Psalm 60 (59):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For it has been said to her, "Thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and the reproach of thy widowhood thou shalt not remember." (Isaiah 54:4) There was indeed a time when confusion reigned in the Church, but that confusion is now forgotten; her shame and reproach are no longer recalled. Whenever there was confusion among the faithful, many witnesses arose. Now, no one remembers that past disgrace of being a Christian; all have forgotten it. Mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the strength of My head. Ephraim signifies fruitfulness. When He says, "Mine is fruitfulness," it underscores that this fruitfulness is what empowers My Head, which is Christ. And what brings about this fruitfulness and power? If the grain had not fallen into the earth, it would have remained solitary; it is through Christ's Passion that fruitfulness emerged from the Resurrection. Although He was despised and appeared to suffer, the seed was within Him, holding the power to draw all unto Himself. Just as a single grain contains countless seeds—humble in appearance, yet possessing the transformative power to yield fruit—so too was virtue obscured within the Cross of Christ, while weakness was evident. O mighty seed! He who hangs there appears weak; men shook their heads at Him, saying, "If He is the Son of God, let Him come down from the Cross." (Matt. 27:40) Behold His strength: what seems feeble by divine standards is mightier than human strength. (1 Cor. 1:25) Such abundant fruitfulness marks the Church's identity. "Judah is my king; Moab is the vessel of my hope." (Ps. 59:9) Which Judah? The one from the tribe of Judah. Who is Judah but the one of whom Jacob proclaimed, "Judah, thy brethren shall praise thee"? (Gen. 49:8) Therefore, what should I fear when Judah, my king, assures me, "Do not fear those who can kill the body"? (Matt. 10:28) Moab stands as the vessel of my hope. Why use the term vessel? Because it represents tribulation. What is my hope? It comes from Judah, my king. Moab is recognized by the Gentiles, stemming from a lineage marked by sin. (Gen. 19:37) It originates from the daughters of Lot, who acted disgracefully with their father in drunkenness. It would have been better for them to remain childless than to bear children in such a manner. This story serves as a symbol of those who distort the law. Note that in Latin, the law is feminine, while in Greek, it is masculine. Regardless of grammatical gender, it does not alter the truth, for the law possesses a stronger masculine essence, governing rather than being governed. Yet, what does the Apostle Paul assert? "The law is good if used correctly." (1 Tim. 1:8) Lot's daughters employed their father unlawfully. Just as good works flourish through proper adherence to the law, wicked deeds arise from its misuse. By abusing their father, they misused the law, birthing the Moabites—representatives of wrongful acts. Thus arises the tribulation of the Church, hence symbolizing the boiling pot. In prophecy, it is stated, "A pot heated by the north wind." (Jer. 1:13) This comes from the realm of the devil, who declared, "I will ascend to the north." (Isaiah 14:13) Therefore, the most severe tribulations faced by the Church emerge from those who misuse the law.

After the return from exile, the tribes remained united, with Zerubbabel, a descendant of Judah, serving as leader and king; therefore, the Prophet accurately identifies Ephraim as the stronghold of authority and Judah as the monarch. The phrase "my king" signifies one appointed by me to reign over my people. Similarly, Isaiah proclaims, “Thus saith the Lord to my anointed one Cyrus” (Isaiah 45:1), referring to the one chosen by Me.

Through this trust, we are broadened by our trials, viewing what is to come as if it were already here, and we remain resolute amidst temptations. Judah stands as my sovereign. Judas can be seen as confession, since among the holy ones, all confessions begin with prayer. Yet Judas can also represent the Lord, the true King of spiritual Israel and of all who seek God. In taking on humanity for our sake, He offered His confession to the Father, saying, “I confess to You, Holy Father” (Matthew 11:25).

Since Gilead means revelation and Manasseh means oblivion, it indicates that the righteous both receive the revelation of profound truths through contemplation and are liberated from the burdens of virtuous labor due to the joy found in spiritual reflection that follows their endeavors. Didymus suggests that Gilead signifies a journey, while Manasseh denotes forgetfulness, implying that the Redeemer will declare: My Gilead represents those who transition from the realm of falsity to the realm of truth, from wrongdoing to righteousness, and from earthly matters to heavenly aspirations. My Manasseh signifies those who are moved beyond forgetfulness, remembering the blessings of God that they once overlooked. Ephraim is described as the strength of my head, referring to the authority or rulership as translated by Simmachus. This means that those who descend from the tribe of Ephraim will play a key role in the administration or sovereignty of Israel. By affirming the pronoun "my" in the phrase "my heads," God claims the kingship of the Hebrews, reaffirming His relationship with them as His chosen people.

Another interpretation notes that among Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Ephraim, after the division of Israel during Rehoboam's reign, governed regions such as Samaria and Shechem, thus they are referred to as the strength of my governance. The descendants of Manasseh inhabited Gilead, which was named for them. Following the return from Babylon, the tribes became one under a single ruler, Zerubbabel of Judah, making it fitting to recognize Ephraim as the stronghold of leadership because he initiated the Israelite kingdom; I promise to restore to him his former might and to appoint him as a defender as in days of old. Judah is my king, denoting that the leader of the Jewish people will emerge from the tribe of Judah, as evidenced by Zerubbabel's reign after their liberation from Babylon. The pronoun "my" here underscores the closeness of Judah's kingship to God. Theodoret adds that "my king" indicates that the one who reigns over my people does so by God’s appointment. This is similarly seen in Isaiah, where the Lord addresses my anointed king Cyrus, meaning appointed by me. When referring to Judah, namely Zerubbabel of that tribe, he is recognized as God's chosen king. At a deeper level, Ephraim, signifying growth, represents unwavering hope for future blessings rooted in faith, which is upheld by the intercession of a righteous individual’s faith—the head representing belief and good deeds. The steadfast hope of future blessings allows us to endure tribulations with resilience. Meanwhile, the name Judah translates to confession, as prayerful acknowledgment among the saints initiates all goodness. Hence, every individual who confesses and glorifies the Lord becomes part of His inheritance.

This psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit to David, serves to instruct him so that he might teach all to express gratitude to God and to exalt Him for His immeasurable blessings to humanity (Theodoret). Ephraim symbolizes fruitfulness—Christ as the embodiment of salvation for Adam. Judah signifies royalty—Christ, the King of the Jews, descends from this tribe. Gilead represents a descendant of Manasseh (see 1 Chron. 7:17), illustrating the lineage of patriarchs that trace back to God, through whom Christ came in the flesh (Rom. 9:5). By mentioning Gilead and Manasseh, it is indicated that upon His arrival, He would first proclaim grace to the Jews. Yet Ephraim and Judah, the two tribes gifted by God in Israel, will also partake in this grace. The phrase "the fortress of my head" is used in lieu of "the fortress of my dominion," highlighting that Ephraim was indeed the sanctuary of Israel, as it was from Ephraim that the kingdom emerged. Judah, being the kingly tribe, signifies that from Judah Christ reigns as King of the Jews. Thus, the fractured tribes are brought together in unity (Basil the Great, Athanasius).