Psalm 18 (17):30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Not by my own strength, but through God's grace, I will be rescued from theft. It is not through my efforts, but with the help of my God, that I will overcome the barriers erected by sin that separate humanity from the heavenly Jerusalem.

My foes have encircled me and confined me. Yet he refers to temptation as enjoyment and the adversary as the barrier.

I will be rescued from temptation through You. By You, meaning through Your guidance. From temptation, which encompasses both humans and evil spirits. With the aid of my God, I will overcome the barriers that hinder my connection with Him. He assures that with divine assistance, I will rise above my transgressions that obstruct my spiritual journey. These transgressions grant Satan dominion over me, acting as barriers that thwart my ascent to heaven. Alternatively, temptation embodies, as noted in the beginning of verse 30, the human experience, which is fraught with various enticements, deadly snares, deceit, and both visible and hidden adversaries.

Abba Pimen remarked on the barrier of human will, stating that it acts as a strong wall isolating individuals from God. However, when one renounces their own will, they resonate with David's declaration: “With my God I will pass through the wall. My God! His way is blameless” (Ps 17:30-31). It is at this moment, when God's truth aligns with a person's will, that true fulfillment is achieved.

By my God, I will overcome obstacles. How can we discern the will of the Lord or truly grasp it if we remain attached to our own desires? Abba Pimenos wisely stated that our will acts as a wall of brass standing between us and God. Do you recognize the significance of this insight? He further remarked that it resembles a stone, resisting and opposing God's purpose. Therefore, when one relinquishes personal will, they may confidently declare, "By my God, I will overcome obstacles; my God’s ways are faultless." This is profoundly true! For it is only when an individual acknowledges the purity of God’s path that they can forsake their own will.

With Your divine assistance, I am fully aware that, having been granted the strength and authority by You, I will ascend beyond the gates of heaven, where I will find refuge and receive salvation from You. Additionally, I will confront and triumph over all the defenses, obstacles, and barriers the adversary seeks to establish to hinder my progress.

In the previous verse, the Prophet indicates that he has been illuminated by God to engage in righteousness and other good deeds; he further expresses that this divine illumination provides him with the strength and courage needed to resist evil actions, which he refers to as temptation. By You, he declares, I will be liberated from temptation, and with my God, I will triumph over the barrier. This signifies that by relying on Your assistance, through which You empower me, I will prevail against every form of temptation, both internal and external, no matter how formidable like a towering and indomitable wall.

Christ's supplication to God the Father was for triumph over the adversary, the tempter, on behalf of all humanity, as they seek divine assistance in every trial, as expressed in the prayer, ‘Lead us not into temptation’ (Matthew 6:13). The barrier is the sin of Adam and the multitude of sins that obstruct the path to heaven; this barrier can be dismantled by a faithful individual through the sacred acts of baptism and genuine repentance.