Psalm 60 (59):13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Proceed, then, those lacking the savor of salt, who seek fleeting security for their companions; this is but hollow decay. Grant us assistance: from where you were compelled to depart, may help come forth.

Grant us aid in times of suffering. Let us not place our trust in the strength and abundance of the flesh, nor seek support from those esteemed by human standards. True victory does not stem from wealth, power, or fame, but rather from the depths of suffering, from which the Lord offers assistance to those who earnestly seek Him. This was evident in Paul, who took pride in his hardships, asserting, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). We beseech You, O Lord, to offer us solace in our trials, for tribulation cultivates perseverance, and perseverance develops character, which in turn fosters hope, and this hope does not lead to disappointment (Rom. 5:3-5). Do you see where trials culminate? In a hope that does not bring shame!

He professes that our hope for deliverance from the grief that troubles us is not found in human assistance, but solely in Your divine aid. Human expectations lead to emptiness, as anyone who seeks salvation from people ultimately finds themselves placed in a futile hope. Simmachus made this point clearer by including the concept of unity, stating: "provide us aid in our affliction, for human pride is the salvation of mankind."

Symmachus offered a clearer translation by substituting 'and', stating: Grant us assistance from our distress, for human salvation is but a shadow; that is, aid those in pain, as only You can bring an end to suffering, while human aid apart from You is futility. Thus, He rightly continued: 'In God we will find strength: and He will comfort those who are troubled.'

The prophet, representing humanity's collective condition, implores God and the Savior to provide us with assistance against the anguish that has, due to sin, infiltrated our essence and driven us to the brink of despair. Suffering, in this context, embodies the oppressive reign of death and decay, while the assistance we seek is the steadfast assurance of resurrection, granted through grace. It is to this hope that the faithful, who bravely confront the disgrace of death, direct their focus. Furthermore, one could say that tribulation serves as a labor aimed at virtue, and the aid we receive is the invulnerability achieved through such toil, by God's grace. In light of this invulnerability, all human salvation appears as mere futility and absolute emptiness. This is how we ought to grasp the notion of vanity.

In this context, the word "and" is unnecessary, as Simmachus interprets it as "Thou gavest us help; for salvation from man is vanity." Alternatively, "and" should be understood as "for," as Theodoret also suggests. True strength does not come from the abundance of wealth, power, or glory; rather, it is through intense suffering that the Lord provides assistance to those who seek Him. This is exemplified by Paul, who took pride in his tribulations, declaring, "When I am weak, then I am strong." Another perspective, possibly from Maximus, is that tribulation represents the dominance and influence of corruption, while the assistance granted by grace embodies the firm hope of resurrection. With this understanding, the righteous face sorrowful death with courage.

At the culmination of the law, embodied in Christ for all who believe in righteousness (Rom. 10:4), and at the close of this age, this psalm is meant to be proclaimed in endless glory and divine honor. It speaks to those yearning for transformation, shifting from the old self to the new, from darkness to light, and to those who once walked in darkness but have now become light in the Lord Christ (Eph. 5:8). In the depiction of the pillar, the profound humanity of God, as revealed through Christ, deserves to be inscribed upon the pillar and in the heart, to remain an eternal reminder. This psalm was inspired in David by the Holy Spirit to instruct him to teach all to offer thanks to God and to extol Him for His immeasurable blessings to humanity (Theodoret).