Psalm 73 (72):8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet humanity, driven by fear, often maligns others. How do these individuals express their defiance? They proclaim wrongdoing in the most brazen manner. Their actions are not merely sinful; they display their arrogance openly and audaciously declare, “I will act; I will demonstrate; you will understand who you are confronting; I will not allow you to survive.” Such thoughts should remain unspoken! After all, within the private realms of contemplation, one could at least curb the wicked inclination; it should be possible to restrain it in one’s mind. Why is this so? Could it be that they are somehow lacking? As if their iniquity is born solely from the depths of arrogance. They declared wrongdoing in the most exalted sense.

They proclaim injustice from elevated positions. This signifies the escalating nature of their deception, leading them to defame God Himself.

What is the meaning of the phrase, ‘They spoke unrighteousness in high places and set their mouths in heaven’? The Prophet conveys this idea: due to their wrongdoing and the absence of immediate judgment for their sins, they foolishly conclude that there is no God. As the Prophet states, ‘The fool says in his heart, “There is no God”’ (Psalm 52:2).

It is distressing for them to harm others, yet they strive to pierce the heavens with their words and intentions, much like arrows. The Prophet interprets this as blasphemies directed at God, slander against God's people, and profanation of the holy temple. He articulates this thought more explicitly in Psalm 41:4, where he laments, “My tears are bread to me day and night, when I say unto you every day, Where is your God?”

The wicked, who were filled with joy, possessed a powerful tendency toward unrighteousness and skillfulness, as skill signifies a steadfast inclination of the heart. They engaged in evil speech with intent and reasoning rather than out of passion or ignorance. As he states, they spoke against the Most High, asserting that He was not God. To strip God of His glory and attribute it to others is an act of unrighteousness. Every individual who utters anything unworthy of God acts unjustly against the divine majesty. For the Godhead represents the ultimate elevation; there is nothing above it. As Athanasius observed, lawless prosperity has fostered a malignant habit within their souls. This is evident in their intentional evil speech.

This passage in the Hebrew Scriptures states that the wicked plot and utter malicious words against the oppressed, coming from the arrogance of their hearts. Essentially, these unrighteous individuals, in their forgetfulness and disregard for shame, do not hide their transgressions but flaunt their acts of theft and exploitation. Such behavior is typical of thieves, yet they also evade the consequences of the law. The giants, or rather the formidable and monstrous beings referred to by the Prophet, not only disregard the law but, in their blindness to their own frailty, violently assault their neighbors, as if they perceive no difference between righteousness and wickedness. The phrase "from the height of their heart they speak" conveys that they openly hurl blasphemies against all.

The Psalm, breathed into existence by the Holy Spirit and handed down to Asaph, the leader of the singers, was meant for him to express in song for the encouragement of all those gathered in reverence to God. It serves to remind them not to be dismayed by the prosperity of the wicked, who enjoy comfort and abundance in this life, nor to despair for the faithful, who endure hardship and various struggles. It emphasizes that both experience a brief time here: the wicked in their earthly pleasures and the righteous in their sorrows. Ultimately, the destiny of the wicked is eternal destruction, while the righteous are promised everlasting joy. Movement of the feet signifies the disturbance of the mind due to sin. Those who have begun to falter through sin should strive to correct their course through repentance, holding fast to hope in the One who redeems the fallen.

They proclaim complete fabrications with such audacious confidence that it seems they were commissioned from heavenly realms to declare the truth. This is conveyed by the Psalmist when he states, ‘They speak unrighteousness in high places.’