Psalm 65 (64):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He accomplished it, and there is clear evidence of His work. He established the mountains through His might and sent them forth as heralds: empowered, He instilled faith in believers, causing the sea to be agitated, the world to tremble, and subsequently to pursue His faithful. Empowered: that which disturbs the depths of the sea. He did not merely trouble the sea; rather, it is the depths of the sea that He moved. The depths represent the hearts of the wicked. Just as the depths stir up everything from below and serve as the foundation for all things, so too have the various efforts to persecute the Church emerged from this place of corruption. If not for the seed of wickedness within the heart, such resistance would not have risen against Christ.

The depths of the sea are bewildered. In this context, the sea symbolizes the legion of unclean spirits, which are unsettled by the arrival of Christ. Thus, the terrified spirits exclaimed, "You have come ... before time to torment us" (Matthew 8:29). The nations will be disturbed.

He illustrates, to the best of his ability, the might of God. He who sets the mountains like a fortress is robed in power: He who stirs the depths of the ocean, at the sound of His waves, who can withstand Him? Simmachus interprets the term 'setting' as 'establishing,' while Theodotion uses 'taming' in place of 'stirring.' Nevertheless, the Prophet understands this: You make the mountains steady and unshakeable, and with Your will, You make the sea rise and subside, such that its roar is unheard; all of this You accomplish with an ineffable and immeasurable power, which You bear like a belt. For one who is girded acts with remarkable ease, and thus the Prophet metaphorically refers to God's might as a girdle.

Marvel at the profound depths of the ocean! Who can withstand the force of its waves? You, declares the Lord, are the one who stirs the sea with such fury across its vast expanse that even the sand from the deepest depths rises to the surface. Pay attention, reader, to how the winds, obeying God's command, blow and agitate the ocean. Its roar, as fierce and daunting as it is, no one can endure. As noted by Athanasius and Cyril, the sea further summons nations in turmoil, drawing them away from idols toward faith, while demons are agitated by the arrival of the Lord. The words of Theodoret remind us: You establish mountains, rendering them steadfast, yet you command the mighty ocean, taming it as you will, causing disturbances that are overwhelming for those who hear. Such is Your power! Therefore, having accomplished these awe-inspiring deeds, You are capable of rescuing us from bondage and punishing the Babylonians. See Psalm 64:9.

In the previous verse, the Prophet illustrated God's supreme power through the unwavering nature of the mountains and the roaring seas. In this verse, he reveals the wisdom of the same God, who uses celestial phenomena to either instill fear or provide solace to humanity. Just as nothing is more fearsome than the thunder and lightning that can strike terror even into the hardest of hearts, nothing brings more joy than the dawn and dusk of the sun. When the sun rises, individuals find delight in their labors until nightfall, and as it sets, they welcome rest after a long day. Additionally, nothing is more beautiful than the vast sky filled with countless stars, resembling glittering gems. This is why the Prophet joyfully proclaimed, 'You will beautify the morning and the evening.'

Ultimately, this represents the realization of the prophecy found in this psalm, which was revealed to David by the Holy Spirit, for the glory and honor of God, who has designated Zion as the dwelling place of the covenant. In the same psalm, the prophet announces the return of Judah's exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem; this event was then assured by Jeremiah and Ezekiel through their prophetic declarations, urging us to find comfort in the hope of regaining the freedom we seek. Furthermore, this is also understood as the return of individuals from the bondage of sin to the freedom of the Heavenly Jerusalem, made possible through the grace of Christ the Lord, ultimately for His everlasting praise, the chosen ones. This prophecy signifies the calling of all humanity, in line with the words of the prophet Joel: "I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh" (Joel 2:28).