Psalm 38 (37):13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They sought many accusations and discovered none. Perhaps He implied this: they endeavored to level charges against Me, searching for something to hold against Him, yet found nothing. (Matthew 26:60) They sought to speak ill of good; targeting the transgressions of the innocent; When could they uncover such things in Him who was without sin? But since they were intent on identifying sins in Him Who knew no sin, they resorted to fabricating what they could not uncover. Consequently, those who sought to find my faults spoke falsehoods, mere deception, and concocted treachery relentlessly. You are aware of the abhorrent perjury laid against the Lord before His passion. You know the brutal falsehoods pronounced against Him even after His resurrection. To those guards stationed at His tomb, of whom Isaiah foretold, I will appoint wicked men to bury Him (for they were corrupt and unwilling to speak truthfully, bribed to spread falsehoods), contemplate the vanity that they spoke. They too were interrogated and claimed, While we slept, his disciples came and stole him away. (Matthew 28:13) This is indeed a proclamation of folly. For if they were truly asleep, how could they know what transpired?

This interpretation aligns with the subsequent lines of the psalm, illustrating how, when the angels lower their guard, adversaries seize the opportunity to assail the individual, searching the depths of the soul for vulnerabilities. When the soul harbors severe transgressions, there is a greater allocation of power to the adversaries and an allowance of more intense trials.

The book of Kings recounts a significant dialogue between King Ahab and the prophet Elijah. When Elijah boldly confronted the king and foretold his demise, Ahab responded, "Have you found me?" To which Elijah declared, "I have found you, for you have done wrong in the sight of the Lord" (3 Kings 21:20). This illustrates that kings cannot be injured lightly by God’s prophets or priests unless they have committed egregious sins that warrant admonition. In instances of severe wrongdoing, a priest must indeed confront the offender and provide a rightful rebuke.

In the verses, David declares that his enemies uncovered nothing of substance, which is why they spoke in vain (Psalms 37:13); they failed to unearth any truth. Despite his sins, David asserts that through the anguish of repentance, he has cleansed himself. His adversaries sought to ensnare him with their accusations, attempting to lead him away from his remorse. David’s intention was not to evade scrutiny; rather, he preemptively acknowledged his faults, presenting his wounds and thereby becoming an accuser of himself. This self-acknowledgment diminished the impact of their allegations, rendering their words meaningless, as seen echoed in Virgil’s writings: “Which could do no harm to him who confessed the guilt.”

At the time of David's transgression, these were his friends who distanced themselves in disapproval, not abandoning him completely but standing at a distance and mourning for him. When they withdrew from me, he notes, others, those who instigated sin within me, meaning demons, drew near to me, inflicted harm, and swore over my soul. Gregory of Nyssa teaches us that not everyone referred to in scripture as a brother or neighbor truly fits that description; instead, a stranger might refer to a brother, while an enemy may be called a friend, representing those thoughts and actions that, while seemingly akin to us, lead to our demise. He speaks of those who sought my life, compelling me and causing me harm through various deceitful means. Those who aimed to eliminate me, as he articulates in Psalm 39: “who sought my soul to destroy it,” are included among them. Those looking to bring me harm spoke falsehoods against me, slandering and accusing me. He labels them as vain, indicating their lies were baseless and unreasonable. The aforementioned adversaries schemed daily against me, plotting ways to ensnare me.

A profound declaration from the mouth of God through Nathan the prophet might have rekindled the hopes of Saul’s hidden supporters. They, invigorated, began to ponder whether God might be orchestrating their restoration under these circumstances. Other enemies would also take action. David was not oblivious to this: either he discerned it, or he was informed, or he overheard it himself. Yet he remained inactive, as if deaf to their schemes, entrusting their fate to the Lord’s judgment, similar to his response to Shemei’s oaths later on. Who are these adversaries to the repentant? The world serves as a foe here. Once an ally, it now turns hostile. It is widely recognized that if moral transformation does not occur swiftly, the ambivalence of worldly talk, habits, and pressures ensnares the sinner, leading them deeper into sin. However, the gravest adversaries of the convert are the demons. Typically, when angels depart, demons inundate the sinner, seeking to fulfill their corrupt desires, causing the individual to become a mere instrument. They pursue, and the sinner follows, oblivious to whose will is being executed. Yet upon awakening, the dark reality becomes evident. The awareness dawns that while sinful urges arise within, they originate from demons, and indulging them does not satisfy the individual’s true self, but rather torments both himself and the demons. This realization fortifies the aversion to sin and ignites a yearning for liberation from its grasp, signaling a desire to break free from the wicked demons’ control. Upon reaching such understanding, the individual contemplates: this is my master! I refuse to serve them any longer. This renunciation of evil spirits may signify the onset of a commitment to righteousness, akin to the renunciation of Satan that precedes one's unification with Christ in baptism. However, once the sinner’s conversion takes on this form, the adversaries, who may have previously disregarded the shift (having contemplated and dismissed it many times), will take action. They gather in droves and begin to fill him with unsettling fears and doubts, promoting triviality, casting traps: where are you heading—into the unknown? In that place, everything remains unseen and intangible, while the familiar experiences have already been savored. Moreover, if you embark on this change, your relationships will shift: your friends will become foes, and they will ruthlessly turn against you; you may lose your standing and struggle to survive. How often have you attempted this? Surely, you will return—with shame. Perhaps there will not be such an opportunity as you currently possess. Would it not be wiser not to begin? Such insinuations flood the mind of one seeking to turn away from sin, piercing their heart. It becomes a life-or-death battle. Yet divine grace, aiding the penitent heart, guides the sinner to dismiss these suggestions, and through overcoming them, they emerge from the conflict with thoughts and feelings contrary to those whispered in their ears, which then form the foundation of their resolve or their covenant with God, etched into the heart. It is true that until these countering thoughts and emotions are vanquished within, the internal struggle continues, leading to the fracturing of the will; conversely, once they crystallize—the readiness to endure various trials, facing scorn from the world, persecution, torment, and even death—the battle concludes. Be courageous, brother, and let your heart find strength! When such determination and preparedness arise and strengthen, the choice to forsake sin naturally follows; the adversaries retreat, defeated, and angels of comfort arrive rejoicing. The holy Prophet thereafter recalls all these events before the Lord in verses 17, 18, and 19.

Any soul lacking the heavenly salt of the Holy Spirit becomes decayed, saturated with the foulness of evil and superficial thoughts, inviting frightening and vile spirits that invade and torment it. The souls of sinners, akin to wild beasts, are plagued and consumed, cloaked in decay and corruption. From the deterioration of their sinful wounds, individuals are rendered frail and grotesque, tormented by guilt, shame, and disgrace. However, should one embark on the journey of repentance and the pursuit of virtue, the Lord will provide assistance in the struggle against base desires. This teaching urges us not to conceal our sins or bury them deep within our souls like filth and decay, but rather to confess them openly. The prophet groans under the weight of his internal conflict due to the absence of the Holy Spirit’s light caused by his transgressions. Neighbors here refer to angels who withdraw from humanity because of sin. Demons aggressively pursue the souls of the sinful, scheming daily. The long-suffering of Christ during His Passion resonates with the voice of Adam and his lineage, who await Christ’s aid and deliverance from hell, seeking to triumph over sin, condemnation, and death.