Psalm 42 (41):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This understanding can rightly be seen as the abyss, for an abyss signifies a depth that remains unreachable and unfathomable, typically associated with a vast body of water. There exists a depth, an abyss, the bottom of which cannot be discovered by any means. Furthermore, it is stated, ‘Thy judgments are a mighty abyss,’ highlighting that the judgments of God are beyond human comprehension. What then is this abyss that calls, and to what other abyss does it beckon? If we consider an abyss as great depth, would you claim that the heart of man is not an abyss? For what could possibly be deeper than this? While people can speak and their actions can be perceived, who can truly delve into the thoughts of others or glimpse into their hearts? What concerns occupy their minds, what potential lies within them, the intentions they hold, who can fully understand? I believe that man's abyss is one that cannot be unfathomably plumbed, as it is said, ‘Man shall come to a deep heart, and God shall be exalted.’ If man is the abyss, how then does one abyss invoke another? Does one call upon another human being as God is called upon? No, rather, the call is more a summoning to him. It was stated of a certain individual, He calls upon death; (Prem. 1:16) which implies he lives in such a manner that he invites demise; for no one lifts their voice in prayer expressly directing it to death, yet through sin, individuals do invite their own death. Thus, the depth calls to the depth, and in this, humanity calls to humanity. Accordingly, wisdom and faith emerge when one human reaches out to another. The holy proclaimers of God’s word cry out to the abyss: are they not abyss themselves? The deep calls out to the abyss through the sound of Your torrents. I, shaking with fear, when my soul was disturbed for myself, trembled greatly at Your judgments. Are these judgments trivial? They are immense, severe, and burdensome; yet these are only a fraction of what could be. The deep calls to the abyss through the voice of Your springs; thus, You warn, communicating that more judgments shall follow after these sufferings. The deep cries out to the abyss with the voice of Your floods. Where can I escape from Your presence? Where can I flee from Your Spirit? Recognizing that the abyss calls to the abyss, I fear further trials after these sufferings. All Your billows and waves have swept over me. Waves in the very suffering I experience, shadows in Your rebukes. Every affliction I endure is a wave from You; all Your corrections and judgments are the canopies that envelop me. The depth calls in my suffering; in the shadows lies another abyss to which it calls. In all my afflictions, an ocean of waves encompasses me; in the greater chastisement You forewarn, all Your veils have drawn close. The One who warns does not allow His judgments to fall upon us but holds them suspended above us. Yet, as You remain seated in authority, I have thus spoken to my soul. Trust in God, for I put my faith in Him. My God is the source of my joy. The greater my afflictions, the sweeter Your mercy will be.

It is as if to implore, Since it is Your nature to respond to the entreaties of sinners, why disregard us as we come to You? All Your heights and waves encompass me. Another sign reminds us of yet another extraordinary deed. For, in fleeing from Pharaoh's malice, they crossed the sea, and even though the towering waves loomed over them, they endured no harm, for the waters stood firm like a mighty wall.

According to St. Cyril, the psalmist alludes to two miracles: the Israelites crossing the Jordan River and the destruction of enemies by hail. During the crossing, some waters flowed into the Sea of Salt while others, drawn from the springs of Jordan, became a single mass. Thus, the waters rushed and clashed upon each other, resembling one abyss responding to another, echoing like the sound of lowing. When the enemies were struck by hail, the relentless storm appeared as though one hailstone called another to join in its descent, akin to one abyss summoning another. The exiles from Babylon mourned the absence of such miraculous events in their own time.

Maximus the God-bearer, reflecting on this imagery, states that every contemplative mind, overwhelmed by numerous thoughts, becomes like an abyss. After traversing the world's ornamentation and reaching the realm of intelligible beings, it rises above ephemeral glories and halts in itself, focusing entirely on the infinite and unchanging. It inevitably seeks divine wisdom, an unfathomable abyss of knowledge, requesting not the lowings themselves but instead the guidance to comprehend the manifestations of God's design in creation.

