Psalm 37 (36):36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But the wicked appear to rise high—he has placed himself atop that mountain spoken of: If you had faith like a mustard seed, and said to this mountain, be uprooted and planted in the sea (Luke 17:6). To whom does this message apply? It is directed to the demon that had seized and possessed the unfortunate soul, who, to your astonishment, was ultimately healed (cf. Matthew 17:15-20). You will find in Christ a depth of love surpassing the power of the devil. Although a cedar reaches great heights, it can be battered by the wind, scorched by fire, and wearied by time. Such is the state of the wealthy in this world; they radiate with the splendor and allure of this age, akin to Mount Lebanon; they depend on worldly might, exalted by their riches. They might initially appear substantial to you before you think, I will go and observe (Exodus 3:3). Just as Moses transcended earthly and material concerns with his mind and spirit and beheld God, so too, if you elevate your thoughts towards God’s grace, you will come to realize that the wealthy are ultimately insignificant, even though they may seem powerful on this earthly plane. For this reason, God invites you and your spirit with the words, Come here from Lebanon, O bride, come here from Lebanon, and cross over (Song of Solomon 4:8). If you can transcend worldly matters, you will find your way to heaven. Listen to Him urging you to transcend: Remember me, O Lord, when you enter your kingdom! (Luke 23:42). And heed His words again: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). What does it mean, And behold, he is gone (Psalm 36:36)? In the beginning, there was the Word (John 1:1); he who perceives the Word and participates in it truly exists. The Word of God endures forever, and His declarations are forever affirmative, residing in those who seek God. He who does not recognize the Word does not actually exist, for he is separated from Him who declared, I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14). Yet, he who unites with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). Where the Spirit resides, life abounds. Scripture reveals that God enlivens the dead and calls those who do not exist as if they were (Romans 4:17), drawing the nonexistent nations into His people through our forefathers, the chosen of God. Furthermore, it is stated, The Lord knows those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). The Lord does not acknowledge those who do not truly exist. Esther points out, 'You shall not give the rod of your kingdom to those who do not exist' (Esther 4:11). The righteous rightly says, And I passed by, and behold, he is gone (Psalm 36:36). This signifies that I saw him seemingly exalted in this world before realizing that all worldly things are hollow; upon examining the world with discernment, I found no trace of one who was once considered lofty. And those among you who are righteous must also transition from the present to the future, for you will see the present slip away. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35). For the righteous, all things fade. The wicked pass away as mere vanity; their days dissolve like a shadow (Psalm 143:4). Moreover, for the righteous, not only does the present day fade, but the future quickly eludes him as he races towards it. Observe how, for the righteous, the present has already receded. Surely, there was a synagogue in the time of Prophet David, with no Gentile Church established yet he speaks to future nations as if they were already present, Bless the nations, our God (Psalm 65:8). Earlier, he proclaimed, God ascended with joyful shouts (Psalm 46:6). He envisioned the future period of disbelief not with human time but with spiritual insight, glorifying the forthcoming resurrection of the Lord long before it was to occur, exclaiming, Sing to our God, sing; sing to our King, sing (Psalm 46:7). He rejoices and dances as if witnessing the sacred union of Christ and the Church. David revealed the reason behind his joy: God has reigned over all the earth (Psalm 46:9). As we journey through life, the future seems to slip by us, much like sailing past land that gradually recedes from view. Often, mariners—especially in fierce storms—steer clear of land, and to those navigating, it may appear that land itself is moving away from them. If you avoid this world, it will likewise evade you; as you sail past this terrain, it will pass by you. You will be afloat on this sea, carried by the waves of this age: forgo the rocky and treacherous shores, as it is written, Clear the stones from the path (Isaiah 62:10). If you strive through the open expanse towards the haven of divine joy, you will discover that everything has already moved on for you. Does it truly matter if all things have indeed passed, or simply for you? There exists another wicked man who wrongly perceives himself as exalted above the cedars of Lebanon. If you traverse the reality of life, he will be absent, and you will not even find his place. Behold the Jewish scribe: he memorizes the entire Old Testament but fails to live by it. You hear him proclaim with his mouth, and are in awe of his knowledge. You inquire of his thoughts, and he answers according to the text, referencing history. You may regard him as elevated based solely on his literal understanding. Yet my understanding is spiritual, because the law is spiritual. You recognize this emptiness, and then you say, I saw the wicked exalted... and I passed by, and there he was gone. And I SEARCHED FOR HIM, AND HIS PLACE WAS NOT FOUND (Psalm 36:35-36). I sought him where he ought to be, where life abounds; yet he was not present where existence thrived, for he was void. Consequently, even his place was missing. What is the place of someone who has truly never lived? There was never one who adhered strictly to the letter; the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). I endeavored to find him, but he eluded me; I desired to transform him, yet he resisted my attempts and remained lost to me. I sought to convert him, but he was unwilling to embrace change. I did all that is characteristic of a seeker, but he disregarded all that is required of one who repents. The soul longing for transformation seeks the Word, and upon discovering it, proclaims, I have found Him and will not let Him go (Song of Solomon 3:4), referring to the Son of God, the Word of God. I searched for the wicked man who was disinterested in healing, but I did not find him; therefore, do not emulate him.

