Psalm 51 (50):14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Blessed Theodoret reflects on the grace of the Holy Spirit, expressing a desire to maintain what had not been lost and to recover what had been forfeited, highlighting the joy found in divine communion. He states, O Lord, in your proximity I found complete joy, yet now, with that closeness gone, I find myself joyless. The bondage of sin has severed this connection. Therefore, I beseech You to restore my former mental strength and regain control over my desires. In this context, I refer to the commanding intellect as the ‘noble spirit’. But what shall you offer me, David, upon receiving the Spirit? ‘I will teach the wicked Thy ways, and the wicked shall turn to Thee.’

Restore to me what I once possessed; what I forfeited through my sin: specifically, Your Christ. For who can find healing apart from Him? Even prior to His incarnation, He was the Son of Mary. In the beginning, He was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; (John 1:1) thus, the holy fathers foresaw His future assumption of flesh, as we believe it took place. While the times have changed, faith remains steadfast. And may the Supreme Spirit strengthen me. Some have grasped the concept of the Trinity within God, which excludes the notion of the Flesh; as it is written, God is Spirit. (John 4:24) For that which is not a body, yet exists, appears to manifest as though it were spirit.

Grant me the joy of Your deliverance. This pertains to all humanity. He refers to the arrival of the Lord as the joy of deliverance, just as Simeon proclaimed: ‘My eyes have seen Thy salvation’ (Luke 2:30). He seeks to share in this blessing. And strengthen me through the Spirit of the Lord. The Spirit, mentioned earlier, is now referred to as the sovereign Spirit.

Just as day cannot blend with night, righteousness cannot coexist with wickedness, sin cannot be joined with virtuous deeds, and Christ cannot be compared to the Antichrist. When we allow Christ to dwell within us, we effectively expel the enemy from our hearts. However, if we fall into sin and permit the enemy to enter through that transgression, Christ will swiftly withdraw. This is reflected in David's plea after his wrongdoing, when he cried out, “Give me the joy of your salvation,” which signifies the joy he had forfeited through his sin.

He implores to retain what he has not forfeited, namely, the grace of the Holy Spirit, and seeks to recover what has been taken from him, specifically his joy in God. The prophet declares, "I enjoyed all joy when I had great boldness before Thee, O Lord," yet now, in its absence, he laments the loss of his joy. His courage has dissipated due to bondage to temptation. Thus, he requests that his mind may reclaim its past authority and, while contending with these desires, reestablish its strength over them.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, that joy I experienced while under Your care. Observe how in these two verses, first He prays for that which he has not yet forfeited, seeking its protection, and then appeals for the restoration of what he has already lost. Before his transgression, he knew the greatest joy while being fully devoted to such a Savior. Establish me with the Spirit of the Lord. Strengthen and secure me, I pray, through the gracious provision of the governing Spirit, which guides the desires of people, points them toward righteousness, and leads them to the ultimate good. This provision may refer to the various gifts imparted to our souls through the Holy Spirit.

The repentance of the clergy

We firmly believe that the ministers of the Lord, along with all believers, can restore their ecclesiastical dignity after sincerely repenting for their transgressions. The prophet David, in his contrition, proclaimed: "Give me the joy of Thy salvation, and by the Spirit of power establish me." Following his own repentance, he also instructed others and offered sacrifices to God, providing a model for the leaders of the holy Church, demonstrating that through genuine repentance, they can achieve both forgiveness and reconciliation.

Reward signifies giving. When we utter the phrase, “Through the Spirit of the Lord, establish me,” we are asking that the Lord, by the strength of the Holy Spirit, ground us in righteousness.

This passage aligns with the previously mentioned sentiment: Grant joy and gladness to my ears. As stated earlier, when an individual is fully reconciled with God, it produces an inner joy stemming from the Spirit’s testimony within us. Similarly, when he petitions for forgiveness of sin and receives grace along with the gift of perseverance, he seeks a sign to affirm his justification or reconciliation, declaring, Grant me the joy of Thy salvation.

By the guiding Spirit, grant me stability, that is, empower the spirit within me to genuinely govern my desires. I implore my intellect to reclaim its rightful sovereignty, to break free from the bondage of passions and once more exercise authority over them. Blessed Theodoret echoes this sentiment: "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and through the Spirit of authority ground me firmly."

Ultimately, even to the conclusion of time, this psalm, divinely inspired and penned by David, may serve as a symbol of repentance for every individual who sins, for through repentance humanity can evade the severity of God's judgment. Additionally, this psalm holds a prophetic declaration regarding the Incarnation of Christ, the Redeemer of sinners, for whom the prophet, yearning for Him as promised by God, implores, ‘Give me the joy of Thy salvation.’