Psalm 68 (67):24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

These are not the dogs of whom the Apostle warns, ‘Beware of dogs’ (Phil. 3:2), but rather those who partake of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. By acknowledging this, the Canaanite woman received the honor of hearing, O woman, great is your faith; be it done to you as you wish (Matthew 15:27-28). Dogs deserve praise, not scorn; they remain loyal to their master and bark at foes outside his house. It is said, not merely of dogs in general, but specifically of Your dogs: not to commend their teeth, but rather their tongues. Gideon was commanded to bring forward those who would lap water like dogs from the river (Judg. 7:5), and among the countless multitude, only three hundred were chosen. This number signifies the Cross, represented by the letter T, which stands for three hundred in Greek numerals. Additionally, another psalm echoes, They shall turn, and they shall hunger like dogs. Some dogs were rebuked by the prophet Isaiah, not for being dogs but for failing to bark and preferring to sleep (Isaiah 56:10). Here, it is demonstrated that had these dogs remained alert and barked for their Lord, they would have been praiseworthy, like those whose loyalty is highlighted by the phrase: the tongue of Your dogs....

In another interpretation, the foot of Christ may represent the Church, which upholds Christ through faith, as He is its head. Thus, the Church is immersed in the blood of Christ, sealed by it, protected and strengthened, much like iron is fortified by soaking. Alternatively, it may refer to being stained with the blood of Christ’s martyrs, or metaphorically sprinkled with the blood of the demons, which also symbolizes their spiritual hardening.

Theodoret likens God to a valiant warrior who defeats enemies and liberates the unjustly enslaved, illustrating the scene with streams of blood and corpses, trampled and left for the dogs. He clarifies that the conjunction used signifies purpose; for He does not deliver one group to annihilate another but rather destroys the opposers to save the afflicted. The tongues of Your dogs lick the blood of Your foes. This implies that to be "wet" here conveys that the tongues of these dogs, denoting the Apostles as explained by St. Cyril, represent their barking against the spiritual wolves—demons—who drive off adversaries while safeguarding the flock of Christ.

The cleansing of the Apostles’ speech through the defeat of enemies signifies the blood of these adversaries, and thus, the reference to "from Him" means that their tongues were made pure through Him, by the grace of God the Father. These words derive from the imagery of dogs, having slain their prey, lapping up the blood of the fallen and tearing apart their remains. Another interpretation suggests that the foot of Christ, embodied in a man born of Mary, was consecrated in suffering and blood, while the tongues of the formerly unclean nations, upon their conversion from evil, were nourished by His pure blood.

The imagery of bloodshed may at times represent the triumph over flesh and blood, symbolizing the spiritual victory achieved through the blood of the Lamb of God. This encapsulates the victory of Jesus Christ, earned through His sufferings, as depicted in Isaiah (see Isaiah 63:1-6). Thus, the prophetic declaration elucidates that while the mission and essence of the Messiah's reign is to liberate humanity from death and to lead the very rebels into the obedience of faith, the Church will perpetually face adversaries, necessitating a continual need to subdue and annihilate them.

Particularly, the Lord will not exempt the pinnacle of earthly power—the strong one who, as the head of dominion, shakes the nations under his influence, who takes advantage of God’s forbearance and fails to redirect his strength toward fostering righteousness, instead plunging deeper into sin. The Lord has declared in His divine plan: although My Church faces severe trials from formidable foes like the kingdom of Bashan or is dispersed throughout the eastern regions, I will rescue her and restore her from Bashan; even if she appears utterly ensnared in a multitude of languages and ravaged from east to west, I will assemble her and return her from the depths of the sea (see Isaiah 11:11, 12). In response to this prophetic assurance, the prophet exclaims, "Indeed, O Lord, the victory You and Your Church will achieve over paganism will be monumental, definitive, and profoundly humbling for Your adversaries, to such an extent that it is challenging to portray it with the glory it deserves. To convey it through vivid images, it could be likened to when Your enemies are positioned at Your feet (Psalms 109:1), where Your feet shall be immersed in their blood, with the tongues of Your dogs licking it, especially the blood of the chief of Your foes."

To emphasize this assurance, the Prophet conveys God’s declaration: I will bring back from Bashan, I will bring back from the depths of the sea. These statements illustrate God's sovereignty over life and death, as the liberation of the Israelites from the Red Sea and from powerful giants serves as a foreshadowing of resurrection.

When the Prophet describes God as being stained and darkened with blood, it is not intended to convey cruelty, but rather His righteous judgment, allowing the faithful to understand how valued and cherished they are in His sight when He fiercely defends them. It is acknowledged that David, though gentle and kind-hearted, was ignited by divine purpose and could find joy in the downfall of the wicked when contemplating God’s will. It is also noteworthy that what is ascribed to God reflects His actions through His servants, who carry out just judgment against evil ones. The subsequent words, that thy foot may be wet in blood, and the tongue of thy dogs from his enemies, are more explicitly conveyed in the original Hebrew: that thy foot may be soaked in blood, and the tongue of thy dogs lick the blood of thine enemies, which is shed from them all.

The journey toward the West reminds us of the Passion and death of Christ the Savior, who, by the might of the Godhead, liberated Adam and others from the depths below. God is symbolically represented as the East, for He embodies unapproachable Light and eternal Divinity. The ascent toward the West represents the shared experience of human suffering, a region reminiscent of night when contrasted with divine illumination. This reinforces the omnipresence of God. Therefore, whether seated, walking, engaged in daily tasks, eating, or attending to any physical need, regardless of whether you face the East or the West, you should not hesitate to pray. We are instructed to pray constantly and in all places. When your head is covered, do not forsake prayer; simply ensure that your approach is not careless.