Psalm 74 (73):21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

During the Psalm reading, you heard that the impoverished and the afflicted are called to cry out to God in this life (cf. Ps. 73:21). This cry, as has been emphasized frequently, is not the voice of a single individual, yet it is unified in one: it is not singular, for there are numerous believers, many kernels amidst the sorrowful chaff dispersed across the entire world; yet it is one, because we are all part of Christ’s body, united in that singular Body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:27). Hence, this destitute and sorrowful group cannot find joy in the world: both their inner anguish and their hidden joy are only visible to the One who hears the cries and rewards those who are filled with hope.

Question 262. The Scriptures commend both poverty and distress, as evidenced by verses such as “blessed are the poor” (Matt. 5:3) and “the desire of the poor hast Thou heard, O Lord” (Ps. 9:38), along with “the poor and the wretched shall praise Thy name” (Ps. 73:21). What, then, is the difference between poverty and distress? Additionally, how does David justify his statement, “But I am poor and wretched” (Ps. 39:18)? Response. Reflecting on the Apostle’s words regarding the Lord, “He, being rich, became poor for your sakes” (2 Cor. 8:9), I believe that a person who is poor is one who has fallen from wealth to destitution, whereas a person who is wretched is someone who has faced hardship from the start and has endured such trials in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.

Those deserving of salvation receive it; the humble in spirit, exemplified by the Apostolic demeanor, fulfills the declaration, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ (Matthew 5:3), by offering praises that are fitting to You.

Let not the lowly depart in disgrace. We earnestly request that we receive what we seek and are not sent away in humiliation. The destitute and the afflicted glorify Your name. Those who require Your assistance and those who have received it often lift their voices in praise to You.

May the lowly not return in disgrace. The individuals, O Lord, who called out to You amid the siege of Jerusalem, should not feel disheartened and embarrassed for feeling unheard. This is to say that, while some among the Jews were enveloped in spiritual darkness and laden with sin, akin to having edifices of transgression due to their rejection of Christ, let not all those who prayed during the siege feel shame for not being answered; for among them were those with a faithful expectation of deliverance, saved through the ministry of the Apostles.

To return in disgrace signifies leaving without honor or joy. Consequently, the faithful beseech God, hoping that their requests will not be met with denial and thus lead to their humiliation. They describe themselves as lowly, destitute, and wretched to seek divine grace. However, it is important to recognize that their claims are not mere embellishments; rather, they intensify their sense of need in light of their earnestness, since they have experienced such profound distress that worldly aid was absent. From this illustration, we learn that prayer or calling upon the Lord is a reliable source of comfort in all our tribulations.

Ultimately, in Christ, the Fulfillment of all that is good, who is honored in songs of praise and will be exalted forever. This Psalm, inspired by the Holy Spirit for David and communicated to Asaph, the head of the musicians, serves as a prophetic message of joy for the Jewish people, heralding the impending triumph over Sennacherib, king of Assyria, which symbolizes the ultimate victory of the Holy Church over all its adversaries, a gift from God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the Holy Spirit has woven together the principles of Christian belief with Jewish history, thereby providing comfort to the Jew who interprets these words in their simplest form and joy to the Christian who perceives their deeper significance.