Maximus explains that this illustrates how evil, despite its apparent elevation, lacks true substance and does not leave a mark or trace of existence. It vanishes instantly, having no autonomy. Didyma interprets the wicked as representing Satan. In the coming age, you will seek his residence and find it absent; for the dwelling of the devil is sin, as it is written, "Give no place to the devil"; thus, once evil is eradicated, there will be no home for Satan.

Basil and Cyril of Alexandria elaborate on this saying: Reflecting on the prosperity of the wicked, I wondered how they achieved such heights. Yet when I directed my gaze to see them again, they were nowhere to be found. I desired to observe their legacy, but could not discover the spot where they had stood. Notice how the wicked’s situation, though visible to all, remains unknown; they take possession of their own actions while confusing them with the experiences of others. It is not merely I who could not find them, but the verb 'saw' indicates that which should be apparent to all.

Gregory the Theologian praises: "Blessed be God, who has allowed us to see the wicked, to lift them high above the cedars, and yet to bring their existence to ruin, so we might bypass their iniquities with swift and unhesitating steps." Theodoret comments on how David perceived the downfall of Saul’s kingdom, the destruction brought by Absalom’s cruelty, and the defeat of Goliath’s arrogance, along with the pride and ruin of many others.

Goliath threatened David, but he was vanquished. Saul pursued David and fell at the hands of the Philistines. Absalom lifted himself above David, but Joab struck him down in battle. Ben-Hadad showed pride towards Ahab only to be captured by the forces of Israel. Sennacherib mocked Hezekiah and his God, but an angel devastated his army, annihilating one hundred and eighty-five thousand soldiers at the behest of Hezekiah and Isaiah, the revered prophet. Ahab, full of himself before Micah, met his end in battle at Ramoth-Gilead. Jezebel held pride against Elijah, yet her dogs consumed her in the land of Israel. Haman, in his arrogance before Mordecai, found his own wickedness turned back upon him. The Babylonians displayed their pride towards Daniel by casting him into the lion's den, but Daniel emerged justified, while they fell into the pit intended for him. The Babylonians further indulged their pride by slandering Ananias and his companions, casting them into a fiery furnace, only for the three to rise unscathed, while their accusers were consumed by the flames.

This reality is evident in our daily lives; for who now recalls the mightiest rulers of Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome (to say nothing of the lesser ones)? Truly, had we not encountered references to them in historical accounts, we would doubt their existence in this world. Thus, even the marks of the most formidable power vanish! Yet human arrogance so obscures the vision of humanity that they cannot perceive what is tangible, nor do they wish to acknowledge what they involuntarily experience.