Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me.
יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀ יַחַד֮ מְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י לִסְפּ֫וֹתָ֥הּ יִסֹּ֣גוּ אָ֭חוֹר וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י רָעָתִֽי׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
He criticized those who failed to pursue Him and denounced those who attempted to find Him. It is detrimental not to seek the life of Christ in the manner the disciples did, and it is equally harmful to seek His life as the Jews did. The former aimed to grasp it, while the latter sought to eliminate it.
Let them retreat and be filled with shame over those who seek to harm me. This is the cry of Israel against spiritual adversaries, or against the scribes and Pharisees, who slandered the redemption of his soul when they accused Christ, saying: "He casts out demons only by Beelzebub" (Matt. 12:24), and then questioned: "You have a demon? Who is seeking to kill you?" (Jn. 7:20).
The Son addressed the Father, stating, “Thy truth I have not concealed within my heart; I have declared thy truth and thy salvation” (Psalm 39.11). This entire psalm is articulated from the perspective of Christ, as He refers to ‘My truth’; one who believes in God and acknowledges that righteousness has been attributed to him can rightfully speak of his own truth. The messenger of genuine faith cherished truth, mercy, and the forgiveness of sins, for Christ came to affirm faith and offer salvation.
It has been noted that the entirety of this psalm is proclaimed in the name of the Redeemer, so that those like the Apollinarians who claim, “Behold, He stated, ‘Thou hast fashioned a body for me’” (Psalms 39:7; Hebrews 10:5) should understand when they hear the following verse: “Let all those who seek the destruction of my soul be confounded and put to shame” (Ps. 39:15)! This aspect of the psalm poses a challenge for us. We believe the remainder is straightforward, clear, and does not require further explanation. However, if similar themes appear in another psalm, we shall approach it with greater skill, with the gracious help of the Lord Jesus, to whom belongs all praise, honor, glory, and eternal dominion from ages past, now, and forevermore. Amen.
O Lord, I ask for Your mercy to save me; O Lord, assist me as I call out in anguish. Let those who pursue my soul be disgraced and humiliated together, for their intention is not to assist me but to bring me to everlasting destruction. May they retreat and feel remorse for their wicked intentions toward me. Cause them to flee, so that they do not achieve their desires; for they are scheming against me with malice.
May those who seek to destroy my spirit be filled with shame and humiliation. Let them experience disgrace and defeat—not only from their inability to overcome my steadfastness, represented by Your Church, O Lord, but also from witnessing Your unyielding strength and support within us, the followers of Christ. Who are these individuals? The authorities, who attempt to claim our souls through various forms of persecution. Furthermore, those who conspire against us will face collective disgrace. Let them retreat and be humbled by my struggles. Let them, in their failure, be thwarted in their attempts to undermine my resolve, whether by humans or demonic forces, and let them feel the weight of their impotency. Through a multitude of curses directed at adversaries, the Church conveys its sorrow and affliction.
The term "favor" indicates that salvation is contingent upon God's will; thus, he seeks to be rescued from adversity through God’s grace, which might not be bestowed. Regarding the term "quicken" or "wont," it has been discussed previously. Here, we need to emphasize that although God may sometimes postpone His assistance, testing our endurance, in His mercy He permits us to engage in this form of supplication, assuring us that He will fulfill our desires. Subsequently, recalling his adversaries to God's judgment as was his customary practice, and evaluating their cruelty and unjust animosity, he implores that God will heed his plea.
However, it has been noted earlier concerning the fervor with which he invokes his oaths against them; it suffices to highlight that one should not permit wrath to rage unchecked, drawing lessons from David’s example. For it is always inappropriate to recall those who, rather than pursuing the Spirit, are driven by carnal desires.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS