Psalm 33 (32):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Has He set aside justice, or is there no necessity for justice among those who repent and those who refuse to repent? Do you believe it is just for the penitent and the unrepentant, the humble and the proud, to receive equal consideration? Thus, it is evident that God's mercy incorporates justice.

His mercy and justice are interwoven, ensuring that mercy does not lead us to weakness and justice does not plunge us into despair. The Judge desires to grant you mercy and incorporate you into His abundance, provided He finds you humbled by your sins, earnestly lamenting your misdeeds, openly confessing your secret faults, and seeking support from your brethren to aid in your restoration. In essence, if He perceives that you are genuinely remorseful, He grants His charity freely. Yet, upon encountering a heart unrepentant and a proud spirit, one lacking trust in the age to come and undeterred by judgment, He turns His attention to justice. In this manner, a skilled and compassionate healer first attempts to soften an affliction with soothing treatments, but if the ailment hardens rather than heals, he sets aside gentle remedies for more decisive measures. Thus, He “loves mercy” toward the repentant, but He equally enforces justice upon the obstinate. Isaiah expresses a similar sentiment to God: “Your mercy” is “in measure” (see Isaiah 28:17), for He extends mercy with an element of justice, evaluating each individual with precision and discernment. The Lord's mercies envelop the earth. In this context, mercy appears distinct from judgment, as the earth is saturated solely with the Lord's mercy while judgment is deferred. Here, mercy exists apart from judgment, for He did not come “that the world may judge, but that the world may be saved” (cf. John 3:17). In contrast, the final judgment incorporates mercy, recognizing that no one can be free from the filth of sin “even for one day” (cf. Job 14:4). Therefore, if one reflects on the continuous spread of moral decay and acknowledges that the frail human race deserves countless deaths due to its persistent sinfulness, one cannot help but marvel at the vastness of God's kindness, patience, and forbearance. While we dwell on this earth, we require mercy, for those in heaven are truly deserving of commendation, not mere absolution. Or potentially, because of the judgments we face due to sin, we are referred to as 'earth'—to which God declared, “You are earth, and into the earth you shall go” (Gen. 3:19)—yet we are enriched by God’s generosity, as “we who are dead” in our sins and “trespasses” have been made alive through Christ (cf. Eph. 2:5).

He cherishes acts of kindness in the present life; for He declared, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world” (John 3:17), reserving judgment for the life to come. The following scripture expresses this idea: “I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises” (Ps. 101:1), meaning that when You come, Lord, You will deliver judgment infused with mercy. Mercy intertwines with judgment, while judgment is tempered by mercy; no mercy leads to negligence, and no judgment leads to despair. Regarding Hezekiah, it signifies that God, in His compassion for the beleaguered Jerusalem, condemned the Assyrian aggressors.

As St. Basil noted, the Judge wishes to show mercy and bestow His blessings upon you. If He finds you humbled after sinning, mourning for your transgressions, openly confessing your wrongs, and seeking the support of others for your healing, then He will generously grant you His mercy. Conversely, if He encounters a hardened heart, prideful thoughts, disbelief in the age to come, and a lack of fear towards judgment, then He will embrace judgment towards you. Theodoret remarked that as God exercises mercy in His presence and blesses the oppressed, we too should not repay the righteous with judgment but offer mercy to those wronged by them. Thus, the compassionate Lord wielded judgment against the Assyrians while extending mercy and kindness to us. The earth is abundant with the Lord's mercies. It proclaims that the Lord's mercy fills the earth. He shows compassion to all, even the most wicked who speak against Him. Had He not shown mercy to them, He would have allowed their destruction. However, His mercy is more abundant toward those who believe and confess Him and less so for the unfaithful.

By the Lord's mercy, one must interpret the gospel preaching as overflowing with compassion, granted solely by the mercy of God, who created us and receives worship globally through the apostles' teachings. Following this, David shifts his focus to glorifying God and recounting His miracles. St. Basil expresses a distinction: mercy and judgment are separated. The earth is filled only with mercy, for no one is without sin, even if their existence spans merely a day (as Job reflects). During our time on earth, we are in need of mercy; while in heaven, we will be deserving of glorification rather than pardon.

This mercy provides support to us in our struggles: when we resist the devil's assaults and when, due to our frail humanity, we falter in adhering to divine commandments. What further mercy can we seek, since no burden weighs heavily upon us any longer? Therefore, we ask for that mercy with which the entire creation is imbued.

According to the translation of the seventy interpreters, the first part illustrates the holiness of the will in relation to both mercy and truth, while the second part reveals that mercy is more extensive than truth, indicating that the blessings of the Lord encompass all His creations (Ps. 144:9).

The essence of mercy is to alleviate poverty and deficiency; everything in existence has a need for God's mercy. All creatures experience some form of imperfection, with transient beings under the sun being far more prone to faults than those celestial beings above, like the stars and planets, which appear incorruptible by comparison. Thus, it is fitting for the Prophet to state, "Fill the earth with the mercies of the Lord," as "the earth" refers to all things that are corruptible; the earth is not just home to humans and terrestrial animals but also to fish and birds. Even though birds soar through the skies and fish navigate through the waters, as the psalmist poetically notes, they ultimately find rest on the earth. As a result, all corruptible creatures are in need of God’s diverse grace—be it for building, preserving, moving, nourishing, or healing.

Moreover, humankind requires grace that goes further, encompassing that which precedes, accompanies, and follows, as well as the grace that forgives sins, equips against evil, and provides guidance. Hence, it's fitting for the Prophet to declare, "The mercies of the Lord shall fill the earth." It is also important to recognize that such grace, which eradicates all imperfections, belongs solely to God. Only He, who possesses no flaw and is infinitely perfect, eternal, and omnipotent, is capable of removing all defects. As the holy Church rightly proclaims, "Thine is the one who mercifully saves us, O God!"

He is the Sovereign Lord, as evident in the creation of the world (vv. 6-7, 9). The might of the stars and the heavenly army is akin to waves; just as a man can expand and compress furs, so too does He manage the seas, which serve as reservoirs for the depths. Consequently, the whole world should revere Him (v. 8), and the nations should also tremble before Him, for He will thwart their schemes against Israel (v. 10). He will reject the counsel of rulers—unlike those of the Jewish people—while His gracious plans for Israel will remain unaltered (v. 11). Can we not say that blessed are those whom the Almighty has chosen as His treasured possession, safeguarding them with His powerful hand (v. 12)? The Defender of Israel is not only all-powerful, but also all-knowing (vv. 13-14). He dwells in a prepared and orderly place, attending to each individually; as the Creator of human hearts, He understands all thoughts and actions (v. 15). Therefore, He can render them impotent against His people, ensuring that no force can prevail against Israel (vv. 16-17). The Lord’s all-seeing eyes watch over him (v. 18), guiding him away from all threat (v. 19). Thus, Israel can confidently rest in the Lord under any circumstance, assured of His continual support and rejoicing in it, with His mercy reflecting Israel’s hope.