Psalm 68 (67):2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

As it is written, "Where shall I go from Thy Spirit and from Thy face, where shall I flee?" Thus, they flee with their thoughts rather than their bodies; they run from fear rather than physical concealment, not from a face they cannot see, but from one they are compelled to recognize. His face signifies His presence within His Church.

Regarding the immutable nature of God, it is important to note that while He is unchanging, there are times when He appears to us as seated, as it is not fitting for Him to stand in the presence of those being judged. The books have been opened, and the Judge has taken His seat. For the righteous, as attested to in the scripture, “He that believeth in Me shall not be judged,” He stands for them, which is why He states, “But thou shalt stand here with Me.” Those who are unworthy of assistance remain in slumber, but when they repent, the Lord rises as if awakening from sleep. Theodoret remarks that this rising signifies not only the end of patience but also the resurrection of the Savior of the world three days after His sacrificial death for us. This is akin to how we encourage judges, who may be too passive, to take action on behalf of the wronged, asking them to rise and curb the impudence of the offenders. Athanasius interprets these words as God’s rise to judge the unclean demons, for in His presence, they are banished and stripped of their power over humanity. Theodoret adds that just as a formidable leader arises to scatter all enemies, it suffices for the Lord of heavenly hosts to rise in order to vanquish His foes. The phrase "let those who hate Him flee from His face" indicates that they flee from His presence, unable to endure His coming in the flesh. Wherever God’s presence manifests, His enemies cannot help but retreat from it.

When God Himself rises, emerging from His eternal rest, to reveal His presence and omnipotent power in the assembly of His true worshippers on earth, then those who oppose His might—those who conspire against the Lord and His Anointed (Ps. 2:2) to dismantle His reign—will be divided in purpose and strength and ultimately dispersed. Furthermore, those who reject His truth, for whom the message of His kingdom appears as folly, will be unable to withstand His illuminating light that convicts them and will flee from His presence. While God has manifested Himself in various forms and across different times, the most significant and solemn demonstration, echoing the elevation of the tabernacle, occurred when the tabernacle of divine humanity, Jesus Christ, along with the veil of His flesh (Hebrews 10:20), was lifted from the earth and ascended to the heavenly Jerusalem, concurrently causing the adversaries of Christ's kingdom, beginning with the guardians of His tomb, to wither away.

It implies that God requires no elaborate preparations to vanquish His foes, for they exist under His dominion, and it is enough for Him to simply gesture, and they will be dispersed. It is a profound comfort to know that those who assail the church are regarded as the adversaries of God, who, having embraced us under His guard, views offenses against us as personal affronts to His own majesty. The prophet further illustrates God's ease in dismantling the schemes of our adversaries by employing a striking metaphor: just as smoke dissipates, they shall vanish; and as wax melts in the presence of fire, so shall they be destroyed. It may seem improbable to us that the formidable strength of our enemies could vanish so suddenly. However, the Holy Spirit aims to alleviate our excessive fears by reminding us that our foes do not possess the might we often ascribe to them; they are akin to smoke, which fades away. We misjudge their power by solely relying on our perceptions, forgetting that in God's eyes, even the mightiest mountains melt away like wax.

The journey towards the West involves reflecting on the Passion and death of Christ the Redeemer, who, through His divine power, liberated Adam and others from the realm of the dead. The name of God symbolizes the East, as He represents the inapproachable Light and the eternal Godhead, while the ascent to the West signifies an identification with human suffering, resembling the darkness of night in comparison to the brilliance of the mountain light. This illustrates that God is omnipresent. Thus, whether you are sitting, walking, engaged in various tasks, eating, or attending to any bodily needs, regardless of whether you face east or west, you should not hesitate to pray. We are instructed to maintain constant prayer in every location. Moreover, if your head is covered, continue to pray, ensuring that you do so with attentiveness and not carelessly.

He then sent the Holy Spirit laden with His diverse gifts, as captured in the words, "He ascended on high, took captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." The term 'ascended' implies that He first descended into the lower parts of the earth; He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all heavens, that He might fill all things (Eph. 4:8-10).

Let God rise up, and let His foes be scattered; let those who oppose Him flee. Moses expressed a similar sentiment during the Israelites' wandering, stating, "Arise, O Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered; let those who hate Thee flee from Thy presence" (Num. 10:35). These words were likely echoed when the Ark was raised from the house of Abeddar to travel to Jerusalem. At the celebration of the New Covenant Passover, these phrases resound frequently, conveying a plea: "Reveal, O Lord, the might of Your resurrection, and by that power, vanquish the enemies of salvation, particularly the evil spirits under heaven that oppose You, just as You were formidable against the foes of Your chosen people in the wilderness, where You manifested Your presence over the Ark of the Covenant."