Gregory the Theologian interprets "the abyss calls the abyss" in the context of knowledge, stating that he is driven not only to ponder lofty truths but also to delve deeper, reaching out from one abyss into another. Through illumination, he seeks to discover light until he attains the ultimate truth. Similarly, Nicetas Paphlagon, interpreting David’s words, expresses that the Lord, embodying the abyss, calls upon the Father to impart true wisdom to those who serve as rivers of the Gospel, flowing from the depths of God, offering the voice of genuine wisdom akin to a never-ending fountain, drawing many to life through His words.

Perhaps God's plans encompass a vast abyss, interconnected with other fates. Symmachus conveys this idea by stating that the abyss answers the abyss with the sound of its waterfalls. Augustine identifies three abysses: the overwhelming multitude of sins, the infinite torments those sins cause, and the inscrutable plans of God. Therefore, one abyss beckons to another through the reverberation of its descent, as the abyss of sin leads to the abyss of punishment foretold by divine judgments. The divine judgments exist above humanity, while the abyss of sin is found within, and beneath lies the abyss of punishment. The blessed father rightly fears that the abyss of God’s judgments above could cascade into the abyss of human sin, engulfing it and him in the depths of punishment.

This can also be interpreted differently: the abyss, representing our numerous sins, calls out to the boundless providence of Your mercy, O Lord, so that the voice of Your teachings through the Apostles may resonate within us. The Apostles are called such because they dispelled the delusions of the devil. This notion can ascend to a higher level, where the old Scriptures signify one abyss and the new signify another due to the profound secrets they contain. Thus, the newer scripture reaches out to the older one through the prophetic lowings, as the prophets are also likened to lowing, delivering the water of prophecy from above. The new testament calls upon the old to substantiate the prophecies concerning Christ, affirming that "All Thy waves and Thy billows have gone over me." Here, the people of Israel are likened to the heights and waves of trials, illustrating that "Thy trials and afflictions, O Lord, have come upon me," emphasizing the multitude and diversity of sufferings.

This also serves as a reminder to us that in times of hardship, we should always strive to submit ourselves humbly under the mighty hand of God, who disciplines us. We must recognize that when God unleashes the torrent of His wrath, our troubles will persist endlessly until we seek reconciliation with Him. For He possesses countless means to administer justice, so that when His anger is ignited against us, not only will the abyss be poised to engulf us, but the abyss will also summon the abyss.

Just as a deer, driven by intense thirst—whether from heat, a snake bite, or toxic food—strives for water, so should the devoted soul yearn for God. The faithful should joyfully endure the trials they face because it has been granted to us by Christ not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for Him (Phil. 1:29).

The Holy Trinity is revealed: God the Father, the Mighty Son, and the Living Holy Spirit, the voice of humanity and every lover of Christ. The Church of Christ is the spiritual sanctuary, while the Mother of God is the living throne of God, with the heavenly altar above. The soul serves as the temple of God, where the Spirit of God dwells. Place trust in Christ, the radiance of the Father. He who sees the Son of God and the Son of Man sees the Father as well. As the prophet states, "I am a stranger on earth, and a foreigner like all my ancestors" (Psalm 38:13). We too shall be taken from this life when it is God's will. The Lord sanctified Himself as the Son of Man so that humanity might find sanctification through baptism and the grace of God within the Church of Christ. The depth of grace is found in God, while the depth of sin resides in humans. Trials from above come from God. The desires of the flesh, the cravings of the eyes, and the pride of life, along with various temptations, challenge the Christian, who calls upon God's aid through prayer. The enormity of my sins calls for the vastness of God's mercy; I trust that God's mercy will surpass my sins if I earnestly seek it.

Continuous prayer is a divine mandate for all, along with the battle against passions, adherence to God's commandments, and a life of virtue both day and night. When the Jews crucified Christ, His pure body endured piercing from nails.