Psalm 27 (26):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He lifted me up on a firm foundation. In order for my faith to be disclosed for my salvation, He manifested my profession through His divine strength. And behold, what a marvel! He has elevated my spirit above those who oppose me (Psalms 26:6). What He ultimately leaves me, even now that the body is subject to death due to sin, is remarkable! I perceive that my mind is dedicated to the law of God, and is not held captive by the insubordinate law of sin. I have approached His sanctuary with a joyful offering. I have reflected on the entirety of creation, placing my trust in Christ; and because God chose to humble Himself in our midst, I have rejoiced in praise, for this offering is pleasing to Him. I will sing and give honor to the Lord. With both heart and action, I will celebrate in the Lord.

I lift my voice in worship to the Lord. This beautifully expresses the calling of the one who sings: holy, holy, holy.

Behold, I will raise my head against my adversaries; I will present a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise in His sanctuary. Here it can be noted that the tense shifts; this is also evident in Aquila's translation, where he substitutes ‘my head shall be lifted up’ for ‘lift up my head.’ Thus, these words convey that the one currently besieged by foes will indeed reign, triumphing over his antagonists, ultimately encircling them while offering to God in His dwelling not the offerings mandated by the law, but a sacrifice of tangible gratitude, which is continually presented throughout all congregations across the globe by those who trust in God.

Recognizing that David sensed God's unwavering intention to grant his request and bless him with a sacred dwelling, he foretells the future as if it were history: "Having heard me, He has put me above the accusations of my adversaries." Those who conquer often raise their heads defiantly over the defeated. Furthermore, without a prior triumph over his foes, David's prayer to enter God's house could not have been realized. What he articulated in a former psalm in a future tense, he now conveys as completed: "I will go round about Thy altar, O Lord" (Ps. 25:6) transitions to "I went round and offered the sacrifice." Aquila interprets this to mean that he will ascend, go about, and sacrifice. This indicates a shift from future anticipation to past fulfillment.

The Voice of the Church

The Lord Christ stands as the Head of all believers, consistently maintaining His oneness and perfection while bestowing the grace of His Spirit upon the chosen according to their capacity to receive it. Consequently, both the Church collectively and each individual member can truthfully proclaim with the prophet: Now He has lifted up my head above my enemies.

These prepositional phrases convey the same meaning, specifically that God, through His exceptional providence, enveloped and safeguarded him as though he resided within an unyielding and elevated stronghold. A similar expression can be found in the words of the prophet (Is. 33:16): This (referring to the righteous) shall dwell in a high cave of strong stone. In the original Hebrew, the Prophet shifts from the past tense to the future, indicating not just that he will rise, but he believes: this he will ascend, illustrating that by being established on this lofty rock, he will steadfastly confront the arrows of his adversaries, which otherwise would remain visible. I will sing and sing unto the Lord.

When God the Father exalted Christ the Lord upon the rock of Mount Golgotha through the crucifixion, the head of Adam was consequently raised above the demons. This stone symbolizes the firm faith in Christ the Lord, which elevates humanity from the earthly realm to the heavenly one. The prophet, endowed with a prophetic mindset, contemplated the mystery of Christ's incarnation and His unblemished Passion, recognizing that He offered Himself as a sacrifice on the altar of the cross to God the Father, through the outpouring of His sacred blood for the salvation of the world. The prophet expressed gratitude to God, proclaiming that this divine mystery might be glorified throughout all generations in the psalmist's declaration.