Psalm 55 (54):6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I remarked that anyone who despises their brother remains in darkness even now. (1 Jn. 2:9, 11) If love represents light, then hatred signifies darkness. What does a person enveloped by this vulnerability and burdened by such sentiments ponder? Who will grant me the ability to soar like a dove, so that I may take flight and find peace?

The prophet experienced great fear and trepidation as he witnessed the Beloved of God suffer at the hands of the wicked. However, his coverings are shrouded in darkness, for what has been inflicted upon the Savior is indeed deserving of such obscurity.

In observing their animosity and schemes, I am filled with dread and fear, expecting death. It is somewhat astonishing that David, who fled from a multitude of adversaries, would experience such fear of dying, as one living under the Old Covenant, who could only glimpse the fullness of the gospel from a distance. Even our Lord Christ, who foretold and prefigured His passion to the holy Apostles on numerous occasions, and who sternly rebuked the divine Peter when he asserted that such events would not happen, declared just prior to His suffering: ‘Now my soul is troubled.’ The divine essence permitted the human aspect to be engulfed in torment, resulting in sweat like drops of blood; yet He was fortified by an angel and triumphed over fear. In this too, it was essential to reveal the nature that endures suffering.

David expresses similar sentiments here to emphasize the profound intensity of his fear; when fear escalates, it transforms into dread. Darkness reflects the aftermath of sorrow and despair, as these emotions particularly cloud and overshadow the soul. Theodoret notes that even the Lord Christ, who frequently predicted His trials and envisioned His sufferings, proclaimed in a moment of anguish, ‘Now my soul is troubled,’ revealing that the Divine essence allowed humanity to endure such trepidation that His sweat became like drops of blood. In this moment of turmoil, He received strength from an angel to conquer His apprehensions. Isychias remarks that during trials and adversities, individuals not only experience fear and trembling, but they also find themselves enveloped in darkness, grappling with uncertainty at their core.

This idea is conveyed through different expressions, almost as a summary of the entire concept: fear relates to the spirit, trembling affects the physical form, and the heaviness of grief envelops the entire person. Just as joy enlarges the heart, sorrow diminishes and constricts it, leading to a sense of darkness. Consequently, those who are sorrowful often gravitate towards darkness, find themselves confined in places of solitude, and consequently shy away from the light.

This psalm, prompted by the Holy Spirit and composed by David, was entrusted to Asaph, the head of his musicians, so that it could be sung with understanding by all. The essence of this psalm is found in its climax, centered in Christ and particularly in His unblemished suffering. The entire world is enveloped in darkness, and all men speak falsehoods; yet the Lord came to redeem the first Adam. Let us earnestly pray to God to bestow upon us the Holy Spirit, empowering us to turn to Him and to glorify Him, and to quell the wicked forces—the very sins that reside in our souls and bodies. He renders this salvation mysterious to those who perpetually yearn, hope, and seek Him.