Essentially, he is saying, “Embrace righteousness, for peace finds its end in the man of peace; thus, a true peaceful person embodies goodness and uprightness.” Throughout the psalm, the prophet emphasizes the concept of the righteous: “The Lord will not forsake His righteous” (Psalm 36:28). “The righteous shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 36:29). There is a clear rationale for the holy prophet to label the godly as peaceful. In the Holy Scriptures, the path of peace signifies the path of holiness: “direct our feet into the way of peace,” as St. Zechariah states (Luke 1:79). The wicked are described as those who do not understand the way of peace (Isaiah 59:8). The Psalmist expresses, “I am at peace with those who hate the world” (Psalm 119:6). Thus, the connection between peace and authentic godliness is undeniable. One who is truly godly enjoys peace with God. In this individual, the fervent plea of the peacemakers is fulfilled: “We implore you, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Furthermore, he shares harmonious relationships with his neighbors, holding no reason to disrupt peace. Unrighteousness, malice, and oppression are the true causes of discord. Such actions stand in stark contrast to genuine piety. Often, the pursuit of worldly desires disturbs peace and breeds animosity, while the godly focus on nothing earthly or heavenly except the Lord. “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You” (Psalm 73:25). All other things are regarded as loss, so that one might gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). Occasionally, careless speech and a fondness for disputes can eradicate peace from one’s surroundings. What fuels such arguments? Vanity and self-love. The righteous and the devout do not seek vain glory. They understand that a humble heart is pleasing to God (1 Peter 3:4), maturing in the quietness of a gentle spirit. Are they inclined to slander, criticize, or judge? They are forever engaged in self-reflection, grappling with inner thoughts and feelings. For them, peace is invaluable: “Give us Your peace; for You have granted us all things” (Isaiah 26:12), for only a heart at peace can truly love, and only in peace can one engage in theological contemplation of the Lord. “Pursue peace and holiness with everyone” (Hebrews 12:14), councils the Apostle, for without these, no one will see the Lord. Finally, since their true treasure is God, and their firm place is in Him (Psalm 75:2), the Psalmist speaks of God. Thus, they are willing to give up everything to maintain peace within themselves and in their environment. To this peaceful individual, there is an enduring presence on earth. What does it imply that there is an enduring presence on earth? In the Old Testament period, when the promised seed was awaited, the continuation of familial lineage was recognized as a special blessing from God, which is still considered a divine favor. In this regard, David reassures the righteous that they will have a remnant on earth, meaning they shall see their blessed descendants. Truly, the lineage of the righteous is blessed: their grandchildren thrive, like shoots of olive trees in the sight of their forebears, signifying hope and prosperity. Their lineage continues until the offspring of the faithful are lost to disbelief and worldly love. Conversely, the descendants of the wicked will not endure (Proverbs 24:20); their light will soon be extinguished, and their posterity will fade, even if they exist, overshadowed by poverty and disgrace. Have you not observed that pure and untainted lineage is passed from parents to children, endowing them with strength and longevity, as long as it is untainted by a life of indulgence and vice? As long as God’s blessing of fertility remains, the offspring of the godly are preserved, provided their descendants do not abandon piety. Therefore, a remnant always exists for the faithful. This divine favor is especially evident in the orthodox families of our homeland, whose lineage we recognize. Tracing back through generations, we often find ancestors who were righteous and holy men, some even divinely recognized, or at least those among their ancestors who exhibited exceptional piety, righteousness, selflessness, love for the Church, and particularly, compassion towards those in need. Nevertheless, the ungodly clearly oppress the righteous: “The sinner watches the righteous and seeks to slay him” (Proverbs 2:20, 22). David notes that some of the godly may lose patience and weaken in their faith. Offering them comfort, he reveals that there is peace for humankind on earth, affirming that the Lord will protect and save them, as they have placed their trust in Him (Psalm 36:39, 40). No matter how the wicked strive, they will not obliterate the lineage of the righteous; they themselves will falter and be consumed, but to the devout, God will provide a sanctuary wherein He preserves them. He will shroud them within the secret of His presence, which signifies invisibly protecting them with His mercy. The ungodly shall remain, the paths of the wicked shall vanish from the earth, and the unrighteous will be destroyed from it (Proverbs 2:20, 22). The remnants of the wicked will be consumed; however, the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord, who acts as their shield during trials, assisting and delivering them, drawing them away from the wicked, and saving them because they have faith in Him (Psalm 36:39, 40). The memory of a peaceful and devout person endures through successive generations, as they can accomplish many beneficial deeds, not just for humanity as a whole, but also for their neighbors. “The memory of the righteous is with praise,” says the wise man; unlike the fate of the wicked, whose names quickly fade, just as the same wise man notes (Proverbs 10:7), their memory soon disappears. Jerome, Augustine, Theodoret, and Ambrose (Amvr., vol. iii., v. 79) understand the term remnant to refer to eternal life and future reward. Thus, the holy prophet intends to convey that the righteous, despite the evident oppression from the wicked, preserved by Divine Providence, will live on through their blessed descendants, will be gratefully remembered in the present, and ultimately inherit eternal life in the new earth, the abode of the righteous. To grasp this saying more clearly, it is vital to recognize that the holy prophet speaks of the blessed seed, viewing the righteous as part of a single family, united by the spiritual bonds of faith, righteousness, and integrity. Through this concept, he asserts that although the offspring of the wicked are armed against the righteous and oppress them, the blessed lineage continues — a foundation of hope remains for the faithful in awaiting the coming of the victorious seed. Indeed, the prophet refers to this as the root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1), signifying that although the tribe of the godly reached its lowest point, it was not entirely devoid of life: a remnant of the blessed lineage continued to thrive, culminating in the Most Holy Virgin from which blossomed a flower of truth, faith, and salvation for all humanity—Jesus Christ, the Source of life and immortality, was born!
THEOSIS