For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up.
כִּי־אָבִ֣י וְאִמִּ֣י עֲזָב֑וּנִי וַֽיהוָ֣ה יַֽאַסְפֵֽנִי׃
7 Church Fathers comment on this verse
My father and mother have abandoned me. The kingdom and city of this world, from which I was brought forth in temporal limitations, have left me to pursue You and turned away from their empty promises, as they cannot provide what my soul craves. Yet, it is the Lord who embraced me, for He alone, capable of giving me Himself, has gathered me into His embrace.
My father and my mother have abandoned me, yet the Lord will receive me. I had to separate from my parents during the time I was pursued by Saul. In the midst of this, You, Lord, are my sovereign.
In contemplating the phrase: My father and my mother have forsaken me, the speaker conveys, I believe, the essential truth for those seeking immortality—that is, a severance from the natural stipulations of the flesh regarding birth and mortality. This condition arises from the transgression of divine commandments, from which we both come into being and subsist. Through the maternal bond that has sustained us, we experience a duality of abandonment and release, wherein the temporal realm turns away from us, while the Lord receives us. In accordance with the spiritual principles governing those deemed worthy of adoption, the material world departs, allowing the Lord to embrace us.
He, through His divine law, welcomes those worthy of His grace, becoming a Father to them through enlightenment and moral excellence, and offering Himself wholly to the worthy, akin to the Blessed One. Alternatively, the terms father and mother may symbolize the written law and the physical worship associated with it; relinquishing these often illuminates the hearts of the deserving, bestowing liberation from the confines of the flesh.
My father and mother have abandoned me. Do not abandon me, O Lord, he implores, for I find myself without solace from my parents and kin, not to mention the absence of assistance from my friends. Everyone, fearing Saul, refrains from offering their help. Yet, the Lord will take me in. David spoke these words for his own encouragement. Although he laments that all have turned away from him, he acknowledges that the Lord has taken him into His protection, shelters him, and rescues him from his adversaries. And Div.
Maximus articulates that through adept parenthood, the written law and its physical observance are conveyed, behind which the illumination of the spiritual law typically shines in the hearts of those deemed worthy, providing liberation from the fetters of the flesh.
He explains the necessity for divine aid and salvation, stating that no one loves us as profoundly as You do, Lord. It is essential to observe the distinctive form of Hebrew expression that David employs to address God; he speaks out of respect in the third person rather than the second, which would typically align with the context.
Thus, he does not say, "You have called to me," but rather, "The Lord will receive me." A similar expression can be found in Genesis 31:35, where Rachel reassures her father, "My lord will not be angry, for I cannot stand before you." Additionally, in 2 Samuel 1:27, Nathan queries David, "Is this message from the Lord my king, and did you not ask your servant, 'Who will ascend the throne of my lord the king after him?'" Therefore, the phrase, "The Lord will take me up," replaces "You, Lord, have taken me up." These phrases are figurative, beautifully illustrating God's mercy towards humanity. At the time of writing these verses, David was not a mere child; he sought assistance from his parents, who, under the weight of their circumstances, became more of a burden than they could have been to him. The essence of his words reflects this: I feel as an infant, neglected by both father and mother, left to lay alone on the ground, exposed to whatever fate may come. Yet You, O Lord, accept me, abandoned as I am, and cradle me securely like a father would. Indeed, if one contemplates the frailty of human nature, it is undeniable that we resemble infants abandoned by their caretakers. Isaiah, in a similar line of thought, chose to compare himself not to a baby but to a hatchling, exclaiming, "Like a fledgling of a bird, so will I cry out" (Is. 38:14).
The parents of the prophet David were absent when he was chosen to tend the flock, while his brothers were presented to the prophet Samuel for anointing to the throne. Despite being forsaken by his father and mother, it was David whom God selected and commanded to be anointed for kingship (1 Sam. 16). Similarly, Adam and Eve, the first parents, led humanity into original sin. Yet the Lord, in His mercy, assumed the nature of sinful man, purifying him through His blood and sacrifice. He granted humanity grace, rebirth, and adoption, and proclaimed: ‘Our Father, hallowed be Thy name.’ The Mother of God also serves as the Mother to all Christians, and we are all considered children of God (Ambrosius, Jerome).
Life often presents challenges from every direction, leaving one overwhelmed by adversity and temptation. For example, you may face superiors who are upset due to false accusations, and when you look back, disobedient subordinates may cause you distress. Additionally, on other fronts, family discord, business setbacks, financial struggles, or health issues complicate your journey toward success. While it may seem that there is no earthly support, do not despair or lose faith in God, for He silently provides assistance from above. This is the sentiment expressed by David when he lamented, "My father and my mother have forsaken me." He vividly conveys his plight, envisioning his enemies encamped around him, with his only refuge being his faith in the Lord. "They have overcome me, they have overcome me, and by the name of the Lord I will oppose them" (Psalm 117:11).
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS