Psalm 71 (70):15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Does not the term ‘days’ imply nights as well? What was declared in Genesis? Evening and morning were brought into existence. (Gen. 1:5) Thus, the entire day consists of both day and night; for night is to serve day, not the other way around. Everything you do while in this mortal state should honor righteousness; all your actions, guided by God's command, must not be for the sake of the flesh, lest day reflects night. Therefore, continuously proclaim the praises of God, both in good times and in hardship; glorifying Him in prosperity as by day, and in distress as by night: constantly extolling God throughout the day, so that my singing shall not be in vain, I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall be continuously in my mouth. Hence, it is stated, "For I have not known trading." What does this trading entail? Let traders heed these words and amend their ways; if they have sinned, let them turn from it; let them forget their previous selves; let them disapprove and praise; let them condemn and transform, if trading is indeed sinful. For this reason, O merchant, due to your overwhelming desire for gain, when you face loss, you may succumb to blasphemy; thus, you will not have the praises of God continually upon your lips. Whenever you speak of the cost of the goods you sell, if you lie not only but even swear falsely, how can your mouth be full of God's praises all day? And if you claim to be a Christian, yet your mouth brings reproach to God, causing others to remark, "Look at what kinds of people Christians are!" If he, for this reason, praises God consistently, seeing he has not known trade, let Christians reform themselves and refrain from trading. But the merchant might argue, "Look, Bishop, I bring goods from distant lands to areas lacking what I offer, solely asking to earn a fair profit for my labor: for wherewith shall I live, when it is written that the laborer is worthy of his reward?" (Lk. 10:7) And he refers to falsehoods and perjury. This blame is mine, not the merchant's; for I could not, even if I wished, escape this mistake. Thus, as a merchant, I do not transfer my guilt onto trade: if I lie, it is I who am dishonest, not the trade itself. I might say, "I bought this for such a price, and I will sell it for so much; if you are willing, buy." The buyer, acknowledging this truth, would not be displeased, and still everyone would turn to me, for they would esteem the truth more than profit. Thus, he urges me to counsel him against deceit and false oaths; not to abandon the means by which I sustain myself. To what do you want to lead me, should you draw me away from this? To another trade, perhaps? Shall I become a shoemaker, sewing footwear for men? Aren't those trades deceitful too? Do they not, promising to make shoes for one customer while collecting payment from another, neglect their commitments and betray those to whom they pledged timely service? Do they not often say, "Today I will accomplish this task?" Moreover, within the act of sewing, do they not engage in numerous deceptions? Here are their actions and here are their words: yet they themselves are wicked, not the professions they claim. Thus, all wicked craftsmen, fearing neither God nor the dread of loss, lie and deceive; there is no enduring glory of God among them. How, then, shall you divert me from trade? Do you wish me to become a farmer and complain against the thundering God; that, terrified of hail, I would consult a sorcerer to discern how to safeguard myself against misfortunes; that I would hope for famine among the poor, so I could sell my remaining provisions? Is this what you intend for me? But you will contend that good farmers do not act this way. Nor do virtuous merchants engage in such behaviors. Yet, why should the children of believers be inclined toward wrongdoing? After all, when they suffer headaches, sinful and disbelieving mothers seek wicked charms and incantations. These are men’s transgressions, not the trades themselves. The merchant might remark to me, "See, Bishop, how you comprehend the trade referenced in the Psalm: lest perhaps you misunderstand it and yet prohibit me from trading. Teach me how I might live; if it is good, it shall be good for me; I do know, however, that if I am wicked, it is not trade which renders me so, but my iniquity. Whenever the truth is spoken, no objections can be made against it." Let us then inquire, what he referred to as commerce, which he who remained ignorant of it praises God all day? The term commerce in Greek arises from action, and in Latin signifies a lack of inactivity; yet regardless of the origin, let us explore its significance. For those who are active merchants, as though relying solely on their endeavors, they praise their own works, failing to attain the grace of God. Consequently, merchants stand in opposition to the grace that this Psalm extols, praising the grace that permits no boasting in one’s own deeds. Since it states in one instance, "Doctors will not raise," should people abandon medicine? But what does this mean? The term refers to arrogant individuals who assure others of salvation while genuine salvation comes solely from the Lord. It is no wonder the Lord expelled from the Temple those to whom He proclaimed, "It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." That is, you boast in your own efforts, failing to seek stillness and heed the Scriptures, which admonish against anxiety and commerce, "Be still, and know that I am God." However, differing copies assert, "For literature I knew not." Where trade exists, other forms of literature are present; how they can harmonize is challenging to determine; yet perhaps the divergence of interpreters sheds light on the truth, introducing no errors. Let us examine how to appropriately understand literature, lest we offend grammarians as we previously did merchants; for a grammarian too may practice integrity in his trade without deceit or misrepresentation. We must, however, reflect on the literature of which he was unaware, in which continual praise to God is spoken. There exists a type of Jewish literature: we will refer to this; we will discover that, like our examination of merchants concerning deeds and actions, we find that disgraceful trade is that which the Apostle condemned, saying, "Because they were ignorant of the righteousness of God, and sought to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God's righteousness." (Rom. 