Psalm 40 (39):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He praises the charioteer and shall in turn be honored for his own piloting of the chariot; he desires the charioteer to be adorned in garments of glory; he himself will be clothed in everlasting life. This is the spectacle, these are the wonders God displays to us. He proclaims from the heavens, “My eyes are upon you.” Strive, and “I will help you; triumph, and I will crown you.” And in Your thoughts, there is none like You. Now observe the performer! For this man has, through great effort, learned to walk the tightrope; while suspended, he captures your attention. Yet turn to Him who presents spectacles of far greater marvels. This man has learned to traverse the rope; but has he caused another to walk upon the sea? Cast aside your theater now; here is our Peter—not merely a tightrope walker, but, in a sense, a walker upon the waves. And you too may tread upon other waters (though not the same as Peter, which symbolize deeper truths), for this world is a tumultuous sea. It is filled with bitterness; it brings waves of grief, tempests of temptation; it harbors individuals who, like fish, seek their own ruin and prey upon each other; come, place your foot upon it. You shall witness the wonders; be a wonder yourself. To prevent your spirit from being engulfed, look to Him who leads you and declares, “We are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men” (1 Cor. 4:9). Walk upon the waters; do not let yourself be overwhelmed by the sea. You shall not venture there, nor shall you tread upon it, except by the command of Him who first walked upon the waves. This is what Peter expressed: “If it is You, command me to come to You on the waters” (Matt. 14:28). And since He is, He responded to his prayer; He granted his request, lifting him up when he began to sink. These are the marvelous works the Lord has accomplished. Contemplate them; let faith be the lens through which the seeker beholds them. Do likewise; for though the winds may trouble you, though the waves may rage, and though human frailty may instill doubt regarding your salvation, you can cry out, “Lord, I perish” (Matthew 14:30). He who beckons you to this journey will not let you fall. For as you stand upon the Rock, you need not fear even the tempestuous sea! If you lack the Rock, you will surely drown in the depths; for the foundation upon which you must stand is not submerged in the waters. Yet, behold the marvelous works of God. I have shared and proclaimed; they are countless. There is a number, and there is beyond that number. There exists a fixed number pertaining to this heavenly Jerusalem. For the Lord knows His own (2 Tim. 2:19); those Christians who revere Him, those who believe, those who observe His commandments, who walk in His ways, who strive to keep away from sin; if they stumble, let them confess: they belong to a count. But are they the only ones? There are indeed some beyond this number. For even if they may be few (few when compared to the majority), how grand are our churches, filled to the brim; they press against one another, nearly suffocating each other with their overflowing presence. Additionally, amidst the same crowd, when a public spectacle occurs, countless throng to the amphitheater; they are beyond counting. This is why we mention such numbers. Though not present, they do not hear it from us; yet when you depart, let them hear it from you. “I have declared,” says he. Christ speaks. He has made this known through His own being as our Head. He has proclaimed it through His members. He sent forth those charged with spreading this message; He sent the Apostles. Their voices have echoed across all lands, and their words have reached the ends of the earth. How vast is the assembly of believers united together; how great is the multitude gathered; many indeed are genuinely transformed, while many appear to be so; and the truly converted constitute a minority, as those who are merely surface-level are the majority, multiplied beyond measure.

2:9), hastened to reveal a remarkable mystery: stripped bare, He hung on the tree, while a profound chalice of abundant wisdom was poured forth, allowing us to forget the past and ascend to a renewed way of life and the sobriety of eternal existence. God is made known through the apparent foolishness of proclaiming Him whom worldly wisdom has failed to recognize. In the image of the ancestor who slept naked, we observe that those who scorned the folly were cursed, while those who honored it were blessed with grace. Thus, those who thought that the death of the only-begotten Son of God, the Father and Creator of all, would hinder or disgrace our faith were entangled in their sins, facing eternal anguish; but those who embrace His death as the liberation of all humankind are fortified and shielded by everlasting virtue. For the cross of Christ is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks, as the apostle states, yet for us who place our faith in our Lord, it embodies the power and wisdom of God.

