Psalm 64 (63):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The adversaries rose up against the faithful, and what did the Body of Christ beseech in its prayers? It implored to be rescued from its foes, that those foes would not possess the authority to end their lives. Were their pleas ignored because they faced death? Did God abandon His devoted ones with a broken spirit and scorn those who put their trust in Him? Absolutely not. For who has called upon God and been left desolate? Who has placed their faith in Him and found Him unresponsive? Sirach 2:10 They yielded to their persecutors and were killed, yet even in death, they were freed from their enemies. Others, paralyzed by fear, chose to go along and survived, but these too were ultimately consumed by their adversaries. The slain were liberated, while the living faced destruction.

Not every form of fear is beneficial or salvific; however, there exists the fear of the foe, which the prophet petitioned should not approach his spirit, declaring, ‘Cast out my soul from the fear of the enemy.’ This fear, the fear of the adversary, instills in us a fear of death and prompts us to dread the influence of others. For those who succumb to this fear can endure sin even to the point of martyrdom, thereby fulfilling their obligation to the Lord who died for us and triumphed in resurrection. Furthermore, those who are tormented by demons possess within them the fear of the enemy. In essence, I perceive such fear as a frailty stemming from disbelief, for one who trusts in a mighty protector feels no intimidation from those who seek to unsettle him.

Listen to my voice as I lift my prayers to You. Grant me, O Lord, the fortitude to withstand the assaults of the adversary. Banish the fear of the enemy from my spirit. This reflects the plea, ‘And now, O Lord, look upon their threats, and grant Your servants to speak Your word with all boldness’ (Acts 4:29).

Athanasius notes that this aligns with what is expressed by the Apostles: And now, O Lord, look upon their threats, and let Thy servants speak Thy word with all boldness. St. Basil remarks that the dread instilled by the foe is a tactic used by the enemy, undermining the confidence found in Christ, against which prayer is articulated in the seven Psalms. St. Cyril explains that this refers to the plea, Hear me when I pray, rather than: when I am not silent but pray. In such situations, remaining silent can be detrimental; it may signify that soon You will hear me, particularly at the moment of my supplication, as You have promised: yet thou shalt speak, as saying, Behold I am here.

The prophet begins by seeking an audience for his request to God, urging, “Hear my voice when I call.” A heartfelt invocation reflects a deep and passionate plea of the spirit, signifying the urgency of his prayer: ‘I pray that my supplications are not in vain.’ He swiftly turns to the afflictions that burden him, recounting the dread of death imposed by his adversaries, along with other trials, to better legitimize his appeal for divine favor.

In Christ, the culmination of the law (Rom. 10:4), we find a profound reflection in this psalm, divinely inspired for David. Here, the prophet, weighed down by the afflictions of his adversaries, seeks divine assistance against them, imploring God to render justice according to their actions. Most importantly, this psalm serves as a petition to God the Father, to Christ our Lord during His suffering, and to all the faithful, including the righteous and martyrs.

These expressions convey the just individual's faith in the Lord.