Psalm 68 (67):22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This rhetorical device is known as hyperbole in both Greek and Latin grammatical studies. It appears not only in this statement from John but also throughout numerous sacred texts. For example, in the Psalms, we see references such as "lift up to heaven their mouths" (Psalms 72:9) and "the hairy temple of him who is stiff-necked in his iniquities" (Psalms 67:22). The Scriptures contain many similar expressions, showcasing a variety of figurative language.

God will shatter the heads of His adversaries, which signifies the persecution faced by the apostles, as He will rescue them by defeating their foes. This imagery draws from the behavior of serpents; when they strike at a human, a blow to their own head results in their demise. Additionally, this statement refers to the leaders of the Jewish people, for they are in rebellion against God due to their transgressions. When referring to the head, He indicates the foremost of the sinful, meaning that He will bring down the heads of those who persist in their wrongdoing without repentance.

God will indeed shatter the crowns of His adversaries, which include the devil along with all of his might. “You have shattered the heads of the serpent in the waters.” The multitude of sins represents the many heads of the devil, who is described as having the “hairy temple of the one who walks in his wickedness.” His head will be utterly crushed, leaving no remnants within him to tempt individuals to sin. The hair symbolizes the pinnacle of the head. This is why the psalmist proclaimed that there will be nothing left in the devil that remains unbroken.

According to the Prophet, He has granted us access to the portals of death, having shattered the strongholds of adversaries who relentlessly pursue human iniquities, leaving no stone unturned. By “hair,” He refers to the most minor offenses. The implication of this passage is clear: God has assigned death as a consequence for transgressors. Yet, the devil, acting as a merciless enforcer, meticulously examines human life, ensuring that not even the slightest fault escapes his grasp, resulting in the demise of our very essence. Thus, when I beheld the Lord Christ adorned in the same humanity, I approached Him in search of the cause of mortality. This aligns with His declaration in the sacred Gospel: ‘The prince of this world is coming, and in Me he will find nothing’ (John 14:30).

God will shatter the heads of His adversaries. As stated, God will defeat the principalities of the evil ones, for the head represents the foremost powers of the body, including the senses. This reveals a profound connection: both aspects. One could succinctly convey this idea as follows: God will mentally dismantle the heads of the demons. He will not only crush the heads of the demons but also stomp upon the very roots of the wicked. Furthermore, He will trample upon the heads of those engaged in sin; for it is in their transgressions that demons continue to dominate them, putting them under their control.

The eighth aspect of David's exaltation: the judgment upon idolatry and the triumph of the Church. The crown of a man's head represents either a brutish individual or the leader of a vast populace, as shown in the account of Moses (see Deuteronomy 32:42). Bashan, the mightiest of Gentile kingdoms that opposed the Israelites on their journey to the promised land (see Deuteronomy 3:1-5), may here symbolize paganism in terms of its strength, or, due to its location on the eastern edge of the promised territory, can indicate eastern paganism. The seas denote the nations of the west and the islands, or in a broader sense, the nations considered in their vast numbers, as referenced in the Revelation (see Rev 12:12; Rev 17:15).

The church frequently faces intense and formidable adversaries, enduring relentless persecution; hence, its deliverance can only come through a mighty and resolute force. This is why the Prophet depicts God as possessing formidable strength capable of vanquishing all foes. It is important to recognize that all who unjustly harass and torment the righteous are counted among God’s enemies, assuring us that He is perpetually poised to defend His people. The depth of His concern for our salvation is poignantly illustrated in the scripture, God will break the heads of enemies, and the top of the heads of those who transgress in their trespasses.

This Psalm, attributed to David through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, reflects the establishment of God's covenant in Jerusalem and the intentional triumph over his many foes. It proclaims the countless blessings of God revealed in the Old Testament, including the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, and prophetically honors the sacraments of the New Testament: the incarnation, baptism, transfiguration, suffering, resurrection, ascension of Christ the Savior, the descent of the Holy Spirit, and other ineffable acts of the Divine. The journey towards the West entails recalling the Passion and death of Christ, through whom the power of divinity liberated Adam and others from the realm of the dead.