Psalm 59 (58):7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They heard the exhortation, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and your sins shall be forgiven you.” (Acts 2:38) Following the murder of Christ and the spilling of His blood, forgiveness is granted for your sins. Therefore, let them also seek conversion this evening. Let them long for the grace of God, recognize their sinful nature; may the strong be made weak, the wealthy become impoverished, the righteous acknowledge their faults, and the fierce transform into humble beings. Let them turn in the evening and experience hunger like dogs, roaming about the city. What city is being referenced? This world, which Scripture sometimes refers to as the "city of standing," signifying the unity of all nations under the Jewish nation where these words were articulated. Around this city will walk those who are now like famished dogs. How are they to make their circuit? Through preaching. Saul transitioned from a predator to a humble being in the evening, having received a late conversion through the crumbs offered by his Lord; empowered by divine grace, he ran forth and traversed the city.

He compares the Jews to dogs, first because of their greed, as a dog is often hungrier than other creatures (hence the saying: hungry as dogs), and also due to their brazen nature, reflecting a dog's lack of shame. Gregory of Nyssa elucidates that the phrase "by evening they will return" signifies nothing less than their being thrust into profound darkness, since evening heralds the onset of darkness. They will be like dogs in hunger, for one lacking the abundance of salvation will inevitably suffer from the devastation of poverty. This mirrors the plight of the rich man in hell, who was famished for the divine grace and, lacking such provision, was consumed by flames. He also states that they will roam the city, which, in my understanding, suggests the following: everything deemed worthless or vile for the livelihoods of individuals is expelled from the city—such as dead and decaying matter or foul refuse. The dogs, in search of sustenance because of their hunger, reside amidst these discarded remnants. The Scripture utilizes this metaphor of a city to illustrate the distinction between those who live virtuously and those who engage in vice, designating the city as a representation of the order and goodness of life fostered by virtue, while that which is cast out of the city symbolizes the visible corruption stripped of decency, embodied in foul sin, marked by decay and despicable refuse. Thus, the citizen of the city (of virtue) represents a noble and valuable entity, a true human being, possessing the qualities with which his essence was originally endowed and refined through his existence; conversely, the one who roams outside the city (beyond virtue) is akin to a dog rather than a human. Theodoret observes that just as dogs commonly scavenge around city markets at night, driven by their gnawing hunger, so will the Jews, stripped of all assistance, no longer enjoy the prophetic gift, being utterly devoid of priestly care, and will walk like dogs, unable, according to the Gospel, even to gather the crumbs that fall from their masters' tables. For, bereft of the earthly bread of life, they remain empty within concerning the heavenly nourishment. Athanasius elucidates the reason for his prayer that the Jews be not forgiven, namely that at the time of the Savior’s arrival in the flesh, they will form a multitude opposing Him.

Ultimately, he questions, “Who hears?” with these words highlighting the irrational arrogance of the wicked, who depict God as indifferent in heaven to escape accountability. Or he laments that his enemies have so mesmerized the populace with their slander that none would dare defend the innocent. Furthermore, the more the innocent was persecuted to please the king, the more love he garnered as a steadfast champion of the common good.

This corresponds to the prophetic declaration: They shall return at evening (Nehemiah 4:9). The adversaries, thwarted by daylight, would return each night to Jerusalem with malicious intent (Nehemiah 4:9). Like a famished dog in search of sustenance, they relentlessly pursued Jerusalem's ruin, yet the city remained fortified both day and night, leaving them to circle its periphery. They scrutinized every angle for an unguarded entrance, but to no avail. Unable to harm the sacred site directly, they resorted to mockery and contempt, their words acting as swords against the people of God.