He was also awaited in Moses, who parted the sea and traversed the waves, creating a pathway through the waters that no human strength could achieve. The rock obeyed him, producing water in the wilderness that quenched the thirst of the weary. Furthermore, he was anticipated in Aaron, the high priest, stationed between the living and the dead, who raised a serpent to vanquish the mortal scourge, preventing disease from spreading from the dead to harm the living. These actions were fitting for Christ—to intercede for the nations before God the Father, to die for all, to halt violence, and to restore life to the lost. He was also expected in Joshua, who indeed facilitated His arrival. Joshua took on authority and a name that led the people into the Promised Land and rightfully bore the name of Jesus. Joshua dried up the riverbed, turned back the waves, and commanded the sun to stand still until victory was achieved. Yet these were merely foreshadowings, not the ultimate truth. Now, the true Leader of the heavenly host has revealed Himself, and Joshua worshiped Him, though He appeared not in a true body. When did this true Leader arrive? Listen to Him who proclaims, I HAVE RECEIVED AND I HAVE GIVEN, THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FAR MORE NUMBERED. Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire, but a body hast Thou prepared for Me…. Then I said, “Behold, I am coming! In the scroll of the book, it is written of Me. I desire to do Thy will, O My God” (Psalm 39:6-9). What could be clearer than the arrival of the true Jesus, bringing with Him the gift of the gospel? He spoke, and multitudes of believers assembled, many of whom had previously lacked faith. Jesus came in the flesh and brought an end to the Jewish sacrifices, as the sin offerings ceased with the coming of the Redeemer of sins. There was no need for law in the presence of the Creator of the law Himself.

No man can compare to You in understanding; that is, no one can grasp Your thoughts, O Lord, about the Providence of the world and its salvation. For what a wondrous and astonishing plan You devised in becoming man for the sake of humanity! I have proclaimed and proclaimed Your countless wonders in numerous psalms. Yet, still, Your wonders are multiplied, proving to be beyond enumeration; for those I now recognize are immense in nature and magnitude. Alternatively, it could be understood that, unable to express anything beyond Your miracles, O Lord, I can only affirm that they surpass all count. Theodoret notes that the miracles accomplished by Your power exceed number and description, for no one can replicate Your works, which are exceedingly great and marvelous. Your Providence, manifest in every age, surpasses all human praise—such as those acts in Egypt, in the wilderness under Moses, during the times of Jesus, under Samuel, and even those before them involving Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, including Joseph's elevation from captivity. To summarize in a single expression: what is now being revealed is more marvelous than all these; for You will bring forth salvation not just for one individual, nor from one nation, but for all peoples. And in doing so, You have superseded the former ministerial order, which was given in condescension to the Jews, bestowing instead a new grace that has established a rational ministry within the law.

Indeed, even when we observe the natural wonders of God, their abundance and magnificence are so overwhelming that we find ourselves unable to fully convey or quantify them. In every minute detail, whether it be a single tree, a worm, or a flower, there exist countless miracles that evoke a profound sense of awe stemming from His power, justice, and mercy.

It is true that one might argue that God’s justice, wielded against David’s foes, inspires fear and reverence. However, we believe the Prophet emphasizes the mercy he received from God, which rescued him from numerous adversities as if awakening from slumber, compelling him to cling to God and humbly submit to His will, recognizing Him as the righteous Judge of the earth. A person who has thus surrendered to God’s authority will certainly merge trust with reverence and awe, particularly when reflecting on the evidence of grace that invites all men to Him. We have previously noted that God extends His grace and charity abundantly, assuring us that He is equally merciful to us.

The phrase “they shall see,” as posited by the Prophet, pertains not primarily to physical sight, but rather to the inner perception of the soul. While many witnessed the events that befell David, few realized that his deliverance from peril and death was solely the work of God. Given that many remain blind to the manifestations of God’s hand, He deems only those with their heart enlightened by reason to truly see—those who are not swayed by surface appearances but who discern the divine hand through the eye of faith.