Psalm 55 (54):1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In both cases, the term 'ended' is used, yet we see that while the food no longer exists, the garment achieves its full form. Our aim, therefore, should be our perfection—our transformation in Christ. In Him, we attain completeness, as He is the Head and we are His members. He is identified as the End of the Law, for no one can fulfill the Law apart from Him. Hence, when you encounter the phrase "In the End" in the Psalms (as many psalms present it), do not think of consumption but of being consumed.

In terms of hymns, they represent acts of praise. Whether we are grieving or celebrating, He who offers guidance in trials and comfort in joy is truly worthy of our adoration. The praises of God from the heart and lips of a believer should never be silenced; we ought not to only bless Him in times of joy and speak ill in times of distress. Rather, as instructed in this psalm, we should continually declare the goodness of the Lord and consistently offer Him our praise. Rejoice and acknowledge that the Father accepts you; feel the burden and recognize that the Father disciplines you. Regardless of whether He comforts or corrects, He is preparing an inheritance for those whom He loves.

What does it mean for David to have understanding? David was, as we recognize, a holy prophet and the king of Israel, the son of Jesse (2 Sam. 23:1). However, since the Lord Jesus Christ, who came for our salvation in the flesh, descended from his lineage (Rom. 1:3), He is frequently depicted through that name. David is portrayed alongside Christ due to this shared heritage. In one regard, He is the Son of David, and in another, He is the Lord of David; the Son of David concerning His humanity, the Lord of David regarding His divinity. For it is through Him that all things were created (John 1:3), including David himself, from whose lineage He came into the world. Moreover, when the Lord inquired of the Jews regarding whose Son they believed Christ to be, they responded according to David. In reply, the Lord admonished them for their limited understanding when they identified Him as merely the Son of David. He discerned that they were focused solely on the flesh and had overlooked His divine nature; thus, He posed the question, "How then does David himself, in spirit, call Him Lord?"—“The Lord said unto my Lord”.... If David recognizes Him as Lord in spirit, how can He merely be regarded as his Son? (Matt. 22:43-45) In posing this question, He neither denied His identity as the Son nor did He dismiss their acknowledgment of Him. You have understood the Lord as His Son; you have recognized the Son as the Lord. This matter is affirmed in the universal faith. How is He both Lord and Son? Because "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). How is He the Son? Because "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14). David, therefore, serves as an image of Christ, and Christ, as I have often reminded you, is both the Head and the Body. We must not regard ourselves as separate from Christ, to whom we belong as members, nor view ourselves as distinct entities, for the two exist as one flesh (Gen. 2:24). "This is a great mystery," says the Apostle, "but I speak concerning Christ and the Church" (Eph. 5:32). The entirety of Christ consists of the Head and the Body. When we hear "Understanding to David himself," we also recognize understanding in David. Let the members of Christ comprehend, and understand Christ within His members, recognizing these members as integral to Him, for the Head and the members together form one Christ. The Head, who is in heaven, asked, "Why do you persecute Me?" (Acts 9:4). We share hope with Him in heaven, while He remains present with us on earth through love. Thus, we find understanding in David himself. May we be enlightened in our hearing, and may the Church gain understanding; for it is our great task to discern the evil from which we currently suffer and the evil from which we seek liberation, holding in our hearts the Lord’s Prayer, where we declare, "Deliver us from evil" (Matt. 6:13). Consequently, amidst the numerous trials of this world, this psalm touches upon the theme of understanding. It is not the lack of understanding that is lamented here. Moreover, beloved, we must remember we are created in the image of God, which includes our very ability to understand. While many creatures can surpass us in various respects, when humanity acknowledges its creation in God's likeness (Gen. 1:26), it recognizes a quality that elevates it above the mute animals. It is in the particular gift of reason granted by the Creator that humans are distinctly set apart; thus, when some disregard this special endowment, the Creator Himself admonishes them, saying, "Do not be like the horse and the mule, which have no understanding."

Furthermore, this psalm is categorized among the sacred songs, as it prophesies the Lord's afflictions; it is appropriate to consistently sing of Him who chose to endure these sufferings for humanity’s redemption. It is essential not to underestimate the humility of the words in light of the grandeur of the Incarnation of Christ the Savior, but rather to recognize that He who accepted gall, vinegar, nails, thorns, scorn, and various forms of abuse—and ultimately death—did not negate the significance of such humble expressions. Words must align with actions. He proclaimed: “Learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29); and again: “I have received a commandment, what I should speak and what I should say” (John 12:49); “I do nothing of Myself” (John 8:28); and: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Through these utterances, He expressed His humanity, revealing the frailty of the Jewish people. In this light, the divine David, while detailing the injustices he faced, also prophesies the injustices the Lord will encounter, proudly sharing in the sufferings of Christ and almost echoing Paul’s words: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Galatians 6:17).

Consequently, the psalm bears the inscription “unto the end,” as well as featuring melodies and reflections that guide the listener to the culmination of what is foretold about Christ, prompting them to sing to Him who embraced these sufferings, as Theodoret elucidates, and to engage thoughtfully with the psalm, which conceals a profound and subtle prophecy about Christ.

Distressed by the news of the conspiracy, he contemplates how to depart from Jerusalem (verses 7-9) and calls upon God for assistance and retribution against his foes, particularly highlighting one enemy. Some interpreters, considering the chaos and lawlessness in the city, posit that this psalm was composed during the Chaldean siege of Jerusalem.