Psalm 66 (65):3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Brethren, if the ancient Patriarchs were cut off from their roots, we should not lift ourselves up, but rather fear and acknowledge God's greatness: How awesome are Your works; we should certainly not elevate ourselves over the fresh wounds of destruction! The Jews were previously destroyed but were later grafted in among the Gentiles; heretics faced a similar fate due to their corruption; yet even against them we must not take pride, lest we, who criticize the severed branches, deserve a similar fate. Dear friends, the voice of the Bishop, though unworthy, reaches out to you: we urge all within the Church not to scorn those who are outside; instead, let us pray that they may too come to belong. For God has the power to graft them back in. (Romans 11:23) This was stated by the apostle concerning the Jews, and it came to pass. The Lord rose from the dead, and many came to believe; they did not recognize Him at the time of crucifixion, but later believed in Him, and an immense offense was forgiven them. The spilling of the Lord's blood was pardoned even to those who killed men, much less to those who executed Him: had they known the Lord of glory, they would never have crucified Him. (1 Corinthians 2:8) The murderers were forgiven for shedding the blood of the Innocent, and the very blood they spilled was transformed by grace... O fullness of the Gentiles, proclaim to God, How awe-inspiring are Your deeds, and rejoice in the ability to fear without elevating yourself above the severed branches. Amidst Your mighty power, Your adversaries shall yield to You. For this reason, He says, Your enemies yield, that Your power may be magnified. What is meant by this? Listen closely. The strength of our Lord Jesus Christ was most vividly displayed in the Resurrection, from which this psalm derives its title. After rising from the dead, He appeared to His disciples. (Acts 10:40) He did not show Himself to His adversaries but to His followers. He manifested Himself to all who were willing to believe, providing a promise of resurrection even for those who would accept Him later. Many holy men worked miracles; none were raised to life after death—those who were brought back to life through them ultimately faced death again... Elijah performed miracles, as did Elisha: they too could have proclaimed this truth because they raised the dead and performed many wonders; thus, when a special sign was sought from Him, He declared: This generation is an evil and adulterous generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah: for just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:39-40) In what manner was Jonah in the belly of the fish? Was it not so he might be released alive afterward? The grave was to the Lord what the fish was to Jonah. This unique sign, which He identified, is the most powerful sign of all. It is far greater to rise again after death than to never experience death at all. The vastness of the Lord's power is evident in His incarnation and in the might of the Resurrection... Consider the very deceit of the false witnesses in the Gospel, especially as it pertains to the Resurrection. For when they asked the Lord, What sign will you show us that you do these things? (John 2:18) In addition to what He said about Jonah, He used another metaphor to affirm this specific sign: Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up. And they replied, This Temple was built over forty-six years, and will You raise it up in three days? (John 2:19-20) The evangelist explained, But He was speaking of the Temple of His body. (John 2:21) This power, which He claimed to demonstrate, was illustrated through His flesh, the Temple of the divine presence concealed within. While the Jews perceived only the physical Temple, they failed to recognize the Deity residing within. The false witnesses distorted His words, fabricating lies about Him based on His references to the future Resurrection, talking about the Temple. When questioned about what they had heard, they charged Him: We heard Him say, I will destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up. They heard: I will raise it up in three days; they didn’t hear: destroy; instead, they heard: destroy you. One term was altered, and minor letters were changed to support their deceitful claims. But for whom do you modify the words, O folly of humanity, O frailty of mankind? You adjust your words against the Unchangeable Word of God? Are you attempting to alter the Word of God?... Why did they claim you said: I will destroy; and not convey what You actually said: destroy you? It appears they did so to shield themselves from the accusation of unjustly destroying the Temple. For Christ willingly died, and you indeed killed Him. We concede that you, liars, destroyed the very Temple. As stated by the Apostle, He who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Of the Father it is said, He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. (Romans 8:32)... In every way, He Himself dismantled the Temple; He Himself declared, I have the authority to lay down My life and to take it again: no one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. (John 10:18) Should it be said that He, according to your wickedness, destroyed the Temple... In the multitude of Your power, Your enemies speak falsely against You. As they deceive, as they are believed, as they oppress You, as they crucify You, as they revile You, as they shake their heads at You, If He is the Son of God, let Him come down from the Cross. (Matthew 27:49) Behold, when You desire, You relinquish Your life, and when pierced by a spear, there flow from Your side the sacraments; (John 19:34) You are taken down from the Tree, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a tomb; a guard is established to prevent Your disciples from taking You away; then comes the hour of Your Resurrection, the earth quakes, the graves break open, You rise in secret and are made manifest. Where then are these deceivers? Where is the false evidence of their malicious intent? Have your enemies not lied to You in the abundance of Your power? Grant those guards at the Tomb the opportunity to declare what they witnessed, let them take their bribes and spread their falsehood. (Matthew 28:12)... They have joined in the deceptions of the adversaries: the multitude of the deceivers has increased, that the reward of the faithful may also increase. Consequently, they lied, according to the abundance of Your power they lied: for the disgrace of liars, You have revealed Yourself to those who embrace the truth, and You have made them into the bearers of truth.

We observe that many Hellenistic individuals and heretics embraced the orthodox faith in Christ, driven by fear and the authority of righteous Christian rulers, much like many adopted Judaism under the duress and influence of the Jewish kings. Josephus, in his Eleventh Book of Antiquities, remarks that many adversaries among the Hellenes accepted circumcision as a deceptive means to profess Judaism. Also, the account in the book of Esther indicates that numerous other nations, out of dread of the Jews, underwent circumcision, seeking safety through this act. Athanasius remarked: As the Jews deceived before You despite witnessing Your marvelous signs, so in their place shall all nations gather in worship.

This suggests a comparison between the willing devotion of the faithful, drawn to God by love, and the forced compliance of the unfaithful, who submit out of necessity. To lie before God signifies obedience not born from desire but from obligation, as stated in Psalm 17:45. While hypocrites may present themselves before God in various manners, the Prophet focuses here on the notion that God’s power is formidable even to His adversaries, compelling submission from those who resist it.