Psalm 71 (70):19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Does it not even reach humanity? Indeed, it encompasses the greatest and most wondrous acts You have accomplished. The heights belong to the heavens, where the Angels, Thrones, Lordships, Dominiums, Beginnings, and Authorities reside. To You, they owe their very existence, their life, their righteousness, and their blessedness. How vast is Your power and righteousness? Even to the most extraordinary feats performed by Your hand. Do not imagine that grace belongs to humanity alone. What was the Angel before his creation? And what is an Angel who turns away from the Creator? Thus, Your power and justice extend to the highest beings You have fashioned.

And humanity exalts itself, hearing the serpent whisper, “Taste, and ye shall be as gods” (Gen. 3:5). Are humans truly like gods? O God, who is comparable to You? Not in the abyss, nor in the depths of hell, nor on earth, nor among the heavens, for all that You have made. Why does the created contend against the Creator? O God, who is like unto You? And I, wretched Adam, who represents every human, have foolishly sought to be like You, and in my folly, I have become lost, crying out to You from my captivity. I, who thrived under a benevolent king, find myself ensnared by my own deceiver. I plead with You because I have strayed from Your ways. And from where have I turned away? Although I foolishly strive to emulate You...

Wretched, lost, malevolent, destined for death, I have wandered from the path of righteousness: behold, I break the commandment, casting aside the yoke of discipline, inflating my pride, abandoning the reins of guidance. And where am I now? Truly, the captive cries out: O Lord, who is like You? I foolishly aspired to be like You, and now I am but a beast! Under Your reign and authority, I was indeed akin to You. Yet the honorable man failed to realize he was likened to mindless beasts. Now, may the image of the beast call out, albeit too late, and proclaim, O God, who is like unto You?

Consequently, the Prophet implores, Leave me not, till I proclaim Thy arm to the generation to come, Thy might and Thy justice. This echoes the prophecy of Patriarch Jacob: The Prince shall not lack a Prince from Judah, and a leader from his lineage, until He comes, and to Him it is reserved: He is the hope of nations (Gen. 49:10). O God, even unto the heights, which Thou hast made me great. Aquila and Symmachus offer this rendition: O God, even unto the heights which Thou hast made great; that is, all that Thou hast created, O Lord, is exalted, grand, and sufficient to persuade all to acknowledge Thee as supreme. O God, who is like unto Thee? There is no one comparable to Thee, for Thou exceedest all in nature, power, and every excellent attribute.

Athanasius notes, Strength, for You have defeated the strongman and taken away his treasures; and truth, because You have liberated us, who were wrongfully held captive; and I will declare it since You have redeemed not only earthly matters but also heavenly ones by Your precious blood. This aligns with the understanding that creation itself will be freed from the shackles of corruption. You have instilled dignity in me! The "I" here signifies "how many," meaning the countless blessings You, O Lord, have bestowed upon me. It is fitting to interpret this in awe rather than as an exclamation. Some place punctuation after the phrase: Your righteousness, O God, linking it to: the greatnesses which You have done for me, as per Aquila's edition, suggesting the glories and favors You have graciously shown me have risen due to their magnificence even unto the heavenly hosts. You have honored me in Your likeness, appointed me ruler over earthly things, sustained me, sheltered me, safeguarded me, rescued me from adversities, and performed numerous other acts of kindness. O God, who is like You? Who can be compared to You, O Lord? There is none.

Let us seek an elevated, expansive, profound mind; let us desire a noble heart, imbued with reverence for God and love for humanity, characterized by purity and detachment. We must inquire of these qualities: who has bestowed these greatnesses upon you? Is it nature? Yet nature lacks independent creative authority; it serves merely as an instrument in the hands of the true Creator, God. Is it education? By its very definition, education does not create but rather shapes the inherent abilities and directs the latent forces that exist apart from it. Is it experience? Yet countless individuals, though surrounded by great experiences, remain small, mired in earthly concerns, while others—the seemingly insignificant beginnings of greatness, akin to the Gospel parable of the 'mustard seed’ (Luke 13:19)—quickly blossom into mighty trees.

If we accept that education and experiences can elevate the spirit, we must then ask: who provides the educators and the education that many strive for in vain? Who sends forth profound experiences and guides the inexperienced, even those who feel helpless—if not the One who has created all things through His creative Word, as affirmed by Scripture, ‘My Father is working until now’ (John 5:17), for ‘He upholds all things by the word of His power’ (Heb. 1:3), and without His providence ‘we cannot make one hair white or black’ (Matt. 5:36)?

If indeed God, through His providence and grace, cultivates true greatness of spirit within humanity—not an illusory greatness that manifests as fleeting impulses towards the sublime and soon dissipates into nothingness or impurity, but a genuine, enduring greatness that withstands trials—must we not acknowledge that God also imparts greatness through extraordinary wisdom and great spiritual power, inspired by noble intentions and yielding fruitful outcomes?

Therefore, to enable it to descend from above for our protection, we must elevate our thoughts above all worldly existence to grasp its magnificence. This also connects to the second part, which highlights the greatness of God’s works; for when we duly honor and praise His wondrous power, our hope will always remain steadfast. Ultimately, the understanding of God's goodness should deeply inspire us, filling us with continual amazement. This leads to the conclusion that our minds, which often waver due to anxiety, will find rest in the one true God. Frequently, when faced with even minor temptations, we can magnify our troubles excessively, envisioning insurmountable obstacles that hinder God's capabilities, as we tend to minimize His power. David's cry, ‘O God, who is like You?’ serves to teach us to draw upon God's strength in the face of all challenges, as it is truly deserving of our faith. Although many verbally acknowledge that none can compare to God, not everyone is fully persuaded that He alone possesses the ability to save us.

The followers of Jonadab's command are honored in the title of this psalm, both as a reminder for all who choose to obey God's law and as a reprimand for those who turn away from the Divine commandments. In this psalm, the prophet prays to God with full obedience, earnestly requesting that He serves as a Helper and Deliverer from visible and invisible foes, just as He did in his youth. He prophetically encourages all to capture their minds in obedience to Christ the Lord, fostering the hope of deliverance from sin, which is made possible through His death, freeing the first captives and all faithful servants of God for eternal life (2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 6:10).