Psalm 56 (55):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The existence of my life is Your creation, and therefore, I present my life to You. But did God truly not understand what He granted? What accusations might you direct toward Him? Absolutely not! Why does He declare, "I have told Thee"? Is it not for Your own good that I share my life? And what benefit does this bring to God? It indeed brings Him benefit. I recounted my life to God because it was His divine handiwork. Much like the apostle Paul who shared his past, proclaiming, "I, who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an abuser, will tell my life. But grace I have obtained" (1 Tim. 1:13). He recounted his story, not for personal gain, but for Him, presenting it in such a way that it serves Him rather than himself. O God, I have shared my life with You.

O Lord, I have revealed my existence to You. With confidence, He declares, unashamed of my life, I shared everything with You, and You, in Your approval, did not dismiss my sorrows, instead presenting them before You, thereby affirming Your promise that states, I will speak unto Thee again, saying, Behold I am come (Isaiah 58:9). Thus, it happened that the moment You heard my plea, my adversaries retreated. Therefore, I affirm that I will call upon You daily. Let my foes be turned away. Indeed, I have come to understand and fully perceive that hope is not futile, for I have received the aid of the Almighty.

My innermost being will proclaim Your truths. All that I possess—my actions, my speech, my thoughts—is evident before You. Similarly, Symmachus interprets it: My inner self is counted in Your presence. You have presented my tears before You, in accordance with Your assurance. The Prophet declares that You have inclined Yourself to my tears and have fulfilled Your promises. When I established the law, I pledged to heed the cries of the suffering; it is stated in the law, ‘If anyone cries out to Me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate’ (Exodus 22:27).

He declares that He has revealed to You, O Lord, the life that I now lead, and You have seen the tears I have shed in my anguish, consistent with Your promise to regard these sorrows without disdain. In giving the law, God affirmed His commitment to the suffering and the needy. When he cries out to Me, I will hear him, for I am compassionate (Ex. 22:27). An additional remark from Isychius expresses this divine promise: You will call, and He will respond, saying, Behold, I am (Is. 58:9). Moreover, those who sow in tears will reap in joy, and as it is said, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall find comfort.

Rexhi, reflecting on the demise of his foes, turns to prayer, earnestly seeking God’s forgiveness. He pleads, “O God, I lay my life before You, as it is known: I have unveiled to You, with tears, the trials of my suffering existence. And You, most compassionate and benevolent Father, do not avert Your gaze; instead, look favorably upon my tears both in this moment and in times to come when I call upon You. Just as You have promised to heed those who pray with tears, so grant me this: place my tears before You, and listen to my plea, so my adversaries may turn back. You hear my supplication, and through it, You will demonstrate that You are indeed my God.”

This psalm is to be sung in honor of Christ, the culmination of the law, and to celebrate the boundless glory of His divine essence. It resonates with those who found themselves exiled from the reigns of Saul and David or captive in Babylon, far from the sacred sites of Jerusalem. It also speaks to those in this world who are distanced from the celestial realm of the heavenly Jerusalem. The profound significance of this psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit through David, merits inscription either on a stone pillar or in the depths of the heart, serving as a perpetual reminder of God's immeasurable mercy towards humanity. The title inscribed on the Pillar of the Cross is similarly intended.