Psalm 41 (40):13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet, You sustain me due to my righteousness. (Psalm 40:12). Truly righteous is He; purity without fault, reward without obligation, suffering without cause. You support Me for My righteousness and have fortified Me in Your presence eternally. You have made Me strong forever, You have allowed Me to be humbled for a season, You have granted Me strength in Your eyes, and You have allowed Me to be lowly in the sight of people. What follows? Let us exalt Him; may He receive all glory. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He is our God, the God of Jacob, the God of the younger son, the God of the younger nation. Let no one claim, ‘Regarding the Jews, He stated: I am not Israel’; rather it is the Jews who are not Israel.

He welcomed me because of my kindness. The one who is the protector of all states that he accepted this protection not out of necessity, for he is God, but rather to illustrate it for humanity, having taken on human form.

What follows is this: You have welcomed me in light of my transgressions and set me in your presence for eternity. Praise be to the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to evermore! Let it be, let it be (Psalm 40:13-14)! The gentle one causes no harm and does not sin against others. Scripture, in its authority, identifies Christ as blameless and devoid of deceit. This truth is echoed here when it states, But me for my unkindness thou hast received (Psalm 40:13). What does it signify to be ‘received’? For it is written; Thou hast received me from my mother's womb (Psalm 138:13). This indicates that He is born pure from all human ancestry, conceived by the Spirit and the Virgin; thus, the Father embraced Him, untainted by earthly lineage.

This reflects the appropriate servanthood of the one who is the only begotten of God. As the Apostle rightly notes, he did not receive his nature from angels but from the lineage of Abraham: “But he must be like unto the brethren in all things, that he may be a merciful and faithful high priest in them that are unto God” (Heb. 2:16-17). Thus, given that the nature he embraced remained untainted by any wrongdoing, it is rightly stated: “But thou hast received me because thou wast evil, and hast established me before thee for ever.” I have been granted a steadfast union; this bond is indivisible, and the glory within it is everlasting.

Due to your grace, You have embraced me and granted me a place before You for all eternity. These words reflect the humanity of Christ, where He refers to purity and sinlessness as harshness. He proclaims, "For sin, I have not done" (Isaiah 53:9). He emphasizes that not only have You assisted Me as a man, but You have also exalted Me beside You; in other words, You have positioned Me at Your right hand: "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Psalms 109:1).

Voice of the Church: "But you, O Lord, as you rescued your Son from mortality, so rescue me from transgressors. Restore me, and I will recompense them. From this, I understand that You have borne suffering for my sake, lest my adversary triumph over me. You have shown me favor and given Your life for me; yet during Your time in the tomb, I was filled with fear. However, upon Your resurrection, my foe shall not prevail against me, for on account of my righteousness, You have accepted me." This declaration comes from the Church through the Apostles and Prophets. It was not philosophers or orators that the Lord welcomed, but humble laborers and fishermen who laid the foundations of the Church, which God established before Himself for eternity.

Holy Innocence This exemplifies genuine holiness, childlike simplicity, and profound humility! Consider the immense suffering He bore without offering defense. With a gentle spirit, He embraced the cross, accepting death with tranquility. Every prophecy was realized in its entirety. He mourned for the transgressions of His adversaries and ascended the cross, praying softly for those who persecuted Him, a lesson He imparted to His followers. Having cast aside the frailties of humanity, the divine man, possessing both divine and human natures in perfect unity, dwells in everlasting glory. His name surpasses all names; His power governs the heavens and the earth.

By reflecting on his prayers, the monk is able to discern whether he has achieved salvation or remains troubled in the stormy sea of passion, far from the holy harbor. He is guided in this understanding by the divinely inspired David, who, in heartfelt communion with God, expressed: In this I know that thou hast desired me, that my enemy shall not rejoice over me. But thou hast received me for my goodness, and hast established me before thee for ever. This signifies: I have come to understand, O Lord, that You have forgiven me and have set me in Your presence for eternity, due to my unwavering triumph over all negative thoughts, visions, and emotions, strengthened through the might of my prayers. Such divine mercy towards humanity is evident when a person extends compassion to all their neighbors and forgives those who have wronged them.

Through these statements, he indicates that his adversaries did not remain victorious for long, as the Lord humbled their arrogance while raising and glorifying him. It is as if he proclaims, “You, O Lord, have subdued my foes; yet, in light of my righteousness, which only You truly understand, You have embraced me, delivering me from their grasp and securing my safety and trustworthiness for eternity.” However, David does not take pride in his righteousness here; rather, he reveals that he was filled with reverence for God even amid temptation when Satan, through his agents, sought to undermine his faith. Additionally, he demonstrates his perseverance, which allowed him to maintain integrity and goodness in his heart despite overwhelming turmoil.