Psalm 69 (68):7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Once more, the voice of the Head proclaims, "Let them not feel ashamed before Me; let them not inquire, 'Where is the One in whom you placed your trust?' Let them not ask, 'Where is He who told you, "Believe in God; also believe in Me"?' (John 14:1) May those who place their hope in You, O Lord, Sovereign of all virtues, never be made to feel embarrassed before Me. May those who earnestly seek You, O God of Israel, find no distress concerning Me. This understanding also applies to His Body, provided we recognize that His Body consists of more than just one individual: indeed, a single person is not His Body, but merely a small member, and the Body comprises numerous members. Thus, His complete Body represents the entire Church. It is for this reason that the Church proclaims, "Let not those who trust in You, O Lord, Sovereign of virtues, feel ashamed before Me."

Let not those who endure suffering for Your sake feel dishonored, O Lord, Sovereign of all. The expression 'for Me' implies a deeper meaning, denoting 'for My sake' or 'in light of My own suffering on their behalf.' The phrase 'let them not be ashamed' signals a transition, moving from a state of previous shame they experienced due to the corruption surrounding them. The essence of this message conveys that since I have willingly embraced death on their behalf, the disgrace they once felt due to death should be removed, for in the case of humanity, created in God's likeness, the dominance of death brought about a sense of shame. Hence, it signifies that through His resurrection, death will ultimately be vanquished.

Having hoped for deliverance from You and feeling misled in my faith, may I not serve as a detrimental lesson for others. Rather, let those who are aware of You understand from my experiences that there is no disgrace for those who place their hope in Your salvation.

May those who suffer for You, O Lord, mighty in power, not be brought low because of me. Let those who endure hardship for You, O Lord, without receiving the assistance they hope for, not feel ashamed. They expect You to be their helper, and thus He is referred to as Lord of strength, for He has the power to save all who invoke His name. May those who seek You, O God of Israel, not be shamed because of my presence. This statement resonates with the prior sentiments. Those who seek the Lord are those who cry out to Him amid their trials. Alternatively, as noted by Eusebius, this can be understood as spoken from the perspective of Christ, declaring that since He was willing to face death for them, may the shame that comes from death be abolished. His intention is to convey that through His resurrection, death will be vanquished and cease to exist. Athanasius offers a similar perspective.

Consequently, "let not those who hope in me feel disgrace," referring to those who anticipate witnessing my resurrection on the third day, the Apostles.

David presents to God the notion that he stands as a witness, serving as a model for the faithful, who may find either hope or despair in his situation. Despite being despised by the multitude, there existed a handful of just and unbiased witnesses attesting to his righteousness. Although these witnesses recognized that he endured unjust suffering and persevered in his devotion to God, always trusting in divine mercy and remaining steadfast through trials, their assessment of his dire circumstances led them to believe he was striving in vain while honoring the Lord. David brings this sorrowful condition before God, not as if God requires a reminder but because He graciously permits us to approach Him as His servants. The term patience or expectation signifies true hope, characterized by earnest prayer directed towards God. This connection illustrates that faith is not a passive state; rather, it compels us to earnestly seek the Lord.

At the conclusion of the law, embodied in Christ our Lord (Rom. 10:4), this psalm is directed towards David, inspired by God, for those transformed from wickedness to righteousness, from disbelief to faith in Christ, and from sin to repentance. Within it, the prophet seeks divine assistance, yearning for his sorrow to be turned into joy through the defeat of his adversaries who torment him. Moreover, this psalm unveils the many tribulations and dire situations faced by Christ the Lord during His pure Passion, notably His suffering caused by the ungrateful Jewish leaders. The psalm encapsulates the prayer of Christ the Savior for all humanity, illustrating the initiation of the Gospel way of life and the teaching of worship in spirit and truth.