritually claimed as Your own, robbing them, ravaging their dwellings, enslaving them, and desecrating both their conduct and the sanctity of true worship. Even then, they do not simply torment Your children but leave scraps for their young. What does this convey? David uses an analogy drawn from beasts. Consider domestic animals; once they have tormented their prey, they leave behind remnants for their young—this can serve two purposes: to provide some share of the prey or to display the suffering of their catch to instill the same cruel nature in their offspring. Similarly, the wicked enemies of the Church do not merely afflict the godly but also ensure that such hostility is passed down to their progeny. Although the imagery may seem peculiar, it reflects a truth rooted in long-standing human experience. Why do ill feelings occasionally persist across generations within families? It is because animosities are inherited, being transferred from parent to child. Thus, the age-old rivalries between tribes are sustained; entire nations have thrived on long-standing enmity and resentment. This explains how the righteous, since the time of Jacob and Esau, face persecution from the ungodly across generations. Such animosity continues over the course of time, bequeathed from one age to the next, until the world's end. Considering this idea, David's words impart a crucial life lesson. A father bequeaths a poor legacy to his children if he instills in them the grievances he harbors against others. Do not express animosity toward others in front of your children, for they may one day find themselves in need of that person’s assistance. Can they serve him faithfully harboring ill will? And without such dedicated service, can they expect to gain his favor? Furthermore, your enmity toward him may be misguided—he may not have significantly wronged you but merely ruffled your pride through honest actions. If your children, unprejudiced against him, exhibit Christian kindness, might he not be moved to amend any offense by showing favor to them? You might argue that the Wise One in Proverbs warns against the company of the wicked. However, these are two very different matters: advising the unwise to avoid corrupt influences is not the same as instilling your own resentments in your children not born of moral conviction, but out of personal grievance. By imparting hostility to your children, you perpetuate these sentiments into the future, making it hard for you to find peace in eternity, and for them, navigating this life with bitterness in their hearts will prove difficult. Amen.