Psalm 62 (61):10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Many pursue seafaring endeavors; others engage with the courtroom and matters of governance. They too harbor deceit, though it may not be measured by scales. What is the prophet conveying? That within each of us exists a divine standard established by our Creator, which allows us to discern the essence of matters. 'I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing' (Deuteronomy 30:15)—two opposing forces by nature. Use your judgment wisely to assess what serves you best: will you opt for fleeting pleasure that leads to eternal death, or will you endure hardship in the pursuit of virtue to attain everlasting joy? Humanity is deceitful, as their inner judgment becomes corrupted. The Prophet also laments: 'Woe to those who call evil good and good evil' (cf. Isaiah 5:20). 'Before me,’ states the Psalmist, 'is only the present, but who knows what lies ahead?' Your measuring is flawed when you favor the bad over the good, seeking vanity over truth, prioritizing the transient over the eternal, and choosing momentary pleasure over constant joy. Thus, 'the sons of men are liars in the measure of unrighteousness.' They commit wrongdoing first against themselves, then against their neighbors, for they act as poor advisors in their own matters and set a poor example for others. On the Day of Judgment, you cannot claim ignorance of goodness; your own measures will testify against you, revealing the distinction between good and evil. We comprehend physical weights by the tilting of the scale, and what merits preference in life is discerned through the free will of the soul, which the Psalmist referred to as 'the measure,' for freedom is able to gravitate towards either choice.

These are the Jewish scribes who burden others with the weight of strict legalism but do not uphold righteousness in their own hearts. Overwhelmed by their own wickedness, they evade their own demands. In a desire for more, which is the root of all wrongs, one can see the origin of wickedness and the temptation to sin. A person, having turned away from worldly desires and being united with Christ in the sacred act of Baptism, must eschew covetousness, as he has died to the world.

This stumbling is not intentional; in seeking to harm others, they end up harming themselves by forsaking truth and virtue. While this statement reflects all wicked individuals, it particularly emphasizes the cruel ruler Antiochus and his allies, who, driven by greed, wronged the Jewish people. Theodotion interpreted the sentiment as, "As the children of men, so are the sons of humanity, weighed down in balance." He notes that nothing human is enduring; everything, as described by Theodoret, resembles a mist that rises and quickly dissipates, similar to the fluctuations of scales—always shifting, never stable or solid. Basil notes that within each of us, the Creator has secretly arranged scales by which we can discern the qualities of things... We must weigh with care what serves us best: is it worth opting for fleeting pleasure at the cost of eternal death, or should we choose suffering, accompanied by the courage of virtue, which leads to everlasting life? Those whose souls lack sound judgment are indeed false. The prophet referred to them as wretched when he proclaimed: "Woe to those who call darkness light, or who call bitter sweet and sweet bitter." These are the results of being consumed by vanity, leading to collective offense; thus, Symmachus rendered it as: they are vanity together.

Hence, “O deceitful sons of men,” whose ability to judge truth is flawed, and whom the Prophet laments, proclaiming, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20), to the deceivers, the corrupt, those who distort righteousness, and those who commend what is wrong, and so forth. The needs of the present cloud judgment, yet who truly knows what the future holds? Your judgments are flawed when you endorse evil instead of good, when you favor emptiness and falsehood over truth, when you prioritize the transient over the eternal, and when you opt for fleeting pleasures over enduring joy. Thus, “the children of mankind are untrustworthy in their assessments.” They commit injustice first to themselves, then to those close to them, acting as wicked advisors in their own affairs and setting a poor example for others. On the day of judgment, you cannot claim ignorance of righteousness; your own “measure,” which can discern good from evil, will be brought before you. We assess physical weights through the tilt of the balance, and we determine our life’s choices through the soul’s free will, referred to as “measure” because it can lean towards both options. Therefore, “do not place your hopes in injustice, do not set your heart” on wealth, do not choose vanity, and do not let the soul’s capacity to judge be compromised within you. Understand that God is both sovereign and compassionate; thus, revere His might and do not lose hope in His mercy. For to avoid wrongdoing, fear is advantageous. And so that one who succumbs to sin does not ruin themselves with despair, the assurance of mercy is a source of hope. Following this, at the conclusion of the Psalm, the Prophet states to God, “Thou wilt repay every man according to his deeds” (Psalm 61:13). “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38). Have you wronged a brother? Anticipate the same in return. Have you taken from the less fortunate, unjustly seized the possessions of the needy, caused distress to the poor, slandered, lied, broken the commandments, invaded the property of orphans, or troubled widows, choosing fleeting pleasures over eternally promised joys? Expect to face the consequences of your actions: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Conversely, if you have performed any good deed, look forward to a greater reward in return. For He will “repay each man according to his deeds” (Matthew 16:27). By keeping this judgement in mind throughout your life, you will be able to avoid many transgressions. I have written this to you drawing from the teachings of the Holy Fathers who preceded us, at the request of your fellow believer Anthony, who inspired me to share this, and I hope that these reminders prove beneficial to you.

If falsehoods and vanities are rectified in them through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it implies that they were inherently deceptive. Although the first human was created in a state of purity by God, his downfall has plunged us all into this corruption, causing the divine light bestowed upon us to become obscured. Regardless of individual talents, all are tainted by the infection of sin. Hence, it is appropriate for the prophet to declare, “The sons of men are vanity, the sons of men are deceitful in measure." When weighed on scales, the measure of vanity and falsehood prevails. Basil the Great astutely observes that this reference to measures is not about the physical weights used in trade, such as those for meat or grain, but rather pertains to the standards of sound judgment bestowed by God to help humanity discern and evaluate true good from true evil, guiding them to choose the former and shun the latter. Yet, people largely deceive themselves and one another, utilizing unjust measures, and even more grievously, they do so willingly, as expressed in the saying: "I recognize the good and commend it; yet I pursue the evil." For instance, one cannot deny that sin and eternal damnation are the greatest and most immediate evils, while truth and eternal joy represent the highest and most direct goods. Nonetheless, when weighing temporal gain against eternal life, the former often tips the scales, leading to its selection; conversely, when comparing temporal loss with eternal death, the temporal loss prevails, compelling an individual to reject the threat of hellfire to escape it.