10:3) Just as we noted the previous accusation against merchants, those who boast in their works, engaging in tireless activities devoid of idleness, restless individuals who are not true workers; because genuine workers are those in whom God implements His work; thus with the Jewish people, we encounter a specific form of literature. Moses penned five books, and in the five porches surrounding the pool, (John 5:2) the sick lay, unable to be healed. Observe how the letter remains, condemning the guilty but not saving the unrighteous. For within these five vestibules, the representations of the five books, the sick were rather abandoned than restored. What healed the sick in that place? The stirring of the water. When the waters were agitated, the afflicted person would descend and become one, unified by the oneness: no one else, entering during that disturbance, was restored. How then was the unity of the Body exalted, calling out from all corners of the earth? Only the pool was moved once more. That stirring of the pool indeed symbolized the confusion the Jewish people faced upon the arrival of the Lord Jesus Christ. For at the descent of the angel, it appeared as if the water within the pool had been stirred. The water, encircled by five porches, typified the Jewish nation encased by the Law. Those who lay sick within, amidst the same water, confused and shaken, found healing. When the Lord arrived, the waters were stirred; He was crucified, and thus He came to bring healing to the afflicted. What does it signify, He came down? Let Him humble Himself. Therefore, anyone who clings to the letter absent grace will remain in the vestibules, afflicted, languishing, and unwell. Similarly, when Elisha initially sent his staff via his servant to revive a deceased child; the son of a widow passed away, and he heard the news, dispatching his servant with the staff: "Go, lay it upon the child," he instructed. Did not the prophet understand his actions? The servant went, placed his staff upon the dead, yet the child did not revive. For if a law could impart life, righteousness would undeniably spring forth from that law. (Galatians 3:21) The staff sent by the servant achieved no revival; instead, he himself came, who now embodied the image of the Lord, having sent his servant forth with the staff, akin to the law: he reached the child who lay lifeless and laid his person upon him. One was an infant, the other an adult: he diminished himself to match the stature of the lifeless child. The dead arose only when he, being alive, connected with the deceased: the Master accomplished what the staff failed to do; grace achieved what the letter could not perform. Those who remain tethered to the staff take pride in the letter; they do not experience resurrection. But I shall boast in Your grace. By that very grace, I, reveling in the letter, have not understood: I have wholly rejected those who place their faith in the letter and turn away from grace.

It is as if he said: Lord, having long experienced Your blessings, I am certain that Your renewed grace will grant me an opportunity to extol Your goodness. He then clarifies the nature of the sacrifice of praise he intends to offer to God, declaring his commitment to continually proclaiming His truth and salvation. "My mouth shall declare Thy righteousness, all the day Thy salvation." Here, righteousness does not refer to God’s distribution of justice but to His faithfulness in preserving and delivering His servants from distress. It is thus a profound source of comfort to us that our salvation is grounded in God's righteousness, which is steadfast. David links this steadfastness with righteousness, understanding that assurance of his salvation comes solely from the awareness of God's unchanging nature. As he experienced miraculous salvation numerous times and through various means, he expresses his unwavering resolve to glorify God. Some interpret the subsequent phrase, "that I know not the number," to mean that while God’s salvation is beyond human comprehension, he will still sing of it. Others delve deeper into these words, relating them to God’s many blessings. Nothing so stirs our hearts to praise God as the contemplation of the countless gifts that He imparts to us. People often forget or take lightly a few of God's favors, but the sheer abundance of blessings serves to correct any apathy toward expressing gratitude. Thus, let us strive to appreciate God's goodness passionately and wholeheartedly. Following the Septuagint's interpretation, some suggest that David's reference to "not knowing the book" signifies a lack of knowledge in scholarly matters, given that he began as a shepherd and later became a soldier, leaving little time for study, as noted in Psalms 77, 70, and 71. However, David himself contradicts this notion when he declares, "I know better than all those who teach me" (Psalms 118:99). The Psalms indicate that he received both divine insight and human instruction. Despite his humble beginnings as a shepherd and his military engagement, he did not neglect the pursuit of knowledge or the deepening of his understanding of God's works. Therefore, it is clear that when David speaks of ignorance regarding “the book,” he refers to human wisdom, particularly the cunning of Ahithophel, who conspired against him. By stating "I do not know you," he is not claiming simple ignorance but rather expressing a form of ironic disassociation, similar to how it is said, "I do not know you," illustrating a disapproval, as the Lord also states: "I do not know you at all" (Matthew 7:23). Consequently, the essence of his words "I know not the book" conveys this: I do not grasp the wisdom of this world; I do not esteem human cunning and scheming, nor do I place my trust in human counsel, and so forth.

This psalm honors the sons of Jonadab, serving both to encourage those who willingly follow God’s commands and to admonish those who stray from the Divine will. In this psalm, the prophet prays to God, expressing his desire for divine assistance throughout his life, both in his youth and in his later years, seeking His aid against both visible and unseen adversaries. He prophetically calls upon all to bring every thought into submission to Christ the Lord, aspiring for liberation from sin through His sacrificial death, which promises freedom to those initially held captive, as well as to all who are devoted to God, leading to eternal life (2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 6:10).