O Lord, in thy favour, thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnedst away thy face from me, and I became troubled.
יְֽהוָ֗ה בִּרְצוֹנְךָ֮ הֶעֱמַ֢דְתָּה לְֽהַרְרִ֫י עֹ֥ז הִסְתַּ֥רְתָּ פָנֶ֗יךָ הָיִ֥יתִי נִבְהָֽל׃
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 10 commentaries
The illumination of understanding Once you turned your gaze away from the sinner, I found myself in distress, for your light of wisdom had vanished from me.
I have come to understand, O Lord, that this richness I possess is not of my own making; it is by Your will that my grace has been empowered. I was distressed because You have at times withdrawn Your gaze from me; I felt troubled when, like the sinner, the light of Your wisdom was taken away from me.
O Lord, by Your will empower my goodness. Those who have delved into the study of virtuous doctrine have observed that some virtues arise from contemplation, while others are devoid of melody; accordingly, prudence stems from thoughtful reasoning regarding good and evil, chastity from reflection on what to embrace and what to shun, justice from deliberation on what is acceptable and unacceptable, and courage from consideration of what is fearsome versus what is not. Yet, beauty and strength are virtues devoid of melody, derived from those born of contemplation, since certain sages recognized beauty in the harmony and design of intellectual contemplation, while strength is perceived in the virtuous outcomes that reside within us.
However, for the soul to exhibit beauty and strength and to achieve the good, we rely on God's grace. Therefore, as previously noted, life resides within His will, we now gratefully honor God, proclaiming: Your will strengthens my goodness. Although I was inherently beautiful, I have become feeble because sin, through the malice of the serpent, has slain me. Thus, You have endowed my goodness, bestowed upon me by You at my initial creation, with the ability to act righteously. Every soul is beautiful when the balance of its innate powers is acknowledged, yet the truest and most sought-after beauty, which can only be beheld by a purified heart, belongs to God and the blessed beings. He who attentively observes the brilliance and grace of this beauty receives something of it, akin to dye imparting color to his visage. This is why Moses, having been a partaker of this Beauty during his communion with God, emerged with a glorified countenance. Therefore, he who perceives his own virtue expresses this grateful sentiment: Lord, by Your will empower my goodness. Just as speculative virtues give rise to speculative virtues such as beauty and strength, so too do they give rise to speculative vices like ugliness and powerlessness. What could be more hideous than a soul enslaved by passions? Observe the one who is filled with rage and the savagery evident within him! Reflect on the one who mourns, experiencing the humiliation and degradation of his spirit! And who would wish to behold one overwhelmed by lust and gluttony, or one paralyzed by dread? The condition of the soul is vividly evident in the extremes of the body, just as the marks of inner beauty are perceptible in the appearance of a saintly person. Thus, we must safeguard this beauty so that when the Bridegroom of the Word approaches us, He may say, ‘All goodness is yours, my beloved, and there is no flaw in you’ (Song of Songs 4:7). Yet You have turned away Your face, and trouble has arisen. While the rays of Your visitation shone upon me, as the prophet notes, I lived my days in steadfast serenity. But when You withdrew Your gaze, my soul's turmoil became manifest. It is noted that God turns away His face when He leaves those who are being tested during difficult times, so that the true strength of the one who struggles may be revealed. Therefore, if peace, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts (Philippians 4:7), we can evade the disarray and fusion of passions. Since God's will opposes disgust, and beauty, grace, and strength oppose confusion, it follows that confusion signifies the ugliness and powerlessness of the soul engendered by separation from God. Let us fervently pray that the light of God’s countenance may shine upon us, allowing us to dwell in a state of holy radiance, gentle and undisturbed as we prepare to do good! For it is said, ‘Let us be prepared and not be troubled’ (Psalm 118:60).
All of this has been documented for our benefit, ensuring that no individual can take pride in their own strength. If Peter, despite his commitment, claimed, “If everyone else is led astray, I will remain steadfast” (Matt. 26:33), who can genuinely place their trust in their own resolve? David also reflects on this when he states: “I declared in my security: I will never be moved” (Ps. 29:7), recognizing it as a perilous confidence, and proceeds to say: “You hid Your face, and I was dismayed” (Ps. 29:8). This excerpt is referenced by Saint Augustine.
This also holds true for Hezekiah and for all of humanity, as Hezekiah, through his righteousness, experienced Divine guidance and triumphed over the Assyrians. However, when he lost that Divine grace, he became ill and faced the terror of mortality. Similarly, Adam, who was adorned with virtue in paradise and immune to decay, fell into the turmoil of earthly existence due to his transgression, having been deprived of Divine providence. Simmachus articulated this concept well: “O Lord, by Thy favour Thou hast given power to my forefather.” This statement clearly indicates that the prophet addresses the Lord Christ on behalf of humanity, who has bestowed upon us this remarkable gift of life.