Referencing the teachings of the holy fathers who ascribe the prophetic sentiments of this psalm to the Roman conquest of Jerusalem, it is understood that after Hadrian completed the city's subjugation and destroyed the Temple, he forbade the Jews from entering or even glimpsing Jerusalem from afar. St. Eusebius attests that this edict persisted during Tertullian's time. Undoubtedly, many Jews, fervent in their faith, longed to return to Jerusalem, the heart of their spirituality. However, fearing the repercussions of defying imperial orders, they resolved to undertake their pilgrimage under the veil of night, a notion the Psalmist captures in the phrase: they shall return at evening. Much like a dog that has scavenged all day in barren lands, only to grow weary and hungry, circles back to its owner's home seeking refuge and nourishment, so too did some Jews, exiled from Jerusalem, yearn for the comfort of divine service in their ancient city. Yet, the conqueror’s decree barred their entry, leaving them to wander sorrowfully outside its walls, longing for what they could not reach.

This longing is profoundly human, rooted in nostalgia for family heritage, the glory of the Temple, and a collective memory intertwined with kinship and ancestral inheritance. Additionally, the deep remorse stemming from their betrayal of the holy teacher, the Lord Jesus Christ, ignited a stirring yearning in their souls. Though they sought solace near Jerusalem's gates, their spiritual hunger remained unsatisfied. The city lay in ruins, its sacrifices rendered powerless, the Temple destroyed, and the altar desecrated. They disregarded the call to repentance that echoed amid the devastation, failing to recognize the profound truths of the Gospel woven into Jerusalem's fate. Consequently, they departed with grievances against divine providence and fell into new blasphemies against the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet does not assert, "unless they be filled," but rather, "if they be filled," implying the potential for spiritual fulfillment. Thus, the prophet elucidates that their capacity to find satisfaction hinged upon their response.

From the remnants of visible Jerusalem, they could glimpse the spiritual Jerusalem—the holy Church of Christ—and if they embraced the truth that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was truly God, their spiritual hunger would be quenched. Conversely, their obstinacy would lead to unending grief and unjust reproaches against their Lord (Ps. 58:8). This indicates that their blasphemies would be unparalleled. Many have spent their lives ensnared in arrogance or indulgence, drifting through the wilderness of disbelief and vice, neglecting repentance or virtuous acts, oblivious to their future accountability. Yet, as age encroaches, their fervor dwindles and the need for divine turn arises. Just as a dog, separated from its home, scurries around seeking its master when hunger strikes, so too do these individuals seek the Lord in their old age.

In the twilight, they begin their return, at a time when light wanes, and the soul's vigor diminishes, dulled by years of sin. They approach repentance in a state of lethargy, hindered by the exhaustion of the body, weakened memories, and numerous sinful experiences—each an obstacle to genuine contrition. They lack fervent prayer, remembrance of sin, genuine remorse, or tears of repentance. Nevertheless, hope for salvation remains not entirely extinguished. The prophet’s words do not declare that they will not find fulfillment; rather, they can invigorate their spirits through sincere repentance, force themselves to pray earnestly, and wash away their transgressions with tears, compensating for their offenses through acts of charity. The Lord will grant them the heavenly bread, the assurance of eternal life, for He welcomes even those who come at the last hour. Yet wisdom warns, "What you did not acquire in youth, how can you attain in old age?" (Sir 25:5). A profound fear lingers that the sins they have nurtured their entire lives may rob them of these remaining days designated for repentance, weaken their pious efforts, and mislead them into a hollow union with the Church, dulling their souls to spiritual apathy.

Far more beneficial is the path of those who, from an early age, yield their minds to faithful obedience and their hearts to the Gospel’s commandments. Holy Scripture declares, "Good is the man who takes the yoke upon himself in his youth" (Lamentations 3:27). Therefore, young men, embrace this saving yoke and, in so doing, temper the impulses of mind and heart that lead you astray. "Rejoice in your youth," wisdom advises, "and remember that God will bring you to judgment for all your actions and desires; cast away deceit from your flesh, for youth is folly and vanity" (Ecclesiastes 11:9, 10). Amen.