Psalm 28 (27):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

How can it be understood that this occurred to them? It is because they lacked comprehension of the Lord's deeds. Their consequence was that they failed to recognize in Him, whom they had wickedly challenged as a human, the presence of God, missing the purpose for which the Father had sent Him in the flesh, along with the works of His hands. Do not be troubled by those visible actions taking place before them. You are meant to dismantle them, not to enhance them. Moreover, do not allow them to cause harm to Me, and do not permit them to raise their instruments against My Church again; let nothing aid them.

They failed to grasp the deeds of the Lord, which indicates their refusal to embrace their own deliverance.

They failed to grasp the deeds of the Lord or the labor of His hands. The prophet declares that they were disinclined to understand both the message and the action of God. Thus, you shall bring ruin upon me, but do not attempt to rebuild, for it is fitting for the wicked builders to dismantle their own wicked structures. This indicates that his words were prophetic, not intended with hostility, but rather as a precursor to what was to come. He did not merely state, Destroy, but also added, and do not rebuild.

He asserts that they have yet to grasp the significance of God's patience, meaning that God remains enduringly tolerant towards the unrighteous so that their wrongdoing may be fully revealed, and in due course, they may face irrevocable punishment. Regarding the works of His creation, He indicates that they are carried out with righteousness and integrity. Here, "hands" refers to actions undertaken with purpose. Moreover, some of the Lord's works are evident, while others remain hidden, leading the uninformed to subject themselves to correction. Alternatively, the Lord’s works can be understood as His declarations, and His hands represent His actions, as noted by Theodoret. This serves as a foretelling of the complete eradication of the wicked.

In this passage, the Prophet uncovers the essence of iniquity, illustrating how the unrighteous act with boldness in inflicting harm. When they provoke suffering in others and engage in various forms of wickedness, they fail to recognize that they are ultimately accountable to God. Blinded by their fleeting successes, they mistakenly believe they are favored by divine mercy while disregarding the trials of the righteous, imagining that the world operates randomly, like a turning wheel. In their delusion, they are completely in the dark, as noted by the prophet Isaiah: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness" (Isaiah 5:20).

This psalm is thought to have been composed by David during the time he faced persecution from Absalom. As the king was compelled to leave Jerusalem, he fervently calls upon the Lord to intervene on his behalf against the treachery of Absalom and his supporters, pleading for a clear word of salvation from the peril of death (cf. v.8 - Christ). The psalmist expresses that his foes have spoken falsehoods to serve their own interests. The Hebrew text conveys, "lest I should doubt that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!" (v.1).

The unrighteous Jews reject acknowledging the miracles that attest to Christ's truth. They perceive Him merely as a man and not as God, which leads to their spiritual downfall. Consequently, like the demons, they remain eternally excluded from grace.