These statements are articulated on behalf of both kings, David and Hezekiah. Each one proclaims, By Your will, O Lord, and not by my own merit, the goodness and beauty, which is to say, the glory and renown of my kingdom once held power. For when You averted Your gaze and Your Providence from me due to my folly and arrogance, I became bewildered, meaning I swiftly lost my prior authority and fell into despair. Basil the Great remarks: I was created good; however, I became frail when I was ensnared by sin at the urging of the serpent. To the beauty granted to me by Your original design, You have bestowed the capacity to fulfill duties. Thus, every soul is good when evaluated according to its abilities.
Yet the truest and most esteemed beauty, attainable by those who have achieved purity of mind, belongs to the Divine and Blessed Essence. He who recognizes its illumination and perfection draws nothing from it, and as if from emptiness, enriches his perception with radiant light. Likewise, Moses's face shone with borrowed beauty during his communion with God. God is referred to as turning away His face when, in times of trial, He leaves people vulnerable to temptation, thus allowing the strength of the one who perseveres to be demonstrated. Simmachus rendered it this way: Lord, in Your favor, You have granted my ancestor strength. Therefore, Theodoret concludes: It is clear that these words are expressed by the essence of human nature to the Lord Christ, who bestowed upon it the extraordinary gift of life.
When a person becomes aware of their spiritual imperfection, which they had previously placed their trust in, and recognizes their failure in purity, they turn to the Creator of holiness. Acknowledging their frailty, they express their distress, saying, “According to Thy good pleasure, O Lord, Thou hast strengthened my mountain; but Thou hast hid Thy face, and I am troubled” (Psalm 29:8). Likewise, the words of the esteemed Job convey the same struggle: “Though I wash myself with snowy water, and cleanse my hands completely, even then Thou wilt cast me into the mud, and my garments shall be abhorred by me” (Job 9:30-31). Yet, one who remains in filth due to their own transgressions cannot make such declarations to their Creator.
Individuals often seek physical strength and resilience. However, the genuine aspiration lies in attaining inner fortitude and mental strength. This is the essence of the Christian desire! It embodies true strength and security—remaining steadfast amidst trials and temptations. "Lord, by Thy will give my goodness strength" (Psalm 29:8). "The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace" (Psalm 28:11). "The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation" (Psalms 117:14). "Therefore, I will gladly boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Cor. 12:9).
In the previous verse, the concept of divine wrath and the contrasts of mourning and joy were addressed broadly, and now it is examined in detail. The example presented highlights that the sorrow David experienced, which stemmed from his misplaced reliance on temporary joy, was fleeting and quickly vanished. This refers to the period following his victory over Goliath, as recounted in the first book of Samuel, chapter 18, where he was cherished not only by the king and the king's son but also by the people, leading him to quickly rise as both a commander and son-in-law to the king.
He reflected, “But I said in my abundance, I will not be moved forever.” This indicates that after the oppression by foreign enemies was quelled, he relished a time of happiness filled with wealth and honor, leading him to believe that such prosperity would remain unshaken. This illusion of security stemmed from his self-admiration, as he wrongly attributed his fortune to his own merit, failing to recognize that it was the Lord's grace that sustained his blessings. However, this joy was short-lived. When the Lord withdrew His favor, David abruptly found himself in distress, facing animosity from the king, which led to exile, danger, and numerous other trials. Yet, during these times of hardship, he cried out to the Lord. He contemplated that if he were to perish, his death would not serve the Lord, for the dead cannot offer praise. Responding to his plea, the Lord heard him and showed compassion. He transformed David's mourning into joy, tore away his sorrow, and clothed him with gladness. These verses illustrate the powerful impact of prayer. Through it, David transitioned from a destitute exile to a renowned and mighty king; Christ triumphed over death; the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and confessors overcame their oppressors; and all of God’s chosen have risen from despair to a glorious heavenly home.
The righteousness of a devoted individual emerges from the soul, which receives divine grace from God to encourage virtuous actions. In contrast, the righteousness of Christ is embodied in His unblemished humanity, with the divine essence eternally united with it. When God the Father presented Christ with the chalice of suffering, He proclaimed, “My soul is sorrowful unto death” (Matthew 26:38). God withdraws His presence when His grace is removed from humanity due to sin, leaving people in a state of distress, prompting them to seek God in repentance. If anyone places their confidence in their own strength rather than in God, He will turn His face away from them.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS