Psalm 36 (35):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

His ways are beyond comprehension, as indicated by the declaration, ‘Thy truth is unto the clouds.’

Clouds of Messengers Who could have understood God’s divine mercy if it had not been declared to humanity? How did He make this declaration? By sending His truth into the heavens. And who are these ‘clouds’? They are the messengers of God’s Word. Indeed, dear friends, the clouds represent those who proclaim the Word of Truth. When God speaks powerfully through His messengers, He creates a thunderous sound in the skies. When He performs wonders through them, He sends forth lightning from the heavens, bringing awe and opening up the celestial realms. Therefore, the preachers, those chosen to share the gospel, are indeed the clouds of God. Let us seek His mercy, but let it only be that which is found in heaven.

Your truth reaches as high as the clouds and stands firm like the mountains of God. You have demonstrated the faithfulness of the promises spoken by the prophets. The heavens represent the prophets, and you have confirmed their truth by revealing a multitude of truths akin to the towering mountains of God. Your purposes are profoundly numerous. Yet, with such an abundance of truth and righteousness, I wonder why you exhibit such patience. Your purposes are as unfathomable as the depths of the sea. Just as the depths of the sea are beyond human comprehension, so too are the depths of your judgments. Both humanity and animals find salvation, O Lord.

To attain the fullness of grace, one must look to heaven, and the truth of God should be derived from the insights of the prophets, who envelop the profound mystery of divine wisdom like clouds. For the Lord has shrouded Himself in darkness (Ps 17:12), allowing individuals to initially experience the outpouring of His enigmatic abundance. When rejuvenated by the heavenly dew, they can then behold the brilliance of His unveiled light and rightfully proclaim: of His fullness we have received (Jn 1:16).

O Lord, Your mercy resides in heaven, and Your faithfulness stretches to the skies; Your faithfulness is as enduring as the mountains of God. They conspire to act as if they are unobserved, yet with You, O Lord, Your mercy knows no bounds, Your faithfulness is unfathomable, and it is as steadfast as the highest peaks. Your faithfulness reaches humanity through the Prophets, like clouds delivering the refreshing rain of salvation. “Your plans are numerous.” Yet, I am perplexed by Your patience, knowing Your abundance of truth and justice. Your judgments are as vast as the depths of the ocean. Just as its profundity eludes human perception, so too is the understanding of Your judgments beyond our grasp. “You will save both humanity and animals, O Lord.” What is the reason for this?

In the manner that David articulated the profound wickedness of Saul, he similarly conveys the vastness and the boundless nature of God's patience and goodness. The Lord proclaims that His mercy is in heaven, indicating its elevation and immense size; likewise, His truth reaches even to the heights of the clouds. The clouds, being seen as ascending towards heaven, align with what David states in verse 11 of Psalm 56. He further remarks that God's truth resembles the mountains, symbolizing the lofty and magnificent nature of divine truth, as these mountains are creations of God. His judgments, described as a deep abyss, signify that His decrees are boundless and beyond comprehension.

Transitioning from the terrestrial to the celestial, divine Mercy resides in the heavens, and it can be accessed through acts of mercy performed on earth.

In this passage, the prophet transitions to the latter portion of the psalm, highlighting that while the depravity of certain individuals may be immense, the benevolence of God, characterized by His mercy and righteousness, surpasses it even more. Regarding mercy, it is proclaimed: "Lord, Thy mercy is in heaven," signifying that it is so vast that it reaches from the earth to the heavens and encompasses all things, as affirmed in Psalm 107: "How great is Thy mercy in the top of heaven." The concept of grace is enhanced with truth, denoting God's faithfulness, which ensures that He fulfills all His promises with integrity, as stated: "the Lord is faithful in all his words" (Psalms 144:13).

In the unblemished body of Christ, the divine essence entered, extending even to the heavens. This is the message brought forth by the apostle to the faithful, the eternal truth of the Holy Gospel, with which the entire creation was consecrated through Holy Baptism.