Psalm 55 (54):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This aligns with what has been expressed elsewhere: “My eye is clouded with anger.” When the eye is dimmed, what ensues? I am beset by the fear of death. Our existence is defined by love: if love characterizes life, then hatred defines death. When an individual begins to dread that they may harbor animosity towards those they cherish, they start to dread mortality; a deeper kind of death, one that impacts the soul rather than the body. You have criticized the individual who rages against you; what can you do about the one from whom your Lord has shielded you, declaring: “Fear not them that kill the body” (Matthew 10:28)? While he may violently take the body, you, by holding onto your animosity, have extinguished the soul; and he destroys the body of another, while you damage your own soul. Hence, the fear of death enveloped me.

Consider that my heart has transformed all my inner being. Yet, the dread of death has also overtaken me. This may refer to a redemptive death that, upon being perceived, caused the prophet to be filled with apprehension due to human contemplation, or it may signify the destruction of souls that would be lost as a result of such insolent actions.

When I observe their animosity and schemes, I am filled with dread and apprehension, anticipating my demise. It is indeed remarkable that David, while escaping and being chased by a host of foes, felt the weight of death’s fear, as one who operated under the old covenant, merely glimpsing the full glory of the gospel from a distance. Even our Lord Christ, who continually predicted and mirrored His impending suffering to the holy Apostles, and who expressly admonished the divine Peter when he protested such events (Matt. 16:22-23), lamented shortly before His passion, saying: ‘Now my soul is troubled’ (John 12:27).

In this passage, David refers to the soul as the heart, expressing its distress while being besieged by the schemes of adversaries. Yet in another instance, he boldly declares his lack of fear towards the countless foes that surround him (Psalms 3:7) and makes similar statements. How can we reconcile this with his current admission of fear and anxiety? The answer lies in the fact that David, when he experienced God’s support and presence in his soul, was filled with joy and fearlessness. However, in moments when he felt deprived of that divine assistance—perhaps for the purpose of revealing his patience and steadfastness in prayer—his agitation surfaced, leading him to openly acknowledge his fears.

Thus, it becomes evident that David faced intense tribulations; for he is not a man indulged in comfort, but rather one who has undergone numerous trials of endurance. This ascetic not only laments the wrongful actions of his adversaries but also confesses that he is enveloped by the shadows of mortal dread, indicating that he does not possess a heart of stone. The magnitude of his achievements is therefore revealed, and simultaneously, it is demonstrated that David, beset by a multitude of afflictions and girding himself against the fears of mortality, did not easily turn to calling upon the Lord’s name without significant struggle. When he refers to the terror of death, he conveys that had he not been bolstered by God’s strength, he would have succumbed instantly.

This psalm, which the Holy Spirit inspired David to compose, was entrusted to Asaph, the leader of his musical ensemble, so that it might be sung with understanding by all. The essence of this psalm culminates in Christ, particularly in His sacred Passion. The entire world is shrouded in darkness, every individual is deceitful, and the Lord came to redeem the first Adam. Let us implore God to grant us the Holy Spirit, that we may turn to Him with reverence and quell the malevolent influences—the very sins residing within our souls and bodies. He renders this salvation beyond comprehension for those who continuously long for, hope in, and seek Him.